theguardian.com
All Will Rise": Activism Deck-Building Game Tackles Environmental Injustice
In the deck-building game "All Will Rise", lawyer Kuyili wins personhood rights for a river in Muziris, India, but an oil spill immediately pollutes it, prompting an investigation driven by card-based conversations reflecting real-world activism.
- How does the game's card-based conversation system reflect the complexities of real-world activism, and what are its implications for player engagement?
- The game's mechanics reflect the collaborative nature of activism, requiring players to gather information and build arguments using evidence-based cards. Emotional energy is a core mechanic, highlighting the toll of activism and the importance of community support.
- What is the central conflict driving the narrative and gameplay of "All Will Rise", and what immediate consequences does it highlight regarding environmental activism?
- All Will Rise", a deck-building game, centers on lawyer Kuyili's fight for environmental justice. Her legal victory granting a river personhood is immediately undermined by a devastating oil spill. The game uses card-based conversations to simulate real-world activism.
- What unique approach does "All Will Rise" take in addressing climate change and environmental issues in gaming, and what potential impact could this have on players' understanding and engagement with these issues?
- All Will Rise" challenges the typical portrayal of climate change in games, moving beyond simplistic 'green god' or 'toxic wasteland' narratives. By focusing on community-based activism and the process of change, it aims to empower players to engage in real-world environmental action.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The framing emphasizes the positive aspects of the game—its innovative mechanics, joyful tone, and empowering message—potentially downplaying the gravity of the environmental issues it addresses. The focus on the game's mechanics and the developers' intentions might overshadow a critical analysis of the game's potential impact and its handling of sensitive topics.
Language Bias
The language used is largely neutral and descriptive. However, terms like "inappropriately joyful" might be considered subjective and could be replaced with more neutral descriptions of the game's tone.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses primarily on the game's mechanics and development, omitting discussion of potential biases within the game's narrative or representation of different cultures and environmental issues. While the game aims to address global environmental challenges, the article doesn't delve into how these issues might be presented in a potentially biased way within the game itself. This omission limits a comprehensive assessment of the game's potential impact.
False Dichotomy
The article presents a false dichotomy by contrasting "green god games" and "toxic wasteland games," suggesting these are the only two approaches to depicting climate change in games. This ignores the potential for nuanced portrayals that explore complex societal and political dimensions without resorting to simplistic power fantasies or hopeless scenarios.
Sustainable Development Goals
The game starts with a river being granted legal rights, but it is soon polluted by an oil spill, highlighting the ongoing challenges in protecting water resources and the devastating consequences of pollution. The game also plans to cover topics like destruction of ocean floors due to mining, further emphasizing the connection to water pollution and resource degradation.