Choice-based video games have often been called “interactive movies” for their unique position as a genre that lets players craft a unique story by making decisions that alter the game’s narrative. Two well-known examples in this genre, Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human, offer a variety of possible story lines and outcomes for players to experience. However, because these two narratives are steeped in themes of police brutality, systemic racism, and protest, the way a player shapes a story does not exist in a relatively “moral-free” vacuum. Rather, the legal and social precedents that are often used to absolve police misconduct of blame by indicating an absence of choice are accentuated in these two video games. Through the lens of ludonarratology, which emphasizes both the played experience and the narrative of a video game, I will explain how both Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human demonstrate both the presence of personal choice and the institutional frameworks which inhibit agency in order to maintain power. In addition, the racial tones of Detroit: Become Human offer at times subversive readings of police brutality while maintaining dominant narratives of protest that protect white comfort.
","abstract_html":"<p>Choice-based video games have often been called “interactive movies” for their unique position as a genre that lets players craft a unique story by making decisions that alter the game’s narrative. Two well-known examples in this genre, Quantic Dream’s <em>Heavy Rain </em>and <em>Detroit: Become Human, </em>offer a variety of possible story lines and outcomes for players to experience. However, because these two narratives are steeped in themes of police brutality, systemic racism, and protest, the way a player shapes a story does not exist in a relatively “moral-free” vacuum. Rather, the legal and social precedents that are often used to absolve police misconduct of blame by indicating an absence of choice are accentuated in these two video games. Through the lens of ludonarratology, which emphasizes both the played experience and the narrative of a video game, I will explain how both <em>Heavy Rain </em>and <em>Detroit: Become Human </em>demonstrate both the presence of personal choice and the institutional frameworks which inhibit agency in order to maintain power. In addition, the racial tones of <em>Detroit: Become Human </em>offer at times subversive readings of police brutality while maintaining dominant narratives of protest that protect white comfort.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Ludwig, Karmann E"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"English","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. Lesley Larkin"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2022,"date_issued":"2022-04-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2022-04-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:24:24Z","subjects":["video games","ludology","narratology","racism","civil rights","police brutality","choice-based games","African American Studies","Digital Humanities","Other Film and Media Studies","Race and Ethnicity"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/707","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. Lesley Larkin"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Ludwig, Karmann E"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2022-04-01T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["English"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["video games","ludology","narratology","racism","civil rights","police brutality","choice-based games","African American Studies","Digital Humanities","Other Film and Media Studies","Race and Ethnicity"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/707"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Choice-based video games have often been called “interactive movies” for their unique position as a genre that lets players craft a unique story by making decisions that alter the game’s narrative. Two well-known examples in this genre, Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human, offer a variety of possible story lines and outcomes for players to experience. However, because these two narratives are steeped in themes of police brutality, systemic racism, and protest, the way a player shapes a story does not exist in a relatively “moral-free” vacuum. Rather, the legal and social precedents that are often used to absolve police misconduct of blame by indicating an absence of choice are accentuated in these two video games. Through the lens of ludonarratology, which emphasizes both the played experience and the narrative of a video game, I will explain how both Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human demonstrate both the presence of personal choice and the institutional frameworks which inhibit agency in order to maintain power. In addition, the racial tones of Detroit: Become Human offer at times subversive readings of police brutality while maintaining dominant narratives of protest that protect white comfort.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["\"What if We're on the Wrong Side?\": Police Brutality, Protest, and Player Culpability in Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. Lesley Larkin"],"dc:creator":["Ludwig, Karmann E"],"dc:date.available":["2022-04-01T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Choice-based video games have often been called “interactive movies” for their unique position as a genre that lets players craft a unique story by making decisions that alter the game’s narrative. Two well-known examples in this genre, Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human, offer a variety of possible story lines and outcomes for players to experience. However, because these two narratives are steeped in themes of police brutality, systemic racism, and protest, the way a player shapes a story does not exist in a relatively “moral-free” vacuum. Rather, the legal and social precedents that are often used to absolve police misconduct of blame by indicating an absence of choice are accentuated in these two video games. Through the lens of ludonarratology, which emphasizes both the played experience and the narrative of a video game, I will explain how both Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human demonstrate both the presence of personal choice and the institutional frameworks which inhibit agency in order to maintain power. In addition, the racial tones of Detroit: Become Human offer at times subversive readings of police brutality while maintaining dominant narratives of protest that protect white comfort.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/707"],"dc:subject":["video games","ludology","narratology","racism","civil rights","police brutality","choice-based games","African American Studies","Digital Humanities","Other Film and Media Studies","Race and Ethnicity"],"dc:title":["\"What if We're on the Wrong Side?\": Police Brutality, Protest, and Player Culpability in Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["English"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:24:24Z"}