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COMPLETELY OFF
THE RAILS. MENTAL
ILLNESS IN GAMING
How does the Life Is Strange franchise represent mental
illness?
Is there a problem with the representation of mentally ill
characters in
modern gaming narratives? Look inside to find out!
Fig 1. Screenshot of an outdoor scene taken by unknown artist
from the video game Life Is Strange, Dontnod Entertainment
2015,https://wall.alphacoders.com/big.php?i=611180
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LIFE IS STRANGE'S PORTRAYAL OF CHARACTERS LIVING WITH
MENTAL ILLNESS.
MONSTERMISINTERPRETATIONOR AGONIZINGLYACCURATE? MENTALILLNESS IN
GAMING.
Maxine "Max" Caulfield and Chloe Price
Both Maxine Caulfieldand Chloe Price are therespective stars of
theLife Is Strange franchise. As each of thesecharacters act
as theprotagonists within theseries, it is important toaddress
their struggleswith mental illness.
It is widely believed that each of these characters strugglewith
both depression and anxiety stemming as a result ofthe untimely
deaths of their loved ones.
Kate MarshA supporting character withinthe first game, Kate
Marsh isa student attending BlackwellAcademy who struggles
withsevere depression andsuicidal ideation.
When most people think of video games, they acknowledge the
action-orientated and violence-packed titles that line the shelves
of the local gamestore. Unlike most mainstream games, however, the
Life Is Strange franchisefocuses on the more quieter, 'meaningful'
moments of life that everyone canrelate to. This is a gaming
franchise that showcases the more hard-hitting,deeply emotional
moments of life that impact us all. From showcasing
thehardships of young adulthood and even going as far to address
theconsequences of suicide and untreated mental illness, this is a
gamingfranchise unlike any other. What many people fail to
mention or closely analyze in modern gamingnarratives is its
portrayal of mentally ill characters. Although diversity
andinclusion have since become driving factors of modern gaming
narratives,there are still problems with the genre as a whole. The
portrayals of mentalillness in gaming often perpetuate and
encourage negative stereotypes ofmental illness. Most mentally ill
characters in modern games are showcasedas something to be afraid
of,they are portrayed as careless monsters who willeffortlessly
slaughter any unlucky thing that crosses their path. What makesthe
Life Is Strange franchise stand far apart from most mainstream
games is itsportrayal of mentally ill characters. From both the
good and the bad, thisgame accurately portrays the hardships
mentally ill individuals often endure.
By: Adara Bingham
She has a supporting role within the first gameand her character
development solely relies onher emerging relationship with Max
Caulfield.Although she becomes a strong character withinthe
franchise, it feels as if she only really acts asa brief plot point
to further the serious nature ofthe game.
Nathan Prescott
Continue reading at next page >
Acting as the antagonist of the first game, NathanPrescott
becomes a sympathetic, yet intimidating villainwithin the
franchise. The majority of his dialogue andinteractions with
other characters within this franchisereference his unstable
relationship with his family.More often than not, his
characterization reliesemphasizing or showcasing his schizophrenia
orbipolar disorder.
Fig 1. Screenshot of an indoor scene taken by Adnan Riaz from
the video game Life Is Strange,Dontnod Entertainment 2015,
https://www.hardcoregamer.com/2018/09/03/return-to-arcadia-bay-
in-upcoming-life-is-strange-welcome-to-blackwell-academy/311036/
Fig 1. Screenshot of an indoor scene taken by Lucia Kitchen from
the videogame Life Is Strange, Dontnod Entertainment 2015,
http://luciasgamingreviews.blogspot.com/2015/06/life-is-strange-how-to-save-kate-marsh.html
Fig 1. Screenshot of an indoor scene taken unknown artist from
the videogame Life Is Strange, Dontnod Entertainment 2015,
http://life-is-
strange.wikia.com/wiki/File:Chloe_Max_Photo1.jpg
Fig 1. Screenshot of an indoor scene taken by unknown artist
from the videogame Life Is Strange, Dontnod Entertainment 2015,
http://life-is-
strange.wikia.com/wiki/File:LifeIsStrange_2015-05-23_11-41-57-74.jpg
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"YOU'RE NOT A PROBLEM, CHLOE. YOU'RE A PERSON."
An important thing to take into consideration in regards to
this
game’s fanbase is its female-centric audience. The
supporting
characters and protagonists within this game are female, a
large
majority of them living with some form of mental illness as
well.
This is an keypoint in the diversity factor of the game's
narrative as
these female characters are not reduced to their gender or
their
mental illness. Even though this franchise may benefit from
showcasing positive portrayals of female characters living
with
mental illness, the game struggles with its harmful
representation
of its antagonists who are mentally ill.
In spite of its eye-opening sequences and heart-wrenching
scenes
of agony,loss, and extreme hardship, Life Is Strange is not
an
entirely perfect game in regards to its representation of
the
mentally ill. One of the biggest problems people have with
the
representation of mental illness in this game is Nathan
Prescott.
Acting as the primary antagonist for the first game and a
supporting character in the prequel, it is noted that Nathan
suffers
from extreme paranoia, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. He
is
clearly unstable throughout the duration of the game, even
going
as far to harm other non-emotionally sound characters both
physically and mentally. More often than not, his
characterization
furthers the idea that those who are living with mental illness
are
to be feared.
Positive portrayals of marginalized communities in video
games
act as an unfortunate rarity within mainstream gaming. The Life
Is
Strange franchise has earned worldwide applause and
recognition
for its positive portrayals of those living with mental
affliction.
The protagonist of the first game, Maxine, “Max”, Caulfield is
an
eighteen year old high-school student who has high hopes for
the
future in regards to her blooming photography career. Max,
as
well as her childhood friend, Chloe Price, both suffer from
severe
anxiety and depression. Both their anxiety and
severe depression
stemming as a result from the traumatizing and untimely
deaths
of their loved ones.
Life Is Strange follows the story of Max and Chloe as they
attempt
to prevent a disastrous storm from hitting their hometown of
Arcadia Bay, Oregon. Within the midst of the chaos and
destruction, both Max and Chloe are tasked with saving their
homely little town as well as the lives of the people who
reside
within it. The first game covers suicide, depression, and
anxiety all
while telling a meaningful story of the struggles that are
associated with young adulthood.
MENTAL ILLNESS IN GAMING
Fig 1. Screenshot of an scene taken by Crime Aquarmine from the
video game Life Is Strange, Dontnod Entertainment2015,
https://weheartit.com/entry/181164950
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One of the main reasons as to why the Life Is Strange franchise
earned its high praise and recognition is for its realism of the
characters.
Even with the supernatural elements attached to its story,
audiences are still captivated by the characters and the hardships
they
endured.
Players who are mentally ill were found to have a
stronger sense of eagerness to relate to what was portrayed to them
in the game.
Not only could the players deeply relate to what was
being shown to them throughout the game, but their mood also
steadily
increased by the time they completed the game. Ultimately, the
representation of mental illness is something that is relatively
unknown
and unexplored within the video game genre, but it has the
capability to introduce new ideas and stories to challenge popular
culture’s
typical portrayal of mental illness.
From showcasing severe depression, anxiety, and even the harsh
realities surrounding suicide, this gaming franchise never fails to
capture
the melancholic tone of what living with mental illness is
like. Yet, one of weaker points of this and gaming as whole
is its portrayal of
antagonists who also happen to be mentally unsound. Most
antagonists in video games are showcased with symptoms of uncommon
or
extreme forms of mental illness, which furthers the negative
stereotypes attached to mentally ill individuals. People often
choose to
deliberately make their antagonists mentally ill in an attempt
to make them more intimidating, which causes harm to those are
actually
living with a diagnosed disorder. Game designers often utilize
the antagonist's or character’s mental illness as a means to
showcase how
they are to be afraid of, which furthers the idea that mental
illness is frightening. Even though the Life Is Strange franchise
has undeniable
problems involving its representation of certain aspects of the
more ‘extreme’ forms of mental illness, the overall realism of the
characters
and story is what makes this a stand-out title from most
mainstream games.
A shining rarity among mainstream gaming titles, Life Is
Strange is a video game franchise that actively showcases how video
games are
able to act as effective, even inspirational forms of positive
mainstream media. One of the main reasons as to why this gaming
franchise
rightfully earned its high appraisal was due to its positive,
raw representation of not just strong female characters, but
mentally ill female
characters. This game stands out among the highly
competitive crowd for its ability to capture the struggles of
mental illness that are
often downright ignored or misinterpreted within the vast
majority of mainstream video games. From showcasing
severe depression,
anxiety, and even the harsh realities of untreated mental
illness, Life Is Strange always captures the
melancholic tone of what living with
mental illness is like. Yet, one of weaker points of this
franchise and gaming as whole is its portrayal of antagonists
who also happen to
suffer from some form of mental illness.
Even with all of the positives that this
game introduces in regards to representation, it still
highlights and perpetuates the idea that
mentally ill people, particularly schizophrenics, are people to
be afraid of. Even with its damaging portrayal of antagonists with
mental
illness, this gaming franchise has taken the steps to move
forward to showcase just how important representation is for a
widespread
audience. Regardless, the problems of the Life Is Strange
games are so far and in-between that it does not derive from the
content or the
story.
Fig 1. Screenshot of an scene taken by Andrew Duncan from
the video game Life Is Strange, Dontnod Entertainment 2015,
https://www.gamegrin.com/reviews/life-is-strange-episode-5-polarized-review/
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Works Cited
Life Is Strange
Life Is Strange: Before The Storm
Poppelaars, Marlou, et al. “The Impact of Explicit Mental Health
Messages in Video Games on
Players' Motivation and Affect.” Computers in Human
Behavior, Pergamon, 18 Jan.
2018,
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563218300256.
Russon, Mary-Ann. “‘Life Is Strange: Before The Storm’ Tackles
Depression.” BBC News, BBC,
Sept. 2017, www.bbc.com/news/technology-41152814.
Shah, Sachin. “Bullying, Depression and Suicide: Taking
Responsibility in 'Life Is Strange',
www.rcpsych.ac.uk/discoverpsychiatry/blogs/gamingthemind/bullying,depre
ssion,suicide
.aspx.
Shapiro, Samuel, and Merrill Rotter. “Graphic Depictions:
Portrayals of Mental Illness in Video
Games.” Journal of Forensic Sciences, Wiley/Blackwell
(10.1111), 26 Oct. 2016,
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1556-4029.13214.