Black History Month is a time to look back at African American representation across all mediums. In the gaming industry, it’s clear that the black community is heavily underrepresented, with video game protagonists represented as predominantly white. But there does seem to be some glimmer of hope for the future, with recent AAA releases such as Spiderman: Miles Morales, Half-Life: Alyx, and Mafia III featuring African American leads. When it comes to celebrating and depicting African American history, however, there’s still a considerable gap. In honor of Black History Month, we’re looking at a selection of historical video games that offered respectful representations of African Americans.
Assassin’s Creed: Liberation
Kicking off the list is the 2012 title Assassin’s Creed Liberation. Taking place during the same time period as Assassin’s Creed 3, Liberation was not only the first game in the series that featured a female protagonist for the series but also one that was African American. The game stars Aveline de Grandpre, a French assassin tasked with stopping the Templars from gaining control of 18th-century New Orleans during the French and Indian war by posing as a slave. As a character, Aveline is a real standout among the long line of Assassin’s Creed protagonists and subverted stereotypes to become a notable black heroine.
While the game was originally released as an exclusive for the PlayStation Vita, it was later ported to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, then given the remaster treatment on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game received mixed reviews upon its original release, but its improved graphics and overall gameplay have made it an arguably better title. Fans of the Assassin’s Creed series and as well as fans of 18th century New Orleans history alike should give Liberation a look.
Mafia 3
Though not historically accurate, Mafia III’s fictional world of New Bordeaux is heavily inspired by that of 1960’s New Orleans and allows for the game to explore race issues within the criminal underbelly. Playing as African American Mafia member Lincoln Clay, the player deals with many antagonizing foes, including the racist mob boss Sal Marcano and a white supremacist group that is heavily inspired by the Ku Klux Klan.
Even though it uses fictitious events and locations to tell its story, Mafia III emphasizes the controversy and very real effects of racism that drove (and sadly, still rives) many. Characters like Marcano but feel important to Clay’s growth and the struggles of thriving against uneven odds.
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Freedom Cry
Yet another entry from the Assassin’s Creed franchise, Freedom Cry is technically downloadable content for Black Flag but was released as a stand-alone and can be played without the base game. The title follows Adewale, a minor character who was present throughout Black Flag assisting protagonist Edward Kenway. Similar to Black Flag’s mechanic of saving and recruiting pirates, Freedom Cry’s main goal is to free slaves, with the player’s progression directly tied to the number of slaves that have been saved and recruited.
Adewale also proves to be a much more interesting and likable character than previous protagonists in the Assassin’s Creed series; unlike Edward and Connor, Adewale is a very intelligent, kind, and heroic person who possesses true morals, and in many ways, his journey feels better and more rewarding than that of Black Flag.
African Heroes
Though it hasn’t seen a release yet, African Heroes was the subject of a Kickstarter project from 2020 that, unfortunately, never reached its funding goal. The game was intended to be a homage to heroes of African history and mythology, with the purpose of educating players about African historical figures that may not be as well known. The game, while having an ambitious and interesting concept, fell short of reaching its Kickstarter goal, having only received $2,861 in pledges out of its $36,130 goal. African Heroes could serve as an important educational gateway for players into a culture not typically covered in gaming.
While this is just a small sampling of the titles that depict African American history, it’s important to note that there isn’t an abundant selection available. As the world of gaming continues to grow, we hope that the representation of other races and cultures continues to become more prominent as well.
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(This article is credited to Ben Price. For as long as he can remember, Ben has always loved playing, discussing, and writing about video games. Since receiving his B.A. in English, he now writes about them for a living.)