Leiden University Student Repository

Nieuwkoop, Roos van (2023)

Assassin's Creed II: Exploring the Boundaries of Freedom in Video-Games

Master thesis | Arts and Culture (MA)

This Master thesis has conducted a research centring around freedom in videogames. Via means of Ubisoft’s action-adventure videogame Assassin’s Creed II (2009) this thesis aims to determine the extent in which the player is free and able to experience freedom in both Assassin’s Creed II individually, as well as compared to three videogames to provide a contextualised framework specifically for Assassin’s Creed II as is used in the methodological framework of this thesis. The three compared videogames being Minecraft (2011), The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011), and Halo Wars (2009) have worked towards providing a contextualised answer in discussed modes of freedom as depicted and present in Assassin’s Creed II. Via both surface layer narrative and underlying structural algorithmic build of videogames, Assassin’s Creed II has been analysed using a philosophical approach via theories and debates on freedom, as well as via the use of algorithmic models and the potential dangers...Show moreThis Master thesis has conducted a research centring around freedom in videogames. Via means of Ubisoft’s action-adventure videogame Assassin’s Creed II (2009) this thesis aims to determine the extent in which the player is free and able to experience freedom in both Assassin’s Creed II individually, as well as compared to three videogames to provide a contextualised framework specifically for Assassin’s Creed II as is used in the methodological framework of this thesis. The three compared videogames being Minecraft (2011), The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011), and Halo Wars (2009) have worked towards providing a contextualised answer in discussed modes of freedom as depicted and present in Assassin’s Creed II. Via both surface layer narrative and underlying structural algorithmic build of videogames, Assassin’s Creed II has been analysed using a philosophical approach via theories and debates on freedom, as well as via the use of algorithmic models and the potential dangers algorithms pose in regards to the player-experience of freedom in videogames. Ultimately, this thesis uncovered the potential dangers of algorithms within Assassin’s Creed II, and thereupon via the compared videogames the potential controlling-tendencies of the use of algorithms in the digital environment.Show less

Freedom

Determinism

Ludology

Video-Games

Assassin’s Creed II.

Author

Nieuwkoop, Roos van

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Art History

Supervisors

Dr. S.A. Shobeiri

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en