Gameplay Journal 7

The game I am focusing on for this journal is called This is the Police. In the game you play as the chief police, managing your officers and attending to crime/disturbance alerts throughout the city. However, there is a large mafia presence in the city, and you are constantly hounded to cooperate to their interests. Refusal results in negative consequences to either the department, or violence threats against family/friends. As a player you have to deal with conflict, surprisingly not from the crimes, but with yourself, grappling with how corrupt you are willing to be to promise safety. The mayor will make requests that are unrealistic and occasionally racist, and essentially blackmail you into following. It all depends on whether you want to uphold your own sense of justice, knowing that what the mayor is doing is wrong no matter the consequence to you or others, or whether you will comply because it will better the police department/cityfolk’s happiness even if the means to ends is wrong. It highlights how corrupt a city can be, and face your own morality.

I originally wanted to play this game because it was clear that the idea of morality and value was a big theme and that the game has “values conscious designers explore themes and work with constraints that are often outside of mainstream, entertainment-focused designers’ concern.” (Belman and Flanagan, p. 57) Issues with the current police scene has been a huge part of social and political activity, and this game focuses on exactly that. I found it interesting that it puts the player in the position of the police. Before going into the game it may be clear what you as a player think you might act or do, but all of that is tested heavily with extremely unforeseen situations. It can be said that “It is impossible to create an artifact that does not reflect values from some source. . .and in some cases even impose those values on users” (Belman and Flanagan p.57) but this game definitely makes the user question what they value and what should be valued, no matter the circumstance.

Belman, Jonathan, and Mary Flanagan. “Exploring the Creative Potential of Values Conscious Game Design: Students’ Experiences with the VAP Curriculum.” Eludamos. Journal for Computer Game Culture, www.eludamos.org/index.php/eludamos/article/viewArticle/83/156.

Let’s Play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QabBmrOWNvw