Self-reflection in Games - The Representation of the Individuation Process in Celeste and Persona 2: Innocent Sin

Abstract

Video games are popular nowadays, possessing the potential to positively impact people by alleviating unpleasant emotions, giving them leisure and empowerment. Understanding psychological factors can aid in building meaningful and engaging gameplay, resulting in more beneficial impacts on players and desirable video games. This work analyzes how the games Persona 2: Innocent Sin and Celeste use core concepts from Analytical Psychology mixed with the Hero’s Journey to build compelling narratives and gameplay. Game designers should not recognize these ideas as fixed rules but as an inspiration to create meaningful video game experiences and, consequently, aid the player’s transformation.

Explaining the formation of eudaimonic gaming experiences: a theoretical overview and systemization based on interactivity and game elements

“…De Angeli et al (2018) used the notion of agonism (i.e., a theory that emphasizes the positive aspects of conflict) to demonstrate how game narratives related to war can lead to players' reflective eudaimonic experiences when these games show the perspectives of all actors involvedperpetrators, victims, and bystanders. Another example is the game analysis of Tavares et al (2021), which used concepts of Jung's analytical psychology (e.g., the individual's psyche, unwanted aspects of the self) to argue that games with narratives that include characters' weaknesses or characters fighting their inner demons can trigger players reflecting about their own personal weaknesses and, in turn, lead to personal growth key to eudaimonia.…”