Return to Darkness: Representations of Africa in Resident Evil 5

Type de ressource
Article de revue
Auteurs/contributeurs
Titre
Return to Darkness: Representations of Africa in Resident Evil 5
Résumé
Darkest Africa, the imagining of colonial fantasy, in many ways still lives on. Popular cultural representations of Africa often draw from the rich imagery of the un-charted, un-knowable ‘other’ that Africa represents, fraught with post-colonial tensions. When Capcom made the decision to set the latest instalment of its Resident Evil series in an imagined African country, it was merely looking for a new, unexplored setting, and they were therefore surprised at the controversy that surrounded its release. The 2009 game Resident Evil 5 was accused of racially stereotyping the black zombies and the white protagonist. These allegations have largely been put to rest, as this was never the intention of Capcom in developing the game or selecting the setting. However, the underlying questions remain: How is Africa represented in the game? How does the figure of the zombie resonate within that representation? And why does this matter?
Publication
DiGRA '11 - Proceedings of the 2011 DiGRA International Conference: Think Design Play
Volume
6
Date
2011
Langue
Anglais
ISSN
2342-9666
Titre abrégé
Return to Darkness
Extra
Publisher: DiGRA/Utrecht School of the Arts
Référence
Hanli, G. et Pippa, T. (2011). Return to Darkness: Representations of Africa in Resident Evil 5. DiGRA ’11 - Proceedings of the 2011 DiGRA International Conference: Think Design Play, 6. http://www.digra.org/digital-library/publications/return-to-darkness-representations-of-africa-in-resident-evil-5/
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