The portrayal of mental disorders and trauma in digital games, as exemplified by ''Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice'' and ''My Child Lebensborn Remastered''
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7494/human.2026.25.1.8016Keywords:
digital games, new media, trauma, digital game narratives, mental disordersAbstract
The article analyses the portrayal of mental disorders and trauma in digital games, using the examples of ‘Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice’, made by Ninja Theory, and My Child Lebensborn Remastered, developed by Sarepta Studio. These games belong to the genre of so-called “serious games” (Świątek), which are an important example of the use of interactive media to explore difficult psychological and social topics. The analysis of selected games is based on theories from the fields of cultural studies of illness (Szubert), game studies, and the psychology of trauma and mental disorders (Mielczarek-Żejmo). The article attempts to show how digital games, through their mechanisms, can engage the player and become a tool for critical cultural reflection.
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LUDOGRAFIA
Ninja Theory. (2017a). Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice [Gra wideo].
Ninja Theory. (2017b). Hellblade: Senua’s Psychosis [Materiał audiowizualny/ dodatek dokumentalny].
Sarepta Studio. (2018). My Child Lebensborn Remastered [Gra wideo].
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