In a time when many video games center around violence, one new game has a very different purpose.
With a goal of preventing violence, through education and awareness, “We Are Chicago” simulates life in some of the city’s toughest neighborhoods.
“We Are Chicago is an adventure, narrative game,” said developer Michael Block.
Block is from Wisconsin and went to college at DePaul University in Chicago. It was there he said a class project took him to Englewood, where the idea for the game was born.
“I know that the people I hung out with didn’t really have any exposure to that and there was probably a lot of people who didn’t have exposure to that,” he said.
The game is set in the final week of high school, and the goal si to make it to graduation. It focuses on dialogue and making good decisions, Block said.
“Depending on options you choose, that influences whether somebody likes you, whether somebody is on your side later when you need help, and helps you get to be the character that you want to be,” he said.
Local
To keep the game authentic, Block enlisted the help of writer Tony Thornton.
“I grew up in that very neighborhood and my life was very similar,” Thorton said.
Thorton used his own experiences to create realistic conversations.
“I didn’t want to do anything that would misrepresent the realities of growing up in that situation,” he said.
The game was initially intended to educate outsiders about life on the South and West Sides, but now, the mission has evolved.
“We’ve had people tell us, ‘Hey, this is relevant to people living in this neighborhood as well,’” Block said.
The game is in its final stages of creation and is scheduled to be released in February. Block said he is working with two non-profits to get the game into classrooms across Chicago.
