A Story of Betrayal: Emotionale Bindungen zu Mentor*innen die zu Gegner*innen werden in Videospielen

Abstract

This thesis explores the narrative technique of mentor characters transforming into
antagonists in video games, focusing on three selected titles: Life is Strange, Portal 2,
and Knights of the Old Republic II. The study reveals that each role transformation is
uniquely implemented, resulting in varying emotional responses and evaluations from
players.
In Life is Strange, the strong emotional connection between protagonist Max Caulfield
and her mentor Mark Jefferson led to particularly intense reactions to his reveal as the
antagonist. Portal 2 presented a complex dual role transformation, where Wheatley
became the antagonist and GLaDOS turned into an ally, evoking mixed but intense responses. In Knights of the Old Republic II, Kreia’s transformation was highly regarded
for its philosophical depth and moral complexity.
The findings indicate that the way the relationship between the protagonist and
the mentor is developed significantly impacts the perception and evaluation of the role
transformation. Players who formed a strong emotional bond with the mentor characters
found the transformations to be more intense and narratively compelling.

Date of Award	2024
Original language	German (Austria)
Supervisor	Michael Lankes (Supervisor)