Do design and emotions in games play a role in shaping player perceptions? A systematic literature review
Main Article Content
Keywords
Character design, Emotional, Emotional character, Emotional design, Game
Abstract
The importance of audience's online response to broadcast media in the digital era and the role of emotions displayed by game characters in enhancing player engagement. Although game characters can trigger various emotions, systematic research on specific design features that influence player emotions is still limited. Using the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method, this study discusses character emotions in games and their effects on players. The research shows that well-designed characters have the potential to remain memorable to players even after they no longer appear in the game. Additionally, moderately cartoon-style character designs have been shown to be more effective in enhancing positive emotional experiences compared to designs that are slightly realistic or overly exaggerated. Character personalization can also influence player emotions, especially in the context of MMORPGs, where creating a character that reflects one's ideal self can increase engagement and gaming addiction. This study concludes that character design and displayed emotions have a significant impact on players' experience and engagement in games.
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Yingfang, Z., Ding, Q., & Shen, D. (2020). Character design of somatic game from perspective of intangible heritage digital protection. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1584, No. 1, p. 012053). IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1584/1/012053
Andreean, A. F. F., Anugrah, M. F., & Tho, C. (2023). Exploring of emotional character in online games toward player. Procedia Computer Science, 227, 743–752. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2023.10.579
Beaunoyer, E., & Guitton, M. J. (2024). Temporality of online reactions to fictional characters’ death. Entertainment Computing, 52, 100813. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.entcom.2023.100813
Bosse, T., & Zwanenburg, E. (2013). Do prospect-based emotions enhance believability of game characters? A case study in the context of a dice game. IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing, 5(1), 17–31. https://doi.org/10.1109/T-AFFC.2013.27
Chen, C. Y., & Zhuang, X. Q. (2023). The image ratios for designing cute nonhuman anthropomorphic characters. Entertainment Computing, 47, 100586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.entcom.2023.100586
Fischer, P., Kastenmüller, A., & Greitemeyer, T. (2010). Media violence and the self: The impact of personalized gaming characters in aggressive video games on aggressive behavior. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 46(1), 192–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2009.06.010
Hein, K., Burleigh, T. L., Gorman, A., Prokofieva, M., & Stavropoulos, V. (2024). Proteus effect avatar profiles: Associations with disordered gaming and activity levels. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 20, 100562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2023.100562
Heritage, F. (2022). Magical women: Representations of female characters in The Witcher video game series. Discourse, Context & Media, 49, 100627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcm.2022.100627
Islam, M. T., Nahiduzzaman, K. M., Why, Y. P., & Ashraf, G. (2010, October). Learning character design from experts and laymen. In 2010 International Conference on Cyberworlds (pp. 134–141). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/CW.2010.66
Kalmakurki, M. (2018). Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty: The components of costume design in Disney’s early hand-drawn animated feature films. Animation, 13(1), 7–19. https://doi.org/10.1177/1746847718759829
Kaplan, K., Grant, J., Güçlü, K., Ünal, Ç., & Yakupoğlu, E. (2014). An example for 3D animated character design process: The Lost City Antioch. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 122, 65–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.1292
Koskinen, A., McMullen, J., Ninaus, M., & Kiili, K. (2023). Does the emotional design of scaffolds enhance learning and motivational outcomes in game‐based learning?. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 39(1), 77–93. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12674
Li, E. C., Liang, Y. W., Lu, H. N., & Chen, J. Y. (2019). The effect of character design on character identification for mobile games. In Proceedings of the 20th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA 2018) Volume VII: Ergonomics in Design, Design for All, Activity Theories for Work Analysis and Design, Affective Design 20 (pp. 97–106). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96071-5_10
Li, J., & Liu, Q. (2024). Application of generative artificial intelligence AIGC technology under neural network algorithm in game character art design. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 1–32. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-024-01624-5
Mancini, T., Imperato, C., & Sibilla, F. (2019). Does avatar's character and emotional bond expose to gaming addiction? Two studies on virtual self-discrepancy, avatar identification and gaming addiction in massively multiplayer online role-playing game players. Computers in Human Behavior, 92, 297–305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.11.003
Martins, N., Williams, D. C., Ratan, R. A., & Harrison, K. (2011). Virtual muscularity: A content analysis of male video game characters. Body Image, 8(1), 43–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2010.10.002
Nakashima, F., Fujimoto, N., & Yamanishi, R. (2023). Do appearances represent personality of created characters. Procedia Computer Science, 225, 1776–1785. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2023.01.198
Plass, J. L., Homer, B. D., MacNamara, A., Ober, T., Rose, M. C., Pawar, S., & Olsen, A. (2020). Emotional design for digital games for learning: The effect of expression, color, shape, and dimensionality on the affective quality of game characters. Learning and Instruction, 70, 101194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2019.101194
Segaran, K., Mohamad Ali, A. Z., & Hoe, T. W. (2021). Does avatar design in educational games promote a positive emotional experience among learners? E-Learning and Digital Media, 18(5), 422–440. https://doi.org/10.1177/2042753021994337
Şengün, S., Mawhorter, P., Bowie-Wilson, J., Audeh, Y., Kwak, H., & Harrell, D. F. (2022). Contours of virtual enfreakment in fighting game characters. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 180, 121707. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121707
Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, 333–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039
Suan, S. (2017). Anime’s performativity: Diversity through conventionality in a global media-form. Animation, 12(1), 62–79. https://doi.org/10.1177/1746847717691013
Teng, C. I., Huang, T. L., Huang, G. L., Wu, C. N., Cheng, T. C. E., & Liao, G. Y. (2024). Creatability, achievability, and immersibility: New game design elements that increase online game usage. International Journal of Information Management, 75, 102732. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2023.102732
Tinwell, A., Grimshaw, M., Nabi, D. A., & Williams, A. (2011). Facial expression of emotion and perception of the Uncanny Valley in virtual characters. Computers in Human Behavior, 27(2), 741–749. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2010.10.018
Vara, M. D., Baños, R. M., Rasal, P., Rodríguez, A., Rey, B., Wrzesien, M., & Alcañiz, M. (2016). A game for emotional regulation in adolescents: The (body) interface device matters. Computers in Human Behavior, 57, 267–273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.12.047
Wu, H., Wen, S. J., & Yang, J. H. (2022). Multimedia character modeling design and modeling of cartoon animation based on Bayesian sequence recommendation algorithm. Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience, 2022, 9205227. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/9205227
Yingfang, Z., Ding, Q., & Shen, D. (2020). Character design of somatic game from perspective of intangible heritage digital protection. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1584, No. 1, p. 012053). IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1584/1/012053
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Jun 1, 2025
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Zara, A. H. N., & Juhana, A. (2025). Do design and emotions in games play a role in shaping player perceptions? A systematic literature review. Game Based Learning, 1(1), 39–44. Retrieved from https://gamebasedjournal.id/index.php/gbj/article/view/3
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