Uncharted Lost Legacy Balances Culture with Entertainment
Can we learn about religion and culture from video games? The release of a new game for the PlayStation 4, Uncharted: Lost Legacy, has elements of Hinduism as a core element of its storyline.
‘Uncharted’ is a New Video Game Influenced by Hinduism[/tweetthis]
The story follows treasure hunters as they search for the “Tusk of Ganesh,” a fake mythological item connected to Ganesh, a major deity in Hinduism. The Uncharted series has included elements from both history and religion in previous games, including Buddhism.
The release of details of the game came with a press statement from the President of Universal Society of Hinduism, Rajan Zed, asking for respect to religion while appreciating the freedom of speech and artistic license that allows for minor changes. This is a stark contrast to Asura’s Wrath, a game that included large segments of Hindu mythology, but was criticized for trivializing it.
Given troubling depictions of Hinduism and Indian culture in American pop culture and the lack of negative reviews of portrayal, it seems that the game is a unique inclusion of Hinduism into the video game world.