Like nearly everyone else who saw it, I was floored when Ubisoft dropped Watch_Dogs into our collective consciousness at the end of its E3 press conference. Not only did they completely surprise people, they did so in the way things USED to be done in this industry. Win NO in house PR-generated “leaks” or overly annoying viral nonsense that keeps people who need to be more productive trolling around the Internet looking at teaser sites or playing with devices in useless mini-games that hint at what’s to come. Although amusingly enough, that’s probably one big way to market the game now that the beans have been spilled. Still, as great as the game looks and as amazing as the idea behind it is, something bugged the hell out of me when the demo was over…

No, not the part when the demo went from a surprisingly wicked take on how we’re all addicted to tech (and how it can be used against us by someone who knows how) to yes, another cool-looking shooter that, along with the outstanding graphics is going to be the sole reason some high-end PC gamers end up buying his. It was the general tone expressed by the game and some of Ubisoft’s other big projects that clearly went over the heads of people just looking for action and blood and bodies falling every six seconds. If you closely study the themes of many of Ubisoft’s big titles already here or on the way, there’s a certain thematic element underneath the action that cleverly hides the fact that the company wants you to think more than you should about modern life.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist addresses the issue of US forces spread out all over the globe through a story about shutting down Sam Fisher’s old covert operations for good (I believe he starts up a new and possibly “illegal” one instead) and features enemies who demand that the US pull out of countries they feel it doesn’t belong in. Rainbow Six: Patriots will feature more or less a version of armed anti-US government militia types that play a big role in the story that takes place in a divided U.S. of A. (and hey, we’re certainly divided here these days, that’s for sure). And of course, Watch_Dogs addresses the sad fact that we’ve become a society obsessed with technology to the point of stupidity. How so? Well, not knowing or caring that spilling our entire lives onto the digital space means anyone and everyone has access to it, then complaining and calling up lawyers when that info gets used by those with less than good intentions isn’t exactly smart, I’d say. Hey, I’d be the first to start an anti-social network of my own and be the sole member of it… if I could do it without everyone else finding out about it three seconds after the idea left my head…

More tellingly, there are two upcoming games that, if you look past their immediate mass appeal to core gamers, are actually and directly challenging the generic and often misconstrued version of American history that’s been taught for ages and has of late been co-opted by a group of people currently rewriting it to fit their own agendas. Assassin’s Creed III and the Vita exclusive Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation are interesting experiments that will sell millions of copies, and both feature minorities as lead characters. While Connor Kenway isn’t the first Native American to appear in a video game, he’s definitely not the stereotypical “Indian” some were expecting and that sea battle demo shows that like Connor, the game has many more surprises in store.

The interesting thing about the game to me is historical accuracy outside the narrative. I’m wondering if Ubisoft will sneak in some content about the treatment of Native Americans outside the history in the video game world they’ve so lovingly crafted. Of course, If they do, they risk the ire of gamers who simply want to be entertained and want at least part of that stereotypical Indian image to sit firmly where they want it. On the other hand, if they fail to take the opportunity to set things straight for those who know the deal, they’ll be accused of all sorts of racism and insensitivity, some of it justified, some not so. Killing wolves and bears and shooting arrows through a Redcoat’s chest and nary a whit about the eventual decimation of his tribe by smallpox blankets and forced relocation will be a sticking point for some buffs (even though the latter didn’t happen until later, the wheels were set in motion long before). I’m neutral on this, as I want to see what the entire game is like from start to finish before I make any sort of judgment…

That said, Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation and its heroine, Aveline de Grandpré may actually be the big factor for some gamers who want to use it as some sort of barometer for political correctness and historical accuracy. By venturing into time period between 1765 and 180 and setting the game in and around New Orleans, with a French/African female lead, the game sets up all sorts of potential controversies I won’t even begin to touch.  By my recollection, it’s also the first major game release in some time to feature a black female in a solo starring role. And no, that Mel B fitness game doesn’t count. The last game I can recall would be Urban Chaos on the PC, Dreamcast and PlayStation, by the way. but even then, its heroine (beat cop D’arcy Stern) shared the gameplay briefly with a white male partner who was playable in some later missions. Of course, I’d bet good money that some of you reading this have never even heard of that game, but that’s OK. It was released about a dozen years ago, which is a dog century to some folks.

Now, don’t get me wrong folks, I’m NOT accusing Ubisoft of any agenda outside of taking history and making it more entertaining for those of us who know it and can enjoy these games on their own merits. That said, I find it awesome that they’re also subtly nudging the US with a few pokes to the eye about our history and how people in and out of power have treated people throughout it who deserved much better. If you think the ONLY enemies in Assassin’s Creed III are Redcoats, Wolves and Bears, you’re probably just the person Ubisoft wants to hit gently on the head with a reminder or three about things you may have slept through in class. Or willfully ignored because it’s too much to hear about when you just want to par-tay.

OK, that’s that for now. Discuss at will, but don’t take this TOO seriously. In the meantime, let me go watch that Rayman Legends trailer a few more times so I can see if it’s also supposed to make me think a lot more than I should. It did make me laugh until I cried, so maybe there’s something about childhood memories buried in all that color and bounciness… or maybe that because it’s just a damn funny game…