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The Symbolic Labyrinth in the Mythogame: The Axes Minos-Daedalus and Theseus-Minotaur in the Contemporary Video Game

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Videogame Sciences and Arts (VJ 2019)

Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 1164))

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Abstract

This research is based on the mythical stories that develop the concept of the labyrinth, both as a physical structure and as a symbolic and psychological space, in its application to contemporary video games. Through the stories of Daedalus, Minos, Theseus, Ariadne and the Minotaur we analyse, on the one hand, the physical use of the labyrinth as a game structure and, on the other hand, the symbolic design of the mythems in the mythogame.

From the symbolic dimension we establish a double axis of analysis: the axis of the relationship between creation and power represented by Daedalus and Minos and, on the other hand, the relationship between the hero and the challenge exemplified in the case of Theseus and the Minotaur. Finally, we make a vindication of Ariadne’s thread as a metaphor derived from the labyrinths without challenge and with a single path through the genre of walking simulators.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tecnocampus – Pompeu Fabra University, 08302, Mataró, Barcelona, Spain

    Antonio José Planells de la Maza

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  1. Antonio José Planells de la Maza
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Correspondence to Antonio José Planells de la Maza .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

    Nelson Zagalo

  2. University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

    Ana Isabel Veloso

  3. University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

    Liliana Costa

  4. University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

    Óscar Mealha

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Planells de la Maza, A.J. (2019). The Symbolic Labyrinth in the Mythogame: The Axes Minos-Daedalus and Theseus-Minotaur in the Contemporary Video Game. In: Zagalo, N., Veloso, A., Costa, L., Mealha, Ó. (eds) Videogame Sciences and Arts. VJ 2019. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 1164. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37983-4_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37983-4_18

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-37982-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-37983-4

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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