What if I told you that in 1999 there was a video game that was a 3D action game with an open world/sand box (pre- GTA 3), involved driving, had you play as a cop, and had a black female protagonist? You’d say “nah bruh, that game was way ahead of it’s time”. Believe it! Urban Chaos is all of those things and on some level more.
In a post-Tomb raider world the protagonist is not over sexualized. In a pre-GTA 3 world, the driving and combat are good and the world feels (dare I say…) alive. In a video game industry obsessed with sales and being safe this game had a black female protagonist who doesn’t look white! (I’m looking at you Remember Me). In a pre-2015 “cops shoot everybody” world this game was dealing with the realities of police and gang violence and what that means for the city. THIS GAME HAS NON-VIOLENT OPTIONS TO DEAL WITH BAD GUYS!
This post isn’t about the game Urban Chaos (obtained for $1.74 of GOG.com, PC), it’s about D’arci Stern. She is a take-no-shit rookie cop, who is cleaning up the streets of Union City from the Wildcats gang (and little does she know but also sooo much more!). D’arci curses and fights and wants to be treated like one of the boys. All of the other on the force are white, and seemingly Irish???? but that’s ok. Some cops support D’arci, while others aren’t sure she is really cop material. I think it’s cool the game deals with that.
Stereotype: Strong Black Female- D’arci is conforming to the strong black woman stereotype. She curses like one of the guys and she refuses to show any emotion. She is fearless and given all the hardest assignments.
Strong black female trope involves being emotionless, able to cope with anything, not needing anyone else for help, and able to do everything for everyone else eagerly. This is problematic because this view of black women is dehumanizing. The pain of the black woman is not felt by society. Their plight is ignored by a middle-class white feminism, yet the civil rights movement was dominated by men. All of that is seemingly OK because the strong black female can provide for her own, wants to work five jobs, and basically be super heroes. Until they ask for needed help and then are framed as welfare queens, whores with too many partners, and drains on society.
The negative portrayal of black when they do ask for provided and legal help is something society needs to change (especially because the largest recipient of welfare are white women…but I digress). Black woman are oppressed in many ways and their pain is real. They are strong because they are forced to be but they deserve to be treated fairly and not expected to be super woman all the time.
Stereotype: Female character with “Daddy Issues”- Daddy issues are the short way to say a woman is crazy due to her having a father who was bad in some way. It trivializes real experiences of sexual abuse, abandonment, and various other things and says the result of any of that is a broken woman who is probably wild in bed and a nightmare to date. None of this is good. The only time D’arci shows emotion in this game is when the mysterious Roper brings up her dead father. It’s an archaic trope that needs to end.
Stereotype: No love interest- On one hand this is positive, a female not pigeon holed as a as being defined by her relationships and who she is sleeping with. But this is also another black female who has to deny her femininity to be accepted and does not get a true love interest.
Stereotype: Cops as GOOD guys!- I have spoken about my issues with current police behavior (a few officers at least are very problematic) but video games have a habit of obsessing over the corrupt cop. While this game does feature a corrupt politician, the police force is truly trying to do what is best. D’arci is a kick ass cop saving the day. The best part… YOU CAN ARREST BAD GUYS WITH OUT KILLING THEM. We can barely do that in real life….
Stereotype: Ethnic Hair- You know what I was mad about her hair style for a hot second but honestly I am happy that they gave her a natural hair style and they put some beads in it. They could have straightened her hair and conformed to white standards of beauty and they chose not to. Good stuff.
Stereotype: Diverse cast of bad guys, black men, white men, and females- I love that the cast of villains is diverse but it’s a shame that all the female antagonists are dressed sexually and in this game are prostitutes.
Stereotype: White Savior (Roper)- Because there is no way a black woman could solve this crazy mystery on her own, a white man has to come out of nowhere and help save the day. In the game D’arci literally says why should I listen to you, you came outta nowhere. It’s a trope that is common in film and it shows up here once again.
Is D’arci Stern Problematic? I don’t think so. Quite the opposite really. She was ahead of her time. I am sad that she hasn’t starred in a game recently. I’d love an HD Remaster of Urban Chaos. She’s a fun character to get to know, and I would love more story about her.
Check out Urban Chaos (PC), It’s great. Thanks for reading. Peace!
J3Blackgamer 