Emotional Design Through Visual Aesthetics in Serious Games: A Scoping Review

Abstract

The intersection of emotions with games and learning has been a focal point of considerable research in recent years. Employing emotional design through visual aesthetics, particularly within multimedia learning and serious games, is gaining attention due to its potential impact on player motivation, learning outcomes, and overall experience. Given the multidisciplinary nature of these topics, a comprehensive overview of progress is needed. This work presents a scoping review on this intersection, highlights design implications for serious games, and identifies crucial research gaps. A scoping review following the PRISMA statement was conducted, identifying 35 relevant publications, classified into three categories: player responses, models, and game design. The review shows that incorporating visual aesthetics in serious games can enhance the player experience without compromising learning outcomes and are an effective elicitor of emotions that positively impact learning. Design implications for specific visual elements are identified, particularly color and character design, and research gaps discussed. These gaps include the need for systematic studies and the development of best practices. Overall, this scoping review underscores the potential of emotional design through visual aesthetics in serious games, emphasizing the need for further research to advance in this complex interdisciplinary field.