Final Fantasy 16 inspires University of Alabama course this fall

A particular University of Alabama course this fall will feel like a “Hide, Hideaway” for many students as it’s heavily inspired by Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XVI. The class “Mythos to Logos: Religious Deconstruction and Reconstruction in Final Fantasy XVI” will examine the religious deities of the game to help explain real-world concepts.

“Once a week, the class will engage in what I call a ‘Game Lab,’ where students will spend class time playing a video game under my guidance, with lectures interspersed to frame their gameplay,” said the course’s teacher ProfNoctis on X/Twitter.

The class focuses on eight aspects or attributes of deities and theologies in various religions and “asks students to carefully examine the life-giving aspects of these representations from the harmful aspects of them.”

To help students understand these real-world religions, which ProfNoctis claims “can prove difficult for students,” the class will be using Final Fantasy XVI to help with the education process. Students will be able to enroll for ProfNoctis’ class at the University of Alabama for this fall. The lab will include PS5s for students to use, thanks to a grant.

Video games as an educational tool

Video games have been a great teaching tool for many. Minecraft, for instance, has an Education Edition to help kids learn math, coding, and computer science.

Additionally, Dance Dance Revolution has been used in schools for physical education. The Assassin’s Creed games also have the Discovery Tour, which helps players learn history without the violence. Hopefully, more university classes will take inspiration from the neat ways games can make education interactive.