A classification of fantasy in serious games

Through a literature review, we explore fantasy in serious games, the function of fantasy, and what contributes to fantasy. This research firstly regards fantasy as a game characteristic, focusing on the definition of fantasy in games. We find two directions: Mental activities and Artifacts. We construct a taxonomy of fantasy from multiple aspects. This classification can help game researchers and designers understand what fantasy is, and how it can be applied in serious games. This classification enables our next step, to conduct a review of experimental studies, testing whether and how the involvement of fantasy improves the effectiveness of serious games.