Reacting to the Past (Reacting) is an active-learning pedagogy utilizing elaborate historical roleplaying games. This study examined the effect of Reacting on student academic self-efficacy, perspective taking, engagement, and perceived learning, and considered whether these outcomes were impacted by the type of role a student assumed. Students from Reacting classes completed surveys prior to beginning and after completing the game. Students in similar non-Reacting classes completed surveys at approximately the same time. Students involved in Reacting reported more engagement, perceived learning, and self-efficacy than students enrolled in comparable courses. Reacting participants in roles that aligned them to a faction with a committed perspective reported more improvement in self-efficacy than participants in non-aligned roles. The article concludes with a consideration of pedagogical interventions to respond to the study's findings.