This paper develops a literature review of the most recent research in the field of serious games in university education. As teaching moves towards more interactive and student-centered models, serious games have emerged as a promising tool to improve student motivation, competence acquisition and engagement. However, it is still necessary to evaluate to what extent the scientific literature has consolidated this approach and how successful experiences can be replicated in different educational contexts.

The review seeks to answer the following research questions:
- To what extent have serious games been shown to be effective in the development of cognitive and emotional competencies in communication learners?
- Have the factors that contribute to the success or failure of the implementation of these games in different educational contexts, particularly in universities, been identified?

To address these questions, a systematic literature review is conducted between 2010 and 2024, with a focus on the scientific production that presents quantitative or qualitative empirical results on the effectiveness of serious games. Research was located through relevant academic databases (e.g., EBSCO, Science Direct, Web of Science, Scopus, Dialnet or Google Scholar), using key terms such as “serious games”, “game-based learning” and “educational games”. Rigorous inclusion criteria are established: empirical studies on serious games applied to university teaching, focusing on learning outcomes, motivation and student interaction, with a special focus on (but not limited to) the communication domain.

The analysis includes the classification of the studies according to the type of methodology used (randomized control, quasi-experimental, survey), as well as the contexts in which the serious games were applied. In addition, the main barriers and benefits identified in the implementation of these games are evaluated, such as development costs, curricular integration and orientation to the achievement of learning outcomes. This approach allows for an exhaustive comparative analysis of significant experiences in the use of serious games, establishing a clear frame of reference that facilitates the response to the research questions posed about the effectiveness of these games in working with competencies and skills linked to communication in higher education.

Keywords: Serious games, Game-based learning, Communication, Sistematic Literature Review, Higher Education.