Why do you play video games? [editorial]

I play because of the connection I feel to the characters and the stories...anyone who has played FF7 knows the emotions that you went through in those three discs...

Ever since I posted the Okamii review my focus has been on getting MGS4 completed and reviewed so that you all could read it. So far, the game is great, but I haven't played it since last Friday (almost a week ago) because I have been in South Carolina for my family reunion. Now, this isn't just an update post, I actually found something interesting to write about since I have been here (and found an internet connection) in South Carolina.

I was talking to my Uncle and the inevitable conversation of games affecting our youth negatively came up. Obviously, I took the side of it is the parents and societies responsibility to let our children know the difference between fact and fiction, real and fake, and fantasy and reality. He was taking the approach that the game developers should have more of a responsibility toward our youth. At that moment I fired back with, "The only responsibility they have is that they make sure that an ESRB is on the outside of the game's box and that they themselves as game makers make an amazing work of art that can be enjoyed by myriad amount of people."

To the latter statement he was confused. He was still in the ages of PONG and Pacman (to no fault of his own). So at that moment I decided to school him a bit. I told him what goes into making a great game (which could be for a different blog post). In short I said it has to do with the execution and delivery of storyline, graphics, gameplay, characters, and the overall fun factor. The storyline intrigued him to no end. He had no idea, let me repeat, no idea that games had story lines. And he also had no idea that some of these story lines (i.e Metal Gear Solid) were as complex and deep or even more complex and deep than the best political movie or TV drama. I had to explain to him that gaming isn't just about points anymore. Games are about an overall experience that one takes away when one completes said game.

At this point I was talking a little over his head and that is when he mentioned, "Someone definitely needs to hire you to write about video games." The reason I bring this up is that it will be interesting in 10 years to see if games become an accepted medium. In a respectfully disagreeing manner my cousin comes in with, "It won't be because there is no stream of information that can constantly be brought to a game the way TV and Internet can bring information of credibility and of use to society (I'm embellishing a little bit, but this is what he meant)."

To that statement I disagreed with him, with respect, because we now know that with an internet connection game's can be updated in real time with something as little as advertisement billboards in a racing game. I asked him, "Wouldn't it be amazing if one day there was a game that had its objectives change according to what was happening in the real world?" It's an easy concept to think of, but a very difficult one to implement.

The point is, the only way games are going to progress is if we the youth (or whoever plays games) can convince our parent's generation that games serve a higher purpose than just points and scores. Games are an art and they are at their very root an interactively unique experience in which every individual that loves a particular genre should be able to enjoy at least once in their lifetimes. This is why we have cult classics like Zelda, Mario, Final Fantasy, and others. It's not so much the pride of, "I beat that game." It's more of, "I got to experience history and I got to experience one of the most amazing pieces of art in a way most human beings do not get to experience." If you are confused by what I'm saying just think of it this way. When you play a game, do you really just play it to be the best? Or does part of you play it because of the invigorating feeling of getting to the next cut-scene; learning the newest secret; finding out the true reason why you are on a mission; or listening to the antics of the supporting and main characters that always make you laugh, cry, or get angry? What is it that drives you to play games. For me, it's more about saying, "I experienced that and I had fun while I learned something"; than it is saying, "I'm the best. "

What drives you readers to play games? Why do you pick up a controller even though society tells you you are just wasting away in front of a TV. It may just be the feeling of being the best. Or possibly, it could be deeper. Let me know your thoughts readers.

-Jeremy aka Adridius