Why I play video games
Video games, while still viewed from a distance as something for children, more often than not now carry emotionally and mentally stimulating stories and ideas. What started out as a few pixels on screen mimicking sports back in the day has now evolved into a spectrum that stretches from 100+ hour-long epic adventures all the way down to the smallest of journeys that may seem insignificant but could be life-changing for those involved. For a game to succeed, I truly feel like it has to be made by people who are intensely passionate, not just about their job but the ideas behind what they’re creating. Giving that little extra push to get a plot point across or adding in that little extra detail to really breathe life into the world can go a long way and is oftentimes overlooked. Video games have a special way of capturing the player and making them feel emotions and become attached to the story in a way no other medium can accomplish. Being able to have direct control over pacing, decisions, and consequences gives the player a more direct connection with what they’re experiencing.
Personally, I find myself playing games for the pure joy and serotonin hits. I love being able to fully immerse myself in a world that’s so buried in fantastical ideas and lore you couldn’t imagine them in your wildest dreams. Being able to experience crafted religions and personalities that all blend and mesh in an organic way is a special thing to experience firsthand. Learning the customs of a world or the backstory behind a group of people is a special time, especially for someone who can’t travel in the real world due to whatever reasons you have. At the click of a few buttons, you could be diving headfirst into a sun-soaked paradise or a futuristic labyrinth on a far-off planet. The possibilities are truly endless if you know what to look for, but that doesn’t mean everything needs to have some deep, extreme meaning behind it. As much as I love putting countless hours into a heart wrenching story, I could just as equally settle down on a farmstead somewhere in any endless number of cozy farming games that are ever-gaining popularity.
Some of my favorite games captured me in a special way, leaving an imprint forever on my mind. We often hear about nostalgia playing a part in some of our favorite things and influencing our tastes for years on. At least for me, this is for better or worse, depending on the day. Games like Kingdom Hearts, Viva Piñata, and SSX3 were absolute highlights of my life growing up and are things I return to every now and then just to experience them again. Halo 3 is often referred to as the pinnacle of multiplayer for me. Endless nights with friends from school packed into an Xbox Party Chat back in the day were, to a point, a part of the Halo 3 experience. However, those fond memories of Halo 3 have somewhat soiled my experience now; every multiplayer game I attempt to get into always ends up being compared toe to toe with my memories of back then, which in turn never lives up to my expectations or what I want out of it. This doesn’t mean I don’t find enjoyment in games nowadays, as I once did, just that some of the enjoyment is brought about in different ways.
As I’ve aged and find myself having less time to constantly drop countless hours into titles, I find myself being more drawn to the backend side of things. Interviews and documentaries about development and cancelled ideas. Getting to be the smallest fly on the way listening to developers inspirations and ideas for something being shipped is something for the world to see. Listening to podcasts and hearing other people's personal experiences and takeaways from the “next big thing” or carefully dissecting what makes a game memorable. This is where I find the majority of my enjoyment comes from now. Hearing how numerous people I look up to or admire feel about things like gameplay mechanics or things like level design has always peaked my interest, which is one of the reasons I started this site and podcast to begin with.
Art can make any person feel any type of way, and when you pair that with the direct influence a player has on the game they’re experiencing, it creates a whole new level of emotional connection. Suddenly, these pixels and textured models or motion-captured characters become more than just something on your screen. Why do you pay for video games? Is it because you like being absorbed into a story? Do you like pushing your own personal skills to their limits by completing challenging games? Or do you just like to sit back with something cozy to pass the time? Let us know down below and keep your eyes and ears locked right at badlandsbacklogs.squarespace.com for more content coming your way!