When this summer I needed a time-sinking distraction from a relationship-related meltdown and my dissertation (ahem), I knew exactly where to turn. Final Fantasy. When I needed to revise the architectural landmarks of Florencefor my final year exams, I knew what I should be playing. Assassin’s Creed. When I wanted to stress-relieve by playing a tiny pixie-like creature with a weapon like a spiky Frisbee that can be thrown at a 7ft armoured demon possessed by the spirit of a cursed sword, you know I had the game for that. Soul Calibur.
What I am trying to make the case for here is that games can both take you out of reality and enhance your life in ways that you wouldn’t have expected. Assassin’s Creed contains maps and historical information on the architecture of Renaissance Italy and was genuinely bought for me by my Mum to help my history revision. Other games may not have such educational benefits, but there are aspects to them that people who may only see games as being represented by First Person Shooters (FPSs) like Call of Duty and Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMOs) like World of Warcraft may not be aware of.
Admittedly I am extremely conscious of the rather problematic gender portrayals in certain game genres, among them fighting games like Soul Calibur, where some female characters’ figures are exaggerated almost to the point of obscenity. However, this has to be balanced out by other game types, like Role-Playing ones. Final Fantasy is a great example of this. The second-most recent FF (number 13 in the series) has a central female character who is a soldier. She is attired appropriately, not exploitatively, and carries the narrative. Gender portrayals in games are definitely improving, as the industry realises that there is a female gaming market out there that they can cater for.
There are so many types of games out there for different markets that it’s hard for anyone to say an outright ‘no’ to gaming. Look at the Wii, which has been used to keep residents in care centres active.[1] It’s perfect for casual gamers and a great way of getting your housemates or, dare I say it, parents and even grandparents who wouldn’t normally touch a console, into a fun and collaborative activity. Thanks, Nintendo, even though I am officially awful at any Mario-related game…
Returning to the more traditional and fighting-oriented area of gaming, I will not deny that it feels awesome to plan an attack and then silently assassinate someone from a fortress ledge, before hiding in a haystack and sneaking to safety. I know that being a real assassin or fully trained in martial arts is always going to be ever so slightly out of my reach, so these games allow a safe indulgence and an opportunity to put myself in a fantastically powerful position, if only for a limited time. It is definitely a rush, and it is not obtained from anything as damaging as drugs or alcohol (unless you end up gaming so much that you stop leaving the house).
Which brings me onto my caveat: I have been tempted to entirely forsake reality at certain points when RPGs have seemed more appealing. I know that this immersion isn’t entirely healthy, but as long as you play in moderation and know when to stop, and it’s not affecting your work or your relationships, then I say, game away!
Jo Gilbert
Image: phr3qu3ncy on Flickr
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