f you were to ask anyone how they reach a state of tranquility or that sense of amaranthine bliss — even for a few precious minutes a day — they may utter some of those very modern phrases: "That first cigarette of the day," "The first drink after work." Maybe even, "I meditate," or "I pray."
Stress isn't restricted to just us humans, yet it has never been so significant as it is now to modern man. We face a constant onslaught, from small troubles like employment and relationships to wider concerns like political and environmental issues. Escapism is key to surviving: books, movies and games grant us coping mechanisms. However, as they become more common we lose sight of how much we owe to them.
Yet, over the past week E3 has shown us the legitimacy of video games as stress relievers; or at least from early appearances. Child of Eden on the Xbox 360, making use of Kinect hardware, is perfect example of stress-relief gaming. The vibrant explosions and soft electronic music make for what appears to be a surprisingly restorative experience. It's games like these that vindicate the cause. The gaming world is expanding, casual and relaxing games at the vanguard.
However, one man's trip to nirvana is another man's tryst with chaos. Is gaming ever going to be that much of an escape?
One man's trip to nirvana is another man's tryst with chaos. Is gaming ever going to be that much of an escape? I have to say that I've spent many hours in a bubble of tranquility playing numerous games, for time on end the characters, settings and gameplay have held me in a trance of amusement. On the contrary, I've played a game for no more than a few minutes before a niggling bug gets to me and I close the console down in some video-game-induced shame spiral. I would wager that every single gamer has experienced this same fleeting duality of frustration and placidity.
Ubisoft's Innergy is a key example of a developer trying to push the relaxation part of a game, striking at the heart of the casual demographic. It could be taken as a sign that the developers realize gaming can be one of the most relaxing thing people do in a day. Although I feel Innergy is an extreme version of this, it has to be admired for its charm and boldness. Not for a second do I think this game will do well; however, it may spark a movement in which a deeper appreciation of games is garnered, or least for their calming properties.
As revolutionary as Innergy wants to be, it's aimed at a very specific audience. The escape for the "normal" gamer has been under our nose for a long time. We owe a lot more to gaming than we think. Titles like Modern Warfare 2 have racked up many multiplayer hours. In a complete state of serenity I too have played this game. Although these escapes can be found in other places, gaming as usual presents the far more interactive form, a joint form too.
The impact developers intended their games to have and the impact they truly have are two vastly different things. If you only lightly invest in the game you are still in another world, escaping from the troubles of this world. That's the beauty of video games. As cool as it is to hate casual games, we have to admit they serve a purpose and are without a doubt the start of something big. All for the benefit of us, the gamers, who just need to relax once in a while.
I appreciated Ubisoft's placement of Innergy directly after that awful laser tag demonstration. Now if they could just integrate the two, so when you were done running around looking like a moron you could have your television teach you how to breathe.
Kidding aside, gaming is indeed cathartic, though admittedly i've been more annoyed by XBLA titles than any major console release (save Ninja Gaiden). Maybe I should look into something a bit more casual.
World of Warcraft, Elwynn Forest.
Just something about that place.
The Wipeout series has always succeeded at bringing me closer to my "special place" than any other franchise — once you start connecting with the game's controls, there's nothing else like it :)