The World Of Video Games

The world of video games. From the 80s, Atari's or arcades, all throughout the 90s, Sega's and Nintendo's, and to the more modern PlayStations and desktop computers, video games have captivated and entertained young and old alike and have become almost a lifestyle symbol for generations of players.

However, due to several misconceptions about video games in general, for decades the whole concept of video games had gained a disreputable name as being a noxious time waster or just another bad habit that disrupts the attention of the user. Due to certain genres of games, the entire activity of gaming in general has been demonized as a destructive vice that has the ability to develop violent tendencies in the player. Therefore, video games and players in general have been shamed and labeled as being nonproductive to society and considered useless in many circles.

The fact is, the world of video games is a much more complex subject than just going about with a limited or shallow mentality. Indeed, certain types of video games are more violent than others, but much depends on the general attitude or conscious behavior of the player towards everyday life in general. If the player is a child, with the parent's proper choices in the gaming genre and regular time management, the whole activity of gaming can actually be a positive experience and a pleasant entertainment.

Nowadays the gaming industry has evolved tremendously, creating games where the choices made by the player can influence the main character of the game or the entire story, altering it entirely, including the final ending of the game's story.

The activity of gaming has a lot of beneficial effects on the psyche, mostly overlooked by people who refuse to gain some proper knowledge about what video games are actually all about. Not all apples are created equal, as the saying goes, and this applies perfectly to video games as well.

In fact, some games have the ability to literally create new neurons in the brain, enhance cognitive abilities, and strengthen focus. One might say that games can even be a spiritual experience, to a certain degree.

The whole activity of gaming can be incredibly immersive for some players, which literally places them into the so-called zone flow effect, or, better simplified, in the present moment. Within reason, of course. Conscious time management and the genre of the game are crucial in order for a game to manifest its beneficial effects on the mind.

As mentioned above, not all games are created equal; thus, video games are not just about shooting zombies on a digital screen. They have the potential to be much more than that.

Let's see some specific examples of games that can actually be educational, alongside their beneficial cognitive effects on the mind.

Games like Journey, for example, can be not just a lovely, entertaining experience but a profound spiritual adventure, where the player takes place in a quest for self-discovery that raises questions about the existence of the soul and the place of humanity in the great schemes of life.

Another game with a somewhat similar spiritual touch is Ori and the Blind Forest and its sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Both of these games in the series cover the deep meaning of life, helping others, and serving a greater purpose, which gives true meaning to life.

Other games like the Mass Effect series, in which the player can assume the role of an interstellar commander saving the universe from evil forces and battling for the greater good, have the ability to develop and enhance imagination and question the place of the human race in the vastness of the cosmos.

In the universe of the Mass Effect game, with the help of galactic forces, the player can solve various tasks on missions, explore the universe, and, in some cases, make conscious choices that benefit mankind.

The choices the player makes in certain games, which alter the ending of the game's story, are made consciously by the player; thus, the choices that are made reflect, in a way, some aspects of the player's own moral character in real life.

Therefore, some games can literally be used as a tool for acknowledging and improving the self.

Games can also be a source of knowledge and wisdom. Assassin's Creed Odyssey is another example of genuine historical information, a visual way to gain knowledge about an era long forgotten. Although indeed violent in nature, Assassin's Creed Odyssey allows players to take a peek into a turbulent past of ancient Greece and the harsh realities of those times. Apart from that, however, infused with its myths and legends, the game is visually a documentary of ancient Greece, introducing the player to the spectacular architectural achievements, culture, beliefs, and traditional customs of those times.

Another fine example of a game is Immortals Fenyx Rising, which is truly a spectacular visual ode to ancient Greek mythology. Through a quirky and yet appealing manner of humor, the player in Immortals Fenyx Rising can embark on a heroic journey and a fantastic adventure to save the gods of Olympos and to bring back balance to the ancient lands of Greece. The game in itself is filled with ancient wisdom and knowledge related to Greek mythology. Apart from battling against legendary monsters and corrupted mythical heroes, the main protagonist of the game is tested through various and perilous trials that forge and elevate the character into the ranks of the gods and demigods.

Thus, games can be an amazing journey throughout times and places that no longer exist, the player embarking on a series of more or less perilous adventures that would be altogether impossible in real life.

Also, these types of games offer players the possibility to confront their own selves through a variety of choices that impact the story and the characters within the game.

For another example related to in-game choices, Star Wars: The Old Republic would be a suitable candidate to be mentioned. The player has multiple choices in the preference of roleplaying, as well as the free choices made that severely affect the game altogether, including the game's final end. In Star Wars: The Old Republic, the player's actions can lead to either the light side or the dark side; by this, the player's conscious choices literally reflect aspects of the very nature of the player.

On a final note, the whole perception about video games is rooted in superficiality and a limited mentality. It is crucial to analyze the concept of video games in detail and make conscious choices when choosing the theme of the games and the time invested in them.

Video games can be an entertaining way to spend a pleasant time together in a family, in a relationship, or with friends, and not necessarily a time-wasting habit for isolated and solitary individuals.

Games can be a tool used for knowledge and even a source for wisdom. Games can improve reflexes and cognitive performance. They can enhance imagination and even make players consciously reflect about the self, ultimately leading them towards a path of self-discovery.

Video games can help socialize and bring people together instead of isolating one from another. In this case, conscious choices, especially proper time management, are imperative in order to use games as a helpful, constructive, yet fun tool to spend time.

If not taken to the extremes and exaggeration, video games can be a visual journey into unknown worlds, filled with exciting adventures, mesmerizing magical encounters, and limitless possibilities. They can endow the player with a sense of freedom or be an escapade from the grayness of the norm and, from time to time, a personal sanctuary of the inner self.