Do video games mean something?

    Klaus

November 11, 2007 by Klaus  
Filed under Klaus

Every time I visit a shopping mall here in Davao or somewhere else, I passed by the “Entertainment Centre” or however it’s called: Noise, kids sitting in front of computer machines while playing video games. Sometimes, I guess the kid’s age something like 4 or 5…

Are such games really starting to mean something? Long time ago I wrote already a column about it.

The force of habit let me turn on my television every night just to feel updated about everything what’s going on in the whole world and possible watch some movies. When I again started to utter innumerable groans, my 15years old nephew invited me to join him playing video games. So far so good - I tried my very best!

I also had in mind Steven Spielberg, who spoke out on video games in October 2004 at the EA Game Innovation Lab at the University of Southern California. “I think the real indicator,” he said, “will be when somebody confesses they cried at Level 17″. Spielberg was talking about video games, and the less absurd question of are-they-or-aren’t they. I was here to accept Spielberg’s challenge and come clean. I confess, the video game made me cry, and my nephew asked me, if I didn’t feel well,,,

I forgot the game’s name, and it wasn’t actually Level 17 or even Level 8 or 9 or so, I guess, I still remained at Level 2, I had been slugging it out for what seemed like - and probably was - hours with a bunch of aliens in an icy canyon. Just as all hope was fading, I chose an alien aircraft and made my escape. Moody music, like something “Carmina Burana” swelled at the background. It was like the end of “Platoon”, and I was Charlie Sheen. but then the waterworks started…

My cellphone features Snake II, Space Impact, Bantumi, Pairs II and other nice games. I forgot my tears and start smiling: Sounds on, light on, shakes on, SPACE IMPACT - new game, top score 3,615! Great right??? Anyway, I guess, that was 2 years ago!

Are video games art? Nobody know yet, but the cool thing is, we’re the ones who get to decide. So if you are in the mood, grab a joystic, sit back and relax (relax ) and get it on Level 1. I promise, nobody has to know. And just in case, keep some tissues handy !

About the Author:  Klaus is from Germany, but has been living in the Philippines since the late 1990’s. Klaus is a journalist by trade, having written for a number of newspapers, studied also Publishing House Management and Marketing and has also been a Radio Host here in the Philippines.