On video games

I spent a good amount of time during my childhood playing video games, much to my parents’ disapproval. I still have fond memories of the magical feeling that came with inserting floppy disks and booting up Prince of Persia from the command prompt.

I’m not sure what it’s like nowadays for the young generations, but growing up in Singapore, computer or console gaming was often derided by adults as a childish thing to do and an absolute waste of time. To me, the concept of ‘play’ is fascinating. It is also a great way to learn and grow, and an essential ingredient to a healthy mind. People who stop playing, stop growing. And if you’re not growing, you’re dying.

Yeah I get it, video game addiction is a real issue. I’d point out though that addiction to anything is the issue, not video games itself. Better to face your demons and fix your problems than trying to shift the blame somewhere else.

There are also a class of games that are borderline illegal in my opinion because of predatory gacha mechanics—spending money for a chance to get an advantage. I mean, RNG is a reasonable thing in video game design, but intentionally designing a system to make people feel like they need to pony up cash to keep up…? GTFO. That’s where I draw the line. Great video games are designed to be fun, period. Not to empty your wallet continuously.

Anyway, I’m not here to lecture you, and I don’t need to convince anyone. If you’re still here reading this, you’re probably a game enjoyer yourself. So here are some of my absolute favourites just to go on a record: Elden Ring (GOAT), Sekiro, Resident Evil 4 Remake, Lies of P, Monster Hunter, Path of Exile 2, and Final Fantasy 7.

Hesitation is defeat.