When Gaming Becomes a Blur
Video games are like the perfect culmination of all other forms of entertainment. There’s music, visual art, writing, and movie-like cutscenes. When all of theses things come together at a high quality, it creates an unforgettable experience for us as players.
Ever since 2021, I’ve kept a list in my Google Docs of every game I’ve beaten. I also usually write a few notes regarding how I felt about each game. It’s a fun little way to catalog my gaming experiences through the years. According to my list, last year I beat 32 games. And somehow even though we’re only in July, I’ve beaten 30 games so far in 2024. I play and beat a lot of games, but not because I’m any sort of highly skilled gamer. Instead, I’ve made the choice to prioritize games. I barely watch TV or movies. And even though I would really like to get back to reading more books soon, I don’t currently much of that either
I say all of that not as a flex, but mostly because I’ve realized a small issue that’s beginning to bubble up within me. I feel like I’m not allowing these games a chance to really hook me in. Unless it’s a game that really blows me away, I’m not remembering these games too deeply. Now of course, it’s a silly expectation to be able to remember every level, plot beat, and name of every lore specific thing. And the notes I write help me remember what I specifically liked and disliked about each game. With most games I play, I can picture a mental image in my head of specific moments and levels. But part of me wonders what would happen if I cut back to say 20-25 games a year? Would I absorb them more deeply?
For example, so far, my game of the year is Animal Well. That game was a reminder why I even play video games in the first play. But after the credits rolled I moved onto the next game. I just told myself it was more important to move on than to experience the bizarre and encapsulating post game I kept hearing about.
Remember being a kid and getting a new game? It felt so special and important because that game would have to last you until the next holiday, birthday, or time you had some spare money. There were also less purchasing options for us. There were pre-owned games at GameStop, but usually the good games stayed at a decent price. There were no digital storefronts offering us every Far Cry game in a bundle for $10. Game Pass only accentuates this problem! I find it hard to focus on one game when I know theres an enormous wall of games just waiting for me to download. And while many of these titles are gameplay focused, most of them have their own worlds, characters and lore for the player to learn. According to the Xbox website there are currently 512 games on Game Pass Ultimate.And again, there’s just that wall of games always waiting.
A massive wall of worlds, characters and stories.
How is it possible to really absorb them when there’s so many? And if you’re not really remembering them, what’s the point?
Luckily, I’m not at that point yet. But I do think there’s a valid conversation to be had about media overconsumption. Especially when you consider all forms of media and not just games. New shows and movies hit streaming services almost every day. Tons of new albums release on Apple Music and Spotify weekly. My Shonen Jump app gets new chapters of my favorite ongoing manga each Sunday. There’s so much stuff to enjoy! I want to make it clear that I’m not complaining. I love having options to explore within all of these mediums. I just want to make sure that I’m really getting as much as I can out of games. That doesn’t mean I have to 100% complete every game I play. But consuming (anything) with intent can go a long way. Have you ever been eating a meal super fast while staring at your phone? It’s like you didn’t even eat. But if you slow down just a little bit and focus on your food, you can really taste every bite. It’s like that.
One day, I was opening up, playing a few minutes, and closing multiple games on my PS5. It got me thinking “Am I treating video games like apps on my phone?” As I said at the beginning of this editorial, video games are the perfect art form to me. And it’s important to play them with intent of really seeing what the artists are trying to give us.
