I've never really been a huge video game person, but I was a child in the 1990s and 2000s so like most other American children I always had video games in my house. I remember playing Duck Hunt on Nintendo, Sonic on Sega, Mario Cart on N64, Tony Hawk on Game Cube, Crash Bandicook on Playstation, and so on. One game I always liked was the James Bond games. I had one for N64 and later two for Game Cube. The James Bond games were first person shooter games. I think the first person games like that mess with you in a different way than those that you can see the characters you are playing.
In the games, you could do missions as Bond or you could just play "who can kill 'em first" against the computer or against other people. James Bond was one of the few games that really sucked me in and I played all the time. Throughout the evolution of the game it became more and more realistic. I really got into the games and was determined to beat all the missions so I would play it a lot. And then there was playing with a group and just killing each other, so that was a lot fun too.
After a while I began having dreams that I was a secret agent on some mission running around different places killing guards and sneaking around. After I had a number of very intense dreams like this I began to feel like maybe I was playing the game too much. What I found interesting about it is this was the only game that has ever infiltrated my dreams. I liked other games while growing up like Mario, Sonic, or Tony Hawk but I never had dreams about any of those.
I think the first person games mess with you more because when you look at the screen it is your perspective. In other games like Mario, Sonic, or Tony Hawk you see who you are playing as. It is clearly not you because your not a blue hedgehog or short plumber in red overalls. In the James Bond games you may be playing as James Bond but you don't see him you just see what is happening as if you are there.
This is how I view first person shooter games as well. They suck you in and it really does feel like you're the one shooting. I've never really been that big into first person shooter games for this very reason, though it doesn't really bother me when I see others playing them. I also have that same problem of having a game infiltrate my dreams after playing it so often! It's an interesting experience, and it's also fascinating.
ReplyDeleteI have found that some games not only infiltrate my dreams, but my reality as well. An example I can think has to do with the Hitman series of games. After playing for extended hours, I would find my self planning fake executions for strangers I saw in public. I would be at the some department, looking around for perfect spots to set up targets and exit strategies. Messed up!
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