It was June 9th, 2014, and Microsoft E3 presentation was happening. We all were watching with glee and confusion throughout the show. With it being an important presentation, the world didn’t know it was going to witness a trailer that got us enthralled but also tapped into our human souls. Ori and The Blind Forest was revealed and watching this beautiful animation caught our eyes. It was the ending that made us gasp. We realized that the level of our emotions begin to connect more to a video game.
For some people, Role Playing Games were fulfilling this role. If we look at titles like Phantasy Star 2 or Chrono Trigger, there are moments in the game where sacrifices and decisions were made for characters in your party. Even at the end of the game, you might see some disturbing event that affects the story and your connection to a favorite character or characters.
Most people look at Aerith’s death from Final Fantasy VII because of how it was done in the game. In Final Fantasy VII, Aerith is praying and Cloud and the group finds her. As they get ready to approach her, the antagonist of the game, Sephiroth, comes down and stabs her with his long sword. A unexpected moment that had many gamers shocked and tearful. It was a big moment in gaming.
Even at Sony’s June 2015 press conference at E3, gamers took notice that Shenmue III was in development and that they created a Kickstarter. Now, the final product didn’t sell and was reviewed below average, but the enthusiasm people felt was undeniable. It was a rush of emotions from the press, fans, and gamers around the world.
In this modern age of gaming, the level of our emotions can vary. We can feel sad, depress, happy, confused, and even emotionless. It just depends on how you engage with the content. Why is this important? Taking something away from a game allows developers to see that their art affects people in an expected or unexpected way. We don’t have to feel ashamed at any age about allowing our emotions out. Regardless of our personality, build of the human body, or popularity, our emotions show the real side of our morals, empathy, comprehension, and relation to the material.
Whether it’s playing That Dragon, Cancer or Overcooked!, our emotions makes the investment and immersive nature of the game enjoyable and therapeutic. You don’t always have to be a hardcore player to understand that playing a casual, meaningful, and expressive game like Coffee Talk softens you and your image as a gamer, Our level of emotions can have balance.
With new ideas releasing throughout the year, our level of emotions will continue to evolve and reach points we didn’t expect. So if you try out playing Gris, What Remains Of Edith Finch, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, or even Halo Infinite, I hope that your emotions help you through the title and that it does something for you. Remind yourself that games deliver experiences that you can explore. How you connect to them emotionally will be up to you.
What are your levels of emotion when experiencing a game? Let us know in the comments or on out Discord channel.
Eddie V. is a co-founder of Boss Rush Games who writes, podcasts, and loves video game trivia. You can find him on twitter with @thatretrocode.
Images: Walden University, Bleeding Cool, That Dragon, Cancer
