Theme-y Thursdays: Survival and Self-Preservation

This week's post is going to be pretty short, but is actually about my absolute favorite type of game: one's with apocalyptic settings. While this subject ties in with all four of my previous posts, there is still a special place in my life for a game that explores the fantastical possibility of the world, as we know it, ending. Whether the game focuses on war, aliens, zombies or a sudden virus outbreak, I am completely on board 100% of the time.

There's just something about our social construct being completely wiped clean and civilization being forced to start over, leaving everyone with a million different questions, that I love. It is a theme that really makes you think about the way our society is run and what changes will occur in the future. If the world ends, do we live as savages? Re-build everything the exact same way and hope, by some miracle, that history doesn't repeat itself? Or does humanity strive for utopia?

Image Credit: Stefan Stefancik

The best survival games are generally able to give players a pretty good representation of what it's like to rely on our most basic instincts. While these games play on the more psychological aspects of having to survive, that is one of the first things you would more than likely lose in reality. How long can you keep your humanity when the world is being overrun by zombies and your self-preservation instincts kick-in over your charitable nature?

Civilization has come so far from the hunter/gatherer days, creating, modifying and overthrowing systems of government, that it has separated us from the most natural parts of ourselves. While we have pretty much escaped the "food chain", in its original sense, a big theme throughout movies, books and games surround the day that mother nature finally gets her revenge for all those fast-food wrappers thrown on the ground. And on that day, I will be forced to accept the fact that my hundreds of hours playing Fallout does not mean I am prepared in any way for a world without Internet or running water.

However, whether you are getting your survival know-how legitimately from the scouts, Bear Grylls, or you are totally winging it with video-game survival tips, at least we are once again learning the natural things our bodies forgot long ago. 

Again, I apologize for this week's post being as short as it is, especially since it is on one of my favorite topics. Still, I want to hear what you guys think about this theme in games or anywhere else. Do you guys enjoy playing apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic games and what are your favorites? What do you guys think about the "end of the world" scares that we seem to have every few years or so? I know a lot of families with actual shelters under their houses or on their property for when the world "ends", which I don't really know how to feel about. Would you guys consider them smart and prepared or fanatics with tinfoil hats? Either way...

I hope everyone has a wonderful day and thanks so much for reading.

SS

Theme-y Thursdays: Love and Companionship

Since last Thursday's theme surrounded isolation in games, today I am going to be talking about the polar opposite: love and companionship. While it is a great feat to be able to create a balanced main character, what truly makes a world come to life are the memorable companions and personable non-playable characters (NPCs) you interact with. Many great characters and personalities are easily overlooked, but if they are bad than everyone notices.

Image Credit: AlexVan

NPCs have been described as notoriously boring and flat, a direct reflection of how real interactions feel when dealing with cashiers, salespersons or strangers. Yet, even the lowest character can become personable if written correctly. Just as, in the real world, you shoot an understanding glance towards the overworked and underpaid cashier, all it takes is a momentary glimpse of shared humanity for there to be an emotional connection that lasts far longer.

In a world where you, as the main character, are always upon the center stage, the small interactions with other characters whose existence is entirely scripted gives you that sense of freedom that your "9 to 5" cannot. There are a lot of things that you can experience by speaking to those NPCs, even if it is just that one recycled line you have heard a dozen times. Imagining a level of normality within your game that you do not get to experience as you do amazing things is always humbling.

However, NPCs and actual companions are entirely different. While one type of character can lurk within the background with little to no backstory or personality, a companion in the same boat will immediately become hated by the player. 

Even though they are not in the spotlight, great sidekicks can become just as well-known to a franchise as the main character. While Mario is extremely popular, seeing him within a game without Luigi, Yoshi or Peach just feels wrong. This is because we connect with these characters as much as we invest ourselves within the lead role, picking favorites without a second thought.

Creating an emotional connection with fictional characters is just another side effect of becoming invested within the story and experience. Just as we cry during movies or throw books across the room in a blind rage, staring in shock at a cut scene when your companion sacrifices themselves for you just shows how truly good storytelling can have a lasting impact on your emotions. At this point, these creators know just what it takes to reel us in as consumers of their wonderful products.

Now, I want to hear what you guys think about this topic. Who are your favorite NPCs or companions? Have you ever reloaded a previous save just to see if you can keep that companion alive, because you don't want to go the rest of the game without their cheesy commentary? I always find myself liking secondary characters much more than the main characters I play, which may just be a personal preference.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day and thanks so much for reading.

SS