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| Okay, so hardly anybody uses joysticks anymore, but the symbolism still stands (S) |
I enjoy video games. Not only are they fun, but as a medium, they offer unique opportunities for storytellers. The interactive element of video games allows them to tell stories in ways that would be impossible in other art forms, like film or literature. Specifically, games are different in that they actually present the audience with choice. Not just choice, but different degrees of choice. Rather than showing us characters doing things, they put is in the same situation and allow us (or don't allow us) to make certain decisions. Creators are in charge of placing limitations on what we, the player, can and cannot do, whether it's for logistical purposes, to alter the difficulty, or for artistic reasons. It's another dimension that enhances the work. Using the mechanics of the game world, game designers can make a player free and powerful, or trapped and powerless. It's one thing to describe or show a character feeling a certain way, but it's different when that character is you (or at least, controlled by you). So when games introduce options for sexual and romantic relationships with other characters, I'm interested to see how one's sex and sexual orientation affect those options.
