Games that changed you as a person...

[Salus]

Maybe not everyone has played a game that has affected their life beyond those few hours of entertainment. However, I certainly have. I believe that half of any game or film experience is how open you are to it. Perhaps this explains why children are always aglow with wonder while grizzled film critics appear to hate films in general, and begrudge a few exceptions.

I'd say that every game I play, I take something away from, big or small. Often games are a way for me to reflect on real life. I can't rank the amazing games I've played over the years, so I'll start with this one:

Civilization V

If you would have asked me when I bought it, I would not have thought this game was going to end up being so important to me. Actually, I set it on the shelf after only a few minutes of playing. At the time I was confused at how people liked this type of game. One year goes by. It's not a great time in my life. I was growing more and more detached as I started descending into a nihilistic worldview. There was no cause for this other than simple inquiry into what the purpose of life was, and trying to make sense out of the fact we exist on this planet.

One day, I decided to give Civ 5 another go, if only to distract myself. It quickly became apparent that the people who made this game had a love for humanity. It was not just something cranked out by a huge corporation. The amazing introduction cinematic, the hundreds of pages of meticulously documented history available for each unit, technology, leader or civilization in the game, the quotes by great thinkers, and the huge, culture-spanning soundtrack, it was a rich experience. The box itself was eco-friendly, the manual was electronic and on install you voted on which educational cause gets $250,000 of 2K's money.

Besides being the most peaceful game I'd ever played, I started to develop an appreciation for the immensity of our history as a species, and I was amazed by the new perspective I had on the grand scale of the human endeavor, something no textbook had done for me. The game is infused with humanism, which rubbed off on me. I can only say I feel somehow healed, healthier, for having played that game. More responsible. More aware. More appreciative.

So that's my spiel. I'm curious to see whether or not I'm the only one what has been somehow changed by a video game in some way.

 

[Frezzato]

While I haven't been changed mentally or emotionally from a game (granted, Journey came pretty close), I have experienced physiological effects from playing certain games too much. First off would be Crackdown on 360. Crackdown reinforced the fear of heights in me and my palms would always sweat while playing it. I dunno, something to do with leaping off a skyscraper without checking to see where I'm falling (my palms are getting slightly sweaty as I type this).

Second would be Burnout 3, which, in addition to making my right index finger feel as if it were going to snap off, left me with the effect of being really jittery in traffic while driving a car IRL. It was almost the same as chugging an irresponsibly large amount of coffee. That would only happen after marathon sessions though. I'm talking like, uh...12+ hours of gameplay in a single sitting. No, I'm exaggerating. Sometimes it was in excess of 15 hours.

Third, and most recently, was from Saints Row IV. After playing for many hours I would try and get to sleep but as I lay in bed I could still feel the sensation of constantly jumping and landing, jumping and landing, behind my eyes, in my brain. It was an echo of the game, which wasn't something I could see but could still feel.

[hr]I'm sure others have already welcomed you, but welcome to The Escapist. I like how the forums heavily moderated, and in a fair manner to boot.

Damn, this won't make sense to you, but I just checked on user J-E-F-F-E-R-S and he's been banned. That kinda bums me out; I really liked his use of verifiable information for his discussions.

 

[MysticSlayer]

BioShock: I played it at a time when I was having a lot of questions similar to those asked in the game. While I didn't accept everything the game had to say about the different issues, it did help with me coming to conclusions about some of those questions, and I can still see its influence in my thinking to this day. Not to mention, it sparked my interest in different philosophies surrounding economic theory (not just the economic theory itself).

Medal of Honor: Allied Assault: Part of the reason I spent a few years trying to get my hands on anything WWII related I could was because of this game.

Tales of Vesperia: For anyone whose played the game, you probably know about the end-game discussion about environmental issues. Recently I had to turn in a paper for an environmental ethics class and it wasn't until after turning that paper in that I realized that most of what I said had some grounding in the discussion the game had, even if I gave it a much more academic spin in my paper.

Yeah, those are the three that come to mind the most. I have gotten added interest in certain ideas because of some games, such as suddenly developing an interest in Nietzsche after playing Xenoblade Chronicles, but it was nowhere near as strong as these three.

Damn, this won't make sense to you, but I just checked on user J-E-F-F-E-R-S and he's been banned. That kinda bums me out; I really liked his use of verifiable information for his discussions.

Yeah, I realized he wasn't coming to Nintendo's defense as often as he used to and was a little disappointed when I checked his profile to see that he had finally gotten his last strike.

 

[Autumnflame]

The first Call of duty when it simulated the actual battles of WW2. seeing the reality of what they faced.

more recently walking dead by telltale, last of us and beyong two souls have moved me quite a bit in different ways

 

[Soundwave]

1) This will sound ridiculous, but I genuinely couldn't appreciate rap music until after I'd played GTA San Andreas. That's probably the most dramatic example.

2) Until Mortal Kombat: Deception I couldn't appreciate fighting games (the story mode taught me how to *actually* play them)

3) Starcraft 2 took lessons I'd learned from fighting games and applied them to real time strategy games (before that I'd just tend to turtle and make generally the same unit composition, I was especially bad with this during warcraft 3) Ultimately though, I discovered just how bad a person I can become in a competitive setting, and have since sworn off of it, for my own mental well-being.

Everything else that I've played has only ever served as telling me things I either already knew, or would have already done naturally (that sounds pompous, I admit)

 

[Muspelheim]

Welcome!

Agreed, the Civ series is just marvellous. It really feels like some form of homage to humanity. And it just beams of care and attention. The people who made it put much love and care into that game, and that feeling resonates when you are playing. It's an amazing feeling.

Civ IV in particular were fantastic. The main menu theme and animation just... Fits so well in the spirit of it. I could watch it all day.

<youtube=Nb-jk6Ftx7o>

Like so.

I suppose it changed me, in a way. Almost like molting. I was in my teens when it came out, and like most teens I'd developed a cynical carapace, which Civ IV helped me to shed. It made me value human accomplishments more, and understand more clearly that things have, and are, getting better.
I might very well have learned to leave the scales behind on my own, but it'd be a much worse molting experience without a little push... Or perhaps it wouldn't, and that is what scares me. The last thing I would want to be is another self-described misanthrope, turning my back on the world and my species so that it can't bother or hurt me.

I'm certainly getting Civ V when I can afford it bells and whistles included.

Another game that if not truly changed me then certainly helped me were Fallout 3. I will have to go into spoiler lands to explain, though.

My own dad had recently died as that game came out, which is a main plot point in that game. While it probably sound rather pathetic (it being a rather simple heartstring plucker of a plotline, that game), I think playing that game helped me cope with the situation, in many ways. It certainly made it slightly easier.

 

[Weaver]

For me it would probably be Katawa Shoujo.
It really made me confront my own prejudices on the nature of disability in a way I wasn't expecting.

 

[Maximum Bert]

Hmmm I suppose FFVII would be the best example as it actually made me reconsider my whole opinion on RPGs opening up a whole genre for me and actually think about games in ways that I hadnt before making me more open minded to what games I am willing to try since then. So that changed my outlook on games but I dont think there has been any one game that has changed me as a person maybe lots of games over a period of time have in small ways.

 

[stroopwafel]

I don't know if they necessarily changed me as a person but there are(were) quite a few games that lingered in my thoughts long after I stopped playing: FF7, Xenogears, MGS, Resident Evil, Demon's/Dark Souls. Some games like MGS actually got me interested in military affairs and (U.S.) foreign policy. While the philosophical musings in Xenogears made me wonder about a lot of existential questions. And after completing Dark Souls it felt very much like the end of some kind of intimate journey through a strange land. I don't think I've ever felt more immersed in a videogame. In some surreal way that world just felt so...authentic and genuine.

 

[deleted139124]

DELETED

 

[Neverhoodian]

Spoiler

Maybe not everyone has played a game that has affected their life beyond those few hours of entertainment. However, I certainly have. I believe that half of any game or film experience is how open you are to it. Perhaps this explains why children are always aglow with wonder while grizzled film critics appear to hate films in general, and begrudge a few exceptions.

I'd say that every game I play, I take something away from, big or small. Often games are a way for me to reflect on real life. I can't rank the amazing games I've played over the years, so I'll start with this one:

Civilization V

If you would have asked me when I bought it, I would not have thought this game was going to end up being so important to me. Actually, I set it on the shelf after only a few minutes of playing. At the time I was confused at how people liked this type of game. One year goes by. It's not a great time in my life. I was growing more and more detached as I started descending into a nihilistic worldview. There was no cause for this other than simple inquiry into what the purpose of life was, and trying to make sense out of the fact we exist on this planet.

One day, I decided to give Civ 5 another go, if only to distract myself. It quickly became apparent that the people who made this game had a love for humanity. It was not just something cranked out by a huge corporation. The amazing introduction cinematic, the hundreds of pages of meticulously documented history available for each unit, technology, leader or civilization in the game, the quotes by great thinkers, and the huge, culture-spanning soundtrack, it was a rich experience. The box itself was eco-friendly, the manual was electronic and on install you voted on which educational cause gets $250,000 of 2K's money.

Besides being the most peaceful game I'd ever played, I started to develop an appreciation for the immensity of our history as a species, and I was amazed by the new perspective I had on the grand scale of the human endeavor, something no textbook had done for me. The game is infused with humanism, which rubbed off on me. I can only say I feel somehow healed, healthier, for having played that game. More responsible. More aware. More appreciative.

So that's my spiel. I'm curious to see whether or not I'm the only one what has been somehow changed by a video game in some way.

Spoiler

Welcome!

Agreed, the Civ series is just marvellous. It really feels like some form of homage to humanity. And it just beams of care and attention. The people who made it put much love and care into that game, and that feeling resonates when you are playing. It's an amazing feeling.

Civ IV in particular were fantastic. The main menu theme and animation just... Fits so well in the spirit of it. I could watch it all day.

<youtube=Nb-jk6Ftx7o>

Like so.

I suppose it changed me, in a way. Almost like molting. I was in my teens when it came out, and like most teens I'd developed a cynical carapace, which Civ IV helped me to shed. It made me value human accomplishments more, and understand more clearly that things have, and are, getting better.
I might very well have learned to leave the scales behind on my own, but it'd be a much worse molting experience without a little push... Or perhaps it wouldn't, and that is what scares me. The last thing I would want to be is another self-described misanthrope, turning my back on the world and my species so that it can't bother or hurt me.

I'm certainly getting Civ V when I can afford it bells and whistles included.

Another game that if not truly changed me then certainly helped me were Fallout 3. I will have to go into spoiler lands to explain, though.

My own dad had recently died as that game came out, which is a main plot point in that game. While it probably sound rather pathetic (it being a rather simple heartstring plucker of a plotline, that game), I think playing that game helped me cope with the situation, in many ways. It certainly made it slightly easier.

I agree that the Civilization series can be inspiring. In this day and age of rampant cynicism, having a series celebrate humanity's accomplishments is a breath of fresh air. Just watching the intro video to Civ 5 brings on the feels for me.

Tie Fighter left a lasting impression on me. I was an eight year old kid that loved Star Wars at the time, so you can imagine my excitement when I got the game as a Christmas present. Now I'm not a parent, but I think it's safe to say that most eight-year olds tend to have a very "black and white" view with regards to morality. I was no exception in this respect. I remember thinking at first how cool it was to play as the "bad guys" for a change. What I didn't expect was how the game would introduce me to the concept that morality isn't always so clear cut.

Tie Fighter presents a very different outlook on the Star Wars universe than what you see in the films. Instead of a tyrannical regime, the Empire is portrayed as a bastion of order and stability fending off enemies hell-bent on spreading anarchy and chaos. The game's presentation is masterful at selling this to the player and I quickly found myself actively engaged in the narrative, striving to serve the Emperor as best I could. It even affected how I viewed the films. I found myself wondering if that Stormtrooper Han shot in the face had a family, or how the squadmates of those Tie pilots Wedge shot down reacted to their deaths. More importantly, it got me thinking about how there are two sides to every story, and how both sides in warfare believe they are in the right. It showed me that the world is complicated, and issues are usually not simply "good vs. evil" affairs.

Another influential title was The Neverhood Chronicles, an oddball claymation point-and-click adventure title by Doug TenNapel (better known as the creator of Earthworm Jim). I played it during my formative teenage years, and it strongly influenced my sense of humor, my taste in music, and my appreciation for craftsmanship. Everything about the world oozes character. It's a true labor of love, and I highly recommend it to anyone with an appreciation for the creative process.

 

[The Wykydtron]

Another bump for Katawa Shoujo, the one almost throwaway line early on affected me more than it should. Hold on let me find it, i've been looking for an excuse to replay it again (Hanako's Route natch)

Ah it's the bit at the start "A person doesn't have to be held back by their disability? That's what a disability is." And he flips out a bit when the doctor told him to think of it as an opportunity. Like I shouldn't believe that and it isn't 100% true and is overly cynical but... I can't shake the truth of it y'know?

Really reminds me of this one nurse who told me something similar about my own disability, she said I wouldn't be me if I didn't have it. She was right but I hated her for saying that.

 

[BleedingPride]

The Assassin's Creed series, for sure. It got me wondering about how best to bring about world peace, and for the longest time I agreed with the Templars because I didn't think people could get anything done on their own. I'm leaning more towards agreeing with the Assassins now, but I do think a PoE would be nice to give the world's leaders a jumpstart on the world conflicts issue.

 

[Sigmund Av Volsung]

The Walking Dead, to a degree.

I basically use it as a gold standard for videogame writing.

The Mass Effect trilogy; never trust any large firm who has done good in the past, but have been mediocre recently, also to never get invested in a franchise again.

 

[xSerix]

Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Especially the ending, both Sarif or no allegiance.

 

[generals3]

Metal Gear Solid. It did make me think about some RL stuff more than once.

 

[Jolly Co-operator]

Playing Persona 3 and 4 made me value my friends, and connections to people in general, a bit more.

Playing Bioshock 2, whenever I had the chance to kill a character. Maybe it was just the product of me growing up, but it was the first time I ever asked "why?" when told by a game to kill someone. Ever since then, I take non-violent approaches and spare people whenever I can in games . . . except for multiplayer. In that case, let the blood flow eternally

 

[aozgolo]

I have perhaps one of the weirdest examples. There's an eroge VN(for the uninitiated that means anime porn game) called Monster Girl Quest. I initially played it much as anyone would pick up and play a porn game, for cheap thrills. What I found in addition to that was a remarkably well conceived story about the prejudices that these monsters all had to endure from humanity's misconceptions about them. The hero goes from a very naive kid who just wants to go out and conquer monsters to a sympathizer with all of them. It puts a very strange effect on you overall when you go in expecting just a very basic plot to give you an excuse for porn and instead find a game that challenges all concepts of morality. I came out of it pretty much believing that all morality is subjective and there is no moral absolute, and the only true evil in the world is extremism. The game is also quite unique in the fact that while it shows very graphic, and often disturbing (depending on the monster type) sex scenes (which happens when you lose a Dragon Quest style turn based battle) there is actually NO true violence. No monsters die, they are either scared off or changed into some form of miniature version of themselves. You can't actually kill anything, a strange line to draw in a porn game.

So yeah that's my big example.

 

[Salus]

Wow, these answers are so cool! I love hearing these stories. Especially Neverhoodian's experience with Tie Fighter. I also had that game growing up, but at the time I was just a bit too young to figure out which side I was on. I remember my Dad eventually telling me the TIE fighters were the bad guys and I was like, what? XD

It's interesting to read Shaun's recounting of that eroge game, I love when developers hide something for the thinking player inside their products. I've had similar experiences with other games I thought were just for pure entertainment.

I can relate to people's experiences of both BioShock and Assassin's Creed. BioShock introduced me to this whole political and philosophical world, and though I had read Ayn Rand in school, I hadn't really considered the pros and cons of any other form of government than what we have now. I started to both empathize with and be disgusted by Andrew Ryan, and it raised a lot of questions in my mind. As for AC I and II, let's just say I had no idea history could be so ALIVE.

Soundwave mentioned StarCraft II. I am not kidding when I say I am a better decision-maker after playing SC2 (I got to Diamond, but never broke into Masters). Day[9] says the same thing; it teaches you to make snap decisions in high-risk, high-anxiety scenarios, and to trust in your intuition. It's also the most competitive game I've ever played due to the black-and-white WIN-LOSE nature of the game. I read somewhere that the military uses it to train their officers in how to make quality snap decisions in high-pressure conflict situations.