Gamer Life!

These days, we’re living life at the end of a pandemic and the news has been filled with so many negative stories about racism, police brutality, and politics that might make you sad, angry, or generally upset. Not only that, but most adults had also been living a mundane life even prior to the pandemic, and now it’s even worse with drinking establishments closing early and options for entertainment being very limited. Therefore, why not try playing a video game?

Some people might think video games are for kids. Some people used to play them when they were kids but thought they’d grown out of them. Some people think they’re simply a waste of time. First of all, there’s nothing wrong with feeling like a kid sometimes. Also, to be honest, many games aren’t really designed for “kids” as they may include violence or sexy scenes. For those who think they’ve outgrown video games, they probably haven’t seen how much graphics and gameplay have evolved since they last played, or how complex stories could be for some of these games. For those who think playing them is a waste of time, there are educational games that you could learn things from, or games that encourage exercise so it’s a good way of exercising. There are also studies that have proven those who play games like shooting or racing games can find things faster or have faster reaction times. As a matter of fact, many seniors become gamers later in life and mostly play to keep their minds sharp and to get their eyes and fingers actively moving.

There are many kinds of games available, and many different themes. You’re bound to find one that would suit your taste and needs. If you like escaping the world into a fictional one, while books are great too, why not become the actual protagonist of a great story? You can dive into the world of an RPG (roleplaying game) anytime you want to escape real life. Many of these have amazing plots and breathtaking cinematic scenes. If you want a little more realism, you can try playing shooting games (FPS), or simulators for cars, airplanes, and so on. These could actually get quite technical, and you can learn new things at the same time. If you find that being a working adult, and especially now that many of us have worked from home, has made it even harder to meet new friends, try playing some online games that encourage social interaction. Being online means you’re anonymous and you can use that to your advantage if you worry about your privacy. If you play a game on an English server, you can make friends with many English-speaking foreigners and practice your English too. With some games, such as FPS games, you could choose to speak and/or type, so you can practice English relatively frequently and as much as you want.

If you don’t have a lot of time, or aren’t interested in a thrilling experience, there are also social simulation games that focus more on customization of the character and the place you live, etc., and living a mundane but relaxing life in the game while also allowing you to interact with other players if you choose to do so. The appeal of those kinds of games is that even people busy with their real lives don’t need to be using the game much to enjoy a quick escape into the game world. There are no stories or special combos you need to remember. There isn’t even a definite goal or ending to the game. You just play at whatever pace you want and do whatever you want in that world.

These days, we also have VR (virtual reality) games, and you can really enjoy feeling like you’re part of the world in those games and simulations. There really is everything for people of all ages, genders, and interests. Go ahead and find the right thing for you!

Loki

Vocabulary
mundane (adjective) – lacking interest or excitement; dull
outgrow (verb) – to stop doing or having an interest in something as one gets older
as a matter of fact (phrase) – used to give more detail about what was previously said; in reality
protagonist (noun) – the leading good character or one of the major good characters in a story
anonymous (adjective) – not identified by name; of unknown name or identity