Game Theories -

      I love when people think things through and sometimes when they over think things. So I sat and watched some you tube videos entitled Game Theories. So yes I can state right off the bat as you may have guessed by the post title and my short explanation there that yes I condone and support people who think this way and as well do some research on the topic. This is a part of the gaming universe that can go simply from 0-60 and people will still be entertained. Yes it will spark controversy and conspiracy theories. That's what thinking does. Yet seeing someone point out the fine notes of how a game may be questioning religion or that something you never realized may be dark and disturbed in your videogame world is worth looking into.
     I've had some theories in gaming myself most of which deal with borderlands and portal, but it was proof that the game had me thinking. If something sparks thought or question this is good. It means your brain is working and you want to learn more. A majority of moments where my intellect was shown in school was where I could relate something to the gaming world. (this explains why I was good at raising questions in history and English lit.) Yes videogames are meant to be a time killer, something to keep you entertained and a form of media that gets some rather insane questions asked about it, but if you are questioned and can answer and can raise your own questions this is working thought. Okay enough ranting back to my topic.

 Game Theories I've always pondered -

• Darksiders - Post apocalyptic world where one of the four horsemen were called forth and made a scapegoat to a bigger conspiracy. There are a lot of topics here the religious, the divine and what makes this all click.
• Religion - They covered this slightly in the Game Theories videos on you tube, but a lot of games cross that line of religion iconography and historical accuracy to religion so this leads to a lot of questions. I don't think I can convey the direct question here, but you have to wonder about some of these aspects in the role of modern gaming.
• Portal - Appeture Science is one hell of a place what starts out as a puzzle game becomes a fight for your life against an AI that is taunting and questioning you. As the sequel occurs the depths and dark details of the center start to come together almost like Dante's Divine Comedy so does it correspond?
• Borderlands - Vault hunters are basically fortune hunting mercenaries who look for the big guns and rewards for surviving Pandora. So yes you are a highered killer who is basically being lead around by a robot who is not only amusingly annoying, but who is allying you with other psychopathic minds against a militarized corporation or two all with the promise of Big Guns and MONEY.

Now I've not quite gotten into the details and nitty gritty, but there is this quick look at games and topics that are being reflected in the media we enjoy. Some part of this is reflecting onto our personal character and we are enjoying the mayhem. Psychologically speaking we take on the role of our heroes in each game the topic comes down to some major questions which is what the stories of these games should be looking at ..... some do, some do not.
Questions that we should be asking our heroes -

• We all start out on a side of a conflict in all games, are we on the right side?
• Beyond self preservation what is motivating our choices? (to clarify here I don't really mean question the game design, but when given choices why do we do what we do)
• Games have been giving us a good and evil path for years now why do we pick the path we do?

I know these questions sound boring and quite stupid to be asking about playing a game where we control a hero who gains power and becomes ruler of all (generally speaking) but if you think about it some of the story lines are based solely on these questions and thus lead to paths we either guess or don't expect to happen.

Just a theory....
- William Dreimann