Fallen from Grace: Or; What Video Games Can Teach Us About Religion
So I’ve been playing a lot of tutorials and first levels of games lately…definitely difficult to stop on some of the better games, but if I ever hope to make any progress in the research I am going to have to show a little restraint…right? With today being the last work day before Hell Week (aka New GTA Orientation) starts and I am fighting a cold and I already had one hell of a week I decided to stay home and do some games research today. No really, the research part and not just playing CoD or Alan Wake for 8 hours. Well I ended up working from Barnes & Noble instead so I was limited to handheld games today.
It was a slow start because I had to find new notebooks to replace the one that was “lost” with my iPad case, DSi, and favorite pens. I did manage to also replace the DSi, pens, and migraine meds this week as well. So now I am almost feeling like I can move past it. Having that bag taken was definitely a violation. Now I am definitely more careful. I don’t leave my bag anywhere unattended for any amount of time (not even to get a coffee refill or to run to the bathroom (definitely an inconvenience). Oh well….
After all of the time I spent getting my notes transferred into the proper notebooks I only got around to playing one game this afternoon and that game was Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies. Now here we have a game that is steeped in Judeo-Christian belief system and not just any JC belief system, but the good old fashioned, pre-Martin Luther indulgence selling, purgatory dwelling, earn your way to heaven with good works (even if done so begrudgingly) Christianity. I won’t tell you too much about it because I don’t want to spoil the game for you 🙂 I have to say that so far the game play is pretty darn good. More than the simple and repetitive turn based fighting of the previous DQ games that I have played this one feels a bit more adventure game-like. Here is another game that seems to be throwing the old genres out of the window to build something new and more engaging.
Well that’s about it for now. I can’t decide if I’m gonna try to squeeze in a little more DQ for fun before bedtime or if I am going to get back to work and play the tutorial and first level of the copy of Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story that came with my new DSi.
I’ve been playing through DQIX as well, I’m hoping it opens up a bit soon with an airship or something like Final Fantasy. 🙂
The religious aspect is interesting too in how it tries to draw in the player. YOU are a part of this system, and therefore you are on this quest. Some of it is for personal reasons, of course, but a lot of it comes from an obligation to this system and your place in it. (being vague for those who haven’t played yet, haha)
I also think the hyper-Christianity mixed with some Norse mythology really brings the world together into a unique viewpoint alongside the visuals. Characters are super cute, tiny, and almost childlike alongside a religious mishmash that sounds like a kid piecing together a bunch of ideas they’ve heard to explain why bad and good things happen in the world.
Oh yeah, and you can dress your characters however you want, much like an MMO. That’s fun. Get this game!