What Makes Playing Video Games So Special

Video gaming offers a plethora of sensations and an entirely new level of immersion that other forms of entertainment such as watching movies or listening to music just can’t replicate. Video games utilize the same epic storytelling techniques movies incorporate to sell to their audience, along with adding in emotional soundtracks to really amp up the feels. However, it also accommodates its own unique flair by giving the user something that pre-recorded films and songs can’t: Freedom and Interactivity.

Freedom: You Create Your Own World

In video games, you are free to explore and do what you will in that fictional world. Sandbox games like Minecraft are prime examples as games of this genre grants you the most freedom to shape the world around you as you see fit, sometimes literally. Extremely creative and dedicated players have erected astronomical structures and elaborate designs that truly push the game to its artistic limits. Some truly talented players have even transformed a simple sandbox game into a terrifying survival horror or a magnificent roleplaying game with dozens of other players. You even have a vast array of game genres to choose from. If you ever wished to be a professional basketball player, but never had the time or opportunity to become one, all it takes is a trip to the local game store, or even better, just a few clicks on a video game distributor like Steam for the numerous entries of sports games and you’re good to go. No one hundred laps and push-ups required.

In terms of pacing, movies follow a linear storyline where Event X happens when the protagonist reaches location Y. However, in the right games, you can explore every nook and cranny of the game world in whatever order you desire. While movies usually only last from one to two hours, average-length games often offer 8-16 hours of gameplay, and even exponentially more if you’re a completionist who wants to scour the game world for every collectible and side mission. You can take your time admiring the magnificent environment and at times even influence the events happening around you, which leads us to Interactivity.

Interactivity: Main Character Energy

Everybody wants the flashy gadgets and the epic moments when time slows down as the protagonist walks away from an explosion in a futuristic suit of armor. Moviemakers often try to make the protagonist as relatable as possible for audiences to be able to imagine themselves as the MC experiencing those cool instances, but in video games, you no longer have to imagine. YOU are the main character. Your decisions impact the world around you, sometimes irreparably. All choices have consequences and it is both a privilege and a responsibility that you have to shoulder. You decide what you look like, what you are, where you go, and even how you interact with the in-game characters you encounter. You can choose to befriend a stranger, cooperate with your allies, battle against ravenous monsters, or even betray your kingdom. You choose whether you are the long-awaited hero, the big bad villain, or the morally gray anti-hero.

But That’s Not All...

For those who find video games to be no longer enjoyable for their age, the increased demand for mobile games has triggered an epidemic of mobile-friendly games of chance on the internet. Online casinos have grown the fastest in Canada, and many games have adapted mobile-friendly ports in a race to become one of the best online casinos in Canada. These games are thoroughly reviewed and rated to ensure a fair and profitable experience, as well as listing down important information such as bonuses and minimum deposits.

If that isn’t enough to enlighten you of the greatness of playing video games, then perhaps this will. It’s common knowledge that most of the games with the best graphics, atmosphere, and action sequences are only operable in large and cumbersome at-home devices like gaming PCs and consoles. A sizable hardware is required to be able to generate the power needed to seamlessly run such graphics-intensive games and generate an eerily immersive and atmospheric gaming experience. While I don’t seek to subtract from their awe-inspiring capabilities and success, what if I said that times are changing and that even your cute-sized mobile phone can run those epically demanding games without it looking like a PowerPoint presentation?

The game equivalent of movie streaming services, cloud gaming technology allows you to stream high-end games on lower-end or smaller hardware like a smartphone, provided you have a fast and strong internet connection. This is practically like carrying a pocket-sized PC or console without sacrificing any of its quality, combining the power of consoles and the portability of smartphones, the best of both worlds.

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