I was very much a casual gamer in my youth, owning and playing only a few games here and there. That changed in the winter of 2009, when I was injured and began having trouble moving. I went to several doctors, each with a different diagnosis, but so far no one has been able to help me. Even now, with my back and legs in terrible shape, no one can seem to find out what's wrong with me.
However, rather than slip into a depression, I turned to video games to help me cope. I had had my PS3 for a little over a year, but only possessed a handful of games. That soon changed and I found myself enjoying everything from Grand Theft Auto IV to Resistance, Killzone to Borderlands. I devoured each new game, happy to immerse myself in the worlds they created. With my legs as bad as they are, I could never go on a quest for treasure, but Nathan Drake showed me just how fun and dangerous it could be. I learned the horrors of traveling to the Ishimura, the thrill of storming the beaches of Helghan, and what it felt like to tear down the heavens on Mt. Olympus. Gaming took me to places I couldn't go, not just because they were fictional, but because I knew that just stepping outside could be an absolute chore.
Video Games have allowed me to run, jump, and fight my way through their worlds. You don't understand what that means until you start to lose the ability to do so in real life. While some days are better than others, most are absolutely terrible. Still, as long as I have games, I know that I can still accomplish the objectives that I couldn't in reality. Whether I'm taking down the Joker, stealing back the Thievius Racconus, or battling the evils of the Archedemon, I'm there, in the action.
For me and others like me, that's enough. That's exactly what we need.
