like many things in life, games (despite some opinions) can inspire emotion, thus becoming a work of art.

 

I've been a gamer my whole life and have seen games advance in ways unimaginable.  Despite genre, games inspire emotion.  Albeit, most of the time it's purely visceral, the thrill of the hunt so to speak, but every now and then a game comes along that touches another side of us...

 

and dare make us cry?....

 

Final Fantasy creator Hironubu Sakuguchi has just released an excellent JRPG (Japanese Role Playing Game) for the Xbox360.  While some my scorn it or reviewers "underscore" it, I think it's arguable that it's one of his finest works yet. 

 

For me, one of his best works was Final Fantasy 8, a game hated by most but loved by a select few, this game follows in it's footsteps of trying to create an adult storyline, complete with character tention, love and other various emotions.  Lost Odyssey casts players in the role of Kaim, an immortal who has lost his memory of his life that has spanned 1000 years and as the game progresses regains said memories.

 

This isnt' intended as a review, and it won't be, rather, the point of this blog is how pleased I am to see the medium  I enjoy so much coming into it's own.  Much like film, games have the ability to inspire, dream, remember and dare I say, give hope in some way.

 

We all have memories we wish we could lock away, never to be seen again.  Regardless of why, we as humans have a tendancy to "run" from our pasts.  But, much like the plaque at Splash MOuntain at DIsneyworld reads right before the big drop, "You can't run from trouble, aint no place that far".  THis of course doesn't mean that ones past is necessarily trouble, rather, I think it points to a greater point, you can never forget.

 

Walking in a park, one might hear the song of a passing jogger, happily jogging along lifes road in an effort to stay in shape.  To them the song is nothing more than a song, encouragement if you will.  But to the one who hears it outside of the joggers mind it can jar memories of a love once lost....

 

A freind who has passed...

 

A bully in class...

 

An abusive spouse...

 

Any number of emotions can be felt, depending upon th person it becomes a catalyst.  Weither it be music, a flower, a color, a certain smell, we all have emotional triggers that bind us to our pasts.  THis game gets that basick human attribute and performs it flawlessly.

 

Several times thus far into the game, i've caught myself remembering, maybe even wiping a tear or two away from my young eyes.  The main character, Kaim, is someone we can all relate to, even though he is immortal, the long life hes lived has shown to be one that has traversed the field of humanity to and fro and left him void, or seemingly so, of emotion.  Disenchanted with life, he wonders aimlessly, only knowing that he can't die.

 

THis past year has seen a rather large amount of emtionally chargred games, and for that i'm greatful.  However, this game stands out to me for some reason.  Maybe, in some ways, I feal as though I understand Kaim and his ordeals as they are revealed.  Certainly I understand the disenchantment of life.  From fair weather friends who plot against you, to loves that are lost, it's all to familiar how you become detached from this world in so many ways.  Yet, much like Kaim has recently found out during my play time thsu far, there is allways that reason(s) to stay in the game, such is the way of life.  It is when we run out of reasons, or don't see them, refuse to see them, that we lose hope and cash in our chips.

 

In conclussion, if you have a 360, get this game and experience it, don't play it.  As I try and do with all games I play, try and get lost in whatever the game is doing, what it's trying to say to you the gamer.  Weither it be blasting alien hordes, slaying demons or in the case of Kaim searching for answers, enjoy it, relish the experience.  You might be surprised at how much fun you might actually have....

 

until next time.