Hero

I enjoy video games. I'm a big fan of the classic space shooters like Galaga, Invaders, R-Type, and the many, many clones thereof. However, I'm much more interested in the genre of RPG (Role-Playing Games), whether action-oriented or turn-based. I like them because I get the entertainment of a video game and a story. It's the story that makes those games entertaining, and the deeper the plot, the better.

One of my current favorites is a recent installment of a classic series--Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, released for both the GameCube and the Wii. It has the typical RPG-style story: save the world from an encroaching evil. Of course, that remains the overarching theme throughout the game. But there's more to this one, and it's the added depth of plot that particularly impressed me, even more than the rich landscape and detailed effects.

While the player's character does end up saving the world, that's not his primary goal. The game forces it's world-saving objective, but the player's character focuses on smaller tasks that involve helping people. And the impetus that drives him from the beginning is as simple as a neighborly concern for the children of his home village. The player's character's ultimate goal is to save the children and bring them home. And if that means saving the world while he's at it, so be it.

Don't believe me? Either pick up the game or browse your way to YouTube. Watch the opening scenes and the first few game objectives, then compare them to the ending animations that play during the credit roll.

Not all games promote violence.