There's a lot of good stuff out there... (Video Games, part 3)

Something that always bothers me is how video games don't get the same recognition that movies and books get. The feeling "There's a lot of good stuff out there, if you can wade through the crap." The simple idea that while it's not all good, that doesn't mean there isn't hidden gold.

Most people who hear video games think of Call of Duty or GTA. They think of guns and mindless violence. Which is unfair to the medium that has a lot more too it.

Lets take Halo for instance. Most who haven't bothered to play it or follow the game think of simple sic fi violence. The Big Bang Theory even "plays" the game and describe "bloody chunks" and explosions in the game, which is pretty inaccurate. Halo places a huge emphasize on the story of humanity fighting for their survival through the eyes of their hero, Master Chief.

Binary Domain and Mass Effect are games that change endings and fights depending on the decisions you make and the your squamates opinions of your character.

Undertale and Thief are games that focus on choice, whether to kill or spare lives. To fight or to make peace.

Chrono Trigger has large emphasize on characters relationships in your team and the repercussions of your actions, directly tying and reacting to what you do.

Tomb Raider focuses on puzzle solving and timing to overcome obstacles, and even has a strong female protagonist (That could have perhaps been handled better but was attempted and was not done poorly, despite the rap Lara Croft gets.)

Alan Wake and Heavy Rain take on more low key combat, when any, and utilize the environment to represent the characters inner struggle.

The list goes on and on, hundreds of deep engaging stories. They range from kid games to commentaries on the human psyche. Stories that engage and have never been told before yet only get the label of the machinations of violence and anger issues.