by Jeremy Matthews

Created on: April 13, 2010

Video games are a hobby (or maybe a bad habit) of mine.  One of the reason I enjoy playing is the method of escape they offer.  Some people watch movies, some read books, I play games.  Simple as that.  Depending on the mood that I am in, I may need to relax in one of several different ways.  Sometimes, sitting back and blowing my way through a horde of zombies in Left4Dead2 with a group of friends is all I need.  Sometimes, I need something a little slower.  So I may boot up Champions Online and run some missions there.  The difference, the fast paced action in Left4Dead2 gives the release of tension.  What better way to relieve a little tension than beating a zombie back to death with a frying pan or guitar.  But sometimes, the pace needs to be a little slower.  Something I can control and take at my own pace.

Whether it be a favorite first-person shooter or a beloved MMORPG.  Online games are dynamic, they are ever changing.  And many offer a much granted escape from real life.  What is the possibility of leaping off a skyscraper to take flight in order to save a city from an evil supervillian?  Or what about a 4 foot tall dwarf defeating a 10 foot tall Orc? Of what about the odds of a plague attacking mankind only to turn us into mindless zombies that are ripe for the sniping?  All of which are slim to none.  But in video games anything is possible, and the player is in the driver's seat.

Does this pastime really offer such a relaxing time?  Certainly.  You get the opportunity to do great feats, and meet great people through these games.  Think of an online game as a coffee shop.  Would I approach a stranger to journey with me to get a cup of coffee?  More thank likely, not.  Even if I did, would that stranger think I was strange and probably leave; yes, they would.  However, some of the best friends I have were established through the game.  Not by Facebook or Myspace.  But in a game.  So, what's more relaxing than hanging out with your friends passing the time.  Easy, try hanging out in a virtual world sometime.  It's a load of fun.

Especially on a day when work was stressful, my wife was upset at me, and the dog has bit me.  I can jump into a game, and escape just for a little while.  This gives time for things to blow over and the dust to settle.  I can regress back into daily life and go on about my business. For me gaming isn't just a hobby, it's relaxing.

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