What Games Inspire You?
Every now and then, a game comes along that truly inspires us in one way or another. Beyond the gameplay or the graphics or control scheme, games have ability like books or movies, to make us think of things beyond the insular worlds they immerse us in. For me there have been a several titles that made me want to go step away from the TV and learn about the things that inspired them. BioShock got me to read Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, Assassin's Creed 2 led me to find out more about the history of Leonardo DaVinci and the Italian Renaissance and The Beatles: Rock Band renewed my interest in the music of that great band and even introduced me to some songs that are now favorites.
What about you? Did Okami spark your interest in Japanese art? Did Left 4 Dead get you to rent a slew of zombie movies or maybe Call of Duty created a passion in you to learn more about World War II. Whatever it may be, let us know in the comments!
Fruit Brute
Posted to Hot Stuff, Video Games on 7 January 2010
· Comments (11)
Other stuff like this: art, books, inspiration, movies, music
Bioshock had a similar effect on me, only I went to The Fountainhead instead of Atlas. The main other one that I can think of off the top of my head is Eternal Darkness, which set me off on a H.P. Lovecraft reading spree.
Bioshock made me read Atlas Shrugged too. Which is a pity as I believe the Fountainhead is shorter. I'm glad I read it. It's certainly explained some aspects of modern America. I come from the UK Ayn Rand is much less known here.
But dear GOD what a terrible book. Awful.
Dragon Age inspired me to buy Imajica by Clive Barker. I am so glad I bought it.
Earthbound got me interested in a lot of weird crap, indirectly.
Fatale made me read Wilde's Salome.
I read "House of Leaves" by Mark Danielewski because of Silent Hill 4: The Room, which was rumored to have been loosely based on the aforementioned book. That was about 5 or so years ago...that damn book still gives me nightmares.
Xenosaga got me back into learning about religion and philosophy and literature, and I am forever grateful for all the knowledge I have uncovered due to it since.
It is also the only video game ever to inspire me to be a better human being overall. Can't beat that.
I've had a few. I've done a lot of additional reading on mythology due to the various Shin Megami Tensei games. Europa Universalis III led me to learn more about late medieval/early modern Europe.
Going further back, one of the things that led to my love of heavy metal was a game "Called Rock n'Roll Racing" on the Super Nintendo. It was a really fun game, and the soundtrack was all based on classic rock and metal songs like Black Sabbath's "Paranoid" and Deep Purple's "Highway Star."
assassins creed made me read about templars ^_^
Assassin's Creed 2 inspired me to ignore hype and go only for games I know I'll definitely like.
Eve Online made me start a PhD in AI and Games.
Assasins Creed: made me learn about the crusades, muslims, christianity, jerusalem, etc.
Assasins creed II made learn more about davinci, venice, renaissance.
Eternal Sonata made me learn more anout chopin.
Call of duty: about the cold war, wwII and warfare
Mass Effect: About the planets, solar system, the universe, Artificial intelligence, cosmology etc.
I usually play games for the experience it takes me, if im playing a game only for gamescore or just because im bored i dont play it. I think thats what videogames is about, to take you to a world on a different perspective,like watching a movie only that youre part of it, its great!