Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Fighting in the Garden

Students clash left and right. Shots buzz past my head as I fight. My friends fight with me to defend what we hold dear. Monsters from legend are bound to us to help.

No, dear reader, this is not reality. This is fantasy; Final Fantasy VIII.

Second disc, the fight in Galbadia Garden to be precise. I've probably missed some rare character cards in getting this far, although I know that there are two summons to be obtained here.

Fighting to save worlds not our own, to protect strangers that we have come to count as friends. Not altogether a bad idea. Games can affect us just as much as films if not more so. Whilst I haven't got quite that far in Final Fantasy VII, I do know that one of your characters is killed at the end of the first disc. Quite a few of the people that I know who have played the game confess to feeling more than a little sad at this. It was more than a little satisfying to see the killer utterly defeated.

In playing games we do place some emotional investment in them. Characters are brought to life, imagined worlds become closer to reality. At the start of FFVII : Advent Children there is message;

Opening Credits: To those who loved this world... and knew friendly company therein: This reunion is for you.

Games are a form of escapism, that is true but they also remind us that there are things worth fighting for. I would gladly fight, die and live to fight again for the ones that are most precious to me. So, pick up your weapons, let a song fill your heart and fight for what you believe in.

till next time,

Alex.


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