Overlooked Treasure

Many people play video games, myself included.  Frequently, however, video games are seen as nothing more than a hobby, something for enjoyment, nothing for study.  Why is this?  In classes dealing with language arts we study great and epic stories.  Why then, do we look past the video game as if it were a beggar on the street?

Some video games have beautiful stories.  Some have horrendous stories.  Some have stories that could only be told through the medium that they represent.  Take for instance, Final Fantasy VI (or III as it was originally released in the US).  It tells one of the most wonderful stories I have ever experienced.  The story, if I were to just write it out here would likely seem just above-average, but not spectacular.  Its true beauty lies in the way its story is told.  It's nearly operatic, and on that note, even includes an opera scene.  Would it not make sense then, to study how a story can be made so much more grand just through the way its being told?

Another example, though from the same series, lies in Final Fantasy XIII.  Again, this game contained one of my favorite stories of all time.  Centered around a group of six who are anathema to the land they live in, it would be hard to find a novel that rivals the richness of this story.  It contains many moments that many who can appreciate a rich story would find it difficult not to be moved by.

A final example, from a different series this time:  Shin Megami Tensei:  Strange Journey.  An exploration gone wrong and happenings that cause you to question the entire world around you, as well as the very thoughts you have yourself, are all contained in this story.  Why would such a philosophical tale be ignored by so many who claim to enjoy deep stories and passed off as another one of those time wasters?

We are looking right past a trove of literary material in a hobby that is now a part of so many lives.  Why do we not look to these writings as a source for literary enrichment that can also be enjoyed just as much, if not more than books?  People would likely feel relieved to find a change of pace in the way we digest stories.  I know I would.

If language arts are truly a study of art formed by language, I challenge you to study the artful language created by those in the video game industry.  You'll probably be surprised.