-By GamerRx-
“The beauty of gaming is that it allows us to experience the impossible and to learn from our failures in a safe environment.” – Anonymous.
My tryst with gaming began when I was 8 years old. My classmate (let us call him Sparky) who was the Computer Science teacher’s son had installed games on the school computers. The students used to take turns playing PC games during the teacher’s absence, free periods or even sometimes after school. I got hooked on the PC games Dave, Pinball and Claw.
Claw was reserved only for Sparky’s friends so unfortunately I didn’t qualify. But I always pounced on the opportunity whenever it presented itself. I still remember all of us fighting over taking turns to play.
One day the school switched from the existing Zenith PCs to another brand. The Zenith PCs went out taking Claw, Dave and Sparky’s popularity with them. The new systems had just solitaire and minesweeper which were too boring for me. Handheld video games with Snake and Tetris didn’t hold my interest much.
As destiny would have it, my uncle would babysit me sometimes. He used to drop me at his friend’s internet cafe so that I could keep myself engaged. I wasn’t complaining as I was having the time of my life.
The Advent of the Nokia phone 1100 steered me into the world of gaming again. My dad bought the phone for my mom. I still maintain that there is no equal to it in terms of sturdiness. That phone was a tank.
The mobile game Space Impact was my new favourite. I could play from the comforts of my home. I used to hide under the blanket past bedtime playing Space Impact all night. I loved the unlimited bullets that it had. The victory over the last Boss came at a heavy cost. My mother severely reprimanded me as I was getting addicted to gaming. Well, I lost sleep if I couldn’t beat a boss so I know what she meant. I wondered how she knew my secret though. I am told that the loud keypad sounds kept her awake at night. So much for my secretive gameplay.
Some honourable mentions in mobile games would be Snake, bounce, shooter games and Dx ball game (I do not recall the exact name).
Then I decided that I wanted the Classic Cassette Video Game. After a lot of crying, whining and stubborn requests, my parents caved in. My Cassette video game favourites are Mario, Duck Shooting, Contra Etc. But it stopped working in just a few months. So that was a dead end.
As a teenager, I went back to PC games. This time it was Road Rash and Bad Boys.
I played Facebook games after school. Wild Ones is a nice game which I miss playing even today. I created multiple Facebook accounts for weapon gifting. A lot of hackers were involved in the game which made me lose interest.
One day at the internet centre, I got so immersed in Wild Ones that I lost track of time. It was late evening by the time I got back home. I was shocked and confused to see my best friend and his father at my home. My mother was beside them in anguish which changed to anger when she set her eyes on me.
It was then I realised that I unwittingly unleashed a hidden boss which was none other than my mother. She nuked me with her non-explosive weapons which had a deadly impact and that marked the end of my Wild Ones era.
The relentless gamer in me started playing GTA Vice City in another internet cafe. I used to spend my snack money which I saved like a squirrel. I also used to flick the change when I ran chores for the home. GTA Vice was an open game. Cheat codes like PANZER (summoned a tank) and SEAWAYS (car rides in water) were easily acquired. It was a gamer’s dream with advanced weaponry and Unlimited bullets.
I also tried my hand at Xbox with games like Gears of War.
Then something called the Play Station appeared in one of the internet cafes. It was another demolisher in disguise through which I rapidly reduced my already depleted Mana at home.
WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain was the first game I played on PlayStation. Its Sound effects were one of a kind and fights were realistic. Goldberg was my favourite character with his powerful kick and signature spear move.
Pirates of the Caribbean and Gears of War were my go-to games. God of War is my all-time favourite. With its graphics and storyline, Kratos is a legendary game character. Resident Evil 4 was one of a kind. It was way ahead of its time in graphics and music. I had come a long way from Space Impact.
As luck would have it, along with the games my mother also upgraded. This time she spawned at the internet cafe and KOed me.
I must say that I finished The Chainsaw Woman in Resident Evil 4 but failed to defend myself against her in real life (Sorry Mom!).
As they couldn’t stop me from going rogue, my parents gave in and bought me a brand-new PS2. But, at that time I didn’t know that each game CD would cost me an arm and a leg. I had to make do with Kabadi which came pre-installed. Resident Evil, Ghost Recall and Prince of Persia were the ones that made it through to my purchases from a long wishlist. My interest in gaming was dwindling because of the lack of variety.
So I decided to level up in my personal life. I tried my hand at studying.
My gaming sessions continued at my friend’s house. It was then that I discovered that PCs can be connected to controllers. Then there was no stopping us. We played Naruto, Dragon Ball Z and Call of Duty. Nothing can beat the entertainment that we got out of using a sniper rifle as a Melee weapon. Soon meetup at my friend’s house became synonymous with game nights.
As I was growing out of my teenage, gaming not only served as a form of entertainment but a great stress buster. Finally, the DragonBall Z CD was so worn out that we had to go out and get another one.
Fast forward to me becoming a responsible son as I set foot into a Dental College. I found out that iPads were mandatory for all students. This summoned the gamer in me. I started with Asphalt and Mini Militia. Then came PUBG. I can proudly say that I was the catalyst for my entire college starting to play PUBG. PUBG gave me my gaming identity. Then, PUBG was banned in India.
After college days, everyone got busy with work and we all went our own ways. I went back to mobile gaming. My friend introduced me to another game. This time it was Genshin Impact. It felt like a portal to Narnia had opened. Genshin Impact is a great piece of work with great graphics and smooth gameplay. It is worth every GB of storage space on my phone. It is one of the games that I still play and it is like a PS game on the mobile.
Clash Royale is an interesting game that I play at work. I even roped my senior into it. Yes, my boss did catch me playing during work at once but since then I have been careful.
Pubg came back in the form of Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI). Though I end up as the MVP most of the time (headshots are my speciality), I should say BGMI is just a faint shadow of the original. It is more competitive with people using support items. It is also prone to hackers which ruins the charm of the game. I console myself saying that I am rusty. I try not to blame the game because it was this very game that reignited the gamer spirit in me.
I still play Call of Duty mobile. My form is better in this game than in BGMI.
A month back, a trailer for a new game caught my eye. The moment I saw the trailer on Instagram reels, I was sure this would be a game-changer. Soon the news about it started spreading like wildfire.
It has been just over two weeks Since Black Myth- Wukong‘s release. The moment I played the game, it proved my intuition right. Black Myth -Wukong is indeed a masterpiece. It felt like I was in a movie where I could control the main character.
It has an engaging storyline and gameplay. Its graphics are visually stunning. It has exceeded my expectations in every way. Playing it is an immersive and addictive experience in a good way. I am yet to finish the game. I am always up for a new challenge and I look forward to the day I finish the last chapter.
After all these years Black Myth-Wukong confirmed one thing for me. From 2D Worlds to Immersive Universes, my connection with gaming is like the phoenix’s cycle of rebirth. Even when I step away or explore other interests, my passion for gaming always emerges anew, revitalized and ready to soar once again, just as the phoenix rises from its ashes.
“In the world of gaming, every setback is a setup for a greater comeback.” – Anonymous
–By GamerRx –
The Writers Room 