Spirituality and Video Games

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by FallingLeaves

some tidbits...

the 'holy grail' was last seen buried in a place called 'arcadia' by all accounts... and more recently we have had 'arcade games'.

The thing about 'arcade games' is it was common to play as long as you could then when you got killed, you had to start over and use the lessons you learned to try to get further the next time. This seems like a good metaphor for those of us who feel like we are living through the equivalent of 'groundhogs day'.

Exactly! I made a thread alone on this aspect of gaming a few months ago now...all about falling down a hole like Mario and getting up again because our 'lives' are infinite, but the whole gameplay is not.

It's in this forum somewhere, or in General Beliefs somewhere...I think it's there, a few months ago...

highly recommends mario bros for
courageous 2 player fun or one player
dynamic. that at sweet pucking at
competition fiest, ie boshy highly recommends,

[Ghost_Rider_1970]

I do love this thread, where for me these are my stand-out games that enhanced myself and my spiritual experiences.

The Last of Us

OMG, what can I say about this game! It has everything! The core element being about love and emotion. The opening 20 minutes is like nothing I have ever experienced in a video game and is truly breath-taking. I don't want spoil anything for anyone who has yet to play this mesmerising game except to say that I have never been so moved and was in such awe at what happened that I almost missed the sensational opening titles. Especially as the music matches the ambience of the game so perfectly.

This is such an intense journey of how Ellie and Joel bond in a world of survival, violence and chaos. This is why the precious moments they share together during the lulls are so beautiful and so poignant. Indeed, you can relate to the ethical through unethical choices that they each have to make. It also shows the portrayed shallowness of humanity, where people through calculated cruelness can be even more deadly than the virus and those infected by it.

While this may sound bleak, and at times this is exactly what it is meant to portray, it is really about the light that shines though the darkness; the love that shines through the hatred; the limitlessness of faith rather than the limitations of hope.

Life is Strange

This is such a special games with a mesmerising soundtrack. Max has a unique gift as she is able to rewind time. The game also focuses on the impact - the karma - of her actions (indeed, karma means 'action' ).

This is a spectacular journey of a young woman who develops and grows and becomes so empowered. You really do feel that you ARE in Arcadia Bay and that you ARE Max. There really are some heart-stopping moments is this delightful game, with some very dark scenes too. It is truly captivating from start to finish and a game you never want to end. Even when it does, it lives in your memory and is a game I constantly come back too. The special edition even comes with a beautiful artbook and a copy of the scintillating soundtrack.

Everybody's Gone to the Rapture

Oh wow, this is a truly spiritual game as you are the only character who traces a ball of light. When you catch up with it at key points you see spiritual conversations that allow you to start piecing together what has happened to everyone. This is a very conservative and thought provoking game, and a visually spectacular and spiritual experience.

Gone Home

I absolutely adore this game!

You play Kaitlin who has returned home to find her parents and sister have vanished. As you explore the house, you build up such an emotional connection and start finding clues as to what has happened. As you progress, you feel the crescendo and the tension mounting all the way until the very end. Although it is quite short it is a wonderful game with a fabulous story that confronts assumptions and prejudices. Amazing!

[Brucely]

Originally Posted by Ghost_Rider_1970

I do love this thread, where for me these are my stand-out games that enhanced myself and my spiritual experiences.

The Last of Us

OMG, what can I say about this game! It has everything! The core element being about love and emotion. The opening 20 minutes is like nothing I have ever experienced in a video game and is truly breath-taking. I don't want spoil anything for anyone who has yet to play this mesmerising game except to say that I have never been so moved and was in such awe at what happened that I almost missed the sensational opening titles. Especially as the music matches the ambience of the game so perfectly.

This is such an intense journey of how Ellie and Joel bond in a world of survival, violence and chaos. This is why the precious moments they share together during the lulls are so beautiful and so poignant. Indeed, you can relate to the ethical through unethical choices that they each have to make. It also shows the portrayed shallowness of humanity, where people through calculated cruelness can be even more deadly than the virus and those infected by it.

While this may sound bleak, and at times this is exactly what it is meant to portray, it is really about the light that shines though the darkness; the love that shines through the hatred; the limitlessness of faith rather than the limitations of hope.

Life is Strange

This is such a special games with a mesmerising soundtrack. Max has a unique gift as she is able to rewind time. The game also focuses on the impact - the karma - of her actions (indeed, karma means 'action' ).

This is a spectacular journey of a young woman who develops and grows and becomes so empowered. You really do feel that you ARE in Arcadia Bay and that you ARE Max. There really are some heart-stopping moments is this delightful game, with some very dark scenes too. It is truly captivating from start to finish and a game you never want to end. Even when it does, it lives in your memory and is a game I constantly come back too. The special edition even comes with a beautiful artbook and a copy of the scintillating soundtrack.

Everybody's Gone to the Rapture

Oh wow, this is a truly spiritual game as you are the only character who traces a ball of light. When you catch up with it at key points you see spiritual conversations that allow you to start piecing together what has happened to everyone. This is a very conservative and thought provoking game, and a visually spectacular and spiritual experience.

Gone Home

I absolutely adore this game!

You play Kaitlin who has returned home to find her parents and sister have vanished. As you explore the house, you build up such an emotional connection and start finding clues as to what has happened. As you progress, you feel the crescendo and the tension mounting all the way until the very end. Although it is quite short it is a wonderful game with a fabulous story that confronts assumptions and prejudices. Amazing!

Amazing list! Life is strange is my all-time fav videogame story but i cant admit it to friends its such a girls story and ive never felt like such a girl in my life lol

(No spoilers)

How has BEYOND TWO SOULS not been mentioned? Its the most spiritual twin flame or soulmate game youll ever play. Blew me away, just as good as life is strange

N.E.R.O is also very powerful, magical, tedious at first but stick with it and some great messages about coping with lost loved ones becomes clear (or at least symbollicly)

OXENFREE a little indie game thats a hauntingly good story about teens going to party, ghosts/EVP, and quite possibly all life.

[Ghost_Rider_1970]

Originally Posted by Brucely

Amazing list! Life is strange is my all-time fav videogame story but i cant admit it to friends its such a girls story and ive never felt like such a girl in my life lol(

Thank you so much for your kind post, where I must admit I quite like being such a girl sometimes - hehe!

Beyond Two Souls is such a fantastic call. The irony is that I'm currently playing it at the moment after never playing it before. It really is such a sensational game, and belive it or not my favourite scene so far is dancing as Jodie at 'The Party'. She really does have some hot dance moves thats for sure :)

I even love the songs that play, as the music is so perfect!

Thank you also for your recommendations too, as I must admit I've not heard of Oxenfree or N.E.R.O. so will most definitely check them out

[Brucely]

Originally Posted by Ghost_Rider_1970

Thank you so much for your kind post, where I must admit I quite like being such a girl sometimes - hehe!

Beyond Two Souls is such a fantastic call. The irony is that I'm currently playing it at the moment after never playing it before. It really is such a sensational game, and belive it or not my favourite scene so far is dancing as Jodie at 'The Party'. She really does have some hot dance moves thats for sure :)

I even love the songs that play, as the music is so perfect!

Thank you also for your recommendations too, as I must admit I've not heard of Oxenfree or N.E.R.O. so will most definitely check them out

Enjoy it my friend. My fav B2S scene is "the dinner"

NERO (nothing ever remains obscure, lol yes talk about a spiritual title) was ridiculous, the entire game gave me hours of a crown chakra buzz. Maybe it was the music, but i dunno, there's something powerful about it...

Im suddenly in the mood to replay all these games

[Brucely]

So i just finished ABZU and omg its like ive died and gone to an underwater heaven. Ive nvr felt so much joy in a simulation game. Theres some weird "as above so below" nods, or vice-versa in this case, its like the tree of life, only this is the coral of life. Definitely some spiritual stuff to ponder there. Highly recommend, nvm the game, its worth it just to have as a glorified screen saver!

[peteyzen]

I use the concept of a video game as a lovely way to explain what life is really like. This life is like playing a video game, the real you is not the thing moving around on the screen, you are so much more than that. And just as the screen character is unaware of its real driving force, so are you. Just as when a game ends and the character dies, it returns again to try again in the next game, just like reincarnation. As with the development of the soul, we slwoly keep moving further into the game going up levels until we finish...and never return again.

[Smoreslover]

1. Legend of Zelda

2. Pretty much anything that starts with Tales of. Ex: Tales of Symphonia.

3. Pokémon can if you read the pokedex since many of them are based on spiritual beliefs and creatures of different religions.

4. Yokai Watch

5. Fire Emblem games

6. Bravely Default

7. Inuyasha games

8. Rune Factory 3 and 4

That's all I can think of at the moment.

[CelestialSphere]

So true some games arent just about violence, i love computer games especially rpgs. Elder scrolls as example bear lots of mystic intervined into fantasy upon building your character free to any boundaries etc i love to write my own stories trough it. I know its also a sort of escape yet its a place i can live out fantasy and be a part of it whilst in reality i simply cant. Also i love the final fantasy series, they bear great value and morale priciples. Eventhough i do not like a gun in games fallout as example its very close to the truth and prophetic about hows the far future possible gonna look a like.