1. Artistic Recognition
Perhaps the best part about modern gaming is just how far it has come as an artistic medium, and how it is being recognized as such. Sure, there are those that disagree and look down at them, but the fact that there has even been a discussion about the artistic quality of video games is fantastic, and as more amazing games get released and highlight their power, it is only inevitable that those who champion their artistic merit will outnumber the dissenters. This year the Smithsonian American Art Museum put up The Art of Video Games exhibition, which showcases the evolution of video games as an artistic medium. More often we see quality actors lending their talents to games, and with modern day motion capture technology, acting is starting to become a regular part of the development process. Same goes for the writing, which includes greats like Drew Karpyshyn (
Mass Effect), Ken Levine (
Bioshock), and even attracted novelist R.A. Salvatore (
Kingdoms of Amular: Reckoning). These talented individuals are to be credited for some of the great stories given to us through video games. More importantly, those who play enough games know that this recognition is earned. Like films and comic books before them, video games are currently in a transitory stage where developers are using the tools available to experiment and innovate, and this is calling into question whether it is accurate to dismiss them as mindless entertainment. And like those aforementioned mediums, it will take some time until the debate no longer exists and video games are accepted as works of art. There you have it, 15 reasons you should love modern gaming. What do you love about modern gaming? Feel free to sound off in the comments section, and thanks for reading!