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In the Gold Mine added on Jul 10 2008
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 by Snail, Level 43
Last updated at June 29, 2009, 9:41 am
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Stuffy pundits will argue that games only teach violence and anger, but most of us know that to not be the case. Square Enix in particular garnishes its games with highly digestible life lessons ranging from common sense to uncommonly profound. Here, four of my favorite Square morals.
Don’t assume your cause is just. Cloud, Cecil, Celes, and Yuna are all heroes who start out with a flimsy cause and eventually come to question their actions. Most Final Fantasy adventures, however, imbue us with the knowledge that it’s never too late to change our ways. Dark Knights can become Paladins, military generals can turn to borderline pacifists, and High Summoners needn’t die trying. Surely this gives the average Joe hope for absolution.
It’s not over ‘til it’s over. You may think you’ve beaten the enemy, but in true good vs. evil brawls one KO will never do. There’s always a badder bad guy or at least a more formidable form for your opponent to morph into. Defeating evil at the source is the only way to restore justice, and it’s a good lesson on the playground, in the work place, and certainly in politics.
Confess while you can. Tidus and Yuna, Sora and Kairi—Square sure likes to rip lovers apart. In life, we may not get many chances to tell those around us how we feel so it’s best to admit our emotions while there’s time. Share the paopu fruit or risk that first kiss because it may not be long before worlds are split and loves shattered.
The world ends with you. Sure Square’s DS Shibuya blowout isn’t their most famous title, but The World Ends With You is actually a theme seen throughout the publisher’s library. Reluctant heroes like Cloud, Squall, Ashe and Neku all start off aloof, but eventually learn that giving up on relationships is the same as giving up on the world. Eventually every antihero learns to expand his or her own worldview by reaching out and trusting in friendship.
What lessons can you glean from gaming?
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Sol Invictus Jun 29, 2009 at 9:57 am
+1 votes
The power of friendship. Tales of Vesperia teaches us that we can't survive without friends in the world. Yuri can't see justice done and save the world without the aid of his companions, nor would he be able to see the light of the end of the tunnel were it not for the futures of the friends whose lives he fights for.
The buddy system. Gears of War 2 also enforces the importance of cameraderie, with Marcus Fenix's Delta squadmates to watch his back and take the flank. There are often instances in Gears 2 where certain doors require the strength of two men to be opened (one on each valve, lever or switch) and there's many parts in the game where Marcus and his buddy Dominic have to depend on each other to progress forwards. When you're down, your buddy's the only one you can count on to get you back up. Last but not least, Marcus's buddies, and his love interest Anya, all give him a cause worth fighting for, beyond the survival of humanity itself.
The buddy system. Gears of War 2 also enforces the importance of cameraderie, with Marcus Fenix's Delta squadmates to watch his back and take the flank. There are often instances in Gears 2 where certain doors require the strength of two men to be opened (one on each valve, lever or switch) and there's many parts in the game where Marcus and his buddy Dominic have to depend on each other to progress forwards. When you're down, your buddy's the only one you can count on to get you back up. Last but not least, Marcus's buddies, and his love interest Anya, all give him a cause worth fighting for, beyond the survival of humanity itself.
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Murmur Jun 29, 2009 at 12:10 pm
+1 votes
Improve yourself : Try to train yourself for what is to come, you never know when that bit of extra attention and focus to yourself could come in handy for the future.
Agamemnon Jun 29, 2009 at 12:54 pm
+1 votes
Death is only the beginning: Get stabbed and shot enough to the point of your mortal demise, hey, it's all okay--nothing but a Phoenix Down can't cure! Well, except Aeris. ;_;
Men in black are up to no good: With the exception of Kefka, you can lay it down as a maxim that any shady characters wearing dark color palettes on their clothes are usually the bad guy! What's that, he's got a gun! Terrorist, terrorist!
The Planet is out to kill you: And it's ungrateful too! Here you are, minding your own business, just trying to save the world, and the damn planet keeps sending these freaking beasts at you for no odd reason! Hey you hippy, I'm trying to SAVE you; a little gratitude would be nice!
Magic is used, not learned: In fact, anyone can use it too. Found yourself a green bauble? Hey, congrats, you found your first magic materia! Now test it on the cat to see what kind it is!
Physics are silly: Physics are just a made up thingy by some crazy scientist that no one really liked. If you believe in yourself, you can carry a sword that is twice as big as you or leap from building to building in a single bound! Of course, only heroes can do this, so if you can't, then you're a zero!
Terrorism is good!: Blowing up a power plant where people work at while killing government soldiers is okay, as long as they are eeeeevil. Kill the infidels of democracy, they preach magical thinking! Grr!
Men in black are up to no good: With the exception of Kefka, you can lay it down as a maxim that any shady characters wearing dark color palettes on their clothes are usually the bad guy! What's that, he's got a gun! Terrorist, terrorist!
The Planet is out to kill you: And it's ungrateful too! Here you are, minding your own business, just trying to save the world, and the damn planet keeps sending these freaking beasts at you for no odd reason! Hey you hippy, I'm trying to SAVE you; a little gratitude would be nice!
Magic is used, not learned: In fact, anyone can use it too. Found yourself a green bauble? Hey, congrats, you found your first magic materia! Now test it on the cat to see what kind it is!
Physics are silly: Physics are just a made up thingy by some crazy scientist that no one really liked. If you believe in yourself, you can carry a sword that is twice as big as you or leap from building to building in a single bound! Of course, only heroes can do this, so if you can't, then you're a zero!
Terrorism is good!: Blowing up a power plant where people work at while killing government soldiers is okay, as long as they are eeeeevil. Kill the infidels of democracy, they preach magical thinking! Grr!
Sol Invictus Jun 29, 2009 at 1:41 pm
+1 votes
"Men in black are up to no good" does not hold true for Tales of Vesperia, where Yuri is clad in black. His enemies look like good guys. Same thing with Deus Ex, where J.C. Denton wears black. The bad guy, Bob Page, wears white. His evil sidekick, Walton Simons, has an extremely pale complexion, as do the Men in Black agents.
By the way, that bit on magic? That's not much of a life lesson unless you live in Fantasia or something.
By the way, that bit on magic? That's not much of a life lesson unless you live in Fantasia or something.
Darkie Jul 30, 2009 at 9:59 pm
+1 votes
Random encounters. You never know when opportunities rise up.
Now I don't play FF. But I think I got it oke :P
Now I don't play FF. But I think I got it oke :P
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