When it doesn't feel like a game any more

I wrote yesterday about a game called Mass Effect.

I have other games too, one particular favourite is a game called Jagged Alliance 2. It's a mix of high level strategy combined with an excellent tactical layer. It's one of those rare games that hits its mark just right in terms of gameplay. The sheer scope of what it allows you to do is remarkable. Pretty much anything you can think of, like making motion detectors or tripwire explosives, you can do. (There are limits)

The basic premise of Jagged Alliance 2 is that you're a mercenary who's been hired by the supposedly dead ex ruler of a banana republic country called Arulco. His country has been taken over by the evil Queen Diedranna who is ruling with an iron fist that smashes any dissent. You and a band of intrepid mercenaries are to liberate the country, ushering in an era of freedom and prosperity (making cash along the way). Tying it all together is a streak of black humour.

The difficulty scales quite well, at the start all you have are handguns which means you have to get close to get the bad guys. The Queen doesn't take you too seriously at the start either, so the fights are even. Later on, your guys can use sniper rifles, heavy machine guns, mortars and antitank weapons. And you need them ...

I've been thinking for a while of starting off another JA2 campaign and these campaigns tend to be epic. Arulco is a decent size country that doesn't liberate itself and there's plenty to see along the way.

However

Turn on the news right now and what do we see ?

The headlines at the moment are full of what's happening in Afghanistan, the Middle East and North Africa. And they are terrible things.

Game - the rebellion is attempting to unseat an evil dictator
Real life - there's rebellions in several countries trying to unseat their leaders

Suddenly, it doesn't feel like a game any more. The "get the bad guys" on screen are real people. The person speaking out against their leaders on the radio today may be dead by tomorrow.

Yes. It doesn't feel like a game any more.

I'll stay away from JA2 for a while. That's made easier by other games being good fun at the moment. There's Warcraft with a bunch of people who are Awesome. I may have another look into Eve at some point and there's the space action stuff too. I can save the one that's a bit too close to home until things calm down a bit.