So imagine me in this suit. Maximum strength, amphibious, able to render myself invisible for short periods of time in front of the enemy. I’ve also got some kick-ass weapons like this single shooter thing, a machine gun and a rifle. Plus that body suit makes me look kinda hot, except for the fact that my boobs don’t show and as far as the game goes, I have a voice three octaves lower and can only communicate in short grunts and phrases.
This my dears (those of us who are more at ease wielding credit cards than grenades) is Crysis, with a “y”. I never thought that I would see this day. The last time I played one was back in secondary two, when a neighbor I had a crush on spent all his time at the neighborhood video game shop and the only way I could crush inconspicuously was to play Half Life/Counterstrike and ask him for help. Nine years later, I’m running around killing North Koreans in a virtual jungle in Philippines because my boyfriend insists I try playing before judging his hobby. So, aside from romantic inducements, I have never really been interested in video games.
Why should I?
After all, RPG video games are made for boys. I like killing stuff onscreen and competing against boys when I’m finally into a game, but the prospect is just daunting to begin with. For one, games are illogical. Why would a girl want to spend her time running around a fake world conquering man and beast, when one can read, Facebook, watch The City, bitch or conquer a shopping mall. What’s the point in living in a virtual world when the real world is pretty darn cool. Then there’s the graphics – realistic backgrounds and guns that look and sound like the real thing. But what about the fashion? Sorry to sound like a bimbo, but I really don’t fancy the drab looking military garb that most characters wear. Then there’s the political incorrectness – I could say so much about playing a terrorist or the optimality of going into a Southeast Asian nation made up of 100s of tropical islands to fight off North Koreans and enemy aliens. We all know how well Americans faired in tropical climates (see Vietnam War). Finally, the type of thought processes required for RPG games involve tactical outlays for killing people/monsters/aliens that naturally draw on the male instinct to hunt. Unfortunately, that does not do it for me baby. I want to resolve a problem, not go on to each level killing the same enemy over and over again. I’d rather have some emotional intrigue, thank you.
Of course, we could boil the mystery of why women tend to not be attracted to video games. It is a psychological tendency. According to researchers at Stanford University, MRI scans showed that the zones of the brain associated with reward and addiction are much more active in men’s brains when they played a simple video game. Men are to sex and video games, what women are to chocolate and a pair of hot, new Louboutin’s.
So how would I produce a video game for women? I would have a heroine that’s fully customizable from head-to-toe. Hair, make-up, clothes, shoes, armor… you name it, we’ve got hundreds of designers and palattes to choose from. Then, weave a good story into the game. Put some sexual tension, romantic liaisons and believable political issues that can be resolved by more than just point-and-shoot. Include the option for diplomatic negotiation and heck, as sexist as it sounds, enable characters to use sex appeal and feminine intrigue to change the game. Women want to use their charm and smarts to interact with others, not slam a fist in your face (although I wish I could do that do some guys) when the shit hits the fan.
As a newfound, amatuer gamer that will probably lose interest after a while (because I keep throwing grenades when I want to pick up ammo), I invite other girlies like myself to give gaming a shot (all puns intended). It isn’t better than chocolate, but it is fun. A lot of fun. And once we’ve gotten enough people on board, we should meet up and give the characters in Crysis a makeover and plot a gaming company to rival EA.
