Mariano Picolomini
Webster’s Online Dictionary defines “frag” as “to kill another player’s avatar in a multiuser game.”
When you are having a bad day, whether in school, work or in your social life, try a new way of reliving stress – video games.
A study by the East Carolina University found that games like “Bejeweled” reduce physical stress activity by 54 percent anger by 63 percent and depression levels by 45 percent.
The “Halo” and “Call of Duty” series are some of the most popular games people, including myself, play to relieve stress.
If at the end of a match I am the one with the most frags, it makes me feel a little better and most of the time after finishing a match, win or lose, I forget what had me upset me in the first place.
Games, to me, are a way of experiencing a life I would probably never be able to live any other way; so when the chance arises to snipe a terrorist from eastern Europe or use a shotgun to fight off an evil locust horde trying to extinguish the human race, hand me the sticks.
If fragging is not your thing, try other genres of games.
If you want another shot at the Boston Celtics, pick up NBA 2K9 or E.A.’s NBA Live and rewrite sports history. Or, if you never have the time to practice and run 500 laps but you always wanted to know how winning the Daytona 500 feels, make sure to play NASCAR ’09.
One game that has nothing to do with shooting or competition that can be extremely fun and can relieve stress at the same time is Harmonix’s popular music game, “Rock Band.” The game lets you rock out either by yourself or with up to three friends. Don’t take my word for it – just ask the 4 million buyers who are playing daily.
If you feel that video games are a childish way to spend time, just think: Today, video games make as much and at times more money than blockbuster movies. The game “Halo 3” made more than $400 million in its first week of release.
Also, today games do not just have a simple plot line like kill the bad guys. Now, companies are hiring professional writers, like Joshua Ortega, who worked on entertainment property “Star Wars” and “Star Trek.”
Having professional writers working on games like this will make the gamer feel attached to the characters in the games, such as Halo’s Master Chief. So, next time you feel you have problems, just remember that humanity’s faith lies on Master Chief’s shoulders and not yours.
Video games have revolutionized the entertainment world. A-list celebrities are voicing the characters in games and recently have been portraying the heroes and villains in blockbuster films, such as in “Max Payne,” a Mark Wahlberg movie based off a game released in 2001. Now that the holiday season is just around the corner, remember: You do not need a fancy computer that cost thousands of dollars to play.
Well, the Playstation 3 costs a pretty penny, but it does much more than just play games, allowing users to go on the Internet and even download new or old movies on Blu-ray.
The Xbox 360 recently cut prices to $199 and made a deal with Netflix, allowing users to watch movies instantly. If you would rather have a more family-friendly system, try the very popular Nintendo Wii – if you are lucky enough to find it.
If you never had the experience of releasing some stress by yelling “Headshot!” over Xbox Live after fragging that British chap sitting at home, you should try it.
Mariano Picolomini ()