It’s always such a pleasure, being able to write about what’s fun and inspiring for me. But my time… is up. If I have not convinced anyone yet that a video game is a useful medium for conveying not only artistic messages, but also unique and fun experiences, then I doubt I ever will be able to. I’m not certain whether I wanted to convert everyone who read my blogs so that they’d become a gamer as well. Rather, I wanted to let people know that there’s more to it than meets the eye. Every medium lately has to undergo a long period before it’s accepted as a true art in the same style as painting or writing. Film made that journey, and I believe video games will too. After all, we already have those that purport to be video game critics popping up all over the internet. Maybe one day we’ll have our own Academy Awards.

One of the best games from the old reviews, I think.

While in the beginning of my blogs, as you who read them will know, I wanted to show he unique artistic achievements that I believe have really put interactive media on the track towards acceptance in artistic circles. The Path, Dear Esther, Portal, they all have unique stories, and tell them in ways that only games ever could. The sounds, images, and now interactive feedback so coalesce that the experience becomes truly unique and memorable. With the current state of gaming, independent development has become easier and easier. While the AAA studios continue to pump out sequel after sequel, sticking to safe investments and guaranteed returns, the indie developers with their small budgets and basement studios are pushing their creative limits to give us the next big innovation.

One of the most well-known and best-selling indie games.

Out of all the media I follow, gaming has got to be the one that has me the most optimistic and exciting. While, as an avid enthusiast of both, I’ll never renounce books or film, neither of those media benefit as much from the emergence of new technologies and innovations as gaming does. Any small group with enough talent and dedication can make a game that will amuse for hours on end, and cost less than a fast food meal at that. The pool of great games is growing, and whether you just dip your toe in to take a look, or dive straight in, you’ll surely be surprised what you find.