The long life

on and on

for Adrian Tan

After I talked for the umpteenth time, of how playing thoughtful games pleasurably trains me to study about life, there was a great suggestion that I write further into this, elaborating in breadth how my thinking goes that way, so that the reader feels the entertainment I do, but have been selfishly keeping for myself.

Actually, it's rather that I very seldom get people responding to me, “More! Tell me more! I want in on the fun too!” Usually, they expect me to amuse them further, without even requesting courteously - then indifferently forget even if I took the trouble to.

So this time, I delve into a strategy video game, with both turn-based and real-time modes, another of those aliens-out-there overrun-our-home titles, and no, I don't refer to Eurasia today, although imagination does mimic reality too closely. Nope, not the forever-famous XCOM sagas, but the supposedly more underwhelming Phoenix Point, because life on Earth is similarly not that glamorous top-scoring for most of us.

Life for too many anonymous us does not start with grand riches, high breeding pedigree, influence and power to trouble the world. Like certain families that persist round the globe today. Nope, boys and girls, most of us start off quite humbly (pathetically) like in this game, a few of the last decently armed soldiers, and one powerful armoured car that will break down before the end of the first journey. Yes, you begin insignificant, but at least these days you get some excuse of pre-schooling, before you get out there into the grind of a world full of scary new stuff to be tested against, at an unforgiving pace.