That one game

I play quite a lot of video games in my spare time. I enjoy a variety of different genres, but my favourite games tend to be Japanese RPG's or 3rd Person action games. Now, there are a lot of games that I think are really good games and fantastic works of art, but there is one game in particular that I will always hold in higher regard than others...

Final Fantasy IX. The game that changed the way I saw gaming, and made it into my hobby. Like most major influences that tend to leave a strong impression, this game made such an impression on me at a fairly young age. More precisely, at my 12th birthday. The only JRPG I had played before that had been Pokémon Red, so the concepts and mechanics were quite new to me. But, I instantly embraced it, and I was completely enchanted by the pure feeling of magic that the game seemed to radiate from the very first moment.

Now, of course nostalgia plays a big part in this, and I believe the game would not have had such a strong impact on me had I first played it yesterday. But, this is the way things turned out, and I am glad they did. What better way to introduce an aspiring gamer to the deeper ends of the medium than this? A delightfully beautiful and thoughtful adventure through a world where everything has its own, special sense of mystery.
It sure made me eager to play more of the Final Fantasy series, and from there, expand my views to a plethora of other series and one-hit-wonders of different genres.

Since then, I have played many fantastic games, some of which I will probably dedicate a few posts in this blog to, but deep down, Final Fantasy IX somehow shines brighter than them all. Like a guiding light, reminding me of where it all began, leading me back, to the place I will return to someday...

So, what bout you guys? Is there a certain game that means something special to you? Or perhaps a certain film? A song? A book? Anything in the world, no matter how small or mundane it might seem, can be more meaningful than one could ever imagine.

Until next time, have a good day!