Dominik Diamond desperately wanted to like Outer Wilds so he wouldn’t disappoint his son. But the profound joy of gaming provides a universal bond, even when you totally suck at it
About a year ago I tried to bond with my 17-year-old over Sea of Thieves. It did not work. Since then, he has harangued me about trying Outer Wilds, which he claims is the most profound gameplaying experience of his life. I have delayed to Hamletesque degrees: what will I do if another of his favourite games doesn’t connect with me? Would that mean I can no longer connect with my son?
As I discovered last month, it can sometimes be a struggle playing games in your 50s, and dropping down the difficulty can reduce the stress and help me enjoy myself more. But what if I’m losing the patience and mental forbearance required to really get some games now? Gaming subscription services don’t help with this. We have access to so many titles, it is easy to dismiss them too quickly because of the Netflixication of our brains. Too much choice has gifted us with the discernment of a drunk in a kebab shop. If I’m not in the right frame of mind, it doesn’t matter how good the game is – I’ll stop playing after 10 minutes. And this is why I have delayed playing Outer Wilds. It is a very special game to my son, Charlie. And I don’t want to disappoint him again. Continue reading...
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