Does your boyfriend play countless video games for hours on end? Make him share: try a little gaming yourself...
Guys do a lot of things that drive their girlfriends crazy: they leave the toilet seat up and their underwear on the floor, they don't listen, they're never on time. And on top of it all, they play video games. If game making companies got a dollar for every time a woman griped that her boyfriend plays too many video games, they'd be, well, even more disgustingly rich than they already are.
So here's a thought, ladies. There's an age-old saying: "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." Why not try it? Find out for yourself what all the fuss is about. If you've watched your boyfriend play already and weren't intrigued, keep in mind that it's always more fun to play these things yourself than it is to watch.
There are two possible outcomes to trying your hand at gaming. First, you might discover something you enjoy, a new way to relax. If not, then you're at least taking away from your boyfriend's game time by using the machine yourself; let him see how it feels to be ignored and left with the dishes.
As an added bonus to either of these outcomes, by playing your boyfriend's video games you'll find out just what exactly he's doing with all those hours of his life. It might make a difference to know that the games he plays involve shooting aliens with high powered rifles, rather than bashing people's heads in with a wrench.
There are a few basic types of games. First person shooters (FPSs) have you playing from a perspective inside the character's head, and generally involve making your way through, over and around various obstacles while shooting whatever gets in your way. FPSs include Bioshock and Halo.
Roleplaying games (RPGs) are just what they sound like, involving an intricate storyline and giving the player the opportunity to choose their actions: where to go, what missions to do, whether or not to enter into a fight. In RPGs players have a great deal of control over character development, distinguishing them from action/adventure games. RPGs include Oblivion, Final Fantasy, and World of Warcraft.
The action and adventure categories contain games that don't fit into any of the other main genres. They generally involve exploration and puzzle solving combined with reflex-based gameplay, such as combat, jumping and dodging. Action games tend towards more of the reflex-testing gameplay, while adventures involve more exploration and puzzle solving, and may exclude fighting altogether. Super Mario and Assassin's Creed are action games, while adventure games include Myst and Phoenix Wright.
Other game types include puzzle games (Portal, Tetris, Planet Puzzle League); driving and sports games; simulations (Sim City); arcade games (Pacman, Space Invaders), many of which have now been released on modern gaming consoles; and strategy games (Patapon, Warcraft).
Don't be too proud to ask your seasoned gamer of a boyfriend for help if you get stuck while playing. Let's face it: you're not here to outshine him in the virtual world. He's logged way too many hours, days, weeks, and even years of game time for you to hope to catch up. Might as well just ask for a hand if you need it. After all, if you're not getting anywhere and not having fun, what's the point?
Boss fights (battles with bad guys who are bigger and badder that your average enemy) can be particularly tough. They usually show up at the ends of levels, and are unavoidable if you want to move on in the game.
In addition, a lot of these games require a certain style of thinking and puzzle-solving, and until you get the hang of that method of thought, it may help to have a few pointers. It's no fun running around the same room for twenty minutes, unable to figure out the next step.
So start rifling through your boyfriend's game collection and see what looks interesting. (You'll want to make sure you know how to operate the console before you start playing.) Watch your boyfriend's mouth hang open in astonishment and wait for him to start bragging to all his friends about how awesome his girlfriend is.
