What for you is the appeal of violent video games?

[StaceyPowers]

We’ve discussed at length on this forum whether or not video games “make” people violent.

Getting away from that specific topic, if you enjoy violent video games, what is their particular appeal for you?

For me, it is:

• Catharsis. It is a good way to burn off excess emotion I have nothing to do with, and to experience things I can never experience IRL.
• Revenge. I feel righteous and relieved at executing Nazis and other baddies in video games. I can't hurt them IRL, but at least I can feel better hurting their depictions on a screen.
• Flow. I love getting into a flow state in FPS games where I am totally in the moment, lose sense of time, and am focused nowhere else.
• Relaxation. Getting into a flow state helps me de-stress and reduces my anxiety.
• Achievement. When I manage a really difficult shot in crazy circumstances, it gives me an awesome rush.
• Humour. Sometimes some kills are just funny.
• Sensory appeal. I admit I like the sight of blood and chunks of gore everywhere.
• Safety. Video game simulated violence has no consequences. It is an expression of something which is unsafe IRL in a controlled, safe environment. That is inherently reassuring to me.

What are some reasons you like violent video games?

 

[The Blackangel]

It helps keep my violence in check. Also I love watching anything in which a human is suffering and in pain. Their screaming is beautiful music to me. I love listening to them beg, promising them release, and then breaking that promise just to see the despair in their eyes.

Unfortunately that’s not something I can easily get away with IRL. I’m not the Zodiac, or Jack The Ripper. So the more unimaginable pain I can inflict on a character, both mentally and physically, the more I enjoy the game. The sad thing is that the best I have found so far is Hatred. It’s a lot more tame than what I want/need, but it’s better than nothing.

[skyfire]

Flow sounds reasonable to me. Especially the game is horror. 

[Juneberry]

I'm not big on notably violent video games, honestly, but when I do play them... I like them because they let me blow off some steam. That's honestly the only reason I like them at all.

[The Blackangel]

1 hour ago, Juneberry said:

I'm not big on notably violent video games, honestly, but when I do play them... I like them because they let me blow off some steam. That's honestly the only reason I like them at all.

I'm curious. I just read your post in the thread about what tells you that you won't like a game and you mentioned violent games there as well. So I'm curious as to what you consider violent? Everyone here interprets violence in their own way, but how you interpret it really has me interested now.

Edited March 17, 2020 by The Blackangel

[Juneberry]

46 minutes ago, The Blackangel said:

I'm curious. I just read your post in the thread about what tells you that you won't like a game and you mentioned violent games there as well. So I'm curious as to what you consider violent? Everyone here interprets violence in their own way, but how you interpret it really has me interested now.

For me, violence is a spectrum. My biggest issue with it is blood, really. The bloodier the game, the less I like it. I like cartoon violence that's more squash and stretch, or at the very least doesn't show blood. My Time at Portia is a good example: in the game, you can fight creatures, who disappear in a puff of smoke rather than a pool of blood. You can also fight the townsfolk in spars, which are very simple fights but still somehow help me. 🙂

[The Blackangel]

So what's your thought on fighting games? Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter 2, Killer Instinct, Soul Calibur, etc.

[SaucyPastaTho]

How I feel is if it's good it's good regardless if it's violent or not, has to have a compelling story.

[Alyxx]

Cause violence is fun. 😛

[Jayson]

I'm not sure.  When I was a kid, I enjoyed this Apple game where Japanese held islands were bombed - and even enjoyed shooting the soldiers from the plane.  Oh, naughty me!  

Edited March 20, 2020 by Jayson

[TheSteelyardDweller]

i think i just like to blow things up lol

[The Blackangel]

7 hours ago, TheSteelyardDweller said:

i think i just like to blow things up lol

That works!

[Reality vs Adventure]

For me I guess it's sensory appeal. In horror, the more the better. Having body parts laying around or torture rooms, mass murder, or scenes of science experiment gone wrong, etc makes it all real and scary. Shoot em up games usually don't have that appeal for me. But if you shoot someone with a shotgun and limbs fly off, blood stains the wall, and the body stays there without disappearing, then that reality appeals to me. Maybe that's why I like games using medieval/ancient weapons more than the age of guns because if you wack at someone with a hatchet, you know it hurts more than an instant bullet. 

Just about all games are violent. Even cartoonish games like sonic or jak and dexter and even Okami. Only game I can think of without violence is flowers or journey. Violence is embedded in all entertainment unless it's a song of Jesus and bunnies.

And if it's not sensory appeal such as being able to see details of one's innards ripped out, then it's large battle simulations. I used to love that in Age of Empires.  

[The Blackangel]

2 hours ago, Reality vs Adventure said:

For me I guess it's sensory appeal. In horror, the more the better. Having body parts laying around or torture rooms, mass murder, or scenes of science experiment gone wrong, etc makes it all real and scary. Shoot em up games usually don't have that appeal for me. But if you shoot someone with a shotgun and limbs fly off, blood stains the wall, and the body stays there without disappearing, then that reality appeals to me. Maybe that's why I like games using medieval/ancient weapons more than the age of guns because if you wack at someone with a hatchet, you know it hurts more than an instant bullet. 

Just about all games are violent. Even cartoonish games like sonic or jak and dexter and even Okami. Only game I can think of without violence is flowers or journey. Violence is embedded in all entertainment unless it's a song of Jesus and bunnies.

And if it's not sensory appeal such as being able to see details of one's innards ripped out, then it's large battle simulations. I used to love that in Age of Empires.  

You have exquisite taste. I would love to spend a day gaming with you.

[Reality vs Adventure]

6 minutes ago, The Blackangel said:

You have exquisite taste. I would love to spend a day gaming with you.

Yes, nothing like turning a corner and seeing half a body hanging from the ceiling by chains with intestines hanging out dripping blood you can slip on. Give me all or nothing.