Life and Death

I find my reactions in games slipping. In life, if something gets thrown at me, I get the f*** out of the way, but in games I often just stand there and let it hit me. Not always- I don't want you to think I'm an idiot, but it strikes me that I don't think in terms of the wellbeing of my character in the game. I jump off a building, knowing full well that I may not survive, and I recklessly sprint along knowing that I have no idea what may be waiting just off screen to redecorate the walls in my guts.

The point is, that because you can ALWAYS respawn, start again, go back to the last checkpoint or load up a save, we have no fear of death in the game. I don't care if their may be a bear trap ready to eviscerate me, and I don't bother to react as swiftly as I would in real life.

Furthermore, I find it hard to immerse myself in any sort of survival game for that very reason. The thrill in left 4 dead 2 of desperately fighting off hordes of zombies is diluted somewhat by being revived, resuscitated and even rescued should you fall afoul of a dead thing's gnashers. Not to say it isn't fun, but after ten or so times the game has lost it's charm.

Is their an answer? I'm not suggesting that we should abolish saves, checkpoints or anything else- I for one would never finish any games, which would be a travesty! But it is something that bothers me. I want to fear for my life, I want to FIGHT for my life. But there's no way I'm starting the game again.