Have I talked about System Shock 2 yet? (Patreon)

So I totally forgot/didn't have time for NBNerdFeels but I have been playing a lot of System Shock 2.

Like, a lot.

I think Survival Horror games make a lot of sense. Typically they pit the players against monsters, with very little in the way of self defense. At least initially. Typically the first playthrough is the most memorable because - if the game is decent - the player is pretty frightened. But eventually they get their bearings and suddenly the game becomes annoying or tiring. That's when the player has truly won, psychologically speaking.

Anyway, the point is the player conquers their fears. I'm not an expert on the subject by any means but a fantasy in which one faces up to monsters - and is rewarded - feels therapeutic to me. Eventually, anyway ;-)

I play games over and over because it provides a repetition that becomes almost meditative. I can focus on a game because it provides sound, movement, rewards, and because I can move freely about the space - even humor.
 
This is not to say that many Survival Horror games are rank with problematic content.

Point being. I've beaten System Shock 2 about 4 times now from start to finish? Working on my 5th playthrough.

It feels like a dance.