The Gaming Couple

Since I met my boyfriend four years ago we have acquired two Xbox 360s, one Wii, two DSs, a new computer and a truckload of games. We have spent countless hours on co-op and bought hundreds of games magazines. He loves gaming more than I do and that’s saying something. As I sit here watching him play Tom Clancy’s Hawx I have decided to weigh up the pros and cons of being part of a gaming couple.

The Advantages

Guilt free spending!
Last year we experienced the Ring of Death for the first time. It was a sad occasion, as we were left Xbox-less for two months. It was irreparable (stupid towel method doesn’t work and makes it worse) and we had to buy a new one. But we had to choose. Gas bill or Xbox? Hmmm. It would be hard to convince a non-gamer what the obvious decision was… I mean, who needs hot water and heating?

Easy presents
I was very pleased when I opened my Christmas present and found that it was Gears of War 2. Personally I find it much better when my boyfriend buys me a game or console related device as a present than say, flowers. It is also much easier for me to shop for him, knowing there’s a game that he wants, a messenger pad for his controller as a stocking filler, or in this year’s instance, possibly a Playstation 3. We can both enjoy them, so it’s an all round winner.

Co-op and versus
Back to Gears of War 2. I want to complete it on Insane, but in single player, Dom is almost suicidal for the most part, and I don’t really feel like going online. And I don’t need to. I have a gaming companion right here and it’s all good. Except for when I get him killed. Which isn’t as often as he says it is. We’ve  played titles such as Resident Evil 5, Rainbow Six: Vegas 2, Kane and Lynch (urrgh), and Halo 3 in co-op, and it’s better playing these together than me playing them on my own and him moaning because I’ve had the Xbox on all day.

He knows what I am talking about
We both do it. He’s sitting there with X360 World and I am sitting there with Gamesmaster, but we’re not sitting there in silence. No, he finds some interesting news in there about Project Natal and tells me all about it, and I find a game that looks cool and I am telling him that I must have it, and then I outline all the reasons why I must have it. While he listens, it’s not just a vacant ‘smile and nod and maybe she’ll think I’m listening’, he’s genuinely listening (unless I’m babbling on about an RPG), and he might want it too.

Disadvantages

There’s only one TV
I suppose this isn’t really a disadvantage of a gaming couple, just my personal situation at the moment. It’s six o clock in the evening and we have both been at work all day. He could just relax with a good old game of Fifa, and I want to play Lost Odyssey because there’s a boss I’m stuck on and it’s been bugging me all day. Disagreements ensue. We try to sort it out with a sort of time allotment. Two hours each. But anyone who has played Lost Odyssey knows that two hours isn’t a scratch on that game, but it will have to do. We are currently saving for an HDTV, but I’ll bet that the argument to replace the current one is who will get to play their games on it.

As I could only think of one selfish disadvantage I can definitely say that the pros outweigh the cons here. I couldn’t ask for a better gaming companion. I only wish that Bioshock 2 were out in time for my birthday, that way I could ask for it as a gift and therefore play it first.