According to the dog eared book of Cliché, variety is the spice of life and without doubt, a broad spectrum when it comes to taste is always commendable. However, in many cases, this generosity is only paid out so far until jerking back abruptly when faced with one of those ‘red face’ games. Most of us have played them – the ones that have you mumble the title of it or give a vague wave of your hand when queried on what you’re playing in case the other person makes… a comment. Or gives you a look. The hypocrites among us, myself included, have at some point been the ones snorting in disbelief… until it is our secret shame game that is exposed to the cruel light of day – because that’s different.
There are some games that we may adore but for some reason we feel compelled to hide them, sealing them with crooked bits of wood into the attic like a mutant cousin lest they cast shame upon the family name. Games that when someone asks you what you’re playing, you’d rather flash a cover of a game featuring a Sid Vicious type in hobnailed boots kicking a granny to death to show your hardcore status than admit to fashioning Pokeballs out of seeds or taking photos of fish. And between… well, all of you and me, I actually enjoyed taking photos of fish. Yes, Sea Life Safari is one of my ‘shame games’.
Settled in my chair with a blanket around my legs, the floaty music lulls me into a trance state while I idly snap colourful fish from my little submersible, scan for golden sea-shells and simply drift. Last time I played, it was so relaxing that I very nearly ended up mushed and drooling into my Pyramat – it is just that peaceful. Had I been piloting a real submersible, I would have been spiralling into an abyss to join Ed Harris and some see-thru aliens.
Try and explain it to someone else however and it doesn’t translate well. It’s a game in which you take pictures of fish? Yes. That’s it? Yes. I can’t dress it up any more than that when it comes down to it – it is simply Pokemon Snap underwater with a helping of vallium… and I bloody loved it. But then for someone who went to the shiny and exciting IMAX in Glasgow only to fall asleep and start dribbling during some underwater film, it is no surprise that this game pushes my relax button in an inexplicable way.
Games like this are like a balm for the wounds of war after your crop of hardcore mainstream games have ridden you hard and put you away wet. And if you think about it, most folk have at least one. For some, it may be Pokemon breeding in the various incarnations of the game, others may dabble in jigsaws on XBLA, and still more may be sleuthing with Nancy Drew or enjoying America’s Next Top Model on the DS.
So I’ve unbarred the attic and turned over a card in my shame game hand. Snicker all you like, but I bet somewhere, somewhere dark, somewhere hidden, you have one too. No? Liars.
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