No, Seriously

Okay, so I ask anyone reading this to bear with me, because this'll take a little explanation.
First, I'll introduce myself. I'm a recent college grad, with a totally unemployable BA in English. I love video games, and have noticed that, for years now, these games have been delving into deeper and deeper territory, growing more complicated, more layered, with more daring plot lines and fuller characters.

I'm not a visual artist, which is a shame, since the very nature of the video game is that it is highly visual. That the visuals in games can be considered art is a pretty easy claim. You need look no further than the popular Baldur's Gate II, or the fascinating Ceremony of Innocence to see this. Exploring the way in which directly interacting with visual art changes our relationship to it is a fine goal, but not one I'm qualified to chase.

Instead I've been trained in Literary Theory, an obscure, hyper-pretentious discipline ridden with jargon that, all to often, comes in french italics. I love Theory, but unless you've spent at least a full year having it ground into your skull, it's sort of hard to approach.

But it's my goal to use my insular training and impractical degree to carry out my statement of purpose. I'll be using all the tools I've been given, all typically applied to books and film, to treat video games as legitimate texts that raise important ethical questions. I hope to make what I say readable, approachable and largely french-in-italics free.

Ultimately, I want to confer upon the games I examine the well deserved and long overdue dignity that real art, passionately conceived and skillfully executed, is granted.

If you're interested by that goal, read on.