A New Perspective on Video Games

                Bogost’s long and intricate article, “The Rhetoric of Video Games”, creates a sort of standard in which we can rhetorically analyze video games. At first, I did not think that analyzing a game would be so difficult.  After reading Bogost’s description of the argument Animal Crossing makes in terms of the “vicious cycle” of wanting more and more goods, I realized that my preconceptions about analyzing video games were entirely wrong. Different from other forms of media, video games involve active participation in order to be analyzed properly. When analyzing Animal Crossing during class, I was amazed how so many different elements of the game can give different messages. I would have never thought that Animal Crossing could make such a subtle yet important statement about societal views regarding gender. Not only do video games make arguments about sociocultural values, but also these arguments can be expressed in many different obvious and subtle ways through verbal, procedural, and visual elements. Compared to a film or novel, video games have more depth and ways of making a statement or argument. Every aspect of the game can possibly create an argument about society and/or culture. Video games have always been a form of entertainment to me but after reading Bogost’s article, I don’t think I will ever be able to play a video game the same way ever again! I will always be analyzing every aspect of the game; searching for a discreet argument that the game may be making.