Has a game ever saved your life?
jdmc13
Member
Mar 14, 2019
3,533
At the beginning of the pandemic, I was in a good place. I was in shape for the first time in my life. I was in a good place at my job. Things were generally going pretty good and looking better. Then, Covid happened, and I was still in a good place. I didn't get sick, and because I was a homebody, not much changed. However, as days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months, I wasn't doing too good anymore. Those small interactions I had with my friends and family got further and further apart. I felt less and less like interacting with others as I retreated into myself. For a while, I just kinda lost hope and shutdown as a person. I'd watch Twitch, and just generally disassociate. Then one day, I saw someone playing a game where the main character was having an internal argument with himself about whether he could teleport up a ladder, he closed his eyes, and poof, he was up the ladder. The character was exuberant until his partner told him he just climbed up the ladder with his eyes closed. I immediately bought it one steam.
That game was Disco Elysium.
When I was at my lowest, that game spoke to the just seemingly endless hopelessness I was feeling and was able to pull me back. I don't want to say how as it would spoil a game that I feel like everyone should experience, but I don't know if I'd be here without it. Even if I was, I doubt I would even resemble the same person. I just wanted to see if others had similar experiences.
Anyways, that's Disco, baby.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pWUHZgEe5M
Red
Member
Oct 26, 2017
13,544
I think my relationship with the Souls series has made me a healthier individual with a better outlook on life. A lot of my lasting friendships were inspired by games, so I can credit the hobby with that as well. I don't know if that counts as "saved," but my life would be very different without the games I played.
Lowrys
Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,564
London
I have a similar story to you, OP. I had covid pretty bad during lockdown and, much to my surprise, Lego Jurassic Park, of all things, got me through that horrible week or two. Something about it being outside and familiar was comforting to me and exactly what I needed to take my mind away from being so unwell. So it didn't quote save my life, but it did help me through a horrible period.
harz-marz
Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,105
Nice story OP. I wouldn't say any game has saved my life but having games as a constant IN my life to date has been a comfort and distraction from the real world trials and tribulations.
MadJosh04
Member
Nov 9, 2022
2,567
MGS2 got me through one of the toughests parts of my life
NameUser
Member
Oct 25, 2017
17,018
This is totally understandable. A game didn't save me around that time, but skateboarding did. It gave me something to focus on, it kept the dark thoughts away.
Dogui
Member
Oct 28, 2017
10,741
Brazil
Not a single game, but games I'm interested into being announced at a later date makes me look forward to something, and this is super decisive in bad days.
You could say this for everything but video games are 90-95% of that for me.
kimbo99
Member
Feb 21, 2021
5,062
I feel what you mean that a single thing or person can save your life. Mine wasn't a game, but it was my girlfriend. She's special!
Jakenbakin
"This guy are sick" and Corrupted by Vengeance
Member
Jun 17, 2018
14,294
I didn't stop thinking about suicide for a long time after my wife died (like several years of wondering if I could make it), but Xenoblade Chronicles 3 touched me in a profound way and made me get a much healthier grip on my mental state. Can't really say it saved my life when I was already trudging along and have my child who needs my support but it certainly helped put me in a much better state and at least these days I no longer ask if I'm going to make it.
Mr Evil 37
Member
Mar 7, 2022
26,775
KOTOR. Many times.
Rinku_
Member
May 4, 2023
2,061
I'm not sure if it saved my life but back when Smash Bros Ultimate came out, I was going through a really rough two years of my life and it was looking forward to those Friday nights playing with my two mates and getting pissed off by their toxic mix of Ness and Pirahana Plant that probably stopped me from feeling like life wasn't worth living. Suppose it was a combination of things in that instance.