My New Obsession

I'm taking a little writing break before jumping into any new projects. Despite my post a while back about my love for the Myst series, I don't really consider myself much of a "gamer". I can't remember the last time I bought a game that wasn't some sort of action-y Wii thing.

A friend recommended Dragon Age II to me, and it was inexpensive, so I picked it up. I've been playing for about a week and a half. I can't put the damn thing down. It is completely addictive. I'm torn between wanting to get to the end to find out what happens and wanting the experience to last forever. I already have plans to replay it to explore more options.

I'll admit to being a sucker for games that let you customize the main character's appearance. I kept things pretty normal for my first time through.

Again, I really do sort of look like this.

There's a good-sized number of quests, some of which are optional. The results of actions in one place can influence what happens later on. Many of the quests involve battle, and surprisingly enough, I was able to learn the system fairly quickly. (I'm usually not good at battle games. Ask anyone who's ever watched me try to play Halo. Or laser tag, for that matter.)

That rage demon is no match for my daggers of doom.

In addition to the main character, there's a whole slew of teammates to choose from, each with different skills and assets. Friendships and rivalries are developed, which help shape the plot.

Isabela is a pirate queen. She is also an epic hottie.

Some friendships can become romantic relationships. Here, I will admit to turning into a silly giggling schoolgirl, because I fell in love with Anders the mage at first sight. It's usually not like me to fall for the troubled, brooding type, and for a fleeting moment, I worried that I was turning into a member of Twilight's target audience. (He even glows when he's possessed by his demon...) His declarations of love make me swoon in an embarrassing fashion, and when I replay the game, I will have difficulty keeping our relationship platonic.

I love him in an almost unhealthy way. You have no idea how much I was cheering by this point.

The game has only reaffirmed my love for fantasy. I'm thoroughly enjoying this entire journey and the way I can immerse myself in a whole different world. To some, it may not seem like the most productive use of my time, but I think it can only inspire my own creativity.

(As soon as I finish the game for the first time, I may or may not be looking up some steamy Anders fanfic....)