Video game shows promise in treatment of adolescent depression
SPARX, an interactive fantasy game designed by researchers at the University of Auckland, represents a new approach for teens dealing with depression. Players create a character and travel to seven different regions within the game, each featuring its own challenges, over a period of four to seven weeks. According to the study SPARX can provide as much benefit as one-on-one counseling, at least for mild to moderate depression.
Although it's strange to think of replacing human interaction with a game for something this personal, it's not too much of a stretch to imagine a program like SPARX finding its way into everybody's middle school or high school experience to help kids that might not seek it on their own. And that's kind of encouraging.
Some other novel therapeutic applications for video games: correction of lazy eye, treatment of PTSD, and relief of chronic pain.
But do video games train to kill?
Here is one of literally thousands of sensationalist articles to seize upon Anders Breivik's testimony that he used video games to train himself for mass murder. His video game hobby is clearly as big a deal as his arsenal, his 1,500 page manifesto, or his apparent belief that he and the rest of the Knights Templar were going to bring down European multiculturalism, and if you're any sort of parent you will let your children have none of these. (Relevant?)
Free gameplay weekend
Don't know if this was coincidence or clever timing for the 4/20 weekend, but there are a few trials open right now.
The one that's got most people excited is the Diablo III open beta. The full game is scheduled for release May 15th but you can download a trial and play for free this weekend.
Another open beta this weekend is Tera, a MMO promising action combat and controller support. It still has a lot of the things people seem to want like crafting and skill trees, but the gameplay sounds like it'll require more than the average point-and-click. Worth a look?
Also, Star Wars: The Old Republic is in the middle of its Weekend Pass Free Trial. If you were gonna get SWTOR you've got it by now, right? But if not... I get the impression they run these from time to time, so you might want to wait for a weekend when you've got advance notice.
What makes a game great over the long term?
This is a detailed, if not necessarily scientific look, into the factors that keep games interesting well past the first playthrough. I think it's quite brilliant. Also, Borderlands 2, out in September folks.
