This might be an unpopular opinion but films and TV shows are overall better than video games. I'll present a case for why that is in this blog post.
Films and TV shows help you learn more about the story - I'll admit that games are more interactive than TV shows and films. Nevertheless, this interaction usually doesn't add anything special to the story. For example, you're mostly killing creatures. This set up can feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience. Sometimes, i find missions and dialogue in video games to be too repetitive. You can explore the beautiful backgrounds in video games like you would an art gallery in a museum but once you've seen them, that's it. In the film, you learn more about things that ultimately matter most - the story, characters, and how their world affects them especially when you rewatch the film. Outstanding films and TV shows cut out the things that don't advance the story. In video games, there's not much story. Even if there is, its hard to focus on it when you're feeling very tense and frustrated because you're focused on survival. When the game goes to a cutscene, you're still mentally recovering from say the last boss fight and aren't paying close attention to the story.
Films and TV shows help you connect more with the characters - People arguing in favor of video games being better than films and TV shows say "video games let you be the character.." This is a good point but how much control do you have over the main character? Films and TV shows allow you to "be the character" in the sense of knowing who he/she is, his/her struggles, etc. In films, you feel a wide range of emotions like sadness and dread when you connect with the characters. Video games don't do that well. You're mainly worried about winning or losing.
In any video game based on the Star Wars episode 1 film, you can play as Qui Gon Jinn or Obi Wan Kenobi and maybe fight like either character. However, you won't feel the same level of intense emotions as either of them when they fought Darth Maul. You won't be able to replicate their exact moves and mindsets from the film.
If you play the Batman Arkham Asylum game for example, you can fight like Batman to some degree. You can use his gadgets. However, you most likely won't be able to fully experience what its like to be the Batman.in a video game. In the Dark Knight film, you can understand things like the burdens Bruce Wayne has to carry wearing the mask and the severe consequences of his actions.
I feel its far more rewarding for me to emotionally connect with the story and characters in films than it is to just control their actions in video games. Ultimately, solid story-telling and characters are what matter most in the end.
These are my reasons for why films and TV shows are better than video games overall. Let me know what you think in the comments below!
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