So I stopped by the local Barnes and Noble today, and picked up a pictoral history of World War II, which I couldn't put down until the last page. As I was reading about the various battles, I kept having flashbacks to my gaming experiences in "Call of Duty 2" and "CoD: World at War." It may sound silly to suggest this, but I think my understanding of history was enhanced by those video games.

I remembered laying prostrate in the snows of Stalingrad, dodging enemy snipers. Or repeatedly attempting to storm the defenses at the Parliament building in Berlin, only to fall time and time again. Of course, they're video games, so the so-called "hardships" I endured were only virtual in nature. Nevertheless, they gave me a glimpse, an experiential reference from a first-person perspective, of how challenging it must have been to survive in those circumstances.

In turn, reading about World War II battles gave me greater appreciation for the "Call of Duty" games themselves. The fact that images of World War II could evoke memories of my experiences in a video game made me realize how much care and effort must have gone into bringing those battles to life in a convincing way. It goes to show, I think, that video games are not necessarily all ***** and giggles all the time, that they don't have to glorify violence for violence's sake, that games can have some educational value on a visual and emotional level.

Have you ever played a game that taught you something or made you appreciate something more, from an educational perspective?

Hi all,

Long time no post! I just stopped writing new blogs after awhile, and haven't wanted to write anything new for awhile.

Anywho, I'm back working in the game industry. Things have been busy since the Game Developers Conference wrapped up, but it's about to get a whole lot crazier since E3's coming up. Hopefully I'll last through July! lol.

I thought I'd ask what really great artistic games everyone has played. I just recently finished Mirror's Edge, and was really impressed with its artistic sensibility. It's a flawed game, no doubt, and there are times of real frustration (especially if you try to beat it without using guns), but it's definitely worth experiencing. It's games like Mirror's Edge and Dead Space that, in my opinion, represent how far the video game medium has come, and why it can move the viewer/player in ways that books and movies can't.

So what about you? What games have made a big impact on you, in terms of its artistic strength?

**Quick update: I'm no longer working at Edelman...looking into other opp's atm.

Just heard back yesterday--I got a job offer from Edelman, Microsoft's PR agency. I'll be working on the Xbox Games team to help Microsoft launch its major first-party titles, write its press releases, and prepare for tradeshows like E3 Here's an article about how Edelman worked with Microsoft to launch Halo 3 (link).

This is a really exciting opportunity for me and one that I've been working towards for awhile now. I really think that games are the next great art form, and I'm looking forward to making my own impact towards expanding its popularity.

I think the first project I'll be helping out with is Fable 2. I won't be able to talk about the projects I'm working, though, (apart from what's publicly known) as I'll be under strict NDA.

It's crazy to think, though, that 2 years ago I was playing Fable, and now I'm helping to launch its sequel

For those of you who are already in the game industry or who plan to be in a few years--hopefully we'll get a chance to meet in person!