Don’t be a backseat gamer, but don’t make a big deal about helping out when help is needed. If she wants you to take the controller, she’ll hand it to you. If an FAQ is the medication needed, don’t act like it’s blasphemy, just pull up the damn FAQ.  It’s hard to not come off like an ass when you see a solution someone else doesn’t, especially when your impossible-to-comprehend explanation is just making them frustrated. Remember that everything is clearer when you’re not the one actually playing; let her make mistakes and learn from them.

Above: “I saw some ammo on the left. Go to the left. You’re not going. Don’t you want that ammo? You’re almost out of ammo, you should go get that ammo I saw. Oh, wait, where is it? I swear I saw some ammo there. Hey, let play for a sec, I’ll find it.”

It won’t be long before you’re the one who’s stuck, and she’s pointing out the way to go. I would have been stuck on the final battle in Resident Evil 5 for an extra ten minutes had my wise companion not pointed out my error. So, to recap, don’t be a dick – you make mistakes too.

Above: “Oops, I killed you. Sorry. Now where was that ammo? OH, I think I know where it was. Go back there after you respawn. You’re not going. Are you listening?”

Now get out there and convince your non-gamer friends, girlfriends, or boyfriends (if all of this gross stereotyping is reversed in your case) to give games a chance. The perception that gamers are lonely animals is completely off – gaming is, and always has been (with a few exceptions) an excellent social experience. Overcoming a pain-in-the-ass boss fight is far more satisfying when you have someone to celebrate with.

Apr 15, 2009

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