Why I Love: being on fire in Alien Isolation

During my last playthrough of Alien Isolation, I was on fire for two full missions. I don't mean I got through them quickly or managed to stay a step ahead of the Alien the whole time. I mean I was literally on fire, and so was all my stuff. My guns and melee weapon were constantly covered in flames, I trailed sparks behind me wherever I went, and I lit up every air vent and locker I hid in with a warm glow, like a walking campfire.

That doesn't just apply to Alien Isolation either - though they usually involve less fire, finding harmless yet funny glitches always makes me happy. Healing a wounded Parisian in Assassin's Creed Unity by bumping into him (which set his 'pain' animation to 'standard', making him stand right up), or watching a spasming tiger cartwheel into the sunset in Skyrim takes moments that could've been otherwise unremarkable and makes them into game-defining snapshots of mirth. I wouldn't have remembered those parts of the game five minutes later if all had gone according to plan, but those silly glitches stick in my mind months, sometimes even years after the fact.

I don't have the same love for glitches that ruin the game (getting trapped between a tree and a rock in Assassin's Creed 3 was funny until I realized I couldn't get out and had to start my mission over), because that negative effect on my gaming experience overpowers the positive. But when it's just a graphical glitch that bathes my character in fire and gives me occasion to shout "BOW BEFORE THE QUEEN OF THE GREAT FLAME!" at my confused roommates, I feel nothing but joy at its existence. In one innocent and silly move, the game makes itself more memorable and will keep it in my heart far into the future. It'd call that a success, even if it was by accident.