To my former loves,

Forgive me for abandoning you. I have no real excuse, but I can explain.

In the early days of iPhone games, I was convinced I could never love one like you. You required a kind of finesse that I had no desire to give. I wanted buttons – you required touch. I played Angry Birds in those days, because I needed something to pass the time. But my heart was not truly given to Angry Birds.

In those days my heart belonged to my consoles. I was in awe of Red Dead Redemption – I’ll never forget the way that game challenged my cynical assumptions with one moment while crossing over to Mexico, watching the sun set and listening to an acoustic ballad so melancholy. I knew in that moment that this was a game I would never forget. I played Burnout Paradise for a year straight, and spent my time playing online with nice people whom I didn’t know. I marveled over BioShock and wept when I finished BioShock 2. (more…)