3. RSI/Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – Real Life
No use trying to be a big man about it, we all get worried about it sometimes
Anyone who’s ever had a nagging parent, partner or spouse will have thought about this one from time to time. Very few of us are unlucky enough to contract it, but the mere thought of it is enough to bother people like us who rely on and enjoy having dexterity in our hands. Granted, it’s more of a condition than a disease or illness, but you’re still bound to have had this cross your mind at some point during your gaming life.
2. Insanity – A wide variety of survival horror games
Most survival horror games are content to throw a shocking monster on screen and shoot blood at all sorts of angles to generate thrills. These are what we call “not that scary horror games”. Others infest your mind with oppressive images to the point where you think it would be easier to just off yourself once and for all. That’s much more like it. Some incorporate this idea of mental imbalance into the game’s themes, utilizing characters and perspectives with questionable mental fortitudes. This often results in bizarre and unruly changes in perspective, control and… just about anything and everything. Eternal Darkness even used it to completely demolish the fourth wall, demonstrating the versatility of this thematic device.
1. The T-virus – Resident Evil
You could easily substitute in a generic zombification disease for this entry, but where’s the fun in that? If you grew up on gaming, the T-virus is the go to contagion for all your zombifying needs. Everybody remembers their first experience with the colourful lettered viruses of Resident Evil, and the series stands to rights as one of the most memorable in gaming, continuing to define how we view the undead in gaming culture.
