Have you ever played a video game and gotten emotionally involved? I do all the time. Not all games require emotional involvement. But the one’s that do, and the one’s that do it well are awesome. Take for example Watch Dogs. I just picked this game up last night, and played through a few story missions. Wonky vehicle controls aside, it’s fun so far.

There is an early campaign mission where you stop by your sister’s house for her son’s birthday party. This is the first time the player meets the protagonist’s sister, but in just a few minutes of dialog you feel the emotion and relationship between the two. So much so that you have an immediate response when someone crank calls your sister and threatens her life. As soon as I was back in control I was chasing this asshole down, incensed that he would do such a thing, and filled with power I don’t wield in real life. I supressed the urge to shoot the man, instead opting for the takedown.

Games have come a long way from side scrolling adventures and power ups.