Girl Power! Are Games with a Feminine Touch Going to Be the Next Big Wave?

Girl gamers have grown into a very large community over the years, and they are having to constantly prove that they can run with the male pack by beating them (*and I hate to say this) at their own game. They have to run around mapped areas, guns balzing and take out their opponent in sanctioned 'Halo' matches, fighting-game tournaments, racing game tournaments. They even have to prove that they are a better football player in order to find their nitch in this male-dominated society. But, what if gaming developers actually had a way for a girl gamer to play games, but games where they would not have to constantly sweat with everything that they do?

Well, the real truth is that some game developers are actually beginning to break this stereotype, and with this, are also taking a broad stroke in changing the face of the video game community. But, the question is why the sudden change? Could it be that testosterone is becoming too mainstream when it comes to video game content, or is it simply that video game developers are trying to make a political statement and speak for women's rights? In any event, I felt it best that I do a little bit of investigative reporting, so I hopped on my Schwinn mountain bike that I affectionately call 'Silver', and made my way to the nearest store that was close to my home, a neighborhood Target outlet just a mile away.

I had actually went to the store to check up on the latest releases and find out what was cooking on the burner for the week. I had looked hither and thither, seeing the usual fare that the great developers had to offer. There were role-players, shooters, RTS games, and so forth. But as I looked up and down the aisles of the store, I couldn't really find anything of interest. I was looking for something different. I needed to find that one particular game that was not like all of the rest...and then I saw it, on the bottom shelf where most of the under-appreciated games go and were often put in the 'Clearance' aisle just to get them off the shelves. It was called 'Ciao Bella: La Bella Romanza' by Oberon Media. At first, I was beginning to question my masculinity at this point, and I was about ready to put the silly thing down and reach for the nearest copy of 'Battle For Middle Earth', but then something stopped me, and I'm not exactly sure why. As I picked up the box, I noticed that I was becoming severely curious just from the box itself, as I saw what appeared to be an originally drawn artwork of a beautiful Italian woman, drawn in the the Art-Deco style. As I turned the box over, it had explained that this was what was called a 'casual sim game'. As I had never heard the term 'casual' being related to a simulation game, I continued to read further to get the gist of the concept and found that it was not like anything that I had ever seen before. It was different and fresh, and I wanted to learn more about it.

As I read, I learned that the game's premise was based around balancing life and our goals, a thing that all people try to do in their normal everyday lives here in the real world. You would play as the character Elena, a thirty-something Italian career woman who right now is on a personal journey to find her way to happiness, in the form of her current boyfriend, Elio. But, this happiness would not come without cost or risks. You had to work at that happiness, and that meant learning to balance everything that could happen in our lives, from our jobs all the way down to family crises and our love lives. So, without any further thought, I went to the checkout line with it, (*along with a Poppit game that I had purchased for my wife), and then rode home to see what it was that I had gotten myself into.

After a few minutes of installation, I saw the start-up screen pop up and asked if I wanted to start a new game. I went through the tutorial, (*which took all of about five minutes), and then immediately started into the game. What I saw before me was a beautifully drawn map of what was called 'Little Italy'. As I watched, it was then that I was put on my first mission, which was to stop the fighting of my sister's boyfriend and my sister after a spat over a pre-wedding gift, which ended up in the said sister calling off the marriage. After I went and talked with the boyfriend, (* who had bought her a golden monkeywrench as a wedding gift), I soon learned that it was my job to get the boyfriend a new gift, which was in the form of a pearl necklace that was available at a near-by shopping center. But, to my surprise, I had only $700, and the necklace cost $1000. So, that meant me going to work, and at the same time keeping myself balanced with food, sleep, entertainment, keeping my family happy, church, and so on. All of this, and I also had to meet Elio at his mother's restaurant at the end of the week at 6:30 for a date! So, as I happlessly went through this, I had tried many different combinations to keep Elena balanced. I had her eat, work, go to the movies, get her hair done, and so forth. I had thought I was doing rather well. That was... until that Saturday came up, and I was an hour late meeting Elio and my hair was a mess and I was grumpy. So, I ended up failing the mission and having to wait to start again until tomorrow.

Now, the next question the reader may be asking is what is my point in all of this is? My point is simply this: I actually enjoyed the game. Even thought it was taken from a woman's perspective, it gave me the appreciation of knowing a woman's thoughts on the everyday world. It may have been a game, after all, but what if a game such as this could teach other men to think more about women gamers and perhaps give them a little more respect as well as a little more thought in how they are treated? Could it also be that the gaming industry may be giving more a different insight into how a game can be created in different ways and with different approaches, such as how a woman lives her life and how she perceives life? Perhaps yes and perhaps no. Speaking for myself, would I ever play games like this on a regular basis? Probably not, but for those nights when I just feel like winding down, it would make for a nice break or change in the routine.

In any case, whatever the case may be, Oberon may be trying to tell the male world something with the invention of what I call the first 'girlie game'. They are trying to say perhaps 'Come and play me. I'll bet you won't beat me so easily.'