2012 was a miserable year for gamers. Not because the Wii U didn't hit with quite the bang we were hoping for. Not because the PS Vita failed to find a healthy audience. Not even because Mass Effect 3 didn't quite stick its landing. Instead, 2012 was a miserable year for gamers because developers are perfecting the art of making us feel that way – and it's a good thing.
While there are always exceptions, the emotions and feelings elicited by games tend to skew towards the more superficial end of the spectrum. Happiness and relief at making it through a tough level. Fear of creepy crawlies in a survival-horror game. The joy of discovery and exploration. Likewise, stories and themes dealt with in games usually tend to be bombastic, in the made-for-TV action movie sense of the word. Gameplay aside, most games offer fairly hollow emotional experiences; ones easily forgotten once the adrenaline rush recedes.
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