I was a fledgling teenager. My hometown was Middle-of-fuck-nowhere-istan. Lonely was my prevailing emotion and I lacked friends because I had long hair, a high IQ, and lacked social skills.
Immersion in RPGs and video games were my escape. I had read magazines (yeah, not the internet… weird) about a particular game for a literal decade. The game, Lunar the Silver Star story. I was your standard adventure game, RPG junky with a splash of action/beat ‘em up at the time. Something about that game spoke to me though.
I played it and my emotions and immersion were automatically placed at ten (out of ten). Every single thing that happened I couldn’t get enough of. I re-watched cutscenes. Kept multiple save files right before songs and boss fights.
A complete infatuation possessed me. The game, the characters (Kyle and Alex/Dyne in particular) had me trapped. But in particular Luna had a hold on me. Everything I did was to speak to her, or see her sing. I wanted to win at the vidya game for her.
Then that asshole Magic King (I know it’s “Magic Emperor” that’s the joke) stole her. I think it was the first time I truly felt heartbreak. It was over a video game as a pre-adolescent. That’s the true power of video games.
I still think back on Lunar and the pain and consequent triumph are as real as anything else in my life.