In a world where a holographic game chamber is considered to be a thing of luxury, getting one on my minimum wage salary was literal financial suicide. The cost of one holographic game chamber took more than a huge chunk of my life savings, but I couldn’t say I regretted it.
Why did I buy it, you ask? To be honest, I am not sure myself, I can guess though, there could be a variety of reasons; maybe it was because I had grown tired of listening to my boss’s whining voice. Maybe it was because I was overworked and overstressed. Maybe it was both of those things. Maybe it was none of them.
But I finally accepted it. I finally went out of my way to buy it – the hit videogame. They said that you could be anything, be anyone, do anything, anytime, anywhere, any when. It provided you with that freedom to be a superhero, a supervillain, a Mafioso, a war soldier, a war criminal, a tailor, or even a soldier.
If you can picture it – you can be it. The slogan of the videogame lay emblazoned over the box. Below it, were a famous quote: Whether you think you can, or think you can’t – you’re right.
I snorted at it. I was never interested in this new era of gaming, in this virtual world. I preferred to live in the real one – but now, I was too stressed, too tired, and too backed up to question it. I can’t recall the last time I had a good meal, the last time I felt happy under the real sun, the sound of good music and the feeling that comes with being alive. It was almost going to thirteen months since my last breakup, and I hadn’t been with a woman since then. They said I could do anything in Catharsis Online – and I wanted to see just how true that claim was.
“Engage Immersion.”
I put on the helmet, and then I closed my eyes, as I enabled the technology to work its magic.
Within seconds, a loading screen flashed on, and then it vanished. The fabled ‘single-load’ which made people love the game. I kept my expectations low however, and it would remain low until I saw something that changed that.
Welcome to Catharsis Online!
The Largest Online Simulation in the World!
Yes, yes, yadda yadda – get on with it.
[There are no Player Profiles found.]
Would you like to create a new character?
[Yes]
[No]
I selected the yes button, and I found myself immediately standing in front of what looked to be a giant mirror.
Would you like to keep your current [default] appearance?
[Yes]
[No]
“It’s a game where I can be anyone and anything – why the hell would I want to be me?” I rapidly pushed the no button.
Customize Your Character!
Age – 24 [Default]
Weight – Skinny [Default]
Height – Medium [Default]
Muscle Mass – Low [Default]
Appeal – Average [Default]
Athleticism – Poor [Default]
Sexual Prowess – Medium [Default]
Talent – None [Default]
I wasn’t sure whether to be insulted at the game classifying all of my real life attributes, or to be pleased that I could change them. I decided to settle somewhere in the middle.
