SCAN interviewed Jeremy Funk to get all the best insights into gaming at University, From Wii Sports to Dungeons and Dragons, there is something for everyone.
What would you say were some stand out games growing up?
I love Dota (Defence of The Ancients), it’s easily the best game on planet earth for me. I could play it forever. If we’re talking the classic kinds of games then definitely Lego Star Wars which is an unexpected choice but I just thought it was hilarious and great. Of course, things like Mario kart, both on Nintendo DS and Wii, is a game everyone knows and loves. I recommend any freshers to bring a console and monitor. It’s a perfect way to bring the flat together, and now I only know a couple of houses that haven’t played it together. Then I’d say Wii Sports would be another good one for the social aspect; the competitive element is fun and light-hearted. Also, I have to say I loved the relaxed games like Animal Crossing. I feel like a lot of people know these games and know the effect they can have on someone; it’s a loving game.
Do you prefer console or online games?
It depends on the mood, to be honest; a good single-player game can be brilliant, especially ones that are really focussed on the plot or character arcs, or even world exploration like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. More often than not, though I use gaming for the social aspect so I definitely would have to say I prefer online games purely for that. Just getting a team together, especially with mates that you might not have seen in a while helps you escape for a while.
What games do you like playing, or recommend, during your downtime in term time?
What is your favourite game soundtrack, and why?
Easily the God of War soundtrack, the game, on the whole, is just amazing, but the soundtrack is the stuff of beauty, it’s the kind of thing you could only listen to over and over. There’s something so great when the game developers and composers sync up so well; they made songs that flow and sound as powerful as Kratos himself.
Special mention has to go to the Silent Hill 2 soundtrack; it’s just phenomenal. There’s a perfect meeting of humanity; motifs and feelings we can understand easily in melancholy riffs or notes, and then the supernatural, the sinister other that clings to the ends of notes like the monsters lurk in the fog. ‘Laura’s Theme’ is that perfect balance of early noughties guitar and that tune that embodies Laura’s story perfectly.
Do you rate the popularity of games such as Dungeons and Dragons at University?
Absolutely. I hadn’t played it before I came to University, it seemed worlds away from the usual kinds of things I enjoyed playing. But it’s excellent, especially as a way to bond with new mates and flatmates, it goes further than the usual card games and drinking games. It’s genuinely enjoyable to build up characters and pretend to make choices as them for a while, especially seeing the way your friends make strategic choices and build their characters, it has been genuinely hilarious. You take yourself out of reality for a bit, grab a couple of drinks and have a laugh with friends while exploring high fantasy.