See also: Percussive Therapy or The Villain Must Be Punished. See also Catharsis Factor, which applies to works other than video games. The cathartic experience can also backfire when using human opponents, such as in online-enabled fighting games or first-person shooters, where a string of victories can be ruined by an upsetting loss from another player at the far end of the skill divide. Stress relief for one gamer can be frustration for another, even on things that people agree are calming: A 6 on one scale (1 - 10, 10 being the highest) can rate 37 on someone else's. This can include violent actions, but many games are just as capable of making you feel warm and fuzzy when you take a constructive option and help the pile of pixels instead.
In other words, it's stuff you do to relieve tension or get stuff off your chest.
Ben 'Yahtzee' Croshaw, Zero PunctuationĬatharsis is a purification or purging of the emotions (such as pity and fear) primarily through art - a factor first identified by Aristotle it can bring about spiritual renewal, and it provides a release from tension.
