Like many Christians gamers, I feel a twinge of guilty when severing heads in Skyrim, or unleashing destructive magic from my palms.  It's easy to think we're just having meaningless fun, but this anxiety is proof enough for me that we should start to take games more seriously. 

However, I don't feel called to quit gaming, so how does a Christian proceed? We all believe games have such potential in telling stories yet we're left to live with tug-of-war raging inside us: one between questionable morality and edifying messages.

By morality I of course mean the stuff you don't want your grandmother to see: violence, sex, swearing etc.

And by quality I mean excellent production values and thoughtfully crafted messages that ask big questions of the world.

So the question becomes, can graphic violence and questionable morality still be waded through for quality story telling and thought-provoking themes?

I like to use the Bible as a guide when navigating entertainment because it is full of graphic violence, sex, cursing and spiritual forces, both good and evil. But in everything is a good and trustworthy message: Sin will bring destruction while God offers redemption.

Some might argue it might even border on hypocrisy when Christians condemn a potentially thought-provoking entertainment based on violence or sex, and there are strong redemptive themes throughout.

So, here are four questions I found helpful to start thinking more critically about games: 

1. What are video games to you? 

Are they mere entertainment? Escapism? Or do you find a deeper meaning or connection? Do you find yourself admiring the heroism of Link, descending the depths of darkness to purify and bring light? Do you suddenly feel like championing the cause of the down-trodden, just as your character goes out of their way to help the innocent?

2. What affect do videogames have on your soul? 

Do you feel spiritually uplifted after the credits roll, or do you feel sick to your stomach? What did the game teach you? That living by your own rules makes life easier? Killing and stealing is the quickest way to victory? Or that the most meaningful side quests were done to help out a stranger?

3. Does God care what we play? 

 Have you every prayed and asked God to show you something through a videogame? Do you think God can use games to reach others? If so, have you ever considered that God may have a heart for gamers?

4. Where should we draw the line? 

Is there a danger in pushing through too much garbage to get a small nugget of goodness?A guiding verse might be Philippians 4:8 Whatever is true, noble, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy... think about these things.

I believe we have been called to love videogames because it uniquely qualifies us to speak the language of a growing digital generation.

 And there are millions of gamers out there who will never seek Jesus out in a Church. But they are captives in darkness, without hope. And every night they bring their tired souls to the computer screen or Xbox and find some solace there. We are the soldiers tasked with the rescue of this digital generation. God has put the passion of gaming in our hearts to reach these people, and it is a high calling.

Our battlefield is here on the internet, using our love of games to connect with this lost generation. Let's point them to Christ with thought-provoking discussions on sites like Christ and Pop Culture and CCGR. Let's train other Christian gamers to discern the truth in the games we play, and reveal how Christ is at work in all our Red Dead Redemptions.

 The snow is white like my blind eye peering through a horned helmet. The distant howl of a wolf startles me, prompting a knee-jerk response to unsheathe my two-handed battle-axe. I stand motionless on the mountain path.

 Waiting.

 I hear his ragged breath through the trees before I spot him, a flash of teeth seeking flesh. I bludgeon the beast's skull with a grunt and chase his hide before it slides down the mountainside.

This is Skyrim. And my mountain path is a sacred meditation marked by stone tablets, laying out the history of the land, the people and our religion.

This is a spiritual moment. Not in the game, but here on the couch I've been sitting on for the last four hours, sipping noodle soup and green tea, (I have a cold ok?). I had a spiritual encounter sometime between clothing this 300-pound Viking in leather and magic rings and climbing this ancient rocky path.

The Voice. Greybeards. Gods. Demons. Yes, they are overtly spiritual, and I'll admit, the pilgrimage to the sanctuary of High Hrothgar all smacks of borrowed mysticism.

But that wasn't my spiritual experience. No, it was here on a mountain clearing overlooking the village I left a few minutes ago, that I met God. It started with an urge to leave my comfy couch, my soup and even my green tea. It was an urge to go outside, to explore.

It was like my slumbering soul suddenly jerked awake, like my wife after sticking my ice cold feet between her warm calves. I wanted to be in nature. I wanted to feel the sharp, cold wind on my face, freezing the juice around my eyeballs. I wanted to be on that peak of Skyrim. And that desire also conjured up sadness. Not because I couldn't afford the ticket to the Rockies, but because somehow I knew even if Skyrim was a place I could visit with my own fleshy body, it wouldn't be enough. I was longing to be in the place that Skyrim reminded me of; the jagged peaks of the Throat of the World are only a postcard from somewhere I can’t go.

Skyrim reminds me of heaven.

Sermons and hymns (unless sung by a choir of Nords) just don't convey the wildness, wonder and the sense of purpose I imagine heaven offers. There are no golden, fleecy clouds and harps to... uhh harp on. There are no white bathrobes and soft-spoken angels with nothing better to do than star in cream cheese commercials. No, this is the heaven I want to spend the rest of eternity in; an untamed world of unexplored mountain caves, warm cottages, cold mead and big beards.

Unlikely afterlife? Maybe. But my soul just tried jumping out of my shirt, so I think there's something to this place.

Besides, the characters we're creating to conquer this northern province of Tamriel sound a lot like the description of Jesus,

...and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,[d] dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. (Revelations 1: 13-18 NIV)

A man with golden clothing, white beard, glowing eyes, voice like the sound of rushing waters, (not unlike the dragon shouts?) with seven stars in his hand (dual wielding destruction magic?) and a double-edged sword in his mouth.

Awesome character build, and no, I'm not being facetious here.

This is a truer picture of Jesus than the skinny brown-bearded hippy we immortalize in stain glass. That was the old man, Gandalf the grey, a pilgrim hooded and cloaked. Not the all-powerful being unleashed: Gandalf the white.

This is his true nature. Sword-in-tongue and stars in hand.

Not a churchy image. Yet the image millions of young men are embodying in Skyrim.

Skyrim reviews are beginning to pour onto the internet and it sounds like Bethesda has delivered on all the dragon sized hype.

So the question for me isn't should I play, but how should I play?

While Skyrim looks like there are tons of ways to play via multiple classes and skill trees, the question becomes, will I be able to do everything I want in my first playthrough?

Can I become as proficient as I would like in both the bow, axe and destruction magic? Will I feel cheated trying to be a jack of all trades, l forced into specializing?

If so, I have narrowed my personal play styles down to three: the Imperial race, a paladin tank in heavy armor, complete with sword and shield with restoration and destruction magic thrown into the mix.

I imagine travelling the lands as a righteous crusader, taking from the rich and giving to the... me. Gold and weapons go to me. My valuable time spent doing the poor's quests is my gift. Also the appeal of giant coat of burnished steel glinting in the torch light is hard to deny.

A second choice is the Bosmer Wood Elf character, a sneaky rogue specializing in archery, breaking into locked chests and with a knack for alchemy.

I can't believe it took until my third outing in Oblivion to fully explore the bow. While it borders on nonsense, zooming in with the bow is better than chocolate. Add in the sneak damage? Chocolate wrapped in that gooey marshmallow spread.

My final choice is the hardy Nord, a viking-esque warrior carrying the biggest two-handed axe or greatsword I can find. I am curious to try out the Smithing skill and see what kind of weapons can be concocted from the ingredients I find along my path through Skyrim.

Basically, I'm modelling the Nord after Chris Hemsworth's depiction of a dethroned Thor. But instead of falling in love with Natalie Portman on modern day earth, he kills dragons and forges Mjolnir. By himself.

How about you guys, what kind of style are you looking forward to on your first playthrough November 11?

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a satisfying game. It scratches my sneaky Metal Gear itch, a frothy mug of root-beer to quench my thirst for Mass Effect's interactive conversation, and eases the ache for Elder Scroll's open world exploration, though on a small scale.

Deus Ex even weaves an intricate and poignant narrative, exploring questions like,  "What is it to be human?" and "Should arms be replaced by gatling guns?"

But 10 hours in and I am bored. Well, not bored, but restless. I am tired of sneaking around in the shadows, tranquillizing mercs and dragging their unconscious bodies into the shadows. 

I want to shoot folk in earnest, but it seems Deus Ex was designed with sneaking in mind because a fragile health meter makes firefights extremely dangerous, with the option to "go loud" only viable when things really fall apart. Normally I would just change my play-style and relish the  challenge but the game does such a good job of making your actions feel weighty. When you use the stun gun, an icon indicates the enemy is sleeping and awards you the "merciful soul" experience bonus. This feels the Christian way to play video games. And yet, I am restless. Is this an urge to fight against, a battle for morality, or do I just need a different game to scratch this guns-blazing itch?

I don't take criticism easily. Especially when it comes to my personal beliefs or the things I'm passionate about. So when a secular game site takes aim at both video games and my faith, I am quick to reach for my righteous rage.

Industry guru Michael Pachter has been forecasting a "Wii HD" for some time now, but it looks like Nintendo has finally shed some light on its next home console, codenamed, "Project Cafe."

IGN recently received word that the Wii 2 will usher Nintendo into the High Definition era with a 1080p ready machine, suggesting the console is, "significantly more powerful than the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and that Nintendo's intent is to recapture the hardcore market." It's also expected to be backwards-compatible with current Wii games.

The Wii successor which will feature a new controller with dual analog sticks, a d-pad and trigger buttons. However, it will also include a 6 inch touch screen capable of streaming game content from the console.

That's all we know for now, but E3 is two months away and Nintendo will likely make an official announcement and at the very least have video footage ready for the public.

Nintendo is apparently already showing the console to publishers in hopes of generating interest for a late 2012 launch.

Thoughts?

Is the screen on the controller as gimmicky as connecting your gameboy to the gamecube?

Were you just getting used to home consoles at a reasonable price?

How powerful will it be compared to the PS3 and Xbox 360?

I couldn't wait to turn 13.

Driving at 16? Drinking and voting at 18? Didn't care, because 12 years old meant video games with the big "T for Teen" could never join my collection.

Can I play Goldeneye? Nope, Metal Gear Solid? Not a chance. But after the big 1-3 I finally had some leverage in the violence vs. Mom and Dad debate.

Even now at 23, parents and well meaning relatives can point out the depravity of Bulletstorm or the abiding debauchery of Grand Theft Auto with just the most peripheral knowledge of the industry.

But I can't blame them, because the mainstream news coverage only extends to the next Halo or Call of Duty. So it's no wonder people assume the majority of video games exist to teach children how to make people/aliens/prostitues die.

Turns out, we were wrong.

The ESRB broke down their assigned ratings for 2010 and out of 1,638 games, the frown inducing 'M for mature' rating only accounted for a measly 5%.

Five per cent. That's like assuming lucky charms are mostly shooting stars. In fact, people have gone around calling it "Shooting Star" cereal. That's just not accurate. There's rainbows and moons and horseshoes swirling in a sea of toasted oats.

T for Teen came in at 21% and E for Everyone accounted for a whopping 55%.

The ESRB said around 6 in 10 games released over the last two years received E for Everyone ages six and up.

"In fact, three quarters of the ratings we assigned last year were for games that are appropriate for those under the age of 13, so there's a huge variety of games available for players of all ages."

That's a whole lot of toasted oat chunks.