My rants: Life is like a Video Game

Well i'm supposed to be studying now, at a Starbucks, but as many studying sessions go, here I am looking for other things to do besides what i should be doing.

This is a concept I have been thinking about for quite some time now: Life is like a Video Game.


Each stage of our lives are like stages in a game.

Stage 1 - Infancy and early education
We start from a hapless organism, with little powers and responsibilities besides completing easy quests such as 'eat your dinner' and 'learn your alphabet'. As we complete each quest, we get small rewards such as 'playtime extended', and of course, experienced earned.

As we gain experience, we level up(grow up), and we move on to new stages.

Stage 2 - Primary and Secondary Education
In this stage, most players still follow a general flow of skill upgrades, 'learn multiplication table' and 'learn Singapore History', as well as interact with other players, doing side quests such as 'block catching' and 'making new friends'.

Of course, as we progress along stages and complete large quests such as 'PSLE' and 'O levels', we get Bonus Stages(holidays) where were throughly enjoy ourselves doing random stuff.

It is also here, where many players are forced to complete side quests to earn more experience, such as 'Tuition'. With the extra time comes greater rewards too, like better weapons for your Main Quests.

As we level up even more, choices get more diverse, and people go on entirely different skill paths, complete with different quests and experience.

Stage 3 - University, Polytechnics, ITE
Even within this wide classification, players can choose to join Guilds(CCA), with their separate quests and camaraderie. For example, I'm damn glad i joined Guild 'ODAC' while in Stage Anderson JC of my life. The guild was pretty small, but it meant the guild members are pretty darn well bonded. I'm sure i made friends for life. We often come together to celebrate guildmember's Stage progression, especially into Stage - Marriage.
We sometimes come together to complete side quests such as 'Adventure Races' and such. But as we progress along our separate skill trees, it becomes harder to complete quests that we used to do with ease. Unless, of course, one chose the 'Adventure' skill tree to progress in.

I'm about to complete Stage 3, and preparing to enter Stage 4 - Work, as well as Stage 5 - Marriage. In the future, other Stages may come such as 'Kids'. But I'll tackle those as they come.

I am glad that there will be an impending Bonus Stage (Grad Trip) before progressing onto the arduous and long Stage 4 which would last me for the rest of the game.


Just life Video Games, as we start off at lower levels, we can't wait to level up, and progress to the next stage, so we rush through the stages, always looking forward to the next stage. Soon, we realise that there are no Safe Points, and it is impossible to return to level 5 and live through Stage 1 again, no matter what significant hidden secret we missed then.

There is also no 'pause button', nor 'reset' button, and no, we can't switch the game and start over. All we can do is savor each moment and each stage, and enjoy the game as it was meant to be enjoyed. Meet new players and let other players go on their ways. Sometimes, you might find another partner willing to go with you through your Stages, and complete quests with you. Some might switch partners, some might like to be the lone ranger.

Through it all, we mustn't forget the people who guided us through the initial stages of the game, who sacrificed their own quests to support us along ours, who provided us with the gold needed to buy our first weapons and items. As they dedicated their middle stages to us, we should help them enjoy their final stages.


Life, is a Game. one with an infinite number of choices, no safe points, and no reset button. Its up to you if you want to enjoy the game, or curse every stage of it.