My mind instantly goes to Dark Souls, obvs. A bonfire in Dark Souls: 1) looks cool, with the sword and that; 2) makes my heart sing for I have found SAFETY; 3) makes me slightly nervous, knowing I’m abandoning the light I knew and staking a pitch in an unknown area. But actually the bonfire I think I most like is this pretty one in ΘRΑΩLE from the East Van EP: Lovely little bonfire, that. My other initial reaction is: wild uncontrolled fire threatening to burn everything down, systemic fire. The Far Cry 2 grass fire accidentally started by the backblast from my bazooka and trapping me somewhere bad. The spreading fire of a Teardown heist which got a little lively. Hell, setting alight furniture to wield as weapons in the 2008 Alone In The Dark (which I still say has the most delightful visual representation of an inventory, looking down at the pockets in your kewl trenchcoat). Other fires exist. Video games are full of fires, environmental, circumstantial, weaponised, and more. Some are lifesavers, others are lifetakers, and many of them are pretty. They certainly are a great opportunity to show off fancy technologies and art. There’s so much to like about fire. Reader dear, go on, tell us: what sets your heart ablaze?
