Computers games: Good for your health?

In tutorial, an interesting discussion on computers games arose, sparking my curiosity as to why people become intensely devoted to them. Not being a computer game fan myself, I had trouble understanding why. Luckily, one of my friends enlightened me over many hours explaining the finer details of one of the leading Online Computer games, Battlefield 2. Basically, the game depicts realistic war re-enactments. The franchise began with a 1942 themed game re-enacting the Second World War. They then moved on to the Vietnam war, where you could fight as the losing American side against hordes of Vietnamese soldiers. Finally, the franchise released an Iraqi war themed game, which after a few days became one of the most popular themed games in years. You play against other computer players over the internet, which is the key element in making a competitive and realistic war experience. This aspect is focused on highly in Battlefield 2, where you can create a unique personal profile to track your experiences and scores, medals and other little accomplishments you make along the way of playing. Funnily, my friend was telling me that although he’s really quite placid in real-life, he’s now played it for so long that he sadistically hunts down the weakest players on each of the servers (a supported map that plays a round of the game) because it’s boring to play normally. Acting out on secret wishes perhaps? He does say that it’s a great way to release pent up aggression, as you’re not really hurting anybody, maybe just their ego’s. He says he finds the psychological aspect of the games exhilarating, due to his ability to re-enact a life-or-death situation so removed from his daily life, and that he feels calmer and more relaxed after playing for a few hours, adding that he believes they are great for ones mental health. Perhaps I should trade boxing for a monitor…