My quest to conquer the hardest game in UFO 50 saved my life.
A quest to conquer the toughest game of the 1950s, centered around UFOs, turned into an existential struggle to keep moving forward despite the hopelessness of the real world.
On November 6, my alarm went off abruptly, interrupting the little sleep I had managed to get the night before, consumed by the anxiety of facing a new day. Without thinking, I decided to reveal the harsh reality that awaited me by opening the CNN tab I had been refreshing. Upon seeing the election results, I quickly turned off the screen. I was in a hurry; in 45 minutes, I needed to be in a taxi headed to the airport, as my flight to Canada was leaving that morning. As I showered, an increasing sense of emptiness washed over me, wondering if I would return in three days. This feeling was not new; I had experienced similar sentiments in 2016 and 2022, times when the unexpected had taken over my life.
I arrived two hours early at the airport, a piece of advice my parents had given me when they were still involved in helping me find my way. The place, usually bustling, was a shadow of its former self compared to the usual crowd at John F. Kennedy Airport. After a quick pass through security, I found myself with an hour of free time. I wondered if I should check my phone, but the reactions of others on social media heightened my frustration, and I decided to turn the screen off again. The only option that came to mind was to pull out my Nintendo Switch and play the game I had started downloading the night before. However, my download had failed, thwarting my plans. At that moment, everything seemed bleak, so I sat staring into space for an hour, the silence broken only by a man reading the news to his companion.
When I finally heard the boarding announcement, I got up and shuffled like a zombie to my seat, preparing for another long hour with my two fears: the fear of flying and, at the same time, the fear of landing. I pulled out my Steam Deck and searched for some distraction, finding the game UFO 50, a collection of retro 8-bit games in which I had already invested 80 hours. Despite having cleared many levels, the remaining challenge felt unattainable. Nevertheless, I decided to open the app; I needed to distract myself for 60 minutes.
Then, I encountered my greatest adversary: Velgress. This game, a vertical platformer where the hero Alpha must escape from the malevolent Princess Charkas, has always brought me more frustrations than achievements. There are no checkpoints, and each time I die, I must start over. With every attempt, I fight against alien enemies trying to stop me. Despite having spent hours on this game, my progress is nearly nonexistent.
I started another attempt, and after several initial failures, I felt I needed to change my approach. I grabbed the Steam Deck with more determination, tensed my body, and controlled Alpha with newfound energy. My movements became more precise until I began to overcome obstacles with ease. I managed to advance to the second level, a completely different environment, but the challenge persisted. Despite the constant deaths, I became increasingly aware of the dangers on the screen and eventually reached the third level, where an unexpected sea creature let me down, sending me back.
As I dealt with this frustration, the plane experienced turbulence, causing my hands to shake and my anxiety to spike. I remembered the challenges beyond this flight: a potential political crisis in my country, the threat of technologies that could ruin my career, and the insecurity I felt about losing loved ones. I decided I couldn't give up, and I launched into another run in Velgress, confidently jumping between platforms and overcoming obstacles.
My movements became more assured and analytical; for the first time, I no longer felt like the prey but like the hunter. Finally, after persistent effort, I managed to reach the top of the third level. With each victory in the game, I felt I was regaining control. In the end, I realized there was still a long way to go; to defeat Princess Charkas, I had to keep collecting keys and continue fighting.
Eventually, the plane landed, and as I closed my Steam Deck, a hint of satisfaction crept onto my face. The battle may be far from over, but now I have the certainty that I can face it. Although the path may be difficult, I know I have the power to change my destiny and tackle each new challenge with purpose. The start of the struggle was about to begin.
