I am eagerly looking forward to the PS3 title Metal Gear Soild 4: Guns of the Patriots slated for release on the PS3 ever since I became a fan of the complex and intricate storyline of the series' previous instalment..
And to those who think that violence and gore are the sole domain of male gamers, I just bought my new PS3 three weeks ago to play Grand Theft Auto IV, a game that is known for its mature themes and violent content.
A male friend once said to me that I am the only female friend whom he considers to be "a hardcore gamer". According to him, I'm different because I enjoy playing "real" games. That means, no titles that involve dressing up ponies.
But as much I enjoy committing crimes in Liberty City as bad guy Niko Bellic in GTA IV, I also enjoy grooming puppies and boiling potatoes. My male friends who are 'hardcore gamers' say they can never understand these 'girl games'.
According to video game retailers here, the most popular games among their female customers fall in the puzzle and simulation genres.
Virtual simulation games such as Nintendogs, a virtual pet game, and Cooking Mama, a cooking simulation game, are titles that girls will make a beeline for, while role playing, action and fighting titles are most popular among male gamers.
Jason Soh, a sales executive with video game retailer The Gaming world, echoes this view.
Ask blogger and avid gamer Yen Lin to name her favourite video game and she quotes the Sims series – a people simulator not unlike a virtual dollhouse where players can dress little people in different clothes and make them fall in love.
So are girls who do not derive pleasure from titles that carry violent content not "real gamers"?
Competitive gamer and member of Singapore's all-girl team, Sta Maria Cynthia Rose, thinks that there are two kinds of gamers, but it does not boil down to a gender-divide.
Rose, who is a member of Singapore's only all-girl gaming group Team NyX said: "I see gamers as being divided between those who play games for leisure and those who play competitively. Those who play "girl games" regardless of gender, tend to game just for fun."
When it comes to the platform of choice, game retailers agree unanimously that the Nintendo DS is tops among girls. The handheld gaming device features an interactive touch screen which players can use to do anything from flipping burgers and petting a virtual dog to lopping the head of an assassination target. While there are many "boy-worthy" action titles for the DS, most of the games stay safely within the cute category.
Why do girls like these games? Perhaps it's because they are easier to get into, says Gamescore's Mr Loh.
Titles like Cooking Mama have simple, spontaneous tutorials that guide players through the game. Concepts do not take hours to understand, and there is no need to stay awake at night figuring out strategies to conquer the next level.
Yen Lin believes that games like The Sims appeal to girls because the simulations provide a kind of learning environment for trial and error.
Players can make mistakes in the game without real-life repercussions. And playing with a virtual dollhouse means that gamers can enjoy watching the characters on screen grow and change. She said: "It's like Polly Pocket, but with more magic and fluidity."
And when I think of all the fun that the boys have missed out on by not playing these 'girly' titles, I can only think of how I get to enjoy the best of both worlds.
