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"Game Over." "You Died." "Wasted." These phrases are rites of passage, a chiding to video game players ill-equipped for the task ahead. Whether you're

controlling Leon Kennedy's ragdoll body spinning from an exploding tripwire in _Resident Evil 4_ or losing a fight to a cheap low sweep in _Super Street Fighter 4_, dying sucks. But

that doesn't mean you do. It's easy to attribute a loss — or several losses in a row — to being "trash" at a given video game. The genesis of the "git gud"

mantra hinges on the premise that you're just a bad gamer. But that couldn't be further from the truth. Failure in games has always been a stepping stone to discovering the kind of

player you are. GROWING OLDER AND WISER In February, French studio Sloclap released _Sifu_, an action beat 'em up title that tested the mettle of players looking for a challenge. The

difficulty was so intense that it literally ages the game's protagonist. It throws legions of goons at you, and upon dying, you get upgrades as your character gains wrinkles and gray

hairs. The result was a grueling, rewarding, wholly-maddening experience that reignited the polarizing conversation of what it meant to be skillful in games. Were you good at _Sifu_ because

you played without dying or taking damage? Maybe you were better because you stuck to Master difficulty when a patch was later released to flatten the difficulty curve? Dying in _Sifu_

doesn't mean you're playing the game wrong — it's an essential feature of the game that leads to greater potential for your character, while building a unique narrative of

aging and revenge. And it's not the only big title this year to pit players against their own wits and to reward "failing forward." GATHERING AROUND THE _RING_

FromSoftware's _Elden Ring_ was the latest in a portfolio of grim commercial hits, and when it also released in February 2022, its popularity surprised even its publisher. Spiritual

predecessor _Dark Souls_ epitomizes the toll death takes on a player — that series' macabre atmosphere and Lovecraftian horrors have cultivated a space where community has thrived.

_Elden Ring_ is no different, as it utilizes the same cooperative features to help players lean on each other, in addition to plentiful guides and walkthroughs posted online. Despite the

availability of these resources, some fans assert that if you use these tools to beat the absurdly challenging bosses in _Elden Ring_, you never really played it as intended. Community

members on Reddit and other message boards have called out "gatekeepers" who shame players for summoning allies — a co-op feature present in FromSoftware titles since 2009's

_Demon's Souls. _ Dying in _Elden Ring_ or other _Souls _games doesn't mean you suck either. Instead, failure pushes you towards channels of communication and cooperation that

could otherwise be missed. It fosters a space for new and veteran players to exchange ideas and to create some silly content. It also taught me that wandering can be a good thing — I've

died far too many times to count to _Elden Ring'_s hulking ogres, knights, and bears. I initially hated its obtuse systems. Yet through the support network built around it, I learned

ways to cope with the game's overwhelming challenges. Dedicated fans are eager to prop up signposts when players grow understandably frustrated at the new and lethal things lurking in

the Lands Between. It's a testament to the universal struggle we share in recovering from a death screen. CAN'T CATCH 'EM ALL Death and dying aren't exclusive to the dark

and dreary. Even franchises like Pokémon have courted challenges meant to fluster the most accomplished trainers. Fans have long designed "Nuzlockes" as ways to ramp up the

difficulty of these otherwise tame games. A "Nuzlocke" run involves self-imposed rules a player must keep while navigating the Pokémon game of their choice. The phenomenon is not

unique to these titles but has thrived because of community efforts to share as much information as possible to beat a given "Nuzlocke." These arbitrary rules may force you to only

catch the first Pokémon you encounter on any route, or could limit how many Poké Balls you could carry or purchase. _Pokémon Emerald Kaizo_ is widely regarded as one of the most difficult

"Nuzlockes" to complete because of its unforgiving rules, with enemy variety that trumps the base game's original design. There is also a gentler route for those wanting to

meander a bit, like I did with a custom randomizer for _Leaf Green_ that changes every Pokémon you encounter, including starters. Failing a "Nuzlocke," aging in _Sifu_, or even

summoning in _Elden Ring_ are not indicators of a bad player. Conversely, they're challenges that build community and self-growth — they force you to learn how to be better at the thing

you love playing. If failure is the stuff of life, then it should count doubly in the digital space, where stakes are far more forgiving. The next time you hit 'play again,'

remember what Michael Jordan, one of earth's mightiest athletes, said in that classic Nike commercial: "I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I

succeed." _Jamal Michel is a freelance writer whose work focuses on video game culture, entertainment and the stories in between them. He is currently a member of the _Life Kit _and

_It's Been a Minute _teams._ Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.