As a kid I loved Phantasy Star for the Sega Master System so much I tracked all the stats of the monsters, characters, mapped every maze, etc. I basically wrote an in-depth GameFAQ on pen and paper. I did it because I loved the game. I also tried various things (like trying to kill the Succubus who is supposed to kill you the first time — you could). I’ve also played the game through countless times (the most recent time being last year when Ages came out). I didn’t not enjoy the game. I enjoyed it far more than most people and in deeper ways.

I think there is an idea that if you look too hard at any art form (paint, film, comics, music...) you kill the magic. I’m not sure who believes that idea. The more I learn about any art form and the greater my skill at analyzing it, the more enjoyment I get from it.