Can anyone explain to me why they're not depressed by games that always end in death?

[daft]

I think Beery is on to something. Of all the mechanics that makes a game work, deaths are the least explored I think. From the run-of-the-mill action games to hardcore sims such as the SH-series, we seldom get penalized in any way for dying. There is no sense of loss other than a little dent in our pride after having been outsmarted by some stupid AI destroyer. Of course, the penalty cannot be too severe as that would scare people off, but having an option that would in some way make us curse and actually fear in game death would add a whole new dimension to gaming I think.