The article we discussed in class pointed out that research has shown that violent video games are linked to increased aggression. However, we didn't discuss any of the other effects that video games can have on the brain, violent or not.
Psychology Today notes that there are some benefits to playing action-based video games that require players to manage a lot of information in their minds and make split-second decisions. These benefits include improved visual contrast sensitivity, improved spatial attention, improved multitasking, and improved mental flexibility, among others. Taking into consideration the effect of violent video games, it seems that it's best not to take a black and white approach to video games and treat them as either all good or all bad. Perhaps it's better to view video games as we view other forms of entertainment, like books and movies. Individual books or movies can be spiritually uplifting or degrading, so we should judge individual video games based on their merits, too.