Ben-DutkaEven if it's only fiction, gunning down innocents as a terrorist will always be controversial and we wanted to tap the pulse of our readers concerning this issue.
Not surprisingly (and I only say that because we gamers are often quick to defend our frequently trod-upon hobby), the majority of you believe the terrorist scene in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was little more than Infinity Ward's decision as a game designer, and people shouldn't get bent out of shape. After all, as soon as you begin to entertain thoughts of significant censorship in any entertainment medium, both the artists and consumers begin to get very indignant. And perhaps rightfully so. I will maintain that such a scene was completely unnecessary, in that it didn't do anything for the story and I am of the belief that we can indeed go too far. It's always easy to hide behind the guise of "art" while producing some truly horrific things, and contrary to the popular belief, I will never say that everything is "okay." In this particular case, I don't see the value in it and that's that.
But putting the controversial aside for a minute, we'd like to turn to a happier subject: next to Uncharted 2 , what do you think is the best PS3 game of 2009? We're eliminating Naughty Dog's title for two reasons: 1. it should be obvious, shouldn't it? 2. we'd love to give other titles the chance to shine a little; so many are falling under the shadow of Uncharted 2 in the PS3 camp. And while that makes perfect sense – the game is the best of the best – we're tryin' to be fair to other developers, here. So, what is it?
Well like Ben, my big bro said the same when he saw that MW2 scene, he was like it wasn't really necessary, with me I dunno if it was needed or not but all the same we keep killing each other virtually in Team Deathmatch.
Uncharted 2 is my GOTY for sure. Next to that is Modern Warfare 2 no doubt.
Killzone 2 was cool but MW2 is cooler. Infamous was highly fun but really annoying, getting shot everywhere felt like the Ballas in San Andreas/The Haitans in Vice City where all over the map, that wasn't okay.
I'm not a huge fan of the Medal of Honor series anyway. I'd have to actually see the scene before I could pass judgment on it.
btw.. Assassins Creed FTW!
Call of Duty my friend… Call of Duty.
Outside of Uncharted 2…
It has to be Killzone 2. No game besides Uncharted 2 in 2009 brought an entire package together of graphics, physics, voice acting, multiplayer, and above all, redemption to the series.
Now while I am currently addicted to MW2, Killzone 2 makes MW2 look inferior from a visual standpoint. What helps MW2 is the weapon progression system. If Killzone 2 had that, it would be close to perfect in my opinon.
I won't vote for a multiplatform title for the PS3 runner up to game of the year, for obvious reasons.
With the "No Russian" level in MW2, an acceptable level when one considers how much virtual mass killing they have done personally. I saw no civilian killing difference from the likes of inFamous. And when it came to fighting the security forces at the airport, what's the difference in killing Russian security as opposed to Nazi soldiers?
In a game, nothing.
Anyways, I actually found the Russian armour running around in suburban America and in DC a more emotional experience? Why? Something about seeing an invading force in my country intensified the experience…
Last edited by maxpontiac on 11/30/2009 10:16:45 AM
I voted for Killzone 2, but I don't think U2 is better then KZ2….I think their equally amazing. It would hurt me to choose which one is #1. So for me U2 & KZ2 are sharing the #1 spot!
I'm waiting to play AC2 once I finish getting the DA:O trophies. I'm betting it would get my vote for second.
As for violence in games, they're just pixels. No matter how realistic the graphics are it is a pixel bullet going into a body made of pixels. If I'm playing a game and satan himself approaches my character and makes me give an abortion to the virgin Mary, it is just a game. Why? Because they're just pixels.
hahahaaaa
based purely on which game i've spent most time on, it has to be inFamous. in terms of the overall game, it wouldnt come first, but its the first game i think i've ever had in which I instantaneously replayed having finished it once
I'm waiting to play AC2 once I finish getting the DA:O trophies. I'm betting it would get my vote for second.
As for violence in games, they're just pixels. No matter how realistic the graphics are it is a pixel bullet going into a body made of pixels. If I'm playing a game and satan himself approaches my character and makes me give an abortion to the virgin Mary, I'll do it and proudly show off my coat-hanger trophy. Why? Because they're just pixels.
Sorry about the double post. Got an error when I tried to delete it because I didn't finish what I was saying.
As per the poll, the right choice won.
As for the new poll, it's a nice list. Since I've platinumed both the Asian and NA versions of Demon's Souls, I think I have no choice but to pick it, lol.
Best gaming experience of the year: Being invaded by a black phantom. frikkin EPIC.
honestly i gotta say Dragon Age: Origins is next best after Uncharted 2 in '09. I loved KZ2 and MW2 is great, and I'm even liking AC2 but Dragon Age is just a great game!
Yeah! I can't believe Dragon Age isn't a choice. That would be my pick hands down. I've played that more than Uncharted and Demon's Soul's combined. Though, Uncharted is still my #1 for sure. Guess I'll go with Demon's Souls then.
Excellent choice, but what hurts that game is the framerate and graphics.
Dragon Age will get 100 hours out of me easily, but man, if it only looked better..
One thing they never do on the PSXExtreme polls that they should do is include a "none-of-the-above" option. No poll is complete without it.
Suffice to say I don't agree with your point of view on MW2.
As for game of the year. I say Batman. A game that has done the impossible. Other than that you've got a bunch of sequels (aka not original ideas) and a niche RPG that you either really love or really hate. Putting Flower on there is just nuts imo, so Batman gets my vote for best good time of 2009.
Oh, and putting Flower instead of Dragon Age is a huge mistake. No, it's ludicrous is what it is.
As an artist, I have to disagree with you Ben. The whole concept of art is for the artist to show his or her viewers what they believe and what they see fit to be included in their artwork. If Infinity Ward saw fit to include the scene, then it's their artistic decision. That is the whole point of art! If Infinity Ward removed the scene, or decided not to add the scene because they knew that it would be considered morally wrong or "gone too far" by their viewers then we would be depriving them of their rights as artists, and they might as well have not created the game in the first place. Just because you see it as pointless doesn't mean that it is pointless because the artist could have their own aesthetics in the creation of the game that you do not see. In summary, what I am saying is messages are conveyed in artwork. The artists sends them out and the viewers recieve them, but not all of the messages sent out by the artist are recieved by the viewer. You should be so quick to dismiss the scene…
Lol I meant you should not be quick the dismiss things 🙂
As the viewer, I reserve the right to dismiss it if I find it tasteless and devoid of any real value.
The artist can do what he wants. He's not always in the right just because he has the freedom to depict what he wants.
That scene can be skipped though in MW2. If it did not have the option to skip it do you think it would have gotten more of a backlash or less or pretty much about the same ? Also you dont have to even take part as the other guys shoot most of the people in the airport until you come across the guards.
What about the drug dealing in the GTA games and the violence, car jacking etc mugging people the list is endless ? That is just as bad but there is no option in those games to skip past the mission.
For me GOTY is Infamous. 🙂
Last edited by tlpn99 on 11/30/2009 4:12:39 PM
Not a good comparison. The viewpoint and how those things are presented is entirely different; it's always slightly cartoony in GTA while the MW2 scene is directly in your face and looks far more realistic. Furthermore, gunning down innocents who have no means of protecting themselves is NEVER a part of GTA. I've played them all, and as far as I can remember, that was never a goal of any mission.
Innocents can get in the way, of course, but nothing like this cold-blooded travesty. It's a completely different thing, and I would hope people could tell the difference.
Gunning down innocents is the whole point of GTA
Ben's right. You almost never get a story mission to just kill random civilians, it's always personal or business. Like it's business in COD: MW2 which is more psychological for some reason o_O
i know no one will read this considering its 3 days late but…
first off with out that scene the story has no value. Thats very much where the stories meat is at.
Second. im pretty sure (fact) at the beginning of the game it asks you if you want to play certain scenes or not!
third. GTA is a fine comparison, although the the objective was more in your face its taken way more seriously which puts emphasis on it. In fact we should be praising this more than GTA becase we actually get pleasure running down innocent civilians in GTA. i'm juat saying, not literally , just that in GTA killing innocents isnt a bad thing but apparently in MW2 it is. HOW SICK IS THAT! You can choose not to shoot the civilians in GTA true but you dont have to fire your weapon in MW2 either, you dont even have to view the scene i believe. Point is The scene in MW2 left me feeling bad, (even though i didnt shoot my gun once at the civilians) it left me with an actual feeling.
It was a good scene, im not saying its right or wrong but it made the sotry, and it also left an impression. Thats what IW was trying to do. I dont care who thinks its wrong or right it left an impression! Thats the point of art to me, coming from someone who is not an artist of course.
Last edited by bigrailer19 on 12/2/2009 7:12:18 PM
While I disagree with Ben that the Airport stage was irrelevant to the story of MW2, I do wonder whether the conception of the level was organic and part of the natural development of the story or if the story was built around that level and its function as a plot point is really just an excuse to put a controversial, provocative and ultra-violent scenario in a game.
I think a lot of gamers enjoy doing violent and demented sh** in video games but most of us want there to be some reason that demands the madness and carnage we unleash. Its in the developers best interest to tell good stories, and that's an area which has improved quite a bit over the past decade, and games with good stories do better their narrative-deficient counterparts. So developers that rely on shock value to drive sales do so at their own peril.