The Ambassador's Address: Video Game Violence
by James Davis

Blood and violence is just like sex… it sells.

The more blood advertised with a game the more likely it will be dubbed a “greatest hit.” However, with great bloodshed comes great controversy, which in turn would put the video game companies in the hot seat. But can the video gamers live without a little controversy?

As a self-proclaimed video game ambassador, I have seen game violence advance over the years. There was a time when the worst in violence was a pixilated spaceship at the bottom of the screen shooting at invading aliens. Of course, game graphics have also advanced, giving gamers the ability to see every chunk of brain and splatter of blood in high definition.

Within these graphical advances lies the dilemma.

The violent graphics of the 8 and 16-bit era seem childish and almost wholesome imitations of todays average game. Even Mortal Kombat, one of the bloodiest and most violent fighting games that hit the cartridge-consoles years ago eventually lost all of its shock value. I now laugh at the idea of “fatality” finishing maneuvers.

Let us compare a favorite series of mine, Resident Evil. For non-gamers, you are probably more aware of the Resident Evil movies, starring Milla Jovovich as the protagonist, Alice. The movies are loosely based on the games which if you are unfamiliar with, the story is simple… Virus infects Midwestern town, turns everyone into zombies and the like, you are one of the few survivors trying to escape the city, and stop the organization that caused the mayhem.

Now, storylines aside, let us look at Resident Evil 4 (one of the more graphic of the series, to date) and the original Resident Evil.

In the original, which premiered in the US in 1996, enemies were everywhere you turned. Every time you were bitten, or slashed, or gnawed on, it was not as violent for the average gamer (surprising, perhaps, but not so violent). Honestly, when a zombie bit you, it looked like they were giving you an incredibly intimate hug. Sometimes I debate if I should shoot the zombie, or ask it for a second date!

However, comparing it to its successor, R.E. 4 you would not be asking any of the enemies for a hug.

All of the common enemies have been revamped with weapons that are more likely to induce more blood than the claws of a mutated human, the most note-worthy of them being the chainsaw. When you are attacked (successfully), blood is flying in all directions and the gamer would truly believe that they are being attacked. Compared to its predecessors, the realism of the graphics, and the level of gore presented, is what causes stir in the gaming industry.

If one was to remake a popular game, having all the weapons shoot rubber balls and replace blood with green goo (or nothing at all), would the game be as entertaining? Possibly, but it would not be as appealing on the market. People want to witness what is causing so much stir on the news, then judge for themselves if the game deserves such critical acclaim.

This is also a morality issue.  

Authority figures, such as state senators and parents, are worried about the morals that are taught by violent video games, and support in the censorship or banning of such. Well that's just it, no morals are being taught. Who is to say that violent movies or television shows should be censored as well? Based on morals, more than half of the internet should be banned for its content.

Sorry, but a lack of morality in some instances just cannot be avoided. However, all of the aforementioned instances can be avoided, by using a person's discretion. One can choose not to view or purchase offensive material for themselves or their children. You can choose not to view a rated ‘R' movie just as well as you can choose not to play a game that's rated ‘M for Mature.'

For your discretion, you may want to look out for the following games…

Turning Point: Fall of Liberty, Army of Two, and Kwari are three new shoot-em-up style games planned to be released in 2008. These games, apparently, are supposed to cause just as much controversy as the game Manhunt 2, in terms of blood and gore. Grand Theft Auto IV is also arranged to be released the 28th of April. Resident Evil 5 is (finally) to be released in May for the X-Box 360 and the Playstation 3.

And this is only a touch of the violence-driven games of 2008.

It is not my personal preference to play more wholesome games, such as Barbie Horse Adventures or High School Musical: Sing It!. I do not want to imitate annoying high school kids, of which some are ironically older than I am, who can sing better than I can.