Mediawatch-UK Gets a Stiff Upper Lip to MadWorld’s 2009 Release
The upcoming 2009 release of MadWorld has conservatives in a swarm. The game showcases a black and white ambience only disrupted by red swirls of blood that fill the screen during combat. One of these conservative groups is Mediawatch-UK, whose campaign for decency and accountability in the media has a serious problem with MadWorld. This could block Sega’s title from reaching Wii owners in the UK. So, is it suitable that committees like this one ban media content, including video games, or are they overstepping boundaries in defining decency?
Every once in a while, I become concerned for the gaming subculture. Sometimes, like Icarus, they fly too close to the sun, and I think we all know what happens. If you’re Icarus, you fall into the Aegean Sea; if you’re a gamer complaining about one of the most anticipated and decorated titles (and companies), you get ousted in an interview with Jay Wilson. So the real question has always been: as consumers, are we qualified to make commentary and sign petitions that will potentially change the content in a game? Jay Wilson did an interview with MTV on August 7th dispelling rumors about Diablo 3 and the hocus pocus of Photoshop.
The time attack (i.e., speed run) has become a cultural phenomenon. These people are to gaming as Michael Phelps is to swimming; they take a sport and trivialize all your hopes of accomplishing even a fragment of that greatness in such a short time. If you’ve been sleeping under your Intellivision, time attacks are when gamers take classic games (time attacks among contemporary games have become more prominent) and destroy them in times you never thought possible. They create shock and awe in the press of a b button, and make your gaming accomplishments shrivel. Are there Steve Wiebes and Billy Mitchells among us?
When playing the WoW beta and into the fresh release, the game lacked any real endgame content beyond Blackrock Spire. So, I began leveling on a PvP server. I leveled to about twenty and had to stop — I couldn’t afford the booze to medicate myself from the awful game play. I was killed, camped, killed, camped – did I mention I was killed and camped? So, is there a reason to level on PvP server in WoW?
If nothing else has remained consistent in the video game universe, it’s that people on Capitol Hill will continue to (attempt to) define what is morally acceptable for its citizens. Like Lieberman had done nearly twenty years ago (against the diabolical Mortal Kombat), Capitol Hill is up to its hijinks again. On July 22nd, Governor David Paterson (governator of New York) signed a bill that will lead to restrictions on the content of violence in games and help families better monitor gruesome titles.
When JV Games announced Beer Pong as part of its Frat Party Games lineup, universities and lawyers displayed their outrage until the developers agreed to change the title. The rename was Pong Toss, and while the gameplay remained the same, the beer was replaced with cups of water. So, when, as sensible people, have we mistaken the virtual world for the real world? These objectors are successful people, lawyers and educators that have somehow made the asinine connection that virtual beer and water gets you drunk and somehow impair your judgment. Let’s move on before I get virtual cirrhosis of the liver.
When playing Super Mario Galaxy, do you wonder what happens when the Wii turns off? I always imagine Mario in his overalls with the arms cut off of his shirt, answering some call for plumbing at the Castle. Peach is not in her normal dress, but a scandalous bathing suit, and Daisy is just over to use the shower. Mario answers the door with an Eastern European accent, assuring them that he will fix the toilet, because he is a plumbing expert. Mario fixes the plumbing, but it is not the toilet — reminds me of a scene out of Logjammin’.
Fable propelled the Xbox, making its home as a signature title that defined the system. While the game was imperfect, it presented a visceral experience where we could select a hero and follow their lives, including: conflict, romance, and the consequences of their actions. With the sequel being released in the coming months, forums everywhere are abuzz with the expectations of seasoned veterans and newcomers to the series. The question burning in the back of everyone’s mind is this: can Fable 2 surpass the original beyond that of the normal RPG elements (storyline, weapons, etc.) or will it be branded Fable Version 2.0? At any rate, let’s hope they remove the tropical mosquitoes that keep giving the hero elephantitis.