"Hatred" Reveal Trailer. Or as I like to call it, "The Next Big Controversy"

[RedDeadFred]

I can't take this crap seriously.

Wow, people who insist that media doesn't affect behavior would have a hard time explaining comments like this.

And like I said in my previous post, it's strange that people are finding this ''hard to take seriously'' or ''trying too hard to be edgy'' or whatever. You only need to look at snippets of released ''manifestos'' from real-life killers who did the same thing to see the same kind of self-righteous, nihilistic justifications for hating people and society.

I'm curious about what Jim Sterling thinks of the trailer, seeing as he insisted that gamers aren't desensitized to violence.

What I meant was, I can't take it seriously as a game. It felt waaay too real. I can't take it seriously as a game because all it seems to be doing is celebrating the act of gunning down innocent civilians. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind being evil in other games (I prefer it in Fallout), but this trailer just rubbed me the wrong way. I can't take it seriously because it seems like some fucked up fantasy that the devs might have.

I don't really know where the line is on this stuff for me, but I do know that this crossed it. I had a hard time watching that trailer. I can see how you misconstrued my comment though since it was fairly vague.

 

[Zak757]

So edgy my wrists started bleeding. Didn't even feel it because my sides hurt even more from the laughing.

Anyway, in an interview between Polygon and Jarosław Zieliński, he says that Hatred is "all about honesty." I don't think anyone here thought that there was any sort of profound or respectable artistic statement behind this, but now you know for sure.

"The answer is simple really. We wanted to create something contrary to prevailing standards of forcing games to be more polite or nice than they really are or even should be.
"Yes, putting things simply, we are developing a game about killing people. But what's more important is the fact that we are honest in our approach. Our game doesn't pretend to be anything else than what it is and we don't add to it any fake philosophy.

"What it means to me is the way we are told and taught to think, even if it's totally in spite of ourselves. And you get that coercion in the gaming industry as well. I mean right now we're the best example of it.
"In this world you cannot simply say that you are working on a game about killing people for no particular reason, not to expose yourself to angry, negative comments caused by panic and shock. We all know those big stories accusing games of all the evil there is, including accusations of educating murderers. And does it mean they are all ultimately true? Not at all of course.
"Like many of us, I grew up playing all kind of games. More or less violent. And I'm still just a regular guy like millions of other gamers in the world. But what I observe these days are games, that used to be considered a rebellious medium, losing that factor and just trying to fit in the nice and sweet pop-culture.

So this is bringing the fight to made-up non-problems. Supposedly, many game developers are forced into adding things almost everyone cares about like themes, characters, stories and context for murder into their games thanks to our oppressively politically correct culture. Because of this, we are now getting "dishonest" games that aren't willing to indulge in the "mature" content they truly care about. No more indiscriminate murder of innocents (Prototype, Hotline Miami), no more nude women (Bayonetta 2, Witcher 2), no more player-inflicted torture (GTA V, Splinter Cell), no more rape (MGS V), no more hyper violent executions (Sleeping Dogs, MGR, God of War), no more child killing (Mass Effect 3, Modern Warfare 3, Last of Us), and any games that attempt this will be thrashed by reviewers and blocked off from public consumption (oh wait, all of these games are doing just fine).

If games are ever going to be censored into being "acceptable," it is games like Hatred that are going to be the cause of it. It strongly reinforces the idea that video games are murder simulators, and there is no defense against that because that's exactly what Hatred is. There isn't even anything to soften the blow either, like cartoonish graphics or remotely dislikeable targets. Just lots of close-ups on stabbing realistic looking cops in the face. No doubt people in positions of power are going to see this on Fox News and blow up about it.

Jaroslaw is right in that we get plenty of dishonest games, but the effect he thinks this is having is exactly backwards. I'm sure plenty of games would like to not be forced into including narratively-dissonant shooting galleries, but that is what is proven to make money and that is what the customer expects.

Also, I brought something worth sharing:

 

[DerangedHobo]

They don't even need to be obviously wacky. This game needs to go the full way and make itself so edgy that it becomes funny. License the entirety of Linkin Park's discography, have the character laugh about killing babies and have customizable long-coats (with fedora DLC), make it a parody by overcharging the various aspects of a metalhead, emo or goth.

Dude you fucking had me at "customizable long-coats with fedora DLC", I'd buy the everloving shit out of that game.

But that aside, it does insult me that shit like this can rile people up. I even saw one person (on a gamespot forum mind you) talk about how this will "cause more stringent censorship of games" and how it will restrict free speech, not seeing the obvious irony and hypocrisy. I'll buy it, partly to laugh at it and partly just for the killing, I'm at peace with man's violent nature.

As an aside, people not to get more angry at the retard "journalists" who will get angry at this game instead of laughing at it. "murrica' the brave" my ass.

 

[DerangedHobo]

If games are ever going to be censored into being "acceptable," it is games like Hatred that are going to be the cause of it. It strongly reinforces the idea that video games are murder simulators, and there is no defense against that because that's exactly what Hatred is. There isn't even anything to soften the blow either, like cartoonish graphics or remotely dislikeable targets. Just lots of close-ups on stabbing realistic looking cops in the face. No doubt people in positions of power are going to see this on Fox News and blow up about it.

Wait, back the fuck up. So we should censor games because they may cause more stringent censorship? There is something very wrong in a society where popular sports include MMA and Boxing, where every second on every new channel there is rampant senationalism about "EBOLA IS GOING TO MAKE YOU BLEED FROM YOUR ASSHOLE, BE PREPARED" and "ISIS BEHEADS ANOTHER INNOCENT JOURNALIST" but anything to do with senseless violence which isn't dressed up to be more "palatable" is instantly mocked at demonized.

You just proved the developer's point. You proved that developers have to dress up a game, that low rent mindless violence despite being a part of the human condition and our very society has to be dressed up for it to be "ok". You cannot be behind video games as an expressive medium but then censor games like "hatred" on the grounds that it will cause more games to be censored. If those standing for free expression censor content then that is blatant hypocrisy and it's pretty backwards.

Don't get me wrong, Hatred is laughably stupid. I mean the intro voice over was comedy gold and it is more or less violence for violence sake but it still has a right to be a video game.

 

[WarpZone]

Okay first of all, the mainstream media isn't going to even know this game exists because it's by an indie developer. Simple as that. They only find out about games when they've already sold 20 bazillion copies and parents have heard the name from their kids a few times.

Second of all, the developers of this game would welcome such a witch-hunt. Everything about the trailer is designed to court public infamy from the press. I would say they are probably banking on it.

Third of all, the game sucks. Just look at it. It's Saints Row meets MadWorld but without any of the charm of either. You play as the bad guy, plain and simple. But not the cathartic, mustache-twirling kind of villain that is actually fun to play as. This ain't no Prototype or Infamous. This ain't even Postal or BoneTown. This is Depressing Joyless Hatefest, The Game. I honestly can't even think of any title from any medium to compare it to.

Fourth of all, who is this game even marketed to? Who is it for? The Concerned Parents? Are they going to buy it just to burn it publicly? I can't imagine any gamer choosing to play this. It's just too depressing and joyless. If you take the ad at face value, it appears to be marketed towards dedicated Columbine-planners... but since that is a demographic that does not exist (schools would get shot up every day if it did) and was created whole-cloth by the news media to pander to concerned parents by demonizing video games, I don't really see how anyone involved with this project expects to get paid.

Maybe it has some value as pure art. Maybe. Like, as a cultural artifact designed to hold up a grim and unrelenting caricature of humanity while saying "PRETEND THIS IS REAL FOR TWENTY MINUTES. NOW TRY TO FEEL." Somehow I don't think even Jim Sterling would get a sadistic giggle out of this one. It just takes itself too seriously to be taken seriously. It's gritty and dismal to the point of cartoonishness. Nihilism should be more thought-provoking than this. Ultraviolence should be more cathartic than this. This reads like spank material for a type of person that, if they existed, would certainly not have the time or money to purchase video games.

I could see the game attracting a lot of attention in the form of "let's imagine that someone out there would find this game entertaining and shudder in horror," but again, how exactly is the developer planning to translate that kind of "interest" into actual sales? I don't get it.

And what *really* baffles me is how high-quality some of the takedown animations looked in the preview. I know it's Unreal Engine, but this is a very content-heavy premise. Where did they get the industry talent to actually produce even this "Vertical Slice" trailer? How are they keeping the 3D modellers and animators working? It can't be money out-of-pocket, because come on, it's an indie developer, and it can't be passion or an honest belief in the product, because come on, who can take this shit seriously?

Oh, wait. I've got it. It must be angel investors. Sure. They told a bunch of rich idiots "hay let's make the violentest game evar, everyone will buy it!" and they fell for it. Oh well. I guess we'll get that witch hunt after all, indie or non-indie, if the people who invested in it also own media outlets, or at least can pull some strings here or there.

Well, that sucks for us and it sucks for Gaming. At least console players will never have to worry about seeing this turd surfacing on their platform of choice. This breaks every rule in the platform curator's books, and not in a good way.

 

[kuolonen]

Third of all, the game sucks. Just look at it. It's Saints Row meets MadWorld but without any of the charm of either. You play as the bad guy, plain and simple. But not the cathartic, mustache-twirling kind of villain that is actually fun to play as. This ain't no Prototype or Infamous. This ain't even Postal or BoneTown. This is Depressing Joyless Hatefest, The Game. I honestly can't even think of any title from any medium to compare it to.

Fourth of all, who is this game even marketed to? Who is it for? The Concerned Parents? Are they going to buy it just to burn it publicly? I can't imagine any gamer choosing to play this. It's just too depressing and joyless. If you take the ad at face value, it appears to be marketed towards dedicated Columbine-planners... but since that is a demographic that does not exist (schools would get shot up every day if it did) and was created whole-cloth by the news media to pander to concerned parents by demonizing video games, I don't really see how anyone involved with this project expects to get paid.

You write 9 paragraph wall post, so cocksure, telling how absolutely no-one wont actually want to buy this game, and yet you don't notice me saying literally 8 post before that I am going to buy and play it? Some awareness before posting would not go a miss.

Such assumptions about what other people like to play, and what kind of villain it is fun to play as. Really now, who do I have to blame for this? I remember lot of people parroting yahtzee back in the day about how it is only fun to be evil as long the game assumes you won't. Who the heck are you people to decide that for others?

I am not saying this game will selling +1 000 000 but I do know there's going to be a niche audience wanting to play this too. But hey, thanks for framing all of them as dedicated Columbine-Planners. So people playing games like this can only be ones who actually plan to do the stuff in real life? Do I really need to go into what that thought process implies?

 

[LaughingAtlas]

Eh. I feel like for violence against those who don't fight back to be fun, there has to be some kind of levity to it, (as with Saint's Row or Dead Rising) a or at least a very good reason to be cross with them. (The civilians in Payday 2 know exactly what they did. And will continue to do. During a firefight.) Whatever catharsis this game might have, it's nothing to putting on a viking hat, hopping in a neon-pink monster truck, roaring through the streets and tossing grenades out the window without a care what I hit, and running around karate-kicking people when the car explodes. This can be even funnier when you're a big, fat guy in a stylish suit and no shoes.

Maybe if you were like, a giant monster, only less interested in unscheduled demolition than those in Rampage. Maybe a huge snake, like Jafar at the end of Aladdin. In fact, that exactly, let's see a game where you play as Jafar going batshit insane with power, slithering through the streets, eating people whole, turning things into weak, ineffective versions of what they were, making puns the whole time.

 

[verdant monkai]

Looks ok. I like the look of the main character, he looks like the crow.

I'd get the game if it had story and some interesting psycho-analysis of the character, as it happens it looks like its just going to be a beat your last highscore kind of game.

 

[ReservoirAngel]

I can see this game running into a very fundamental problem: Randomly going kill-crazy and massacring every living thing that moves in a video game, innocent or no, is only fun when the game is trying to make you do something else. It's the sense of "fuck your rules, I'm just going to get in this ice cream van and plough it straight down this sidewalk" that makes that act fun to do in a game.

If the game's entire purpose is "go and kill everyone and everything" then doing so gives no personal joy, it's just you blindly following a game's checklist, especially when it's all played so miserably straight and serious as this is.

One of my favourite games to commit genoical massacres on is Saints Row 2 because it's trying to be serious but still lets you slam limousines into old ladies and watch them rocket into oblivion. If every old lady in that game begged for mercy while you stuck a gun in their mouth not only would that be a miserable experience but especially given this is an isometric dual-stick shooter so there like won't be anything else but shooting, that'll also get really fucking dull.

 

[kuolonen]

I can see this game running into a very fundamental problem: Randomly going kill-crazy and massacring every living thing that moves in a video game, innocent or no, is only fun when the game is trying to make you do something else. It's the sense of "fuck your rules, I'm just going to get in this ice cream van and plough it straight down this sidewalk" that makes that act fun to do in a game.

If the game's entire purpose is "go and kill everyone and everything" then doing so gives no personal joy, it's just you blindly following a game's checklist, especially when it's all played so miserably straight and serious as this is.

One of my favourite games to commit genoical massacres on is Saints Row 2 because it's trying to be serious but still lets you slam limousines into old ladies and watch them rocket into oblivion. If every old lady in that game begged for mercy while you stuck a gun in their mouth not only would that be a miserable experience but especially given this is an isometric dual-stick shooter so there like won't be anything else but shooting, that'll also get really fucking dull.

I already replied to one another person on this subject so I am going to go ahead and quote myself:

Such assumptions about what other people like to play, and what kind of villain it is fun to play as. Really now, who do I have to blame for this? I remember lot of people parroting yahtzee back in the day about how it is only fun to be evil as long the game assumes you won't. Who the heck are you people to decide that for others?

Seriously, how do you know so well what other people like? Personally I am more baffled by the fact that so many of you can only take pleasure in random violence if it is "rebelling against the system". Does this have something do with how some people take up smoking just so they can smoke in front "Do not smoke here" -signs? But hey if that is how you get your fun, go nuts! But don't keep babbling how that is the only way to have fun, and how fun cannot possibly be had in any other way.

 

[babinro]

So its effectively the best parts of a grand theft auto game...

It would feel hypocritical of me to call this game out when I've let so many others go by that allows players to be complete psychos. Even games like Fallout and Skyrim let you do the same thing.

More to the point...I firmly believe that people aren't influenced by games to do acts of violence. As such, the harm that this game may cause is no more significant than the harm of any given book, tv show or other medium that depicts violence on the innocent.

The preview trailer is so over the top that it's clearly not glorifying any of the acts either. I'd simply call this game tasteless based on what little I've been exposed to. I'm as 'insulted' by this as I would be a game like Dragon's Crown or Dead or Alive volleyball.

 

[KazeAizen]

God damn, man. I was expecting something *mildly* offensive at best, like that boring ass JFK assassination simulator at best, this is just sheer undeniable BAITING for controversy.

I'm especially looking forward to the part where you help Hitler fly a hundred planes into the world trade centers.

Yeah, this is way to on the nose. I can see them trying to bait the news channels, but I have difficulty seeing this get a release on major consoles or Steam. If not for the controversy then because its stupid and no one will want to buy it. Of course, it ma just fade into obscurity and die with all the other "shock" games. And it's not even that shocking.

Honestly I wouldn't have paid much mind to this game if it hadn't come out during the biggest crap storm to the video game industry in a long time. Under any other circumstances I would've just blown it off as another game I will not enjoy and just looks terrible. You have a right to make any game you want still this game is in pour taste even if it is purposefully trying to bait shock reactions.

"Hey guys here's a game that is pretty much "No Russian" from "CoD: Modern Warefare 2" the entire time."

Yeah its stupid. Some other people have already said why this game is not going to be as fun as say GTA or Saints Row. In those its optional. You have larger over arching objectives and side missions that are the actual point. You cause mayhem when you just want a little catharsis for a change and then maybe the next session you get back to the real meat. Heck Jak 2 is a similar situation to GTA as well. You can terrorize the populace and run from the cops all you want but you know you have real crap to do when you aren't doing that. When the game is making you do just that and has nothing else to offer (which might be unfair to say at this point) its going to get boring real fast.

 

[Caostotale]

As with the music world's out-of-touch underground metal and hardcore scenes and that embarrassing segment of movie-goers that still supports Uwe Boll's career, this isn't even close to something that's going to deeply affect the medium, just a fringe group's bidding for wider attention/notoriety with the grace and subtlety of somebody who farts loudly in class and tries to pass it off as awesome. In terms of gaming mechanics, if I wanted to play a good isometric shooter, I'd go chip away at my Geometry Wars score some more or dig out the Midway arcade collection disc and give Total Carnage another spin. At least those games have more than four colors and enemies that were actually worth destroying.

 

[Maevine]

Seems like a logical extension of the dark, gritty, kill-'em-all shooter manly man stuff we're all totally used to by now.

Like most all the others of its kind, I won't play it. But I guess it may as well exist. I mean, it looks like it'll be well-received by its target audience and all that. Granted, I don't ever want to meet anyone in this game's target audience, so I don't really know?

Part of me wants to believe this game is actually joking, but I've seen Ride to Hell, so I know there's a good chance they're serious. I don't know. I don't think any of our parents are going to like it, regardless.

 

[Fox12]

God damn, man. I was expecting something *mildly* offensive at best, like that boring ass JFK assassination simulator at best, this is just sheer undeniable BAITING for controversy.

I'm especially looking forward to the part where you help Hitler fly a hundred planes into the world trade centers.

Yeah, this is way to on the nose. I can see them trying to bait the news channels, but I have difficulty seeing this get a release on major consoles or Steam. If not for the controversy then because its stupid and no one will want to buy it. Of course, it ma just fade into obscurity and die with all the other "shock" games. And it's not even that shocking.

Honestly I wouldn't have paid much mind to this game if it hadn't come out during the biggest crap storm to the video game industry in a long time. Under any other circumstances I would've just blown it off as another game I will not enjoy and just looks terrible. You have a right to make any game you want still this game is in pour taste even if it is purposefully trying to bait shock reactions.

"Hey guys here's a game that is pretty much "No Russian" from "CoD: Modern Warefare 2" the entire time."

Yeah its stupid. Some other people have already said why this game is not going to be as fun as say GTA or Saints Row. In those its optional. You have larger over arching objectives and side missions that are the actual point. You cause mayhem when you just want a little catharsis for a change and then maybe the next session you get back to the real meat. Heck Jak 2 is a similar situation to GTA as well. You can terrorize the populace and run from the cops all you want but you know you have real crap to do when you aren't doing that. When the game is making you do just that and has nothing else to offer (which might be unfair to say at this point) its going to get boring real fast.

The thing is, I can't see this coming out at any other time. If they could have released this after columbine, they probably would, and the rash of american shootings in the last few years hasn't helped. I'm hoping that this doesn't catch on, but their fishing for controversy, and both Fox and CNN would probably be happy to oblige.

The thing with Saints Row is that its cartoon violence. In fact, I would go further and say its satire. In Saints Row 4 they deliberately mock the player for running over civilians. But, like South Park, its too absurd to be taken seriously, so nobody did. This, on the other hand, is basically trolling: the game.

 

[WarpZone]

You write 9 paragraph wall post, so cocksure, telling how absolutely no-one wont actually want to buy this game, and yet you don't notice me saying literally 8 post before that I am going to buy and play it? Some awareness before posting would not go a miss.

Such assumptions about what other people like to play, and what kind of villain it is fun to play as. Really now, who do I have to blame for this? I remember lot of people parroting yahtzee back in the day about how it is only fun to be evil as long the game assumes you won't. Who the heck are you people to decide that for others?

I am not saying this game will selling +1 000 000 but I do know there's going to be a niche audience wanting to play this too. But hey, thanks for framing all of them as dedicated Columbine-Planners. So people playing games like this can only be ones who actually plan to do the stuff in real life? Do I really need to go into what that thought process implies?

Obviously that was just my initial reaction to the article and the youtube video. I didn't read all 200 comments first. But hey, since I have your attention, hi there! You're a type of gamer that I didn't previously know exists. I have to admit, I'm curious as hell. What motivates you? I scrolled up a bit and found your post, but it just says you're tired of the thin veneer of patriotism over the top of the violence in the Modern Military Shooter genre. That doesn't really tell me a whole lot.

So! Let's dig deeper. In your own words, what do you find appealing about the game Hatred, as presented in the video?

 

[WarpZone]

Seems like a logical extension of the dark, gritty, kill-'em-all shooter manly man stuff we're all totally used to by now.

Like most all the others of its kind, I won't play it. But I guess it may as well exist. I mean, it looks like it'll be well-received by its target audience and all that. Granted, I don't ever want to meet anyone in this game's target audience, so I don't really know?

Part of me wants to believe this game is actually joking, but I've seen Ride to Hell, so I know there's a good chance they're serious. I don't know. I don't think any of our parents are going to like it, regardless.

Who do you imagine this "target audience" to be? Describe them to me. What would one look like if you were to pass them at the supermarket? What's their average age, gender, and income? Do they live in any particular area? What overlap with other hobbies do you anticipate? What other video games do you suppose they play? Personally, I can't imagine it.

It's as if the game was designed, built, and marketed to cater to a non-gamer's mental image of the type of people who buy "violent video games." But since that entire mental image is fabricated, I have a hard time seeing how that's supposed to translate into sales.

Looking at the video, I don't think even the protagonist knows what he's rebelling against. Is it like describing the monster in a Lovecraft novel? Are you just supposed to imagine whatever race or gender you want over the victims? Is that why they're all silhouettes?

 

[thewatergamer]

Meh looks like another bland corporate attempt to copy CoD's money making formula...

 

[WarpZone]

Meh looks like another

List the others. Because I've never heard of them.

bland

Agreed.

corporate

No. Indie. Not corporate. Very very not corporate. Corporations would be too worried about damage to their brand.

attempt to copy CoD's money making formula...

Call of Duty's moneymaking formula appears to be first-person and third-person shooting in a brown military setting, with themes of patriotism and the military lifestyle. Gameplay consists of being herded by the game from one cutscene or quicktime event to the next.

Hatred, on the other hand, looks like twin-stick top-down shooting in a grey civilian setting. If it has a theme at all, I suppose it's just "hatred." We don't have a lot of information about systems (best-case, Bangai-O, worst case: Pac Man without a win condition) but it appears that it may involve open, free-roaming levels and some element of survival.

The only thing I can see that the two games have in common is "shooting." Correct me if you think I'm missing something in Call of Duty's formula that Hatred copies. I'm just not seeing it.