No Russian - How did you play through it? - SPOILERS for Modern Warfare 2

[Aristol]

First time I played through I went in machine gun blazing. Cutting down the civilians and cops as they stood and finishing off the ones that tried to run away. I did it mostly because I was supposed to be a spy trying to infiltrate a terrorist cell. And I didn't want to be the suspicious guy standing in the back not doing anything.

Second time I played through I just skipped it. It's kind of a boring mission once you know what happens. You move slowly and aren't required to actually do anything.

 

[Symias]

I just played along like i always do when i get into a story.
Shot the Civilians when i had to, shot the cops when they came.
(whispered queitly to my friend when playing the sneaking spec-ops in splitscreen.)

 

[mikecoulter]

I shot and gunned my way through the mission like it was intended. I'd make one great CIA agent according to Activision...

 

[MiracleOfSound]

Only shot at people who shot at me first.

Felt too bad to kill any of those poor little computer russian people.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

ignore double post

 

[Jammerz]

UGH........ "No Russian" was such a terrible mission you dont shoot at all!, you move slow as FUCK! and it's just so GOD DAMN boring!, When I heard some people thought it was "fun" I couldn't believe it! Though it I will admit it held a major part in Modern Warfare 2's "story" but they could of shortened it and made it a quick 3 minute cutscene and save all the controversy!

 

[Raziel_Likes_Souls]

It was the only time I ever got a kill streak.

 

[TheGreatCoolEnergy]

To be brutally honnest? I shot everyone. Does that make me bad? Yeah probably. But I mean, it was like target practise. I was kind of pissed off and surprised when he betrayed me though.

EDIT: Forgot something, I stopped shooting for a while, cause my friend(who had already beat it) wanted me to see something specific(which I missed anyway), and I have to say, the temptation was there to just "kick into rock and roll mode" and fire away.

 

[Ph33nix]

first time in shock second time tossing grenades.

 

[technoted]

I figured i'd do the good thing and behave and only shoot at the roof, then i realised i had a grenade launcher and that the civilians were all so close together and i couldn't help myself, then when i saw them trying to help the wounded i just felt pity and started kneecapping everyone before shooting up their spine in an ellegant fashion

 

[PissedGrunty]

I didn't shoot at all...
I'm ashamed why though: I wanted to see if there was an achievement for not killing anyone.
It's not like me, Gamerscore means nothing to me... I felt dirty...
Haha.

At least on the PS3 version, the "do you want to skip being possibly offended" option specifically stated that the level wouldn't impact Trophies.

 

[TheGreatCoolEnergy]

UGH........ "No Russian" was such a terrible mission you dont shoot at all!, you move slow as FUCK! and it's just so GOD DAMN boring!, When I heard some people thought it was "fun" I couldn't believe it! Though it I will admit it held a major part in Modern Warfare 2's "story" but they could of shortened it and made it a quick 3 minute cutscene and save all the controversy!

Yeah, and then the effect would have been numbed because it wouldn't be you, it would be just some guy on your TV. It would have been like wtaching it in a movie(which we have all seen a thousand times), and it wouldn't have hit the audience in the same way.

 

[Jammerz]

UGH........ "No Russian" was such a terrible mission you dont shoot at all!, you move slow as FUCK! and it's just so GOD DAMN boring!, When I heard some people thought it was "fun" I couldn't believe it! Though it I will admit it held a major part in Modern Warfare 2's "story" but they could of shortened it and made it a quick 3 minute cutscene and save all the controversy!

Yeah, and then the effect would have been numbed because it wouldn't be you, it would be just some guy on your TV. It would have been like wtaching it in a movie(which we have all seen a thousand times), and it wouldn't have hit the audience in the same way.

tusé...

 

[dancinginfernal]

I gunned them down like no tomorrow.

How dare they exist at the same time I do. That could not go unpunished.

 

[TheDaringDragoon]

How did I play through it?

I started shooting civilians as soon as those cops comically bricked themselves at the sight of our big guns. I then started manically laughing for the duration of the slaughter.

Guilty? No
Repeatable? Yes.

 

[floppylobster]

I'm kind of surprised at the people who got quite defensive about this or felt the need to put down my personal response. So what if I'm little more sensitive than others and found the level shocking? Doesn't the argument "It's just a game" also cover me as "I'm just a delicate little flower, (or sensitive prick), who empathizes with things too much?" I've been playing video games all my life. I totally support them. I only wanted to discuss them and our responses to them.

Empathy is what brings us closer to other understanding feelings of other people/things. Without it MW2 is really ?just a game? and the story will have no impact on the human player. Some people can only empathize with things that are very close to them (i.e. family and friends); others can empathize with strangers and animals or people who don?t share their values. I guess if you felt nothing shooting civilians then it stirred the same emotions in you as playing Tetris? So it truly was just a game to you and all of Infinity Ward?s efforts to further storytelling in games failed (in those instances).

Thanks to those who responded with their experience (without judging mine). Very interesting.

 

[chronobreak]

It is terribly sad that when a game actually tries to put something a little interesting and thought provoking, but also controversial like this level in their game, gamers rush to defend it against their critics who say they can't handle it, only to have it stay in the game, but the majority of people seem to just take away "dood i shooted everyone" from it.

 

[TheDaringDragoon]

I don't think it's fair to dismiss anyone who felt nothing in 'No Russian' as an apathetic gamer or person.
People react differently to different situations and some people require more than a video game to stir up guilt or shock. I think that infinity ward created that section of the game for pure shock value to create controversy and boost sales.

 

[You_have_a_name]

I shot every one xD

I loved it when their was a guy dieing by the wall, you could just go right up to their face look them in the eye the shoot them, it was funny

i don't see the big deal about that level, it was immersive and stuff but you can kill any civilians in GTA or even oblivian and fallout 3 (except kids) so what make this so special, but if you found it disturbing that's ok