Poll: the new medal of honour; offensive and tasteless, or is that just me?

[Jumplion]

I don't think it's offensive at all, and to be quite honest I think you're overreacting to it.

You only play as the Taliban in multiplayer, and it's all purely cosmetic. I mean, you can play as Russian ultra-nationalists and Arab terrorists in both CoD4 and Modern Warfare 2. And both Modern Warfare games tried their best to glorify the whole war with as many explosions and American Flags up the dog's bum as they could.

This reminds me of the whole "Six Days in Fallujah" fiasco. Despite having actual veterans that took part in Fallujah, and the determination to treat the subject with as much respect as Atomic games could, people were still "OMG, So offensive!" and Konami sadly dropped the game entirely.

From what I know, the newest Medal of Honor also gets help from War Veterans and they aim to make it as respectable to the source as they can. Why is Medal of Honor getting this flak when Modern Warfare is getting off scott-free?

 

[omega 616]

I am going to come across as cold but it's a war, people die.

Unfortunately were smart enough to can make things like the tsar bomba but we can't be civilized enough to talk about things and settle it without violence. There are people who are stupid enough to hate people 'cos there different skin tone or there immensely greedy (Mugabe), but given our lust for blood it will never change.

Maybe it's in bad taste, but is the legion of WW2 shooters in bad taste aswell? Just 'cos this war is happening now doesn't mean it's any worse than any other game based on currant wars.

 

[Doth]

I find it refreshing and if anything, tasteful, as opposed to jumping on the russian/WW2 bandwagon of antagonists.

A full Taliban campaign would be awesome, but that's not ever going to happen.

 

[ProfessorLayton]

I figure as long as they handle it respectfully, then I don't think it's offensive.

The only truly respectful World War II game I've ever played was Call of Duty... In fact, I learned a lot of German from the multiplayer voice commands, learned about the different battles, and after beating it I had a new respect for the soldiers of WWII. The things is, I don't think Medal of Honor is going to do that. It's just a minor bit of controversy mixed with another excuse to use the abuse the "modern warfare" system that it seems like everyone has to try and be like. The Medal of Honor series really hasn't been as respectful as Call of Duty, but then look what happened when they decided to do Modern Warfare... Personally, I'm not going to look too deeply into the politics of it all and judge it as any other game.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

My father was a former spetsnaz in "alfa" group, and I'm Russian. Did I get offended at you killing Russian civilians in MW 2? Or the killing of Russian soldiers in dozens of FPS'? It's all subjective, if you choose to take offense at a game covering a modern war then that is your choice, but to me, i don't think anyone should really be that sensitive unless the game treats the situation un-respectfully.

It must suck being a Russian gamer. You guys always end up being the bad guys. I want to get Metro 2033 soon so I can actually be on Russia's side for once

 

[SnowdensOfYesteryear]

In my opinion, if it it's thematically appropriate and handled well enough, there is no reason to be offended. I can see discomfort, but calling it "offensive and tasteless" is, in my personal opinion, uncalled for unless it, say, makes an achievement out of killing 4 soldiers within a week.

Yeah, then I could see it getting offensive.

 

[The Ambrosian]

Young kids have grandparents that died in WWII and older people have parents or even brothers, I dont think the fact that it was sixty years ago changes much, because it's not really that long. Yet no-one complains about the slaughter in WWII games.

And what about Black Ops. Vietnam/Cold War wasn't long ago and thats not the first Vietnam themed game either.

In twenty years the Middle Eastern wars will most likely be the WWII of shooters.

 

[PrimoThePro]

I won't be stopped from buying it because it's offensive. But I do understand why some people won't buy it. That's why I won't advertise this game whether I think it is good or not.

 

[IamQ]

No. This is the reason why I don't think you should be able to bann games. Games can't be objectivly "offensive" or "tasteless". It all depends on who you're showing them to.

 

[SpireOfFire]

i wont buy the new medal of honor simply because medal of honor should have died as a series long ago. but i can understand why some people would be offended. there isnt much that offends me but i can be a little unsettled and playing as the taliban would definatly put a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[Lunar Shadow]

Young kids have grandparents that died in WWII and older people have parents or even brothers, I dont think the fact that it was sixty years ago changes much, because it's not really that long. Yet no-one complains about the slaughter in WWII games.

And what about Black Ops. Vietnam/Cold War wasn't long ago and thats not the first Vietnam themed game either.

In twenty years the Middle Eastern wars will most likely be the WWII of shooters.

Funny you mentioned this. There is actually a charachter in Black Ops (beginning of this trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtRnpC7ddv8 ) looks like my dad. My dad was in Laos during the Vietnam war. I am not offended by that.

 

[ProfessorLayton]

Tell me professor, have you ever played Brothers In Arms? The second one, Earned In Blood, is probably the best. I always found that it was a very mature and realistic handling of WW2, complete with fully fledged battle strategies, and the story is based off a true one. You might like it.

I actually didn't play it. It's on Steam for cheap thanks to the sale... I might get the pack that comes with all three. I actually loved Call of Duty and Borderlands... I say this because it looks like Call of Duty and is made by the guys that did Borderlands. I've always wanted to pick it up, but I think you've convinced me to buy it. It looks like everything I want from a game.

 

[HotFezz8]

I don't think it's offensive at all, and to be quite honest I think you're overreacting to it.

You only play as the Taliban in multiplayer, and it's all purely cosmetic. I mean, you can play as Russian ultra-nationalists and Arab terrorists in both CoD4 and Modern Warfare 2. And both Modern Warfare games tried their best to glorify the whole war with as many explosions and American Flags up the dog's bum as they could.

This reminds me of the whole "Six Days in Fallujah" fiasco. Despite having actual veterans that took part in Fallujah, and the determination to treat the subject with as much respect as Atomic games could, people were still "OMG, So offensive!" and Konami sadly dropped the game entirely.

From what I know, the newest Medal of Honor also gets help from War Veterans and they aim to make it as respectable to the source as they can. Why is Medal of Honor getting this flak when Modern Warfare is getting off scott-free?

CoD was based on a warzone which was very clearly iraq, yes, but even MW2 never stayed in afghanistan long. MoH is focussed purely on Afghanistan.

the war in Afghanistan is different to others for the Brits (I add that as I understand Americans are having a similar experience in Iraq now, but their civilian population has never seemed to back or be connected to their forces as strongly as British civilians to theirs). Iraq started quick and clean, but we left there eventually.

Afghanistan has bogged down into attrition grinding stalemate, and everyone i know has lost people out there. we still have friends/loved ones out there now. the point is that with afghanistan its heartless to set a game there when people aren't sure if their brother/father/lover/friend is going to live through their stint.

put simply, people haven't stopped mourning their losses their, and already games execs are trying to cash in on it.

 

[amazing amazing]

it wont put me off the thing that puts me off is that it is exactly the same as every generic cookie cutter modern shooter nowadays remember the times with quake wolfenstien and duke nukem when shooter games didnt have to try to be retardedly realistic in order to be bought

that being said shooter games take up far far too much of the gaming market nowadays than they should i cant name the last time a platforming rpg or somewhat original game got any goty awards

 

[Reep]

I dont see anything wrong with experiencing the other side. I understand the offense coming from such an action if you experience it but nothing will be completely PC and given the genre, its hard not to have any offense in it at all.

I dont know why but i also keep thinking of Nazi Zombies when people take offense in war games.

 

[clipped crow]

I completely understand why the people who know soldiers will without a doubt find it at least to be a bit tasteless, but it's only because you're putting a face to pixels of a game.

For people like me who have nothing but a game in front of them and a media based cynical mind on the controller. I just see another faceless, soulless, and nameless body drop just like any other person in the world. While I hate even the thought of the man with a fiery passion, Stalin hit the note pretty dead on...