The Bloody Carnage in Manhunt 2
November 3rd, 2007 by Joe CiccantiIt seems like video games are getting more and more violent and graphic. There is quite a bit of controversy surrounding the new “Manhunt 2″ game, which contains a great deal of carnage. You can see a few photos of the game by clicking on this link:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jpQ_GJJuBYfnoVDvsl3urbnEJThgD8SLNSH00
The cover of this video game says it all. Real obvious is the demonic image that depicts the kind of evil that is being instilled into the minds of young people.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhunt_2Â
What is actually included in the game has sparked outrage. Players can use any item in the environment to take people out. The game allows players to set people on fire, stab them in the eye with pens, and choke them with wire. There are dozens of different ways to kill people, each with realistic blood and sound effects. In the game, the player guides two people who scape from an insane asylum and go on a killing rampage with a variety of weapons, including axes. The intro scene opens into thunder-storm-inspired chaos and is described as incredibly cinematic with screams and cries emanating from the halls and doctors being dragged off and beaten by NPCs. A new feature regarding executions in the game are the environmental kills, which can be used to eliminate an opponent. For example, you can push an enemy face-first into a live fuse box, use telephone cords to strangle an enemy or you can beat the dude to death in a toilet.
Despite the extreme bloody violence, ”Manhunt 2″ is going to keep its mature rating. The Associated Press reports that there were calls to give it an adults-only rating, after hackers defeated some of the steps that were taken to blur some of the game’s violence. But the board that assigns the age ratings to video games says it will stay where it is. The game went on sale in the U.S. this week for PlayStation and Wii platforms.
If you are a parent, how do you feel about your teenager playing this game? I believe these types of games can affect the minds of young people. Also do any of these ratings set by the Entertainment Software Rating Board mean anything? Does the rating lessen the impact on the individual? Perhaps you are one of those who doesn’t see anything wrong with this. You might say (and a 17 year old kid might say), “Come on, it’s only a game.” But is this something you really want to get your son for Christmas?
November 3rd, 2007 at 7:54 am
Joe, I’m glad you raised this issue, as it concerns me too.
These games are not cowboys and indians, like we used to play. Even then, my parents never let us have toy guns, or even make a fist with a pointing finger like a gun. Perhaps these restrictions are the roots of my pacifism.
Should it not be obvious to all of us that a game based on the commission of acts of violence to achieve victory is not only undesirable for our children but also is actually barbaric and uncivilized?
I really wonder if we are destined, by our choices, to become even more like the state of Sparta. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparta
Our behavior as a nation makes me wonder as well. Is there a connection? I think there may well be.
There are certainly a large number of wholesome, fun games that we parents and grandparents can choose for our children instead of these that are saturated in violence.
November 3rd, 2007 at 8:21 am
“If you are a parent, how do you feel about your teenager playing this game?”
I am a parent- and I will be playing the game right along side of him- I have spend 15 years teaching him right from wrong and showing by example how to be a productive, compassionate person. I doubt a video game or ‘bad music’ will wipe away 15 years of nurturing. Why do people constantly try to blame others for their own failure?
November 3rd, 2007 at 9:22 am
This has nothing to do with ‘parent failure’. What it has to do with is a country becoming steeped in violence as the basis of most of our entertainment, be it on TV, in films, video games, literature etc. However one chooses to raise their child, the amount of time one spends with them, is it really necessary to be surrounded by all of this when there is so much beauty and culture to be experienced. Or does that take a degree of thought which both parents and kids today have not the time or inclination to pursue. It’s not a matter of blaming someone else, it’s a matter of standing up and saying ‘enough’ of this garbage.
November 3rd, 2007 at 10:07 am
“This has nothing to do with ‘parent failure’. Probably the words of a person whose wife went to work as soon as the baby was old enough to be sent away to a compassionate daycare- where they stick the kids in front of TV’s all day. After all we have to have a double income so that our kids can get ahead in life. When it’s all said and done the only thing that matters is time or lack thereof.
November 3rd, 2007 at 10:41 am
AE, nothing to do with Mom being home or at work or “the only thing that matters is time or lack thereof”. It’s the quality of the time we give our kids…not quantity. I chose to be a stay-at-home Mom until mine was in her teens. Instead of even sending her to pre-school I chose to teach her at home knowing she would be off to school soon enough. That aside, I agree wholeheartedly with RonR (in fact I’d already started such a comment but inadvertently closed it before I was finished). Look at any tv week of scheduling…how many “Reality” shows do you count and apart from a very, very select few, most are horrendous according to their synopsis. I can think of two that I’d consider of some value while somewhat entertaining…even educational. “Kid Nation” and “Amazing Race”. And I agree with Perry…I know, these days, it’s probably difficult to get kids away from electronics and be excited over board games but even with video and computer, there is a plethora of electronic games available that are fun…and even free. Question is…do you buy such games as Manhunt for your son or do you buy them for yourself? With some reservation I would say that I can agree with you on a couple of points you made but whether or not these games evoke a violent nature in those who play them…what, exactly, is the fun of shoving someone’s face into a fuse box, beating them to death in a toilet or choking the last breath from anyone? The “pleasure” and entertainment to be gained from such activities is what, exactly?
November 3rd, 2007 at 11:35 am
I’ve played all this “garbage” my whole life. I’m huge into mafia movies and history, along with war movies, action, and lots of gore. However, I’ve never been in a fight, heated argument, trouble with the law, any mischief of any kind, and so on. Therefore I can’t agree the blame is solely on a video game. I am with Amish on this one. I believe the stem of kids problems is their friends. If they hang around kids that are trouble makers they will turn out that way regardless of what game they play. If parents to keep their kids away then they have problems. I’ve seen it time and time again. Kids that didn’t even play video games were out commiting terrible crimes. You just can’t say it’s the games faults because I know tons of people that share my same interest and never have had a run in with the law or even been in a fight. Don’t blame America’s problems on video games when the problems are within our households, schools, and government not teaching morals, responsibility, and justice.
November 3rd, 2007 at 12:46 pm
Maybe we can all go live in a GODLESS world where our kids play soccer and keep no score. Then everything would be perfect.
November 3rd, 2007 at 1:39 pm
Is anyone suggesting that AE? But now that you bring up God? Well let’s not, he seemed to be replaced by The Sopranos too.
November 3rd, 2007 at 1:45 pm
Seems to me games such as described in this blog are pretty GODLESS, with killing, slaughter, gore etc. but, in fact, why bring God or theology into this and try to align it with ‘perfection’? GODLESS or God-fearing, we all know this world and society isn’t perfect, never will be nor has it ever been but I ask again…what, exactly, is the point to such games as described (other than the player feeling like a winner because of how many he/she “took out”)?
November 3rd, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Soy Milk! I forgot soy milk- in our new GODLESS perfect world all the emasculated men and boys would drink soy milk.
Plans for the perfect world:
1. GODLESS
2. Scoreless soccer matches
3. Soy Milk
November 3rd, 2007 at 2:31 pm
Soy milk? Uggghhh! Well, there goes your credibility!
November 3rd, 2007 at 3:02 pm
Nancy- what is more detrimental to a child?
Sending him to daycare when he’s 3 months old, until he’s old enough to go to school, or,
allowing a teenager to play a violent video game.
November 3rd, 2007 at 3:32 pm
He could have said tofu and made it worse.
November 3rd, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Yes, there does go credibility. I find it noteworthy, Nancy, that you haven’t yet received an answer to your question, asked twice.
November 3rd, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Yes, I’m kind of waiting for an answer also, but have dinner guests coming.Perhaps I’ll be surprised in the morning.
November 3rd, 2007 at 5:21 pm
Umm…RonR…I couldn’t very well slag tofu since I’ve been known to eat Tempeh (Yes! And liked it!)…LOL.
AE…that’s a relative no-brainer of a question but I will answer your question even though I did neither. Allowing a child to watch a violent…especially extremely violent, video game wins hands down. It would seem, on your already given comments, you wouldn’t agree but how do you justify that choice…such as violent video game. It is a choice and very often, particularly these days, some have no choice on the daycare issue. Maybe preference would be better employed…but the jusification still isn’t the same thing. Personally, I’ve done without rather than have someone else raise my child but I understand there are those who can’t even do that…not when it comes to providing the basics of living. Buying for and taking pleasure in one’s teenager playing a violent video game doesn’t quite come into that decision making. I’m not judging…it’s your child, your lives and I’m aware that there are kids who have played similar games which, to them, it has been just that…a game. But you never, as Perry pointed out, answered MY question. I don’t necessarily believe every thing a child does has to be educational, least of all game playing but violence isn’t even a natural ingredient to pleasure…is it? In our every day lives the majority of us abhor and will speak out against violence of any sort so why make an exception and “appreciate” it in play, entertainment, fantasy?
Perry, I did notice that and there are probably three reasons why it hasn’t been asnwered:
1) Still trying to find an answer and stumped
2) It’s a “guilty pleasure” and not exactly proud of their answer
3) Didn’t like the question in the first place.
How about it, boys…I answered your question, AE….
November 3rd, 2007 at 6:20 pm
“I ask again…what, exactly, is the point to such games as described (other than the player feeling like a winner because of how many he/she “took outâ€)?”
The point of the manufacturer is to make money- the point of playing such games is entertainment. I don’t claim that they are wholesome- but I can’t believe that people actually blame games, music, movies etc…. for the violent world we live in.
As far as GOD, winning and whole milk- those are things the liberal creeps try to take away from our school kids. I just think personal responsibility still means something. Just a thought from a racist (as defined by University of Delaware).
November 3rd, 2007 at 7:01 pm
Thank you for that much, AE. It’s a given the manufacturer’s, retailers’ intent is to make money and I guess to each his/her own the definition of entertainment and that’s what I question. Not yours but in general…what do people these days consider entertainment and looking at DVD’s, video games, tv…the preponderance seems to be violence is the number one choice of manufacturers, producers and consumers. I really don’t blame games, music, movies for the violents world we live in, and I haven’t done so, here. But I do think we have, as a society, become inured, numbed that we think little of it so, being so prevalent in our lives and play would it be any wonder that it’s not too big a step for anyone…kids or otherwise…to use it as a resolution to a problem? Take the guy out on the video game…who does it hurt? Where are the consequences? Rape, murder on a tv show…two days later the victim is living happily ever after in another show, with the husband, three kids and a dog. Yes, we say, we believe our kids are good kids, never much of a problem, stays home playing his/her games…great. But look back through the last several years and a good percentage of the kids who committed violence against classmates were described by parents and neighbours as exactly that. Some were said to be “too quiet”…there are a lot of kids out there who are too quiet and never hurt a fly so how can we really assess where viewing, playing violence just for entertainment leaves off and committing it against a live human being starts? I don’t know…do you? For sure?
And true…personal responsibility DOES, indeed, mean a great deal more than many people want to believe these days. It always has but maybe more people believed that, in the past. No, I wouldn’t encourage my youngsters to be entertained by violence any more than I’d encourage them to smoke, drink, take drugs, watch porn or be promiscous for relaxation, entertainment or just to pass a few mindless hours. And I would bet everything I have that you would not, either. And the difference is…………??
November 4th, 2007 at 12:59 am
You know the best part about Manhunt 2? No one cares except for the media. It’s a crap game that’s not going to sell well because gamers don’t care.
PA talks about that in yesterday’s comic.
http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2007/20071102.jpg
(warning, link contains adult language and situations. Also may be uncomfortable for men)