[TJ Griffin]

As the title says, crybaby can be found here.

This year's most sought-after video game is "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2," a very [1]M-rated -- as in military -- combat simulation released last week in which players control special-ops soldiers, running and gunning their way through realistic 3-D environments.
The game sold 4.7 million copies, generating $310 million, on just the first day after it was released, said publisher Activision.
But parents interested in picking up this game for their kids should remember this caveat: It's also one of the most controversial games of the year, due to one short, five-minute segment where the protagonist is forced to gun down scores of innocent people in a crowded airport. Not exactly the kind of image and interactivity players are ready for after the Fort Hood massacre.
Early in the game, you play an anti-terrorist soldier who has infiltrated a Russian group about to unleash a fury of bullets in an airport.
Not only do you witness the killing, but the game allows you to participate in the shooting spree as well, gunning down screaming bystanders, even wounded ones begging for their lives. If you try to stop the terrorists in any way, the game ends and you have to restart the mission. In fact, you can't progress to the next chapter unless you kill riot police (at one point, the game tells you how to use a grenade launcher on them).
Activision claims it's an important part of the story and helps convey the horror of their acts. I agree -- to a point.
As my review on the front page states today, I like the game for its otherwise outstanding gameplay and graphics. But for the same reason film critics used to complain about mad-slasher films such as "Friday the 13th" always putting audiences in the point-of-view of the killer, I have a problem with conveying an airport massacre through the eyes of a player who must murder innocents.
Why not make the player a horrified observer? [2]Couldn't it have been told just as effectively as a non-interactive cut scene? Or shouldn't the player at least have the option to try and stop the killing at the risk of dying himself? [3]That is one wholly unrealistic aspect to the scene: No undercover agent would even allow that kind of mass killing to occur -- let alone participate in it -- just to keep his cover.
[4]Though the game's developer, Infinity Ward, gives players the option to skip what it acknowledges might be an "offensive" part of the game, that's more of a cop-out.
Game makers have always pushed the idea that interactive entertainment takes storytelling to the next level. Yes, it does. It also makes violence in realistic scenarios feel that much more troubling. [5]Game creators should be more responsible in how they portray it.

1. No, M as in "Mature". As in "intelligent people who can handle it". As in "children have no business playing it in the first place".
2. No.
3. Finally, something this guy says that I actually agree with.
4. Like hell it is. It doesn't just give you the option to skip it, it explicitly warns players several times and offers to skip it before the game even starts.
5. I applaud Infinity Ward for being ballsy enough to put it in the game.

Its a VIDEO GAME. It isn't real. If one can't handle the violence in the first place, one has no business playing violent games. Go play Viva Pinata and Mario Sunshine. Better yet, unplug your console and sell it to the nearest Gamestop. This is exactly the kind of "soccer mom" crap that is hurting the game industry. Parents, take responsibility for your own damn children and what YOU choose to allow them to be exposed to.

[Daemon300]

Yeah! You pwn him TJ!

It's just a game!

[TJ Griffin]

Thanks. Seriously, this is this guys message to parents thinking to get MW2 for their kids. I have my own message to them.

Dear parents thinking of getting "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" for their children,

First of all, if your planning on getting this game for your kids, that makes you pretty damn cool. Please keep in mind that "Modern WARFARE" is not some sort of pun. If you get this game and find it in any way inappropriate, please remember that YOU are the one who bought it. YOU are the one who gave it to your child. YOU are the one who allowed your child to play it. YOU are the one at fault, and YOU have no right to complain about it in any way.

Yours truly,
TJ

[Firis]

Thats some BULL**** right there. I like my entertainment black and psychotic just liek my coffee.

[Zjuggernaut]

It's pretty stupid. If it was offensive, it wouldn't be in the game. I can understand Russia finding it slightly offensive, that's why it was banned but c'mon... It's a game. It gives you the option to skip it so instead of winging like a p*ssy, do what it says and f**king skip it.

This whole terrorist level thing is starting to p*ss me off. People complain about one mission where you kill civilians and I can name a game where you do it all the way through the entire story.. Grand Theft Auto.

[JohnDoe]

To be informed means to hear all sides of the story, all points of view. That's his.

[Sean]

Actually, an undercover agent WOULD let that happen, the objective is ALWAYS more important to them than the things happening around them, that's what makes them an agent, emotions cannot corrupt you, killing those people and getting close to Makarov, giving you a chance to kill him is worth it. Think of all the people he would have killed if you didn't kill him? 10x more than the people at the air port. In the end, killing the people in the airport and killing Makarov would have been the good thing to do. Plus what are you going to do? 1 against 4?

I agree with Juggernaut, all of Grand Theft Auto is about killing random people, doing drugs and alcohol, stealing, robbing, banging hookers, you name anything that's bad, it's in there. You can even steal a gun and kill the whole town if you choose. ONE level in Modern Warfare 2 has killing civilians, and there's a point to it, any other level if you shoot a civilian it punishes you. In Grand Theft Auto, it would probably reward you for killing civilians. I wish people could suck it up, it's just a game, you can skip it so stop being little girls and pump some russians.

[Daemon300]

^I wouldn't let that happen. Even if I died I would still try to stop these guys.

Hmmm? What would I do?


KAMIKAZE!!!

Or RAMBO!!!

[Sean]

If you go against him, you'd die, and they would still continue to kill people.

If you help them, you'll get a chance to kill him and end it all.

[Daemon300]

I don't care if I'd die. I would TRY and save the people that are dying.

[Skotekal]

You NEED the mission to fill in the backstory, even though I think it was a bit harsh. Grand Theft Auto is just fun to do, but this was an organized attack on civilians. The reporter went a bit far, but it was a little harsh of a mission.

But it is rated M for a goddamn reason! So I see no real problem here.

[Dark Drakan]

You are also warned about the mission beforehand and that it may be disturbing to some. You dont get an achievement for doing that level either so you arent penalised for skipping it.

[Angel]

Don't see what all the fuss is about - I've watched the level and could not care less. It's meant to simulate elements of military and terrorist situations so what exactly are people expecting from Infinity Ward? Like has already been said, you don't have to join in the killing spree but neither can you stop it so either skip the scene or walk through and don't shoot - but people should quit whining about what essentially can happen in terrorist situations. They terrorise people.

The rating is appropriate and like any game carrying the same warnings, people should adhere to them. But then what do I know? People are stupid...

[Sean]

I thought it was the sweetest level.

[Dark Drakan]

Originally Posted by Angel

Don't see what all the fuss is about - I've watched the level and could not care less. It's meant to simulate elements of military and terrorist situations so what exactly are people expecting from Infinity Ward? Like has already been said, you don't have to join in the killing spree but neither can you stop it so either skip the scene or walk through and don't shoot - but people should quit whining about what essentially can happen in terrorist situations. They terrorise people.

The rating is appropriate and like any game carrying the same warnings, people should adhere to them. But then what do I know? People are stupid...

Yeah not sure re-enacting what usually happens at airports would have the same adrenaline filled effect as the games scenario. Sitting in departure lounge for 3 hours while plane is delayed just staring at a screen just wouldnt cut it.