Originally found this on Eurogamers' forum, it seems in the 4th mission of Modern Warfare 2 there is a mission set in an airport, and going by the footage, the mission seems to be about killing all the civillians in the airport. The footage starts at 1.50.
Link
It'd be silly to judge the game based on this footage without knowing the proper context I guess but I found the footage really disturbing, I can't see a context in which it would be acceptable.
The violence would be more understandable if the game wasn't so realistic and not tongue in cheek. And its not as if its just the player shooting civillians, the CPU is too.
I think Infinity Ward have maybe went too far, the game is an 18, but this is nasty stuff imo.

Its a video game and this kinda stuff happens everyday in places we can't see. I don't see the problem with video games exploring just how depraved people can be.

It's not the first time. When you make a Death Knight in World of Warcraft, your first several missions involve killing innocent people. GTA is all about random acts of violence.

But I do have to say that this is certainly the most realistic depiction of innocent slaughter I've seen out of a game. He even shot the poor hugger working at Starbucks!

I was killing innocents in Crackdown last night!

It was a blast!

I think it's good in a way.

Games are not going to grow as an art form if they don't tackle these kinds of things.

On one hand, if games are going to grow as a storytelling medium - and I feel that's the way games are going, more and more, as the characters and supporting cast get personalities, drama, themes, etc - then it makes no more sense to keep these aspects out of games than it does to keep them out of novels and other literature.

On the other hand, I very easily see people growing desensitized to this sort of behaviour, with all the adrenaline and realistic images of the real thing and none of the real-world counterbalances.

I don't think my concerns are a reason not to do it, but I do see issues and at least possible allegations of bad taste (I'd have to play it myself to really judge).

I don't mind the violence in Saints Row, which is so obviously over the top silly, or in Gears of War, where it fits the theme of horror, though I don't think either of those are appropriate for kids.

Fortunately, there's a rating system to help people identify what is appropriate for kids!

And the fact that most stores, if they have good employes that is, won't sell those games to underage kids.

Well, the video's gone.

Honestly who cares though? As long as it's fun... unlike Prototype where I just hated the character for being such a douche.

I suppose its much the same as the likes of showing you Mike Myers murdering his parents from a 1st person view in Halloween, shocking at the time, putting you into the character while he's doing something we'd probably rather not see. But you put more of yourself into a game I'd argue, you pretty much are the character rather than just viewing a charcter. I'm worried it will actually give messed up people more incentive to re-enact such things, something I've never really felt from a game before.
It'll give the soccor moms and reactionary groups something to rant about anyway. Games are becoming the video nasties of the day.

You forget the torture. Don't forget the torture!

...


I think I need to roll a death knight...

..... am i a bad person for watching that video and thinking ' man, that looks like fun' ?

of course, i used to work at an airport... so my views of those kinds of places and the people in them might be a bit skewed..

Yeah, the starting quests are brutal. To the point there's a fair few people who didn't feel at all comfortable playing one.

Considering that one, the game's presumably meant for adults (who presumably ought to be able to tell reality from fantasy, and if they can't a video game is the least of their worries), and two, people mow down "innocents" in video games for kicks all the time even when the game doesn't expect you to, I'm having trouble getting worked up over this. If it bothers anyone, they can just not play it, simple.

Well, they aren't called "Stern Talking To Knights" for a reason.

http://www.destructoid.com/is-this-a-moder...r--153300.phtml

Supposedly, in the segment in question, you're playing as an undercover CIA operative.

Um, i see no problem here.

Sure we can sit here and debate tastefulness, and eventually someone will throw 9/11 into the mix but honestly, would we have this argument if it was a group of marines assaulting a village in some desert?
Or if it was on a alien world and it was robots shooting the aliens.

i mean, whats the problem here?

I was just getting a little snarky because of the number of grade nine boys I've found myself playing Horde with.

I don't see a problem. I mean, it's not like we've never had that HERE in the U.S. or anything.

Oh, too true. But then again, it's usually the same people who moan about the ethical implications of the Nesingwary Safari quest chains. It's their damned fault we have the DEHTA.

If you are undercover that is awesome. Just as getting to play your own death in MW1 tied you to your character in a different way than most games, I imagine this will do the same. Kill and Airport full of innocents to save a city full.

ib4 Jack Thompson gets pissy pantsed over realistic murder simulator

Eh, just enforce the game ratings we have, maybe make people sign wavers at point of purchase. In good taste or not, pushing the boundaries of taste farther and farther every time or not, it's the same situation over and over. How many years are we going to have to hear about this crap?

The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.

The answer is blowing in the wind.

Well the gamer in me says that this is normal, just a game, nothing to it.

Unfortunately the Conservative in me is mad. This is less of a game and more of a simulator of sorts. I know that's lame but sorry that's just me.

Face it, this is a shock and awe marketing campaign from the trailers on the website.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6238331.html?...adlines;title;1

The levl is real indeed. But it will be optional and preceded with a warning of the content and the player gets a choice whether or not o play the segment.

Not, it's not. It's still played with buttons and thumbsticks, or keyboard and mouse. A simulator would require it to, well, simulate the real situation.

So the game is being released early by tons of outlets in my area. Everyone is competing for that cash. So yeah, I played this level...

Ok, up front, before you even begin playing the first level the game warns you that there is some disturbing content and gives you the option of just skipping certain levels. I opted out of that. When I got the the level in question and began playing... wow. I hit pause and dropped the controller. It was just a shock.
I soon got over it and went on playing the game but it really is quite harsh.

^thats what i was hoping for, not the whole killing the innocents part but being able to evoke that emotion.

This game is gonna be epic.

Thank you. That's the exact review I've been looking for. I was worried that I was just buying into hype about this game. But if it's able to provoke a real emotional response, then I know my money will be well spent.

The thing is I knew of this level. Leading up to ot you know it's about to happen. But the subtle way it starts off is just a real shock to the system...