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Violence in games: is there a boundary anymore?
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It has been argued time and time again: there is too much violence in the media. More specifically, there is a lot of it in the gaming industry. It is very difficult to view any web site, browse any gaming magazine, or even read any Toys R' Us catalog without seeing the next big blood title coming out for next-gen systems. On that note, it is even more difficult to draw the boundary between admissible beatings, and full fledged spur-the-moment drive-bys.
In the history of violence in video games, disregarding its surge in the current era, there have been pioneers in the world who have taken up the charge of re-defining the boundaries of decency. One such endearing company is Visceral Games. The branchild of Grand Theft Auto is at it again with some of its newest ideas that will soon flood the market.
One such game that will soon find its way into the market is Dante's Inferno. The titular character Dante will march his way through the darkest side of reality to save his love from the grips of Lucifer. Noble and heroic, the makings of a Disney movie. The only stipulation: Dante is not only on a quest to save Beatrice, but to redeem himself. Being a crusader during the crusades, Dante, much like a familiar god of war, committed atrocities against his fellow man. Murdering women, men, and even children hasn't endeared him to the higher powers.
So, Dante will have to earn his salvation via the circles of hell. Of course, along the way he has to face hordes of demons as he passes between circles. Sounds innocent enough. A noble hero facing off against the metaphysical world of the damned. However, as was made evident of late, the hordes of "demons" also consists of unbaptized babies. These minature terrors squirm their way out of the ground, their arms replaced by blades with which they carry themselves towards the hero.
Reports from a GameStop employee also state that, from a playable version of the game at a convention, the circle of Lust is just as "interesting". Cleopatra is the damnable boss of the area. She commands an army of babies born from her nude form and an extra claw that springs from....bellow the belt.
While this title sounds albeit a little out there, can the graphic content be permissible? Dante's Inferno is obviously on the verge of re-defining the limits of morality and decency. Yet, the title earns the Mature rating, not the Adult rating. And why would this be? Could it be permissible to allow gratuitous violence for the sake of art? The epic poem has been given new life, but is it too graphic, or an expression of art?
By the same token, Visceral Games, it is rumored, is working on another title that features the infamous Jack the Ripper. Players will take on the persona of the deranged killer, battling demons and others of the sort. Heresay has been scarce on the title, but is the reinvention of one of history's greatest serial killers permissible if it is part of history?
There remains a great deal of questions regarding violence in video games, specifically if there is supposed to be a limit to graphic content, even if the content stems from historical or contextual sources. Is violence in video games permissible if it serves a purpose? While the verdict is still out on the subject, developers such as Visceral Games are not making the line any clearer.
