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JOHNNY FOWLE
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"ident Evil 5 still doesn't sit well with me on the racism front, but it has nothing to do with the brunt of the game. What bothers me about RE5, is its portrayal of life in an African village prior to its pandemic. N'Gai once spoke his piece about how Capcom chose to portray life in this setting; the problem was how before it had been made apparent the virus was transmitted, we were.. “othered”.
While life in an impoverished village sucks, there were no signs of any family life which is a staple of the culture. My initial complaints with RE5's trailers almost mirrored N'Gai's, although I never went so far as to say nobody black worked on the game. I could go on at length about RE5's poor choices of how its setting was showcased, but I'll leave it at that and suggest you watch Blood Diamond. That film can better describe how such a risque setting and its associated culture could be captured in a game than I can with mere text.
On a more positive note, I'd actually like to point out that you've missed what is, in my opinion, one of the most progressive portrayals of ethnic diversity in all of video gaming: Metal Gear Solid.
Hideo Kojima's portrayals of black men are among the strongest I've witnessed in any game. Donald 'Sigint' Anderson, portrayed in Metal Gear Solid, Portable Ops, and Snake Eater, is one of the key characters in Kojima's catalog that displays such forward thinking.
And it goes beyond that. MGS2's Peter Stillman is another fine portrayal of a black character. His plight is a haunting within himself due to guilt. You forget about his race entirely.
This goes beyond simply black characters, though. The original Solid's FOXHOUND unit was comprised of all-too-capable members from every corner of the globe. Iraqi, Black, Inuit, Russian, Korean; Kojima accepts all. Whether he does so because he thinks it's cool or feels that it makes his games and stories more well-rounded and thus realistic is completely unknown to me, but I approve.
There are quality examples of characters who aren't based on the rudimentary examples laid out by stereotypes if you look for them. I think you're going in the right direction, calling out specific classics for their shortcomings; just try to remember that you should present both sides of the coin as well as possible to show that there has been undeniable progress.
Keep at it, and thanks for the"
Monday, September 28, 2009
"r message isn't clear. Who are we fighting? And Why?
To complain that the consumer cannot vote with his wallet in choosing games is hardly valid. Diablo 3 may be the “next big thing” for dungeon crawlers, but that's certainly in name and name alone. There are several other such titles that are similar to Blizzard's games, and the active seeker can easily find them. Torchlight, Dungeon Siege games; there are plenty of similar titles if only you look. This is no issue regarding putting money where your mouth is.
Stating a complaint against DMC4 becoming a multiplatform title is also unfounded. What are your grounds for complaint? Is it really so contemptuous an act that it be regarded as vile and treacherous behaviour when it was really the fault of a floundering console manufacturer which led to the decision? You argue that the consumer is powerless in these decisions, but not all choices made by our [i]benevolent benefactors[/i] are so heinous as your portrayal. If you don't like what a corporate body is doing, do not partake, but don't over-glorify yourself. Outcries for boycotts and the like is a childish knee-jerk reaction to news and specifics about products that are being judged by their covers and not much else. Shadow Complex, the most recent example, was given all too much negative press by emblazoning Card's name across its chest when he hardly contributed anything to the game's production. Many were quick to state that they would never support an endeavor that saw him receiving any compensation but failed to realize how great a disservice they'd be doing the good folks over at ChAIR. And, well, you should know how the Left 4 Dead 2 boycott turned out.
Getting up in arms over something you don't fully grasp is never the answer. We also aren't on the other side of the public relations stream, so we are no one to judge. I will say now that I agree with Jay's earlier counter-points and that you should, as a consumer, research every product in which you're interested for the benefit of all parties involved, whether they be corporate or casual.
Gaming isn't some morally bound pra"
Sunday, September 27, 2009
", I'm in the Chicago area, too, but it's not like all that much game related stuff happens here these days.
Either way, I'm hoping to have a lot to say about IndieCade both here on Bitmob and on my personal site :O
Will do, guys.. If life doesn't get in the w"
Saturday, September 26, 2009
