13 Most Controversial Video Games

Video games are highly addictive, well at least the good ones sure are. Frankly, we don’t mind whiling out days away playing a good game, but some video games are just made to mess with your psyche. Meet ‘The Ominous 13’ – 13 video games that had everyone talking at game hubs and parliaments, were discussed by gamers and senators, got thrown off shelves by NGOs and were petitioned against by irate parents. They sparked outrage with their highly explicit display of violence, goriness, racism and sex… And we bring them all for you!

Death Race (1976)

Not the first violent game to enter the market, but definitely the first one to create a controversy. Opposed by both critics and the public, it was the screeching sound effects made by the gremlins being run over, along with the tombstones and blood splatters that made it a horrid video game of the 70s. If stories are to be believed, it triggered a lot of outrage with kiosks displaying the video game being burnt and a protest organised against it. Inspired from the 1975 cult flick Death Race 2000, it required players to run down gremlins trying to escape the speeding vehicle.

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Custer’s Revenge

This game was considered extremely barbaric for the 80s and was tagged as pornographic. It involved players donning the role of a Caucasian boy wearing nothing but a cowboy hat, bandana and boots. What was most interesting was that he was shown with an erection throughout the game. The protagonist had to cross the screen, escaping nasty arrows, and reach the other end to rape a naked Native American woman tied to a post. Released in 1982, the game’s nudity, rape and racism were way too much to handle for the public, which is why it was widely panned.

Tomb Raider

One of the bestselling video game franchises till date, Tomb Raider had it all – from a hot female lead to state-of-the-art technology and even the best corporate company (PlayStation) backing it. However, an unauthorised version in the game termed Nude Raider allowed the player to play the game as, you guessed it, a nude Lara Croft. When this edition showing-off Lara’s sexuality came to the forefront, the media opposed the game. But the sales didn’t dip and neither was the game removed from shelves. In fact, the TV remote-controlled and mobile phone versions have collectively sold over 35 million units.

Postal

Postal and its sequel Postal II were considered too crude, especially in 1997, when people were old-school and didn’t call their wives, “my bitch” as used in the first version. The plotline made a mockery of gay people and involved killing innocent people. As the protagonist, you are an unnamed homeless man who goes on a killing spree shooting down every person who comes in your way, even Gary Coleman. Apart from the US Postal Service suing the game, umpteen developers removed it from their sites. From sexual themes to racism and animal abuse, both versions consisted of things usually considered immoral.

Ethnic Cleansing

Developed in 2002, Ethnic Cleansing hogged the limelight for all the wrong reasons. The player was supposed to kill Africans, Latinos and Jews, and ‘cleanse’ every place inhabited by them. But that’s not all. In order to win, the player also has to kill Ariel Sharon (former Israeli PM) when he reaches the ‘Jewish Control Center’. The concept generated outcry with its extreme racism. While few video gamers were okay with the idea, international associations shunned the game. It was named the #1 most racist video game in history by UGO and the 40th most controversial game by Stuff magazine.

Manhunt

Rockstar Games has always grabbed attention with their controversial games, so it wasn’t surprising when Manhunt and Manhunt 2 were accused of extreme sadism and were banned in many nations. It also inspired a teenager to commit murder. As the protagonist, you had to don the role of a serial killer who walks in abandoned malls and alleys killing victims with plastic bags, baseball bats as well as knives that slice their heads. The third-person game was considered gory and gruesome. In fact, Manhunt 2 that released in 2007, following the 2003 prequel, was rated ‘Adults Only’ due to excessive violence.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Rockstar Games make another appearance, this time for their 2004 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas that created frenzy. The makers had added a hidden sex scene and although high-level programming was needed to decode the scene, it still got popular and made people furious. The scene allowed the player to engage in a mini-game that showed the main character and his girlfriend performing intercourse. Apart from this, the storyline also highlighted unwanted elements like violence, drugs and hookers. As a result, Gamer's Edition of the Guinness World Records 2008 and 2009 listed it as the 'most controversial videogame series in history’.

Bully

Using an American school as the backdrop, it was opposed for its violence and sex. Umpteen anti-bullying agencies condemned it for highlighting bullying in schools, which is already considered a major problem. The player was 15-year old Jimmy of Bullworth Academy prep school who could either team up with the geeks or the bullies. What set-off the controversy was Jimmy’s ability to sexually harass girls, as well as kiss a boy in the school premises. Launched in 2006, Bully, again from Rockstar Games, was viewed as the kid’s version of Grand Theft Auto due to its uncanny resemblance to unethical practices.

RapeLay

To be honest, RapeLay can be christened as the most sordid video game. A ‘realistic sexual simulator’, it is a Japanese game where you take on the role of a rapist, who follows and rapes a mother and her two daughters. Umpteen explicit situations are created throughout. However, his ultimate goal is to make these three women his slaves. Released in 2006 in 3D by Illusion, the issue surrounding this game grew to such an extent that the controversy was raised in the UK Parliament, and a letter was written by activists to the Japanese PM and the developer against it.

Muslim Massacre: The Game of Modern Religious Genocide

At a time when Muslim prejudice was already on a rise, this game by Eric Vaughn created a stir in many nations in 2008 and was deemed unethical. A top-down shoot ‘em up game, the main guy is an American hero who has landed in the Middle East with a pistol. His aim: Kill all Muslims that appear in front of him. While some are shown as terrorists wearing vests, others are civilians. What also didn’t go down well with Muslims was the promotional gimmick used by the makers with an ad saying, "Don’t be a liberal... Download the game now".

Resident Evil 5

The seventh-installment in the Resident Evil survivor game by Capcom came out in 2009 and immediately faced media-backlash. The gameplay showed African zombies, which the protagonist had to gun down. However, the makers said that it was ridiculous to call them racist, as the game was set in Africa and hence was meant to have black zombies. The explanation still didn’t deter criticism with reviewers tagging the previews to be laden with racist imagery. It showed Chris Redfield, a white male gunning down umpteen African zombies. Another scene showed a white woman being dragged by these zombies to be infected.

Six Days in Fallujah

This third-person shooter game glamourised the real-life massacre at Fallujah, and was not accepted by both public and critics. However, the developer – Atomic Games described it as a survivor game. It was the first game to animate the Operation Iraqi Freedom, focusing on the Second Battle of Fallujah. The gamer dons the role of the US squad who fight for six days. It highlighted the two Fallujah battles of the early days of the war and multiple bloody battles that followed. Konami, the game’s publisher, later realised their mistake and put a stop to the development of the game in 2009.

Call of Juarez: The Cartel

This sequel, released in 2011, was set in modern day LA and Mexico. It created an outcry amongst Mexicans because it touched upon the sensitive matter of the Juárez Cartel, believed to be responsible for over 3000 homicides in Ciudad Juárez. A first-person shooter game where the main character is a law enforcement agent, it was also accused of trivialising human trafficking, drugs and racism.

From the June 2012 issue of FHM India.