Reservoir Dogs goes digital
Rules of pla
The release of Reservoir Dogs has stirred up the age old story of videogame censorship, Henry Northmore assesses the arguments.
ideogarne violence and censorship has alvvays been one of
gaming‘s political hot potatoes. With lx’t'st'rr'ur'r Dogs (the game)
about to be released. _vet another videogames—related (‘ommons motion has been proposed by MP Keith Va/. “line the West Yorkshire Police have gone as tar as to call the game a sickening glorilication ol' violence against police ol'licers' (though at this point we inust add that the West Yorkshire l‘orce haven’t actually played it ).
livery novv and then the tabloid press likes to trot out a familiar story ol’ hovv Doom. .tIun/rrmr or Res/(lent Iz'r'r'l has influenced some killing spree or other. ['8 Iavvyer and ardent anti-games campaigner Jack 'I'hompson has gone on record saying that games 'train‘ murderers. even recently claiming. ‘the violence in (i'ILt eclipses the vast majority ol‘ R-rated movies that have been made. There is violence in both. but these movies have a plot. I've yet to lind anything in (i'ILt that could be called a plot.‘ Strong \vords. though it is dil’licult to imagine 'l'hompson sitting dovvn and playing the 4(l-odd hours ol‘ gaming (i'II-t: San Andreas has to ol’l'er.
Admittedly .tlurr/rrmr is pretty gruesome. but compared to movies such as Zorn/tic l-‘lt's/r Iz'urt'rs' and Hosiv/ or even critically acclaimed lilms like l'imrrv (fumes or Old Boy. the pixilated gore pales in comparison. The BBl‘(‘ rates games and their content to the same criteria as l’ilms. '(iames are incredibly conservative about sex and violence. despite all the tuss and press. compared to what is in lilms or even on the BBC} explains Margaret Robertson the Editor ol' Iz'tlgt' magazine.
We have got Used to the idea ol‘ lilm violence. In the fills a slevv of so called ‘video nasties' were banned and novv nearly all of them are available from your local HMV or Virgin. Videogames are one of our nevvest art forms. there's a huge generational gap in understanding the reality ol' gaming culture. Rock‘n'roll. heavy metal and comics have all been through similar turbulent times. and. much like videogames. survived and prospered. :\s (‘ulture Secretary Tessa Jovvell so rightly points out. 'you wouldn‘t let your child vvatch Trams ('lrur'nsurr- .‘Illa‘fi'th'll’. you wouldn't let them go to a strip club. so you shouldn‘t let them play an IX-rated game.‘ But vvith titles like Scarf/21w and Bully on the hori/on it‘s a debate that's set to run and run.
Resevoir Dogs (Eidos) PSZ/XBox/PC is available now.
PLAY
Reviews Site; (2K Games) ....
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