What I'm wondering is: Have the Nazis transcended beyond historical reality into a mythical "beast" onto which we can safely project our aggression (à la an alien - something not human)? What's the danger in that? (By the same token, what's the danger in, say, choosing to exclude the Bombing of Dresden from our WWII games?)Īs games become more realistic, as they recreate history, what's their value to us? They're entertainment, sure, but when a developer takes on, for example, World War II, there's an expectation to get it right. A view through the eyes of a civilian on the streets of Hiroshima at 8:15 am.Īuthor's note: It's not my intention to make a definitive statement about the validity of demonizing one group over another for the purpose of creating a video game "enemy." I did intend to highlight the unique contradiction between my experience "fighting" against Nazis in games and my hesitance to take on the Japanese in World At War. A last level, perhaps, set on Monday, August 6, 1945. I'm not looking to excuse the cruelty of the Japanese Empire, especially toward the Chinese and Koreans, but I would hope for parts of the experience to not be so black and white. I would hope for some contrast to the ruthless "fuckers" who use your fellow soldier's face as an ashtray and then slit his throat. I don't know what attempts Treyarch has made or not made to humanize the Japanese, or to tell the story of a Japanese-American whose family is locked away while he fights in Europe.
I haven't been beyond those first five minutes of the game, and probably never will. It's fair to say: This is how I'm feeling. But I think it's fair to judge a game based on its treatment of these factors. I don't think game developers should be forced to tiptoe around uncomfortable issues or protect the feelings of a minority. I'm not calling for reparations, for a game "patch." I just want to share with you - to start a dialogue. Those people are connected for me - a part of me - and I see them in World at War. But the Japanese Empire that bombed Pearl Harbor and the Japanese today, even Japanese-Americans, are very much intertwined in my perception. The Nazis have been transformed into monsters, which does not need to be justified in my gaming. I draw a disconnect between Nazis and Germans as large as the divide between "alien" and human. I have a very personal problem with demonizing the Japanese. It reminded me of the shame I felt as a child when teased. It made me think of her brother and brothers-in-law who were drafted into the United States military and fought, with pride, in the war in Europe. It made me think about my grandmother, who as a little girl was shipped with her family from their farm in California to an internment camp in Arizona. This morning I watched the first five minutes of gameplay, which promised "disturbing" game content and historical footage (read: real-life executions). In short, it's in my face and on my mind.
World At War follows the overwhelming reception of Call of Duty 4 and benefits from a massive marketing campaign from its publisher, Activision. One could argue for Medal of Honor's pair of entries, but those came as the franchise was dwindling (not to mention, before and during Joystiq's infancy). While not the first game to portray the Pacific-side of WWII, World At War is the most prominent. I've been avoiding World At War because the featured enemy is the Japanese Empire. Not because it's another World War II shooter. Not because its developer, Treyarch, has yet to inspire me. I've been avoiding Call of Duty: World At War.
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