U.S.A.
Everyone Else
Health
Science
Business
Technology
Sports
Video Games
Entertainment
Future
NEWS > GAMES > CRITICS ACCUSE RESIDENT EVIL 5 OF NOT BEING RACIST ENOUGH
CRITICS ACCUSE RESIDENT EVIL 5 OF NOT BEING RACIST ENOUGH
March 8 2009
Tokyo, Japan – The release of the latest Resident Evil title has brought a great deal of excitement amongst gamers and game critics alike. For gamers, the release of the first true next generation installment of the legendary series marks a watershed gaming experience. For critics, it marks an opportunity to further the view that video games are profoundly bad for young people. And while gamers are no doubt delighted at the success of the game, critics are finding the title a little underwhelming.
Resident Evil 5 will no doubt provide great fodder for the argument that video game violence is detrimental to players, the racial overtones that so dominated early coverage of the title has been largely muted, due in large part to the fact that the game isn’t really racist at all and that has left many critics of the industry with no choice but to fall back on the same old argument of violence.
“There was great hope amongst critics of the industry, especially when that first video was shown, that they would have a new form of leverage against the industry but unfortunately for them that hope was kind of ruined by the reality of the game,” said Scrape TV Gaming
analyst Graeme Hawthorne. “I’m sure for many of them their eyes lit up like a kid a Christmas when they saw black zombies but because it turns out that for the most part the game is actually the opposite of racist this argument was going to be a dead end, so to speak.”
‘Resident Evil 5’ takes place in the fictional region of Kijuju in Africa which, as has become the standard for other games in the series, becomes a haven for mindless zombies attacking the living. Most of the series has taken place in the United States though the last entry, ‘Resident Evil 4’, took place in a fictional South American village, though no such calls of racism were present when that game was released.
“Part of the reason Resident Evil 4 didn’t have that kind of reaction was because Hispanic people kind of look like white people, whereas black people for the most part don’t. Most of that criticism
came from within the United States which of course has a fairly unique perspective on race that for the most part seems completely irrational to the rest of the world, hence the harsh reaction,” continued Hawthorne. “Even with the old games you never heard people drying foul over prejudice towards people of say Swedish or English descent. Really what Capcom has done here is spread the zombie plague around for perhaps the first time in video game history featured black characters as something other than the big muscular hero. With this game they are being treated as human beings, albeit zombified ones, with no thought of race and that does no good for the critical industry.”
Like many in the rough economy, critics of the video game industry are finding less and less opportunities for exploring their business. With the reduction of ad revenue and the declining interest in the concept of video games being damaging to young people, many critics are finding themselves having to go out and get real jobs.
“Generally speaking most employers do not read ‘boorish loud mouth’ on a resume and immediately 
think that this is someone they want to hire. Transitioning from an ignorant attention
getter to some reasonable job that you have to put time and energy into is going to be a difficult one for many but luckily there’s a long history and a lot of people to learn from,” continued Hawthorne. “Really the only thing Resident Evil 5 can be accused of doing is perpetuating the idea that the industry is lacking new ideas. Small tweaks and changes here and there, no matter how well executed, are more likely to seriously damage the industry than any critic can possibly accomplish. That won’t stop the game from selling bucket loads, though the way things are looking those critics may not be able to afford copies.”
Jack Thompson could not be reached for comment.
Douglas Havermore, Games Correspondent
NEWS > GAMES > CRITICS ACCUSE RESIDENT EVIL 5 OF NOT BEING RACIST ENOUGH
|
Scrape Store
