Going off of the last post, violence in games packs a much heavier punch when it emerges from scenarios based on real world events. Staying true with what I've said, I do believe these instances can prove beneficial, if it is implemented properly. Last post I discussed how violence in games can be used to document or simulate historical events through the example of Six Days in Fallujah. Now, I'm going to look at how a simulated learning experience or testament to a particular event can be effectively used as well as misused through games using two examples orbiting the same concept: school shootings.
These events have an enormous significance as to how they are portrayed in various media and it is games that receive the most flak for their attempts at representing them. The subject matter of these happenings are extremely sensitive and any misstep or slight item that is misrepresented induces an enormous reaction, which is doubled in the case of games.
Out of the two examples I wish to provide, one has been done relatively well in what it tries to do, while the other is done less so and its message is marred because of this. The two games I am discussing are The Slaying of Sandy Hook Elementary (Lambourn, 2013) and the more widely known Super Columbine Massacre RPG (Ledonne, 2005).
Right at first glance, the titles reveal the approach each game takes and give off initial impressions by the titles alone. Sandy Hook appears similar to a documentary, treating it more as the event itself while Columbine adds the word "Super and RPG" giving it a more game-like and fictitious label. This distinction is further exemplified by the gameplay itself, which I recommend playing only to get the full scope of how each event is represented.
Sandy Hook has a very grim aesthetic, the shooter being represented by an anonymous black figure, whose appearance is very grungy and disgusting as opposed to the more cleaner anonymous black figures representing teachers and students.The game has the player equip their weapon, and are given a time limit until the police arrive where the game inevitably ends, the killer committing suicide. The game is kept mostly quiet throughout, save for a low bass sound building up near the end, into a full blown song. Despite this, the song does contain themes similar to the events that are playing out. The game also keeps track of those the player has killed through a percentage value. However, after playing through one time, the player is given another mode, Gun Control, where the player is forced to only use melee weapons such as knives and swords, and completing that unlocks Eagletears, where the teachers are also armed. It is important to note that in any of these modes the player is not forced to kill, the game can be beaten without anyone dying save for the shooter in the end.
Super Columbine Massacre RPG however, reverses these completely. Having been made in RPG Maker, the program only allows the creator to borrow art that it provides, everything has a very classic 16-bit design to it, making it appear more like a game, which can detract from what's trying to be said. Names of people and places are provided, and dialogue is even exchanged between the two shooters through text boxes. The music also suffers from being too game-like, as it covers songs from the time the event happened remixed from the sounds available from the program. The victims at the school, unlike the shooters, are given stereotypical labels such as "Preppy Girl" and "Jock Type" making them appear more as targets than people. As the game progresses, and the full events unfold, the two shooters are then transported to Hell, where they fight through demons from there to the end of the game.
I find that Sandy Hook follows more of a Six Days formula in that it tries to portray the tragedy of Sandy Hook in a sensitive manner. Treating it for the tragedy it was by keeping the violence very dark and real. It does not beat messages over the player's head, but shows them the consequences for their actions (if they choose to take any) through a haunting silence, showing them the results of taking violent action. By keeping names anonymous and identities concealed through the silhouette art design, the game approaches the tragedy without disrespecting any victims of the event and I feel it provides a way for anyone to project themselves onto to any of the characters in the game. Sandy Hook treats its violence very seriously and does not wish to glorify it in any way, and places itself on a more ethical and informative path.
Columbine RPG dehumanizes its victims through the use of defacing labels, transforming them into generic school archetypes. The music and visuals have a much more game-like feel and distract players and the serious tone and weight of the game is lost. The violence is carried out in a traditional RPG style fashion, ruining any sense of realism and disrespects the gravity of actually committing murder. The creator should have taken into account the implications of making the game in such a program. Columbine RPG is a gamification of a tragedy that distastefully attempts to retell the events. The entire inclusion of the Hell area only serves as the game's undoing as no one can take its violence seriously or learn anything from it.
For games to be able to represent violence to tell a message there needs to be a level of innovation on the creators part. They must abandon more game-like stereotypes and explore new avenues in how an issue as fragile as this can be represented. By introducing new methods of representation through gameplay that gets away from generic and pre-established combat systems, games can be seen as a new outlet for informing youth and general audiences about the horrors and implications of violence, without the added "fun" elements from previous examples in the medium. Columbine RPG may be a step back, but I believe that in some form, The Slaying of Sandy Hook is a step forward.
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