Quote Originally Posted by Bolivar View Post
(SPOILER)This is really bad taste. To be honest, I'm not even sure why I feel this way. I loved every minute of Killzone 2 - the game with the deepest hit detection and death animations possibly of all time. And I've killed tons of civilians in GTA, most for no reason at all, probably while I was fleeing another atrocity I've caused.

But this is different, and I don't know why. It just reeks of being controversial for the sake of being controversial. There's a difference between this and GTA. GTA is controversial for the sake of gamers having a good time, over-the-top, black comedy experience. That's actually an aesthetic.

But this.... sorry. I wasn't going to buy this game b/c the multiplayer is the same 4-5 generic FPS game modes I've been playing for the last fifteen years. I planned on renting it to play the campaign. I probably still will, I want to give this a fair shake. But my first impression is not good.
I may as well use spoilers as well just in case.

(SPOILER)I don't see it as in bad taste necessarily. Is the thought of mowing down innocent civilians horrific? Of course, but I'm pretty sure that's what Infinity Ward is going for. They didn't shy away from putting us in the middle of televised executions and nuclear fallout before. Both were horrifying moments that were presented in such a way that it really made you feel at least some of what it may feel like to be in that position. It's horrifying yes, but making people realize that is part of the point because crap like that happens every day in many parts of the world. I see it as Infinity Ward sort of putting the player in the middle of it to make a statement: that this stuff is terrible and shouldn't happen or be ignored ever.

GTA features violence for the sake of entertainment. It's supposed to be fun because you can do whatever you want consequence free. Infinity Ward is showing the more horrifying reality of such violence though. It may not change how you feel, but if you find it appalling then good. My bet is that that was their intent.