Games with a message

[Marvelon]

I just read this column: http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/gam...055582,00.html

So do games have a message? Can you give an example of a situation in a game thats made you think about how our society works?

I remember a friend of mine was playing GTA3 and his girlfriend was getting disgusted with herself because she was sitting next to him Shouting "Shoot the chinese guy!! Shoot him!!" Food for thought....

[mattSix]

interesting article, thanks. animal crossing springs to mind.

ala: "be kind & polite to those who live by you & you will reap the rewards"
"give and you shall receive..." etc.

and also: "neglect = roaches"!

[RLench]

I don't think games should have deeper meanings or social commentaries - if I want anything like that, I'll read an educational book or watch an acclaimed film. I play games for fun and entertainment; when games start trying to educate and condition us to think in different ways they stop being fun (IMHO)

[Vaipon]

Metal Gear series has strong messages about society and evolution/geneology. Games have just as much right to convey a message as other forms of art/entertainment. To dismiss them as strictly time-killing entertainment is selling them short. They are a powerful form of media capable of making statements, and I think that in years to come they will evolve in ways we can't yet imagine.

[chevkoch]

I played a demo once and it had this to say: Buy the full version!

Right. I'm not finding this too funny either. But you can also look here, it's a duplicate thread:

http://ntsc-uk.domino.org/viewtopic.php?t=13543&highlight=

[Manta Ray vs Guitar]

I don't think games should have deeper meanings or social commentaries - if I want anything like that, I'll read an educational book or watch an acclaimed film. I play games for fun and entertainment; when games start trying to educate and condition us to think in different ways they stop being fun (IMHO)

You think games shouldn't have deeper meanings or social commentary? What the hell?

Some of the best games do. Some of the most flat-out entertaining games do. So if everybody just up and decided to put social commentary into their games starting from tomorrow, there wouldn't necessarily be a dropoff in entertainment value. Not that that would ever happen. People will always be making straightforward entertainment products.

Metal Gear series has strong messages about society and evolution/geneology.

Not a real good example if you're trying to convince somebody that entertainment won't be killed by this type of stuff. Or if you're trying to convince people that videogames are a medium capable of expressing strong messages in worthwhile ways.