I Can’t Defend “No Russian”

This post contains spoilers for Modern Warfare 2.

I've had to defend a lot of shit for the sake of video games. When Hot Coffee was burning up the media, I stood behind Rockstar. After all, the content in question was only viewable after a good deal of "teh haxorz" by the player. I thought it was silly that the game had to be temporarily re-rated.

When Manhunt 2 was given an AO rating, I thought it harsh. When Mass Effect was criticized for the inclusion of a sex scene, I stood up for it. When every other M-rated game gets banned in Australia, I'm puzzled.

 

But I cannot defend Modern Warfare 2's "No Russian" level. I thought that putting the player in the role of a terrorist who went on an civilian-murdering rampage in a crowded airport was too much. Yes, I know that you weren't really a terrorist, but rather some American agent pretending to be a terrorist. Frankly, once you stand around and just watch a bunch of people shoot up a group of unsuspecting tourists, with the option to join in on the "fun", it doesn't really matter. You notice how they all scream as you shoot them? It's because you're terrorizing them. See the word? Terrorize/terrorist.

Once again, you do not have to join in on the slaughter. You can just watch, and slowly walk over the corpses of the innocents as you follow your murderous entourage. Of course, from the plot's perspective this makes no sense, since surely your terrorist friends would wonder why you weren't joining them.

Still, this isn't the first time we've had the ability to kill innocents. Grand Theft Auto games are famous for it. So why wasn't I outraged over it then? And why am I generally okay with the killing of soldiers in games? In Uncharted 2, a game for which my love is greatly known, you kill hundreds of people.  If I am to humanize these targets the same way I would the virtual denizens of Modern Warfare 2's airport, could I really bring myself to believe that all those people deserved death?

I don't know why I think that Modern Warfare 2 has crossed that line, but when I went through that level, watching the lifeless polygonal models run from their inevitable deaths, I was uncomfortable.  What purpose did this really serve in the game?  Some would say the plot would require it. I would agree that the plot called for some sort of act of aggression, to be perceived as from the US, to instigate the Russian invasion of America. I just think the way they went about it lacked any subtlety and, frankly, taste.

I felt angry and disgusted. Some told me this was intentional–that the scene was meant to make me feel this way. Frankly, I don't appreciate someone using terrorism to toy with my emotions. How many of us criticized our government when they did the same to instigate war?

Terrorism is incredibly serious business. It's a subject that has to be treated with delicacy. As much as I love gaming, I would not say the hobby is known for its light touch. No, gaming is associated with shooting, action, over-the-top thrills. These are the things that Modern Warfare 2 does well. I do not appreciated them trying to show me the horrors of terrorism in the midst of what is essentially the gaming equivalent of a popcorn action film. It's like shoehorning a scene from Schindler's List into the middle of Star Wars. It's just not appropriate.

I'm not trying to say that gaming needs to be regulated to cheap thrills and dumb action. The deep stuff just needs to be handled better. Trying to commentate on terrorism by putting the player in the role of a terrorist just doesn't make sense, especially in the middle of an experience as entertaining as Modern Warfare 2. Too many people would see it as an invitation to try to have more fun, where clearly none should be had.

In the beginning of the game, players are given the option to skip the level, showing that even Infinity Ward knew that they may have gone too far with this. Does this exclude the level from criticism? How many people would actually choose to skip a level in a game they bought, especially when they are only told vaguely that it may make them uncomfortable.

I'm not on a crusade to "protect the children" or to censor anything. Obviously Infinity Ward has the right to do whatever they want. It's their damn game. Again, I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with everything I'm saying. That's fine. Personally, this was just too much.

-Mike Minotti

See this post and more on my site: Give Mike Minotti A Gaming Journalism Job.