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Tuesday 24 August 2010

Medal Of Honor: Why The Bad Rep?


Just this week, Medal Of Honor has joined the long list of war-based FPS titles that have received controversy in the media: a UK defence secretary declared the new game, due out this October, should be banned from retail in England due to its multi-player mode's character choices. Medal Of Honor follows fictional Tier 1 American operatives in the 2001-present Afghanistan conflict as they fight the Taliban on the battle-field, while players are presented with real-world situations such as hostages held at gunpoint or strapped to explosives which they must then disarm. The single-player mode, however, isn't what UK secretary Liam Fox has problems with: it's the multi-player, where in order to achieve online battles with people on both sides of the conflict, producer EA allows players to become the Taliban for matches. Fox commented that this was a disgrace given UK and US troops fighting in the conflict, but in my opinion Medal Of Honor is only trying to bring the franchise into modern day, and should be applauded for at least trying to emulate a realistic war experience which we can all relate to. In a few decades time, Afghanistan will not be considered a vulnerable war to look at, but instead be adapted into films and gaming just like World War II so frequently was in the 2000s. What does everyone else think of Fox's statement? My final other statement is that it's rated 18 for a reason, in that it's recommended for adults, but if teens are allowed by their parents to play it, then surely they are mature enough to know that this is just a game, and not what the real-life soldiers are going through right now?

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