The splinter cell games have been going more 24-esque with each iteration, i'm not surprised that Sam Fischer is turning into Jack Bauer with each game he shows up in. As if it wasn't getting obvious enough I guess now we have torture scenes to seal the deal. Thing is torture has shown up in games before in various incarnations, but I am struggling to think of one that turned torturing another human it into an actual mini-game. Help me out here.
From a creative standpoint I see what they are trying to do and fully understand. They're trying to paint the picture of a man losing his morals and humanity in the face of stopping a greater threat, but from a gameplay standpoint, I have to ask is it actually fun to torture someone? What am I as the player getting out of this experience? The scene is obviously meant to make the player uncomfortable and make them question what they're doing, but I think you have to be careful with that.
The difference between a well crafted, emotional scene and an over the top display of bad taste is such a thin line. It requires a talented team behind it to make something as dark and nuanced as torture seem justified in a gameplay sense. A good example is Spec Ops: The Line's campaign. There was a lot of moral grey in that game and it was done perfectly. It took the concept of shooting guys and turned it into a REALLY uncomfortable, but necessary evil for the player. There were times I felt bad about shooting guys in SO, when in other games I blew through them mindlessly without a care in the world. That kind of emotional response can create a powerful experience for the player, but it requires a masterful touch from the creative team behind it.
Am I confident that the team behind Splinter Cell can pull that off? 
Re: Going too far?
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks