A lot of people have been talking about Konami and their ‘6 Days in Fallujah’ video game lately. As a United States Army Combat Veteran myself I can say that gamers probably do NOT want to experience a “realistic” Fallujah experience. Konami describes the game as a “3rd-person survival horror game” and I worry that this title could possibly dishonor the brave men who fought in this battle. Peter Tamte of Konami stated “Ultimately, all of us are curious about what it would really be like to be in a war. I’ve been playing military shooters for ages, and at a certain point when I’m playing the game, I know it’s fake. You can tell a bunch of guys sat in a room and designed it. That’s always bothered me.”
Being fake is probably a good thing in war video games. I definitely want realistic settings, realistic weapons and fast action, but I personally do NOT want to see games that are realistic. To be realistic, there would need to be an emotional investment on the part of the gamer. You would need to see burning bodies, children firing weapons at you and you would continually be killed or wounded by an enemy you can’t even see half the time. The other reason that they can never make a realistic war game or even try is the fact that the majority of warfare involves sitting around doing nothing. It’s honestly more of a mental game than an actual action-packed adventure the way movies and games often portray war. While I understand Tampte’s “curiosity”, I don’t think anyone truly wants to know what war is really like. It’s probably best that most people don’t know.
Game Politics recently posted an interesting article on the topic and I have to compeltely agree with what was said there.
The war in Iraq is an incredibly complex topic; the Middle East is an incredibly complex location, and I have major doubts that a company like Konami understands it enough to honor the memories of the soldiers around the world who have fought and died in Iraq. It’s not a great start that the Creative Director at Atomic Games is on the one hand talking about trying to “present the horrors of war” and on the other hand make “entertainment”. His own words. Or that the VP of marketing thinks that soldiers weren’t “men” before the war.
From what I have read so far, I also have many doubts that Konami could possibly tackle a tough subject like this. If they do it in a way that does not dishonor the soldiers, then I’m all for it, but I doubt that will happen. In the end, I don’t think this game is necessary and will probably be a failure. I also do not think that gamers want to experience true war. The fact that Konami’s marketing people believe that the soldiers were not real “men” before the war shows their ignorance. War doesn’t make you a man. War simply robs you of your innocence. Gamers want to be entertained and want to play war games that are fun, interactive and challenging. I wasn’t personally in Fallujah but had numerous friends who were and one who was killed there. I don’t find anything fun or entertaining about that. A realistic war game is something that I’d never want to see because it wouldn’t be fun and it would be an experience that civilians would never relate to.
I really don’t see a positive outcome for this game. If it’s not realistic, Konami will basically end up dishonoring the Iraq veterans. If it is realistic, it will be an experience that will make you want to throw up. We’re also talking about a battle that isn’t fully understood yet. I know for a fact that the full truth about the battle has never been published anywhere, so how could they get it right in the game?
#1 by John on April 10th, 2009
Personally, I have more confidence in Konami portraying a “realistic” war game than a company like EA, DICE, etc. I’m sorry, but Japanese game developers consistently deliver a more believable, and tangible story than the vast majority of Western developers out there (excluding Bioware). Most western shooters are senseless… look at Battlefield: Bad Company or even COD4/COD5. They’re great shooters without a doubt… but no story to talk about. On the otherhand, Konami’s recent blockbuster title MGS4, provided backstory and emotional points, and controversy in spades. Too bad everyone just thought it was longwinded and overly convoluted… Which is the very solution that a game like Fajullah would need in order to provide an accurate picture. Again Konami is probably a much better company to handle the sensitivities vs. Infinity Ward, Treyarch, 2k, EA, blah blah blah.
#2 by Justin on April 10th, 2009
this game has been put to life by a solider that came back from Iraq and contacted Atomic games because he wanted help tell his story.
#3 by val on April 10th, 2009
i understand all the war veterans concerns about how they believe this will disgrace the war and the soldiers but y is it ok to make a movie about whats going on or even a book or a documentary about what has happened or what is happening but the second a game company wants to make a game about what has happened over there it all of a sudden becomes bad or no good?? I’ve read some quotes about war veterans who think this should just go down in history books because they believe people shouldn’t play this type of game because kids won’t understand whats going on…however if you stop to think about it kids pay more attention to what happens in video games more than they do in some text book…. and not only that but as justin said above me one of the soldiers who had fought in this famous battle went to a game company itself to get a game made on it because he wanted ppl to see and understand what happened. So even if it is a mistake let konami make this mistake themselves….i however do not believe it is a mistake.
#4 by val on April 10th, 2009
oh and one other thing…john…i understand what you mean about how japanese companies seem to make better games with stories however cod4 and cod5 did have good stories but it was more action packed then anything else so the story wasn’t super great….they do however know how to make really good war games the closest thing to a real war that i’ve played is cod world at war and thats because of how real everything seemed and how accurate it was….im not saying it was 100% accurate but out of all the stories in war games that one was the best. and just so u know konami didn’t make metal gear they only published it kojima studios developed it……just so u know
#5 by Joliet Jake on April 10th, 2009
I think the entire problem is the concept of a “Realistic War Game.”
I don’t buy into the idea that 6 Days will “dishonor the vets” anymore than Call of Duty has ever “dishonored” the WWII vets… or those two or three Vietnam games and the vietnam vets… Chances are most vets don’t play video games and if they ever even know the game exists it’ll be because they heard about it on the news.
So that entire point is moot.
Of larger concern is the overwhelming probability that Konami just couldn’t pull it off. A bunch of video game programmers know NOTHING about actual war, and even with an alleged vet supplying the story, they lack the skill to bring that tale to life.
Add to that… I don’t even think the technology is there in order to make war “realistic.” COD4 sure as hell wasn’t realistic… no shooter yet to date has been. And I don’t think Konami has a currently existing team that could make it happen.
As far as “nobody really wanting to experience war…” the author must not have noticed all of the various school shootings, cop shootings, and hostage takeovers recently here in America…
For some odd reason every nutjob in the world wants to “experience war” right now… and most of them have gun permits. Those I mentioned are just the ones who went crazy in the past seven days… there’s a hundred times as many who would buy a “realistic war game.”
…I don’t think we should give it to them.
But then again I don’t think we should be handing out guns, permits, and bullets to every lunatic who asks for them either…
#6 by Brad on April 10th, 2009
@John
Are you actually serious? The Metal Gear story as a whole is laughable in the writing department. You simply relate to easterners better, or.you are probably a teen. COD4 had a realistic fictional story, and Bad Company was hammy but still more believable than the convoluted mess of sh** that is the Metal Gear series.
#7 by Ror on April 10th, 2009
@John.
Konami is the publisher on this title — not the developer.
As for the game in question, if the interactive medium is to ever tackle this kind of subject matter in as insightful and considered fashion as something like HBO’s Generation Kill, there has to be a first attempt.
Maybe it will be a mistake to draw on a single event so explicitly, that’s yet to be seen. But at least Atomic are being far more honest about war than Infinity Ward, whose Call of Duty 4 deals only in shades of black and white — rarely gray.
It’s time for developers to think about the cultural significance of their craft.
#8 by two sided on April 10th, 2009
i wish we could play as an iraqi soldier, who defend his country against these massive weapons bullshit crap.
most of the games, the enemies have been showed like brainless animals, they are just there to be killed, i havent got hope for this game neither.
#9 by jellybalboa on April 10th, 2009
KONAMI IS GOING TOO FAR WITH THIS, THEY WILL MAKE A MOCKERY OF ALL THE INNOCENT CIVILLIANS THAT DIED THERE, THE AMERICANS USED WHITE PHOSPHATE ON CIVILLIANS, WOMEN N CHILDREN BURNT TO DEATH WITH THIS CHEMICAL WEAPONS, THIS GAME SHOULD NOT BE BASED ON AN ACTUAL PLACE SUCH AS FALLUJAH, THIS IS A SENSITIVE TOPIC TO ME, HOW HAVE KONAMI AND U PEOPLE BRUSHED ASIDE YOUR MORALS. IT JUST SHOWS HOW LOW THE STANDARDS OF SOCIETY AND COMPANIES ARE WHEN GAMES LIKE THESE ARE ACCEPTED BY THE MAJORITY. GOOD LUCK TO U ALL
#10 by Will Snizek on April 10th, 2009
@jellybalboa: the U.S. has been using white phosphorous in combat for a very long time. It’s pretty much a smoke creating element. We called it “Willy Pete”. I’ve always felt that it was a chemical weapon that shouldn’t be used in combat, particularly in areas full of civilians. It’s an excellent tool to use when troops need to escape an area undetected, but the side effects are terrible. It will burn through pretty much anything including clothing and flesh.
@John: Konami doesn’t have a track record of producing realistic war games, but I don’t think other companies have been very realistic themselves. My main point is the fact that an actual “realistic” game wouldn’t be a good experience.
#11 by John on April 10th, 2009
@Brad
What story are you referring to in COD? The one where they throw you from mission to mission and at the end of it the game ends? I hardly call that a story at all. You don’t know who your partners are at the end, they have no likes or dislikes, no family.. I mean come on are you serious?
MGS4’s story may be over the top and laughable at times… but COD’s is completely non-existant in comparison.
Finally, I caution you to reserve labeling/stereotyping me when you clearly do not know me.
@Will Snizek Realistic in the case of this article, seems to refer to the gruesome realities, complex backstories/politics, and life portrayals of people living in the warzone. I don’t think its just blood spraying, or gory gut scenes. If it is the former, as I suspect, Kojima’s studio would be good for it.
#12 by Will Snizek on April 10th, 2009
To be realistic, they would have to include everything..at least the way the game has been pushed so far. Even with all the WWII games we have, most of them have fantasy elements and I think that’s ok. An actual game completely realistic about war wouldn’t be much of a game.
I’ll definitely be curious to see how all of this turns out. Konami could surprise me and I change my mind, but I doubt it. I just don’t see people wanting a realistic combat experience. Realistic settings and weapons are nice, but an actual story that is totally truthful (which I doubt this one would be anyway) wouldn’t be fun to play.
#13 by Will Snizek on April 10th, 2009
I also agree COD was not very realistic and that’s probably what makes it fun. The story wasn’t great honestly. Multiplayer really makes COD4 and COD WAW so great. The weapons are very realistic and the settings are pretty good, but the story is what I’d consider fantasy, which isn’t a bad thing.
#14 by somewhat on April 10th, 2009
War is Hell. I don’t think a game can recreate having to empty your bowels at the beginning of a firefight because of adrenalin and instinct kicking in. Plus you usually go into auto mode in the active parts of battle due to the training you received. And all the waiting (hours and days on end) for the next flurry of action would kill any hopes of a game being realistic. And not to mention being unable to replicate the bonds that are created between you and your comrades that such a high level of stress creates.
#15 by JJ on April 10th, 2009
The game that I’ve played which came closest to simulating real war in my opinion was World War 2 Online: Battleground Europe. Graphically, it is very dated and doesn’t look realistic at all, but it does simulate the hours of boredom and driving/ marching/flying for miles and waiting for something to happen…only to be killed by some unseen enemy as soon as the action starts.
#16 by Matthew b on April 10th, 2009
Ok, if Konami does this write it has the potential to be a ridiculously good game. The way they do that is by leaving it completely uncensored, not to be graphic but they need to include; dead (or dying) women, children, and soldiers. Also tedious bordem, but within this bordem (perhaps on a routine patrol) you get invested in your fellow soldiers and they’re back stories. And on the next routine patrol, an IED (improvised explosive device) decimates the Humvee infront of you carrying the men you just bonded with. Make the player, witness their friends die, because this is what happens on the battlefield. Also this should really just be a interactive doc/movie to portray story more convincingly. So that way players arn’t waiting to just go shoot some bad dudes.
#17 by Will Snizek on April 11th, 2009
I’ll have to give it to Matthew b. I like the direction of your idea. I guess I still have a problem with this being billed as a 3rd person survival horror type game though. To be fully interactive, they would really need to go a simulation or possibly even strategy route. I know my post sounds completely against the idea of the game, which I am not totally. I hate censorship, but I also hate movies or games claiming to be realistic when they aren’t. And to be fair, they need to portray the enemy from a non-biased view. The whole “shooting some bad dudes” is the feeling I get this could be headed in. I don’t think they should glorify war when it’s supposed to be realistic and really shouldn’t be a shooting game for the most part. Actual gunplay in combat is minimal. There aren’t enough bullets anyway for non-stop action like in the games. If they fired off rounds in real-life like we do in games, everyone would run out of supplies in less than an hour.
#18 by Will Snizek on April 11th, 2009
The thing about the whole thing is I truly do not believe most gamers would want to experience actual combat. All the combat games we have now are what I’d call the “romantic” and “glorious” side of war. There’s something uplifting about that, and for the most part war games are a pleasant fiction. It’s really just a tough subject I suppose. I fear soldiers will be dishonored and the wrong message may come out of this. If Konami somehow shocks me and gives us a believable and rewarding (positive or negative) I will eat my own words
#19 by Aaron Mazza on April 27th, 2009
Looks like this game won’t see the light of day - http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/27/report-amidst-protest-konami-abandons-six-days-in-fallujah/
#20 by Will Snizek on April 27th, 2009
probably a smart choice
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