Christian Computer Games reviews Morrowind: Tribunal 75 %

[chrisbeddoes]

Oh" it has violence". Oh it has" sexual references" . "you have to kill things"Oh !!!!

I noticed that swearing was more prevalent in this expansion than in the original game
Ouch .

"and there are multiple gods in this game." Ouch

"Offensive Content D"( worst mark ) ? because of the above "offensive content"

http://www.rpgdot.com/index.php#13208
http://www.ccgr.org/tribunal.htm

Of course I respect their beliefs . They have a right to have them .
But for some reason this review is just a little funny in my opinion

 

[Rosh]

Appropriate?

From a Christian perspective this game has violence. You will definitely have to kill various monsters and people...sometimes you have to do this to win favor with the king or goddess. Killing people can usually be avoided, often times you can settle things peacefully via bribe or working things out.

When has killing anyone been anathema to the Christian faith?


Oh, damn...these people are funny as hell!

http://www.ccgr.org/ultima.htm

The other disappointment is on a more spiritual side. Through out the game you can collect magical reagents. In order to use them you have to go to a pentagram, and light candles and do a satanic ceremony. I don't know about you, but as a Christian I am not comfortable doing that in a game. As for these symbols, it is not a complete surprise since Ultima 8 had a title called Pagan and a witch craft symbol on the box. I was honestly hoping with Ultima 9 they wouldn't throw such symbolism in this game.

Nothing worse than stupid fundamentalists.

Oh, hell...it gets even better/worse:

http://www.ccgr.org/arcanum.htm

This is a D & D style game. You create your character and their attributes

Some are funny like, raised by snake handlers, but others are dark like raised by witches etc. Another thing that disappointed me was the language. The word D*mn. Was used a couple times.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Sounds like mormons to me. They refuse to associate with anything remotely like magic, demons, etc., or anything with references to those.

I will agree with that guy about Quake 3 though. There isn't really any sense to it having all the symbols and such in that game, since it's pretty much Sci-Fi shoot 'em up.

In Doom and Doom 2, there was a point to it. You were a marine trying to stop the spread of hell in to reality. Quake had Cthulu stuff in it, so there was a point to it there as well.

Quake 3 on the other hand, just threw that stuff in to look "trendy", much like the metal bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s did their whole, "We are Satanists!" jive to sound evil and rebelious. It's rather childish.

 

[Mistress]

I really do find some of the objections completely over the top:

From the Age of Mythology preview:

From a Christian perspective there are some things worth mentioning.  The most objectionable being the many gods in the game and how they are portrayed.  This religious system goes against our beliefs and does not glorify our God in any way, shape, or form. Other deities are being worshipped here.  Other than that major issue there's violence from battles.  Finally, some of the female goddesses can use more clothes.  

OMG, other deities are being worshipped!

My perspective on the Christian Computer Game Reviews site is probably a bit harsh, given the fact that I can't stand the concept, much less the reality, of organised religion. Add to this the fact that, on their new staff page, I see this:

Real name: Cheryl Gress (Yes I'm a girl!)
Date of Birth: 6-23-1978

OMG DO GIRLS PLAY GAMES TOO???? Even Christian ones?

Seriously though, I can see the benefit of the site for people who do feel so strongly about the content of games they buy for themselves and their children, but I disagree with the majority of what is said.

On the subject of satanic symbols in games, yes, in a lot of cases it is utterly pointless, and like Saint said, just a way of being trendy. Like, WOW -insert name here- IS SO KEWL AND EVIL! LOL! In some cases though, where it forms a part of the story and atmosphere of the game, I don't think that it should be a reason for someone of a particular faith to avoid the game. Faith shouldn't be about ignoring and avoiding the beliefs and ideas of others, through self-imposed blindness to other ideas, people limit the development of their own faith and belief system. No, computer games probably aren't going to have a major impact on someone's beliefs, but the fact that people would even avoid a game on the basis of dark imagery or the inclusion of beliefs which contradict their own really is disconcerting to me. I just avoid games because they don't sound very interesting, or because I've been reliably informed of the fact that I won't enjoy them.

Just as a sidenote, its fun to see that Bible Trivia Pro Saintly Millionaire got a whopping 92%. "This game can be fun for the whole family or church group. " Sorry, that sounds like a nightmare I once had......

 

[Rosh]

What is even worse is that the imagery used didn't have any dark purpose, inside or outside of the game.

Which they would have known if they had played the game or had some intelligence. Which, I'm sorry to say, I've not met a fundie that wasn't a waste of air.

It reminded me of the time that a whole bunch of Christian fundies said that UO was a Satanic game because of all the pentagrams...which had a point at the top, instead of at the bottom where it's placed commonly for Satanic rituals.

Next you'll have the fundies complaining about nursery schools teaching the kids to be Satan worshippers because they are doing a five-point star.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

You know, I think I'd have been offended if God had been in Age of Mythology. I can't see a reason for their objection at all, given what the game is about. Do these people even know what the word, Mythology means in the first place?

Would they have been happier if you could play the Hebrew with God as their deity, fighting Zues, Odin, or some other head god in some other pantheon? How ass would that have been?

It makes no sense. None.

 

[Mistress]

You know, I think I'd have been offended if God had been in Age of Mythology. I can't see a reason for their objection at all, given what the game is about. Do these people even know what the word, Mythology means in the first place?

Would they have been happier if you could play the Hebrew with God as their deity, fighting Zues, Odin, or some other head god in some other pantheon? How ass would that have been?

It makes no sense. None.

I know....the fact that they even bring up "worshipping other deities" as one of the points about the game is pretty ridiculous. Mind you, the game would be much more amusing had they made it into a Christian remake - Jesus and the disciples on a quest for the golden fleece.....SUPER FUN AND PACKED FULL OF SENSE.

I don't know, developers these days are such heathens.

 

[Jed]

Well, call me a God-less, post-leftist anarchist, but I think christians would do well to spend more time reading their bibles than involving themselves in such "worldly" culture as video games. Fence-sitting is a surer path to hell than good intentions...

Blah.
Jed

(I grew up in rural Eastern Tennessee, and had fanatical Bapists of some stripe or another breathing down my neck until I got the fuck out of there, so I hope you can understand my vehemence...)

 

[HanoverF]

Age of Mythology Offensive Content: D
Mafia Offensive Content: C

Hmmm I guess all the mafioso are christians so its easier to gloss over all the shooting and killing and such

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

I know....the fact that they even bring up "worshipping other deities" as one of the points about the game is pretty ridiculous. Mind you, the game would be much more amusing had they made it into a Christian remake - Jesus and the disciples on a quest for the golden fleece.....SUPER FUN AND PACKED FULL OF SENSE.

I don't know, developers these days are such heathens.

Yeah, I know. Something like that would be just plain offensive. While it would be possible to do a Biblical RTS, it'd be very, very tricky to do without it being, for lack of a better word, blasphemous.

There would be gobs of problems with it, since there's a heck of a lot of lore that some sects of Christianity follow that others don't. Then there'd be the whole issue with Muslims and Jews as well, since you'd be having a game with their God, but not their exact interpretation or teachings on what that God is like.

Think about it. How many sides would their be? God versus... Who? Lucifer? Well, that'd open a really nasty can of worms right away, since Jews don't believe in Lucifer. I'm not sure Muslims believe in the concept either. However, from a Christian type scenario versus an RTS one.. Would you allow the player to play Lucifer's side? If so, wouldn't that be a heck of a lot worse than playing Zeus's side? After all, we're talking about something they believe is real here, and the source of evil and damnation in their beliefs.

Okay, so Lucifer might not be good to use as the antigonist. Well, what about the Egyptians? They were pretty formidable from what I read in the bible. In Exodus, they even had priests who could perform magic. However, isn't magic taboo to these people who work for this site? Obviously, you can't use magic without offending these people, even though there's biblical presidence set for it.

And honestly, here's the big problem.. By being able to play God's side in an RTS would mean that God could lose a game because there has to be a challenge in it! That alone should make them go apeshit.

 

[Mistress]

Yeah, I know. Something like that would be just plain offensive. While it would be possible to do a Biblical RTS, it'd be very, very tricky to do without it being, for lack of a better word, blasphemous.

In which case they should stick to games like Bible Trivia Pro Saintly Millionaire! That and reading the bible over and over again should keep them safe from any influences outside of their little cocoon.

Think about it. How many sides would their be? God versus... Who? Lucifer? Well, that'd open a really nasty can of worms right away, since Jews don't believe in Lucifer. I'm not sure Muslims believe in the concept either. However, from a Christian type scenario versus an RTS one.. Would you allow the player to play Lucifer's side? If so, wouldn't that be a heck of a lot worse than playing Zeus's side? After all, we're talking about something they believe is real here, and the source of evil and damnation in their beliefs.

Hehheh - you can just imagine the asswhooping a kid would get if his overzealous Christian parents found him playing Lucifer in a game....

And honestly, here's the big problem.. By being able to play God's side in an RTS would mean that God could lose a game because there has to be a challenge in it! That alone should make them go apeshit.

But, but, but......that's unpossible!

 

[Constipated Craprunner]

These are Baptists. Mormons are not a traditionally idiotic group. Today, Smith's ideas would be considered almost communist. However, a lot of fucking idiots got control (namely Brigham Young) and, like every other religion made with good intent, spiraled into a group of constipated assholes who cant seem to get the idea into their head that *perhaps* someone should be able to choose something.
Not only that, but also these idiots are not even normal for Christians of any era. From the time of Justinian through our own, every major Christian church has believed that many mythological stories tell important values.
I am tired of these idiots claiming to do things in the name of Jesus, who sounds more like an Anarchist in Proverbs than anything.

 

[Rosh]

Two words:

Dungeon Keeper

 

[Deathy]

And honestly, here's the big problem.. By being able to play God's side in an RTS would mean that God could lose a game because there has to be a challenge in it! That alone should make them go apeshit.

God works in mysterious ways.
Perhaps he intended to lose.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

These are Baptists. Mormons are not a traditionally idiotic group.

I guess I never told you about the Mormon guy who was interviewed at Troika.. Until he found out Arcanum let you summon demons and decided that Troika wasn't the developer for him.

 

[Constipated Craprunner]

Mormons today tend to be uberly conservative Christians, despite the fact that, overall, Democratic Mormons tend to wield power.
I hate the church do not get me wrong. IT spawns awful people with a completely utilitarian view on education, science and philosophy. Being near UofC, we get a lot of reactionary business student.
"But wait- this does not make sense! How can the universe and everything inside be created in 6 days, and why would an omniscient being need to rest for 1?"
"To be honest, in this part of the book you should really look beyond what it says to the metaphor behind it. I doubt everything was created in a week, but look beyond that to the true meaning."
Therefore, my 2something year old teacher, a business student at one of the ten best Universities in the US plainly says, "Actually, I think it is quite accurate." All further discussion on the topic was discouraged by the tone in his voice.
I was 11. That was the start on my long road to agnosticism.

 

[Greenskin13]

As a Catholic, I don't find these games offensive or blasphemic just because they have violence or gods from myths. My Jewish friend plays GTA3 and another friend, Presbyterian, enjoys AvP and Dungeon Siege 2. Neither of them has shot anybody. I am not a violent person, but violence in games does not hurt anyone. Just like Monopoly, when my friends go bankrupt, it doesn't mean I'm secretly plotting to empty their wallets in expensive hotels in real life. People who play Monopoly don't become CEOs automatically, just as people who play Morrowind don't turn into murderous pagans. Most of them, anyways. Games are just there for entertainment, not to brainwash players. I really don't understand fundamentalists, maybe they just suck at these games.

 

[Rosh]

I really don't understand fundamentalists, maybe they just suck at these games.

I think they're just stupid. If they have such an obvious inability to understand what's going on (even when it's explained verbatim), then they are stupid. For example, doing the "satanic rituals" in U9. That was a laugh.

 

[Constipated Craprunner]

Games are just there for entertainment, not to brainwash players.

Well, every game but this- http://www.ccgr.org/cat.htm

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Games are just there for entertainment, not to brainwash players.

Well, every game but this- http://www.ccgr.org/cat.htm

That just sounds.. awful. I don't know why they couldn't make a game based on the whole Christian uprising in Roman times and do it right.

This Christian game is fun. The graphics and sound are good. I like the idea behind it, you are a Christian warrior who has to free your mentor and brethren from the evil Roman soldiers. To do this, you must convert them with the sword of the spirit.

Uhhh.. What the hell? You shoot people with a sword, and they become Christians? That's obscene, especially given the Christian ideal that you must have Faith to be Christian! Brainwashing people with magic swords just completely defies the message of Christ altogether!

Why not have a skill, say Preach, where you can explain your beliefs to the Roman soldiers and convert them that way? After all, that's how the word of Christ was spread in Roman times. It wasn't done by some guy with a magic sword that shoots brainwashing spells at people.

That's just.. disgusting. It amazes me the reviewer laps that tripe up.

This game isn't violent, you don't see any blood. In fact I didn't realize I died at first. You blast those roman soldiers with your sword and convert them. I wish converting people was this easy in real life!

Umm.. Why no blood? Blood and violence is mentioned often in the Bible. David decapitated Goliath after knocking him out with a sling. Cain spilled Abel's blood on the ground, which is when God showed up to punish him. God, through Moses, turned all the water in Egypt in to blood! How about marking doorways with blood so the angel of death would pass those houses in Egypt?

Come on, a Christian game without blood is just silly. The Bible has the word used 451 times, per Bible.com's search engine.

Why not allow the choice of playing a warrior of God, a la David, or playing someone with the wisdom to teach the word? That would give the game depth as well as remaining true to the Christian theme.

And the converting thing being that easy in real life. Once again, this kid totally misses the point. You have to have Faith. That's the important thing in Christianity, every single sect has the belief of reward through Faith.

When you find yourself low on health, read bible scrolls. This game is great for kids!

This is completely sickenning as well. Physical scrolls.. Hello? Why not.. You guessed it.. FAITH to heal? Why do you need scrolls, when there's prayer? Or the ability to heal through Faith? It makes no sense.

But I would highly recommend this game to any child or Christian.

I sure wouldn't, since the message in this game is pretty far removed from Christian teachings. Why they praise this, I have no idea. It's stunning.

 

[Greenskin13]

Hey Rosh and St. P. Nice to see some faces from Vault13.net

Anyways, that game looks like it was one of those 90's ad campaign FPS. Remember Chex Quest? It was a silly Doom clone that came with a box of Chex cereal. Ahh...brings me back.

 

[HanoverF]

Uhhh.. What the hell? You shoot people with a sword, and they become Christians?

They stole that idea from an episode of "The Simpsons"

 

[Constipated Craprunner]

More importantly, the reviews behind the appropriate level still suck.
Just compare the Serious Sam review to Warcraft 3, the only game that Blizzard has done right sense DiaBlow , which was not even really them.
"No, you just winged him. Now he is a Unitarian." Damn, those guys are viscious!

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

"No, you just winged him. Now he is a Unitarian."

Hahahaha.. BEST. JOKE. EVAR.

Well, another thing that just totally cheeses me off about that review is the total lack of consistancy. They seem to hate magic with the exception of a magical sword that brainwashes people in to believing in Christianity. I find that way more offensive than a sword that magically hits an orc harder.

Like I said, if they wanted the concept of conversion to Christian belief, they should have done that through Preaching and speech rather than some half-assed gimmick like a magical sword.

 

[Walks with the Snails]

Man, that's just sad. SP is right on. The game's basically based on a heresy, and this guy laps it up because there's no blood. It's really depressing how little so many professed Christians really seem know about their own religion. Then they're also usually the ones who go running off at the mouth and make everyone else look bad. I wish the fundamentalists would at least try to think and learn about what they claim to believe in every once in a while, but I guess then they wouldn't be fundamentalists any more.