Browsing through the pages of my local paper, the Daily Echo, which covers the Dorset area in the south of England, I came across this little piece. I saw the title, and the pic of GTA IV, and a sigh of deep apathy filled the room, expecting yet another GTA-bashing article by a person who hadn't even played the game or was too idiotic to see the satire. However, I was pleasently surprised to see this:
'A Grand way to kill time.
To help while away hour after hour of sleeplessness, I was fortunate to have some pretty good company.
Grand Theft Auto IV.
Yes, the target of some of the world's most vocal moral guardian's chagrin is back and it's as addictive as ever.
Despite many countries being in dire financial straits, the game sold more than 3.5 million units in its first day, and grossed more than $500 million in its first week.
In addition to the commercial success, the game has also become the highest ranked video game ever as rated by the world's critics, but these will not be the facts that make the lasting headlines.
Instead, we'll get fine, upstanding and open-minded moral guardians such as MP Keith Vaz and American attorney Jack Thompson blaming it for every murder, assault and robbery that occurs in the wake of its release. If they could, they'd probably blame it for global warming too.
Had these upright crusaders had the nous to actually play the game before reaching for their pitchforks, they'd find that beneath the superficial violence of the game, there's actually an intellectual and scathing satire on the very values our heroes are purporting to uphold.
But I guess there aren't any headlines in that...
- Steve Court'
It may only be a small article in a local paper, but it brightened my day a little to see someone in the media bothering to look at what the game is, and not just following the trend of ragging on the game without even having played it.
I can't find the article on their website, but some of you may have better luck finding it than I.
bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/columnists
And for those who needs pictures to grab their attention, behold!
All about the picture!
I think the tide of anti-game mongering is slowly turning. Good to see a smaller paper be so open-minded. It's like a grassroots campaign to let JT know he's a douche. Me likey.
All about the wong
<3