Surprise! With Saint's Row 2 garnering more attention than its prequel, it has finally been noticed by reactionaries and critics. Bet you never saw that one coming! A police union is the root of the issue, attacking Saint's Row 2 for encouraging depravity and immorality while throwing around that ever-popular buzzword, "desensitize."
"These horrible and violent video games desensitize young people to violence while encouraging depravity, immorality while glorifying criminal behavior," whines NYPD boss Patrick Lynch.
I've played Saint's Row 2 and I can confirm that it is indeed violent, but the violence is so comical it might as well be Tom & Jerry with blood. If you are "desensitized" to real-life violence by the cartoon killings of SR2, then you have some real issues that need to be examined. Somehow, I don't think a game in which you can bitchslap people a mile into the air using a foam hand can be taken as a realistic portrayal of violent activity.
If you think Saint's Row 2 is capable of single-handedly causing societal damage, then you're an idiot.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
3:36 AM on 10.16.2008
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You mean like this:
http://www.jcautyandson.com/acatalog/info_4.html
Well played sir
Lousy NYPD, keeping the Fountain of Youth from the public.
There's tons of videos on youtube about it.
I think Jim is aware of that, thus the caption....
I was afraid of this :(. This game has a far greater capability to incite media anxiety over violence in videogames than GTA4 ever had. Apparently not everyone likes to be told to torch protesters with a flamethrower, even if it is hilarious?
Tough to say...I interpretted as being "ha! like this is ever done in real life". Sarcasm (or lack thereof) does not translate well in text.
Where's my wallet!
I feel a lengthy blog rant comming on...
The world is DOOMED.