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Hindu Society pissed about PS2 game, asks it be pulled photo

Who is Lord Hanuman? Well, in case you aren't familiar with the name, he's a monkey god held beloved by followers of Hindu. In the ancient Sanskrit epic the Ramayana, Hanuman leads a monkey army to fight a demon king. Sounds like a perfect scenario for a videogame, doesn't it?

Well, a PS2 game WAS made, called Hanuman: Boy Warrior, and it seems that people are already bent out of shape about it. According to CVG, The Universal Society of Hinduism has called for Sony to remove the game from store shelves. The society's president, Rajan Zed, commented on the call to arms, saying:

Controlling and manipulating Lord Hanuman with a joystick/button/keyboard/mouse is denigration.

We love to play gods, but we're tactless Americans, of course. Nothing gets in our way! Zed also commented that they welcome the appearance of gods in the entertainment industry, as long as they were handled "seriously and respectfully." Sony has declined to comment, by the way.

What do you think? Is is disrespectful to play a game about a god (or where you play one)? I never felt guilty while playing Populous...


Continue: More Religion stories





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46 comments | showing # 1 to 46

foolishwolf's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 11:23
foolishwolf
The Universal Society of Hinduism can fuck off. Nothing is sacred, why should this be?
Cynical Gamer's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 11:25
Cynical Gamer
LOL @ Lord Hanuman's lips.
Count Grishnack's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 11:33
Count Grishnack
Next up: A game where I can play as Jesus.
koehler83's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 11:35
koehler83
Note to religious fuckheads of all races and creeds: Shut the fuck up. Fuck off and get the fuck over yourselves and your petty bullshit!
The Phantom Gamer's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 11:36
The Phantom Gamer
In b4 Jesus...

damn, Count Grishnack.


...

In b4 Siddhartha comment.
Magnalon's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 11:37
Magnalon
Hahhaha. What is the The Universal Society of Hinduism going to do? The publishers shouldn't take this seriously.
Phallus Knife Fight's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 11:38
Phallus Knife Fight
--leads a monkey army to fight a demon king? Oh you Hindus, that was Ape Escape: Pumped and Primed.

Is no one original anymore?
Harris Hatsworth's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 11:43
Harris Hatsworth
I assume this is already out, yeah?
aaronf's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 11:43
aaronf
Not disrespectful at all. I find it disrespectful to reason that people still believe in any kind of ancient fairy tales.

If you don't like the game, don't play it.
Discarded Couch Sandwich's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 11:44
Discarded Couch Sandwich
Somewhere, outside his castle, a group of angry religious leaders are grouping up with flaming torches and pitchforks to lynch Peter Moleneux.
comtruise's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 11:49
comtruise
Religion: Serious Business
Mighty Heman's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 11:51
Mighty Heman
You got yerself a pretty mouth there boy!!!
Mr Kite's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 11:53
Mr Kite




take your pick
Rosseh's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 11:56
Rosseh
Hanuman should be taken seriously? Isn't he the god that pissed off a load of people and lifted a mountain? There's also millions of homages and other depictions in media.

Should this be taken seriously? BAN THIS SICK FILTH!
GlaceauxFruits's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 12:02
GlaceauxFruits
Mr Kite:
So, you don't believe in Chuck Norris? I hope you can handle the consequences.
XXLaw's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 12:06
XXLaw
''If God is real, may he strike me dead...see? Nothing happened...wait a little cramp in my leg, and my balls hurt... plus I'm blind. Oh wait, now ok again. Must of been Joe Peshy.'' George carlin
I myself think religion is the one that is hold our species back from evolving. They are still trying to brainwash our generation in the 21.st century that there is an invisible man, that watches everything you do, and this man has a list of 10 things you ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO, and if you do any of those things, he has a special place where you will burn, get tortured and be in pain till the ends of time... But he LOVES YOU. He loves you and he needs MONEY! (Sins ain't cheap you know)
If those f'ing politics wouldn't hide behind religion, maybe we would be able to start BANNING religion, in the way, that you can believe in anything you want, if you want to, BUT KEEP YOUR RELIGION TO YOURSELF!
Qraze's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 12:07
Qraze
people are only fighting the battles they think they can win.
Tdiddy9182's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 12:07
Tdiddy9182
I read about that last night (posted on twitter too). I think its more offensive to put a god in a game that is really terrible, but at least it was a group of Hindu's that made the game. It'd be different if it was a bunch of non hindu's making the game.

Now, I can't wait for "Revenge of the Christ: May he without sin kick the first ass"
Volomon's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 12:20
Volomon
Why don't they just use the Chinese, Japanese, or many other versions? Much cooler anyway.
Vrynix's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 12:24
Vrynix
The Universal Society of Hinduism are most likely simply a bunch of traditionalists as most of those societies are. But seeing as how it sold 10.000 units on day one, I doubt it will get pulled. Besides, this game has proven local games can work, at least in India.
The game is about 10$ US over there as well. If this doesn't get pulled they'll most likely start pumping them out like clockwork.
I also think it's weird that they are complaining at this point. As Tdiddi9182 stated: the game was developed locally. If they really had objections about it they would've most likely complained sooner. Publicity is a wonderful thing.
Char Aznable's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 12:28
Char Aznable
Fuckin' labia face over here...
JDigital's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 12:41
JDigital
I'm pissed at the Hindu society. I call for them to stop being Hindu because it upsets my religion.

/s
Ballistic's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 12:47
Ballistic
Play as Angelina Jolie's father, CONFIRMED FOR BRAWL!
Mushman's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 13:01
Mushman
It's probably being made by Hinus themselves, so what is their beef?

In fact, seeing as a large majority of Hinus are very religious, I bet the devs themselves are somewhat religious. It's not like people of a different race, religion or creed are developing it. If it wasn't then I could see why, in a very small part, the reason why they are complaining.

They should be glad that Indians are developing it, sony could've easily handed it to us westerners, and that would be a, potenially, much more worse situation.

I also find it funny how xxlaw is grouping every single relgion under the sun as having the same basic principles and beliefs as Christianity.

Different relgions believe different things, and no two are ever really the same. Before spouting off about how religion is 'brainwashing' society, learn to actually tell the difference between different religions.

@Mr Kite

I CHOOSE RELIGON!!!

*throws pokeball, captures a little bit of Islam*

YES!

@Rosseh's Pic

LOLWAT
BenHaskett's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 13:11
BenHaskett
You know you've got a shitty budget for a game when you take a generic stock warrior, put a swollen, horizontal vagina on his face, give him a tail, and call him a monkey.

Next up, they'll make a game about an octopus god and they'll just move the eyes to the side of the head, put a butthole on his mouth, and bam: sequel.
Sam Spectre's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 13:13
Sam Spectre
That's just stupid. Sorry your offended Hindu's, what the fuck are you going to do about it? Oh yeah, nothing.
Christophart's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 13:18
Christophart
seriously wtf is going on with this character design, does it say in the great hindu texts that this guy had a serious facial deformity...probably not.
Chronic Logic's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 13:25
Chronic Logic
Fucking Americans, why do they go apeshit over stuff that's not even happening in their country? And yet the country with the LARGEST Hindu population doesn't care. Do these Americans eve know that the video game developers are an Indian company? Of course not, we're Americans who bitch over anything.
Rosseh's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 13:29
Rosseh
Yeh, his lips do look like a vagoo.

@mushman - You've not seen monkey before? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkNAcXWB9LQ Monkey magic ooooo!
Mr Kite's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 13:31
Mr Kite
@ GlaceauxFruits

My well being can't afford not to believe in Chuck Norris
Naim Master's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 13:34
Naim Master
Lol , that's racism !I mean look at his lips , black steriotypes and monkeys to get my ideia ...
Char Aznable's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 13:46
Char Aznable
Thanks for spelling that out for everyone, Naim Master.
loki d20's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 14:12
loki d20
Why don't they just educate the people against this sort of thing as per their own beliefs rather than forcing it upon the populace as a whole?
DemonEyes23's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 14:14
DemonEyes23
@Mr. Kite
the Atheist one is completely wrong and makes no f-in sense. Atheist simply don't believe that any supernatural entity created the universe. We rely on science to find the explanations to the world around us and just because we don't know the answer to everything (such as how the universe came about) doesn't mean we "believe" in nothing. And wtf is with the world magically its f-ckin physics among other principles that cause things to arrange as they. Though i'm sure you didn't create either so this rank is wasted.
aaronf's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 14:14
aaronf
@Chronic Logic:

Freedom of speech is a worldwide issue, and we should fight for it wherever that fight is needed.
Mushman's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 14:18
Mushman
@Rosseh

Wow, brillaint vid.
lePooch's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 14:46
lePooch
Being brought up Hindu, I find nothing really insulting about this game at all. There are too many random over-religious morons out there.

Notice how there are no real Indians riled up about this yet? Thats cos you CAN and DO roleplay gods over in India. I remember reading the Lone Wolf books as a kid, and then having my Indian aunt giving me a horrid choose your own adventure book made in India... where you play as Krishna(also a god). God-sploitation was rampant before the PS2, why stop now?
Dexter345's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 14:58
Dexter345
I'd play Egyptian Dental Fair before Hanuman anyway.
funran's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 16:02
funran
The Ramayana is an awesome story, its like Lord of the Rings really, but thousands of years old. I'd actually like to play this, calm down hindu peoples.
WarZombie's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 16:37
WarZombie
Freedom of Speech is a wonderful thing, it's awesome to see people in other countries express that without fear of consequence. Even if they meant well, you can't please everyone, but I doubt they're going to pull this game off the shelves.
Johnny Justice's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 17:34
Johnny Justice
At least now I know this game exists. It sounds like it could be quite interesting.
A New Challenger's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 17:43
A New Challenger
Once again, Shin Megami Tensei flies under the radar....
ghets's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/20/2009 17:54
ghets
That is some god awful character design. They just took a regular prince looking dude and gave him monkey lips and a tail!
wanderingpixel's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/21/2009 06:46
wanderingpixel
I think that whoever made this game should have realized that it was disrespectful to make this game. It shouldn't be banned since not everyone is Hindu, but I do not think that there is a problem with the Hindu religion condeming it.

@Mr Kite
I choose D: None of the above.
kaocrat's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/30/2009 06:42
kaocrat
I think we need more games based on religious themes.

When are we going to get a Biblical version of God of War? I want a game that takes as many liberties with the bible stories as God of War does with Greek mythology. I want to play as Jesus, swinging a giant, thorn-covered cross around, fighting 2 of every animal on Noah's ark until it dramatically crashes into mount Ararat.
lewness's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/02/2009 06:32
lewness
So are there any Mara worshippers out there to demand Atlus to pull out all SMT games for their god's portrayal as a...er... dick?
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