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Let the BioShock kiddy killer hysteria begin! photo

Okay, so yesterday my attention was drawn to this rather pathetic little article about 2K's gaming masterpiece, BioShock. Yes, it seems that the scavengers of the mainstream media have finally smelled fresh meat and galloped over to stick their snouts in. In a move that can only be described as pitifully predictable, the first of the Little Sister exploitation pieces has emerged, claiming that BioShock "tests the limits of the ultraviolent gaming genre" by "enabling" players to kill enemies resembling little girls.

The Patriot Ledger goes through the usual sad and cliche' tricks that we've seen from these types of articles in the past. It brings up an unrelated token murder in which videogames can conveniently be implicated, it focuses only on BioShock's violence and not the reason or story behind it and of course, the article trots out some "expert" on the subject who has done "research" that proves videogames are the many depraved wives of Lucifer. In short, it's the usual crap we've heard time and time again. Seriously, once the word "desensitizes" was used, I knew I'd read this article a million times before, just about a different game. These vultures need to change their tune because I'm starting to get bored. I'm so sick of the word desensitize, like the damn word even means anything. 

At the very least, the article sees fit to include someone of sound mind and rational tongue, 2K president Ken Levine who defended his company's game perfectly. "‘As a piece of art, we want to deal with challenging moral issues and if you want to do that, you have to go to some dark places," Levine tactfully explained. "And BioShock certainly does go to some dark places."

Honestly though, I don't know what annoys me more -- that the media leapt on the Little Sisters of BioShock ... or that it was so damn OBVIOUS they would. Utterly pathetic.


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74 comments | showing # 1 to 50

A New Challenger's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:02
A New Challenger
I too am desensitized to desensitize.

News flash: Sensationalist media destroying children's vocabulary
BFeld13's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:03
BFeld13
What is a Quincy company?
sTo0z's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:04
sTo0z
Free press and coverage for BioShock, yay. ;)
10BobMarleys's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:07
10BobMarleys
I dunno.... I only bought BioShock because it gives me the opportunity to murder young children. I don't see the big deal, they're young, nobody could be too attached to them.
Deathsaw's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:12
Deathsaw
That's about as pathetic as RE5 being "racist".
lvl54spacemonkey's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:13
lvl54spacemonkey
I'm tired of these repetitive attacks on gaming but only because they force the games makers to pull out the same "games are art" argument. Not saying they aren't art but by trotting out that same defense they are making the non gamers reading the article assume that these games makers believe art is just violence thanks to how the "journalist" has put up their argument.

This'll all blow over in a few years when the papers find another form of entertainment to moan about.
toast!'s Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:14
toast!
i agree with the article bashing bioshock... if some 6 year old girl with huge yellow glowing eyes came up to me with a giant needle and started mumbling about taking the ADAM out of me, I'd kill the bitch

i've obviously been corrupted by bioshock.. i need mental help!
BFeld13's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:16
BFeld13
Did Wiisucks just copy and paste the article into his comments?

[facepalm.jpg]
Kotua's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:16
Kotua
Not this Shit again...

Also, isn't the whole Little Sister "killing" the reason they made the Little Sisters have glowing eyes and stuff?
Oni's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:17
Oni
While the 'video games are murder simulators' argument is trite, the 'video games are art' argument is also trite.

In the end, the two arguments end up nullifying themselves and it ends in a draw, which is frustrating. I swear, there is no such thing as a valid argument for either side.

Of course, none of this matters to the sheeple. They, the uninformed, herded by the unenlightened.
Oni's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:17
Oni
While the 'video games are murder simulators' argument is trite, the 'video games are art' argument is also trite.

In the end, the two arguments end up nullifying themselves and it ends in a draw, which is frustrating. I swear, there is no such thing as a valid argument for either side.

Of course, none of this matters to the sheeple. They, the uninformed, herded by the unenlightened.
Jim Sterling's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:20
Jim Sterling
Actually, there IS a valid argument for the game side. It goes like this:

"STOP BEING OVER-REACTIVE CUNTS!"
BlackDove's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:22
BlackDove
Dear Patriotledger,

Blow me.

Kisses.
Lord_Satorious's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:22
Lord_Satorious
Killing little girls is illegal? I killed and ate about three of them yesterday, I thought that's what they were there for. I blame video games for my clearly psychopathic behavior. Clearly, all those years of playing DOOM desensitized me into becoming a homicidal cannibalistic nutcase.
Campbell's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:24
Campbell
I can only assume Bioshock is as overrated as Gears of War. I mean, with Gears, I come in anticipating one of the greatest 3PS's of our time, and what I got was a short, barely innovative, festival of mediocrity.


Bioshock looks great. Really. But thanks to the gaming media's buffoonary, I'll be hesitant to see for myself.
Excremento's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:28
Excremento
Well...if they did ANY research...you're just trying to kill the symbiote in the girl's body really...so what if she dies, she was weak. Besides, who gives a Fxck what the mainstream media thinks.
casualweaponry's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:35
casualweaponry
I'm surprised Chris Hansen from Dateline hasn't chimed in yet.

Ya know, since young girls are involved
Origim's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:36
Origim
Oh and great article 1,800,006,000 blaming video games for everything from cancer to war. It's getting pathetic at this point.
Neonie's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:37
Neonie
What's so funny about this is it dosen't SHOW anything. I mean my fuck, I was kind of actully disapointed with the animation they used to "harvest" the litte sisters. (Is that a bad thing?) But seriously, I was expecting a LITTLE more..
UglyDuck's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:39
UglyDuck
This is one of the more calm and logical articles that I've read, I gotta say. Most of them are so propagative, some bordering on evangelical, but this just stated facts. It was still in a bias and ignorant way, though. So no more points than any of the others.

However, I will disagree/agree with the whole desensitized bit, I was already aware that I've been desensitized and I'm certainly not a killer, but it does have meaning. It means I could watch all those videos of animals being tortured or skinned for fur and not bat an eyelid, whilst other people would run away and cry and rant about how awful it all is. I still hate it all, but I just don't react to or express it.

It's just about letting people understand the whole argument rather than having biased, self-promoting articles like this fed into peoples brains.
SniperFodder's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:42
SniperFodder
So.....does that mean it's o.k. to kill everyone that isn't a six year old, giant-glowing-green eyed little girl with a giant needle? Because if that's the case, I'd like to get started, my list is getting pretty long.
rmsk8r05's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:42
rmsk8r05
I guess some self-righteous/proclaimed media type would try use that againse Bioshock and gaming in general.
bern00b's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:44
bern00b
They also state that "The game imagines a futuristic dystopia". When it's set in 1960...
SniperFodder's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:49
SniperFodder
I think they just wanted their article promoted on Destuctoid. I bet their site traffic went up. Damn leaches.
bern00b's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:51
bern00b
Woah blank post FTL. Sorry 'bout that.
UglyDuck's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 22:55
UglyDuck
Is it any accident that his email is sadams@ledger.com?

Yeah, that's right, I went there, Steve. I have big teeth that are proportionate to that of a womans, so now were even.
Sharpless's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 23:11
Sharpless
The article's not that bad, until around halfway through, when they bring out the convenient "expert." The issue just isn't simple enough that you can wheel out a professional to say, "Experiments told us this," and have done with it. It's just unprofessional, sensationalist nonsense to simplify like that. Beyond that, the game is M-rated and, if a kid gets ahold of it, it's his parents' damn fault. They always leave that detail out of it.

Actually, I'm pleasantly surprised by how much the media has ignored BioShock. Nice.
NES 8Bit's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 23:15
NES 8Bit
"I'm so sick of the word desensitize, like the damn word even means anything."

literary. genius.
kittridge's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 23:26Image Hosted by ImageShack.us</a><br/>
kittridge
They give you the choice of "harvesting" her, or rescuing her. So they don't have an argument. You can complete the game without harvesting one little sister. Conversely, rescuing her would be considered morally appropriate, right?

They should be applauding the developers for promoting responsible behavior.
The Incredible Edible Egg's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 23:28
The Incredible Edible Egg
I have a new goal in life, which is to make a game and have something in it slightly resemble racism and claim I made the whole game just for that one moment of racism.

HUZZAH!
Boolean's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 23:44
Boolean
Is this the same media that plays clips of suicide bombings at 10am in the morning while kids mozey around the house and watch TV?
Excremento's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 23:49
Excremento
Can you actually imagine a game where nothing controversial happens, its in every game!!! I mean you can even promote Tetris as a communism simulator where no matter how hard you work, the government will keep taking away all of your neatly stacked bricks and just make you work harder...jeezuz I hate ass-hats like this who sensationalize something as real as my decision to not kill children everyday. Stick a candle up his ass...happy birthday!
Mxyzptlk's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/24/2007 23:58
Mxyzptlk
Little girls have had it easy for far too long. It's about time we started taking care of the problem by any means necessary. I mean, I've probably gained 15 pounds off those Caramel Delights and Thin Mints they keep selling me year after year.
DGX Goggles's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/25/2007 00:03
DGX Goggles
YES! Now if Jack Thompson gets behind it, we can go V for Vendetta on these censors and take it to them with Bioshock as our poster child. In the words of Stephen Colbert, "I CALLED IT!" God, I cannot believe they actually found something to jump on about this game though.
pizzaface's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/25/2007 00:24
pizzaface
I HATE THE WORD "CONTROVERSIAL"!! THAT SHIT IS TOSSED AROUND BY MAINSTREAM TV NEWS ALL THE FUCKING TIME AND IT PISSES ME OUT!!
KaL YoshiKa's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/25/2007 00:34
KaL YoshiKa
You could gun down a little girl in Shogo:MAD..
Wargasmic's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/25/2007 00:41
Wargasmic
This game suddenly gives me the urge to kill... REAL LITTLE GIRLS.
Deus's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/25/2007 00:55
Deus
You can also save them, did they mention that? I didn't harvest them myself because the gifts were cool. Also, after rescuing the first one, every time I looked at one it felt like I was staring at a little girl I was about to kill. Needless to say, that scared the hell out of me. Plus, saving them feels pretty good.
Kfizz's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/25/2007 01:47
Kfizz
The thing is this is a issues that is around today. Is it ok to abort something that could be living. The little sisters are not human but they could be if you save them its the samechoice with aborting a baby. So the things is this is the most in touch game with are world i have ever seen. DR's. have been doing this for years and been making money. this is not for shock value its a way to look deep in to are souls for moral fiber.
Samit Sarkar's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/25/2007 02:15
Samit Sarkar
I wonder if the news media just has a template for an anti-video game article. You know, something standardized — where they can just change the title of the game and publisher in question, insert a new “expert” or cite a new study “proving” that gamers could possibly go out and shoot up a school, and wax poetic about how video games are destroying America’s youth and why, oh why haven’t laws banning more such games been passed?

In the words of the immortal Tommy Vercetti, “DICKS! YOU’RE ALL DICKS!”
wdsnizek's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/25/2007 02:36
wdsnizek
great article. I quoted you here:

http://news.filefront.com/mass-media-targeting-bioshock/
Farktoid's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/25/2007 03:14
Farktoid
Well since the only people who read "newspapers" anymore have no idea about games, this is a simple and quick way to fill reader space.

I remember at one point playing that I saw one of the Little Sisters running up the stairs, so I followed her, assuming a Big Daddy would come at me. I watched her turn a corner and escape the level through one of those holes in the wall. At that point, I actually breathed a sigh of relief, because I realized I had healed her a few minutes prior and now I was watching her escape all danger. THAT, my friends, is called a Moment of Clarity.

From then on, I have chosen to save all the Sisters, and just because I want to, I follow them to their holes in the wall just to make sure they escape safely. Let's see you report on THAT, Mr. Patriot-Ledger.
tom90deg's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/25/2007 03:16
tom90deg
Heh, I have to agree, as soon as I heard that you could kill the Little Sisters, I just said, "Awww Hell...They're gonna have a feild day with this one..." Not withstanding, a surpriseingly large number of people who play the game won't kill the little sisters. I know I for one, once i get a chance to bloody play it, won't be able to. That i think proves that we're NOT desentizied to violence. But, hey, what the hell do I know? I don't write articles for a newspaper.
Justice's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/25/2007 03:32
Justice
Get the bioshock n00z out 2 the ppl!
garrfunkel's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/25/2007 04:53
garrfunkel
Ah crap were we not supposed to emulate the little sister harvests. Im gonna have alot of explainin to do.
SubOrbital's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/25/2007 05:48
SubOrbital
You know, I'm all for social responsibility but seriously, their logic is flawed. They bring up the fact that you can kill the 'little sisters' but not that you can rescue them? What were they doing when they played, killing them all off? If they are going to slam Bioshock, then at least feign being a proper journalist and weigh up both sides fairly, something that even Dtoid doesn't do all the time. Bioshock is the canvas, but it is up to the player how they choose to paint on it. I think it's a brilliant game and it certainly handles the moral dilemma in a way I find exciting and hope to see more of in the future.
Professor Pew's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/25/2007 06:00
Professor Pew
Madness. Videogames desensitize you to violence like cooking desensitizes you to heat.
Remz's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/25/2007 06:20
Remz
Great pew. Just great.

THANKS FOR MAKING CRAVE FUCKING FRIED CHICKEN.
Deus's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/25/2007 07:37
Deus
Who actually harvested the Little Sisters anyway? Me and two of my friends who bought the game barely even considered it as a viable option it was so disturbing. I tried watching the animation once, and was relieved that it wasn't to gory; but I was instantly rewarded with a guilt-inducing speech from Tenebaum (who sounds like she has a Russian accent to me, but that's not important). I just re-loaded and saved the girl after that. So, did anybody here actually harvest them, and what does it change about the game?
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