Cue death threats in 3..2...1...

January 23, 2008 7:29 AM

All the recent Tom Cruise or LOLXTIANS posts made you feel picked on? Get your game on playing Faith Fighter and have the final say! Pick your deity, you're matched with an opposing deity and the fight is on to the death, or whatever recursive afterlife an immortal would experience. (via)

There is a normal version of the game including God, Buddha, Jesus, etc. and a censored version that doesn't include a physical representation of the Prophet Muhammad if you're going to be all offended (any more than you may already be). Get ready to kick ass!

Of course this is distasteful, that's the point. The developer says the goal is to "push gamers to reflect on how [their] religions and sacred representations are often instrumentally used to fuel or justify conflicts between nations and people." Or maybe they're just trying to see how much they can piss people off. Discuss.

posted by uaudio (24 comments total)

The Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, is a cheap bastard.
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:38 AM on January 23, 2008

well, as a game it seemed pretty easy. as a concept it seems a bit trollish
posted by cubby at 7:40 AM on January 23, 2008

It was certainly easy on easy level, and Muhammad can certainly kick Xenu's arse.
posted by biffa at 7:44 AM on January 23, 2008

Nice try at suggesting a higher motivation than the obvious one: trying to hook into a little controversy to improve the prospects of what is in all other respects an exceptionally weak and boring fighter. And a rip-off to boot.
posted by nanojath at 7:51 AM on January 23, 2008

God has a glass chin... anyways, the only thing that struck me as even remotely offensive was the "blah blah blah this is suppose to highlight religious intolerance blah blah blah" I call bullshit on that motive. Otherwise just a standard flash fight game with whiteboy fighters (except for the blue Gan). Noticed the FSM in the background.
posted by edgeways at 7:51 AM on January 23, 2008

Can you unlock the FSM?
posted by never used baby shoes at 8:25 AM on January 23, 2008

This is totally offensive. There's no Confucius or Buddha. Unacceptable. And while underrepresented in followers, the Aztec God Huitzilopochtli is totally one of the throw down gods who should be unlockable.
posted by ewkpates at 8:34 AM on January 23, 2008

I applaud the outstanding cultural sensitivity which must have been involved in the decision to allow players to act as Muhammad beating up God while faceless, to avoid the proscription against representations of human beings. This makes me certain that the makers are truly in earnest when they claim to be promoting religious dialogue.
posted by koeselitz at 8:38 AM on January 23, 2008

But it is fun.
posted by koeselitz at 8:40 AM on January 23, 2008

Thou shalt sweep thy leg.
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 8:41 AM on January 23, 2008 [3 favorites has favorites]

This is definitely faithful (ha!) to the church of "do the same move over and over again until you win" fighting games from the early 90's. Aside from that, it's base level "Religious humour is totally edgy you guys!", and Bible Fight did it better. Cute though.

Not that I care, but for consistency's sake, Xenu isn't the "God" of Scientology, he's the nemesis. The presence of Xenu but no Satan illustrates that the makers hadn't really done their homework. Then again the fact that a grand total of three religions are represented kinda says that too.

That said, I think a fleshed out, competant Religious figure fighting game would be awesome if done right, with competent animation and programming, and a little more research. Of course God (Yahweh) is going to be in it, Jesus could be in it for commercial reasons, but really, The Prince of Peace in a fighting game? Archangel Michael, now there's a fighter. And more religions, get some Zeus action in there, Aries, Quetzalcoatl, Raiden could make a comeback, and I'm sure Africa has a whole slew of tough Gods.

Capcom/SNK, are you listening? We want Religion Fighter!
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 8:58 AM on January 23, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Where the hell is "Bob"?
posted by chronkite at 9:09 AM on January 23, 2008

They should have both Jesus and Jeezus , similar to how Street Fighter has Ryu and Evil Ryu.
posted by Dr-Baa at 9:41 AM on January 23, 2008

Is Xenu really a god, though? I thought he was non–super-natural.
posted by Mister_A at 10:51 AM on January 23, 2008

Speaking of the archangel... Years ago (when I was all into WhiteWolf games), I wanted to see a demon/angel game. Thing is, I was a xian back then, but had the concept fleshed out, w/r/t classes of angels, sins, etc...

Never did much beyond that, but it would be an excellent idea to see a sort of secular version of the angel/demon concept in action as an RPG (pen/paper or video game).

And yeah... Bob Dobbs would totally kick all their asses (or would JHVH-1?)
posted by symbioid at 11:04 AM on January 23, 2008

Hey symbiod - there have been a few attempts and pen and paper angel/demon RPGs. In-Nomine is one somebody in my old RPG group bought at one time, but we never played. Did look interesting though.
posted by never used baby shoes at 11:52 AM on January 23, 2008

quetzalcoatl here.
posted by bruce at 11:54 AM on January 23, 2008

Where the hell is "Bob"?

Or Eris? Srsly.
posted by Bathtub Bobsled at 12:13 PM on January 23, 2008

Speaking of Xenu, here's the long-awaited Tom Cruise Parody we've all been waiting for.

(Seemed like a waste of the blue to make a full post about it.)
posted by Navelgazer at 1:50 PM on January 23, 2008

Isn't Buddha a pacifist? So, really, Buddha should just stand there and take it. Jesus could break a bunch of money changers tables I suppose - and Mohammed isn't a deity - he's a prophet. So, it's not really about deities, so much, it seems. It should be Allah if it's Islam we're talking about. And having fat buddha fight against blue buddha is a little weird.

But I would think a game with actual deities fighting done well could be pretty fun.
posted by MythMaker at 2:35 PM on January 23, 2008

These types of games usually offend me not because of content, but because they start out with an interesting idea then turn a meh on execution. If they'd create some well-designed characters fighting-style wise with a better look into the different deities/characters they can use, it'd be so much fun. Instead I start it up, see the 5-6 characters with one or two lackluster and generic "haha, it's tongue-in-cheek (no it's not)" moves and I get all disappointed. cross reference my ideas/rant for Bible Fight. I just want a well-designed fighting game. Is that too much to ask for?
posted by kkokkodalk at 3:56 PM on January 23, 2008

Bob, the King of Slack, really - could he be bothered to show up? Maybe tomorrow.
posted by Nauip at 5:27 PM on January 23, 2008

I... I've... I've failed you... (sob).

I SHOULD have said:

THE FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER UNLOCKS WHEN JESUS BEATS GOD.

Special move combo: Jump+kick+block = "Cloud of Rationality" that reduces opponent to small pile of irrelevant religious texts written by people who had never ridden in a car, watched tv, used indoor plumbing, or completed high school physics.

FSM FTW.
posted by ewkpates at 4:17 AM on January 24, 2008

Being afraid to discuss or show Muhammed is kinda side-stepping the whole (purported) point of this game, I feel, and a chicken-shit move anyway. I included him in a 30-minute telling of The Aristocrats on a live TV show (and a full recording of it has been on YouTube for well over a year) and I've received exactly zero death threats.

I think it's just when he's in a sunday comic. Videogames, dick jokes, et al are fair game.
posted by revmitcz at 11:30 PM on January 24, 2008