Not Quite Mercenaries 3
June 8, 2011 6:52 PM Subscribe
505 Games will be publishing a Kinect game based on controversial mercenary group Blackwater/XE. Previously.
It looks like Microsoft is getting everyone to push Kinect interaction into everything possible, even the most questionable/stupid marriage.
tldr: Kinect, it's the new black.
I tried buying a 360 this year and none of the stores would sell me a new one with Kinect. Which is cool, because I ended up buying a used one for cheap.
I find it more natural to shoot things using a control pad than a Wiimote though.
This game is pretty reprehensible, but I'm not sure if the connection to real world atrocities makes it worse than things like Resident Evil 5.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 7:08 PM on June 8, 2011
I'm guessing Xe probably paid to have this made, as some sort of PR effort.
A Kinect rails shooter is interesting though, and the kotaku post was not entirely negative. I do like rails shooters, RAGE for the iPad was pretty good, heres hoping we get a House of the Dead kinnect rails shooter.
posted by Ad hominem at 7:18 PM on June 8, 2011
A Kinect rails shooter is interesting though, and the kotaku post was not entirely negative. I do like rails shooters, RAGE for the iPad was pretty good, heres hoping we get a House of the Dead kinnect rails shooter.
posted by Ad hominem at 7:18 PM on June 8, 2011
I still haven't processed all the E3 stuff yet but I think some of the major franchises are getting Kinect rail shooters. Early reports are that this would include Fable, but apparently that's not true.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 7:25 PM on June 8, 2011
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 7:25 PM on June 8, 2011
Minecraft Kinnect is going to be... muscle building.
I'm actually pretty impressed at the range of games they are getting it into - not just Wii sports style stuff.
posted by Artw at 7:31 PM on June 8, 2011
I'm actually pretty impressed at the range of games they are getting it into - not just Wii sports style stuff.
posted by Artw at 7:31 PM on June 8, 2011
Nobody should ever buy first-generation tech.
posted by tumid dahlia at 8:06 PM on June 8, 2011
posted by tumid dahlia at 8:06 PM on June 8, 2011
Or last-generation tech either.
posted by blue_beetle at 8:29 PM on June 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by blue_beetle at 8:29 PM on June 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
This is the sort of thing that causes me to wave my arms vigorously in helpless protest before being shot three times near my left eye, a killing which is later ruled 'justifiable'. For the record, allow me to state while I still can FUCK YOU
posted by mwhybark at 9:16 PM on June 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by mwhybark at 9:16 PM on June 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
Tried a Kinect demo of Ping Pong a few months ago. It may seem trivial, but the 1/3rd of a second (my estimate) delay pretty much made it unplayable. The motion tracking is *accurate*, but there's a delay.
It became even more embarrassingly obvious when the game specifically said "swing early for best results."
I'll stick to Wii Sports Resort for now, thanks.
posted by ShutterBun at 9:23 PM on June 8, 2011
It became even more embarrassingly obvious when the game specifically said "swing early for best results."
I'll stick to Wii Sports Resort for now, thanks.
posted by ShutterBun at 9:23 PM on June 8, 2011
This actually makes me grateful that I've only got a Wii, which is really quite the feat. Kudos!
posted by Sys Rq at 9:25 PM on June 8, 2011
posted by Sys Rq at 9:25 PM on June 8, 2011
*goes back to scrolling through page after page of inane Super Paper Mario dialogue*
posted by Sys Rq at 9:27 PM on June 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Sys Rq at 9:27 PM on June 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
I don't see what's controversial about them. They're a fat lot of mercenary scum and their owner is a corrupt pile of dung. Does anyone actually despute this?
posted by 1adam12 at 9:36 PM on June 8, 2011 [7 favorites]
posted by 1adam12 at 9:36 PM on June 8, 2011 [7 favorites]
Strange that Kotaku are more politically outraged than MeFi about this. I dunno... I've done some reprehensible things in videogames but I've never specifically played somebody who's done horrible things in real life.
Though I suppose being on the LAPD in LA Noire almost counts.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 9:42 PM on June 8, 2011
Though I suppose being on the LAPD in LA Noire almost counts.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 9:42 PM on June 8, 2011
I guess you've never played JFK: Reloaded, then.
posted by ShutterBun at 9:50 PM on June 8, 2011
posted by ShutterBun at 9:50 PM on June 8, 2011
So, the United States is replacing its military with for-profit mercenaries, and rather than people resigning or getting arrested over the issue, someone's put out a video game glorifying them. I think I'll be heading on back to the Hatsune Miku thread.
posted by shii at 9:56 PM on June 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by shii at 9:56 PM on June 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
Look, we'd all like to prosecute Blackwater/XE soldiers as mercenaries for murders across the globe, I just don't understand why we can't do that with a controller.
posted by klangklangston at 9:58 PM on June 8, 2011
posted by klangklangston at 9:58 PM on June 8, 2011
So I assume you can make them drop their weapons and run into enemy fire, right? Over and over?
posted by Jimbob at 10:15 PM on June 8, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by Jimbob at 10:15 PM on June 8, 2011 [4 favorites]
Did anyone ever play that game the US Army made? If you didn't, don't try it now. It was reprehensibly dull. Before you could even try shooting something, you had to you guide your character into a classroom seat, where you were then lectured about parachuting safety or whatever. And that would unlock... another classroom. I'm not sure if I ever made it to the actual "game," whatever that would have been.
Anyway, when you were on the shooting range, if you turned around and fired at your instructor, the game would teleport you to a small jail cell. I don't even think there was like, a Game Over screen or anything, just an unending, inescapable level that only consisted of of the inside of a jail cell and some clichè jailhouse blues harmonica music playing in the background.
I think the Blackwater game should be like that. You put the disc in, select "New Game," and are immediately at the Hague.
posted by Uppity Pigeon #2 at 10:23 PM on June 8, 2011 [23 favorites]
Anyway, when you were on the shooting range, if you turned around and fired at your instructor, the game would teleport you to a small jail cell. I don't even think there was like, a Game Over screen or anything, just an unending, inescapable level that only consisted of of the inside of a jail cell and some clichè jailhouse blues harmonica music playing in the background.
I think the Blackwater game should be like that. You put the disc in, select "New Game," and are immediately at the Hague.
posted by Uppity Pigeon #2 at 10:23 PM on June 8, 2011 [23 favorites]
Strange that Kotaku are more politically outraged than MeFi about this. I dunno...
Well, it's pretty awful, but I'm all burned out on videogame outrage after contemplating the shitty CoD behemoth and what a vast moneymaker it is... I mean, bullshit "realistic" shooters full of on-rails "military" style bullshit are a huge chunk of the videogames industry now, and TBH offend me far more than Duke Nukem or whatever silly shit people are upset about these days, and this thing will be a tiny corner of that, so... /shugs.
posted by Artw at 10:35 PM on June 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
Well, it's pretty awful, but I'm all burned out on videogame outrage after contemplating the shitty CoD behemoth and what a vast moneymaker it is... I mean, bullshit "realistic" shooters full of on-rails "military" style bullshit are a huge chunk of the videogames industry now, and TBH offend me far more than Duke Nukem or whatever silly shit people are upset about these days, and this thing will be a tiny corner of that, so... /shugs.
posted by Artw at 10:35 PM on June 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
Reason number 549 that I love Red Dead Redemption is that the most 'civilized' town is named Blackwater.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 10:36 PM on June 8, 2011
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 10:36 PM on June 8, 2011
Did anyone ever play that game the US Army made?
My friend told me that in one of those games (I think there are a couple) there's a squad-based versus mode where the American army faces off against the terrorists. But because they didn't want the player to ever shoot at American soldiers, every player on both sides see themselves as "American" and the opposing team as "terrorists" via computer trickery. When you think about it, it's a pretty profound statement about war. I don't think the army thought that one all the way through.
posted by Rinku at 10:40 PM on June 8, 2011 [15 favorites]
My friend told me that in one of those games (I think there are a couple) there's a squad-based versus mode where the American army faces off against the terrorists. But because they didn't want the player to ever shoot at American soldiers, every player on both sides see themselves as "American" and the opposing team as "terrorists" via computer trickery. When you think about it, it's a pretty profound statement about war. I don't think the army thought that one all the way through.
posted by Rinku at 10:40 PM on June 8, 2011 [15 favorites]
Here's some silly shit right here - Tom Clancy's - Ghost Recon Future Soldier Kinect Gameplay
posted by Artw at 11:12 PM on June 8, 2011
posted by Artw at 11:12 PM on June 8, 2011
See, there are no moral problems with games like DDR or Katamari Damacy. It's PlayStation forever for me!
posted by Mooseli at 12:32 AM on June 9, 2011
posted by Mooseli at 12:32 AM on June 9, 2011
I've done some reprehensible things in videogames but I've never specifically played somebody who's done horrible things in real life.
Never played as a Nazi in a WW2-themed multiplayer shooter?
posted by L.P. Hatecraft at 12:39 AM on June 9, 2011
Never played as a Nazi in a WW2-themed multiplayer shooter?
posted by L.P. Hatecraft at 12:39 AM on June 9, 2011
See, there are no moral problems with games like DDR or Katamari Damacy. It's PlayStation forever for me!
Don't you pretty much kill everything in the universe in Katamari?
And nope, haven't played an WW2 themed multiplayer shooters. You can play as Nazis? Weird.
Big question: will Blackwater be making money out of this? Probably!
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 12:54 AM on June 9, 2011
Don't you pretty much kill everything in the universe in Katamari?
And nope, haven't played an WW2 themed multiplayer shooters. You can play as Nazis? Weird.
Big question: will Blackwater be making money out of this? Probably!
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 12:54 AM on June 9, 2011
Lovecraft In Brooklyn: "Don't you pretty much kill everything in the universe in Katamari?"
Nope. According to the King of Cosmos Himself, what happens to the people and things you roll up into the Katamari is that they become happy.
posted by ShawnStruck at 1:11 AM on June 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Nope. According to the King of Cosmos Himself, what happens to the people and things you roll up into the Katamari is that they become happy.
posted by ShawnStruck at 1:11 AM on June 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
See the thing is, I like violent video games. The Saints Row 3rd gameplay trailer had me crying with laughter.
I have a problem with this. Video games are fantasy and this game is causing a direct benefit to murderous war-criminals in the real world. So you know, I won't be buying this shit.
Lots of people will though, funnilly enough for the same reason the murderous war-criminals haven't been directly transported to The Hague and why I play fantasy video games.
posted by fullerine at 1:37 AM on June 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
I have a problem with this. Video games are fantasy and this game is causing a direct benefit to murderous war-criminals in the real world. So you know, I won't be buying this shit.
Lots of people will though, funnilly enough for the same reason the murderous war-criminals haven't been directly transported to The Hague and why I play fantasy video games.
posted by fullerine at 1:37 AM on June 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
If you're looking for an on-rails Kinect shooter, I think Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Child of Eden is likely to be a better purchase.
posted by running order squabble fest at 1:50 AM on June 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by running order squabble fest at 1:50 AM on June 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
The whole thing is a bit ironic, given how long Blackwater has been completely off the rails, so to speak.
posted by ShutterBun at 2:13 AM on June 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by ShutterBun at 2:13 AM on June 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
Also, Jeremy Clarkson is appearing in the next Forza racing game. I'm not sure which announcement made me feel more nauseous.
posted by dudekiller at 3:52 AM on June 9, 2011
posted by dudekiller at 3:52 AM on June 9, 2011
Nope. According to the King of Cosmos Himself, what happens to the people and things you roll up into the Katamari is that they become happy.
Well, if you die and go to heaven, you're supposed to be happy...
(Was the whole game just a metaphor for the rapture?)
posted by ymgve at 4:41 AM on June 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Well, if you die and go to heaven, you're supposed to be happy...
(Was the whole game just a metaphor for the rapture?)
posted by ymgve at 4:41 AM on June 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Is this something i would need to have limbs to appreciate?
posted by fourcheesemac at 5:55 AM on June 9, 2011
posted by fourcheesemac at 5:55 AM on June 9, 2011
See, there are no moral problems with games like DDR or Katamari Damacy. It's PlayStation forever for me!
Heh, because of course DDR and Katamari are Playstation exclusives. And there's no military shooters for the PS3 at all. No sirree.
posted by kmz at 6:04 AM on June 9, 2011
Heh, because of course DDR and Katamari are Playstation exclusives. And there's no military shooters for the PS3 at all. No sirree.
posted by kmz at 6:04 AM on June 9, 2011
I guess they went with a game about playing as Blackwater because the license that would let you play as Imperial Stormtroopers from Star Wars was already taken.
posted by Legomancer at 6:04 AM on June 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Legomancer at 6:04 AM on June 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
(Was the whole game just a metaphor for the rapture?)
It's literal one-with-everything.
posted by explosion at 6:52 AM on June 9, 2011
It's literal one-with-everything.
posted by explosion at 6:52 AM on June 9, 2011
Meh. Only controversial to people who want it to be controversial. Video games have let you play as the bad guys from historical and fictitious settings for ages.
I'm playing a game these days called "Close Combat" that came out in 2001. My buddy plays the allies while I face off against him controlling the Nazis (including the infamous Waffen SS. Because the game recreates historical battles, we even find ourselves fighting over an incredibly accurate representation of l'Abbaye d'Ardenne.
posted by dazed_one at 10:24 AM on June 9, 2011
I'm playing a game these days called "Close Combat" that came out in 2001. My buddy plays the allies while I face off against him controlling the Nazis (including the infamous Waffen SS. Because the game recreates historical battles, we even find ourselves fighting over an incredibly accurate representation of l'Abbaye d'Ardenne.
posted by dazed_one at 10:24 AM on June 9, 2011
Wow! Does that mean you get extra points for shooting civilians and winning "no-bid" contracts?
posted by bonzo_dog55 at 10:43 AM on June 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by bonzo_dog55 at 10:43 AM on June 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
This is the sort of thing that causes me to wave my arms vigorously in helpless protest before being shot three times...
That's pretty much the ideal application for motion controls, and an apt description of their utility.
posted by rokusan at 12:22 PM on June 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
That's pretty much the ideal application for motion controls, and an apt description of their utility.
posted by rokusan at 12:22 PM on June 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
Also, Jeremy Clarkson is appearing in the next Forza racing game. I'm not sure which announcement made me feel more nauseous
I don't play racing games but getting to play as Clarkson makes this worth at least a rental.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 3:38 PM on June 9, 2011
I don't play racing games but getting to play as Clarkson makes this worth at least a rental.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 3:38 PM on June 9, 2011
This thread brought me laughter after tears, unrelated to the thread, so thank you ill.
posted by mwhybark at 9:37 PM on June 9, 2011
posted by mwhybark at 9:37 PM on June 9, 2011
I don't play racing games but getting to play as Clarkson makes this worth at least a rental.
Yeah, I guess I could imagine spending a lazy Sunday afternoon driving off cliffs and into trees, imagining him screaming and crying in the passenger seat.
posted by dudekiller at 5:05 AM on June 10, 2011
Yeah, I guess I could imagine spending a lazy Sunday afternoon driving off cliffs and into trees, imagining him screaming and crying in the passenger seat.
posted by dudekiller at 5:05 AM on June 10, 2011
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tldr: Kinect, it's the new black.
posted by Old'n'Busted at 7:05 PM on June 8, 2011 [1 favorite]