Oh Lord, what a videogame
November 20, 2009 4:44 AM   Subscribe

Mass: We Pray is an exciting new project from Boston based game developer Prayer Works Interactive. Watch the trailer for examples of the 24 different services you and your family can participate in. Don't listen to the sites that claim this is a hoax. Preordering begins today!
posted by scrutiny (45 comments total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
I think it's only even a funny idea if you're sitting around drinking and already playing video games. And then it should be soon forgotten about. Stretching it out into an actual clip narrated by someone who needs his adenoids out make it extremely labored.

Using the controllers as incense burners was a little funny.
posted by Mayor Curley at 4:51 AM on November 20, 2009


I still prefer Savior Hero.
posted by PlusDistance at 4:53 AM on November 20, 2009


Proof that God hates frags.
posted by shiu mai baby at 4:54 AM on November 20, 2009 [6 favorites]


C'mon. C'mon! The kneelers? "Move up three pews"? What a subtle joy, so like a gentle mimosa before I walk to work. Salut!
posted by Poppa Bear at 4:56 AM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]


Because collecting "grace points" jibes so very completely with the actual teachings of Jesus.
posted by quietalittlewild at 5:11 AM on November 20, 2009


They mention taking collection, but where is the Paypal link?
posted by R. Mutt at 5:14 AM on November 20, 2009


This looks just as boring and pointless as real church. However, I don't know if that means I love it or hate it.
posted by DU at 5:15 AM on November 20, 2009


It's Nov. 20. Pre-ordering does not appear to be available.

I'm gonna go with joke.
posted by valkyryn at 5:18 AM on November 20, 2009


The in-game eucharistics aren't up to much but if you get the downloadable missio pack that sin is redeemed.
posted by Abiezer at 5:24 AM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]


That "kneeler accessory" seems a little high for priests on the receiving end.
posted by gman at 5:44 AM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]


There's an easy way to check. Ask Nintendo if they've licensed the game. No licensing, and the game won't run on an unmodified Wii. They tend to not give development kits and licensing deals to unestablished companies.

90% sure it's a hoax. The accessories look like they're made out of wood and hard to mass produce, no pun intended.
posted by mccarty.tim at 5:47 AM on November 20, 2009


Pepsi Credo
posted by jquinby at 5:50 AM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]


So are there cheat codes that make the game easier? Basically Episcopalianism instead of Catholicism?
posted by jefficator at 5:54 AM on November 20, 2009 [7 favorites]


Wii Pentecostal, Wii Dervish or Wii Voodoo would be more exercise, and more fun. Wii Yoga would potentially even get made.
posted by idiopath at 5:58 AM on November 20, 2009


this thread so far seems to be an exercise in flushing out who unleashes snark without reading more on the site.
posted by bl1nk at 6:10 AM on November 20, 2009 [5 favorites]


If you click pre-order, you get a Dante's Inferno trailer.

It's another EA marketing shtick.
posted by focalmatter at 6:21 AM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]


The uh, actual game advertised has had a fairly interesting promotional campaign. Too bad it looks pretty lousy.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:22 AM on November 20, 2009


Oh, silly people. It's a viral marketing astroturf for Dante's Inferno. If you click the "more" button at the bottom of the page, you'd see that.

jquinby: "Pepsi Credo"

Indeed.
posted by dejah420 at 6:24 AM on November 20, 2009


This is a screencap of what happens if you click "More Info" down at the blurb about the company. Hoax.
posted by oinopaponton at 6:24 AM on November 20, 2009


I'd love to play the Wii Unitarian Universalist game, but I'm pretty sure one doesn't exist.
posted by Spatch at 6:26 AM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]


I think if you just wave your hands vaguely you can simulate the experience pretty closely though.
posted by Abiezer at 6:28 AM on November 20, 2009


Wii Unitarian Universalist game

Pass the remote on the left-hand side and don't mention God?
posted by uncleozzy at 6:29 AM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]


bl1nk: "this thread so far seems to be an exercise in flushing out who unleashes snark without reading more on the site."

The whole thing is obviously a hoax, the post even references the hoaxy hoaxness of the whole thing. So what is there to do but ignore it, or make a stupid joke about it?
posted by idiopath at 6:34 AM on November 20, 2009


Does this let you leave after communion?
posted by autoclavicle at 6:38 AM on November 20, 2009 [4 favorites]


Awfully close to the alternate pronunciation of "asswipe", don'cha think?
posted by notsnot at 6:41 AM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]


What? No Friday Fish Fry level? Hoax hoaxity hoax hoax.
posted by everichon at 6:48 AM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]


Does the Konami code work? Father Father Son Son Holy Spirit Holy Spirit B A Start?
posted by emelenjr at 6:48 AM on November 20, 2009 [6 favorites]


*Insert joke about Christians*
posted by cj_ at 6:56 AM on November 20, 2009


Milk with dinner? No amount of Wii-penance will wipe that sin off those parents' hands.
posted by mintcake! at 6:57 AM on November 20, 2009


Well congrats to the Mystery Machine crew here for figuring out this obvious parody is not a real game.

What struck me watching the video is how it should be a game. Why not? You could dress it up with some RPG elements to make it compelling, and the kinetic controller stuff could be every bit as challenging as any other Wii motion based game. And you could do a lot of beautiful stuff with lighting in churches. Why not turn prayer into a game? (Respectfully, of course).
posted by Nelson at 7:00 AM on November 20, 2009 [5 favorites]


I was trying to think of a Jewish version but sitting, standing, and shuckling for three hours would make it more on par with Wii Sports.
posted by autoclavicle at 7:18 AM on November 20, 2009


Modern prayer doesn't make for a very exciting game. We need some Greco-Roman worship up in here. Forgot to sacrifice to Poseidon on your way back for Troy? You unlocked the (10-year) sailing-and-getting-eaten-by-monsters minigame. Wheat levels in Rome are running low? You better go hunt down twenty black bulls.
posted by oinopaponton at 7:23 AM on November 20, 2009 [5 favorites]


Sarcasm aside, I am in shock that EA's "we're a public company" fact allows them to come --this close-- to getting a ton of bricks thrown at them be the Religious on the Right.

Well done.
posted by andreaazure at 7:32 AM on November 20, 2009


I beat this game on the regular setting and then it unlocked the ultra hard version.

Motherfuckin' Westoboro Baptist Church level. That shit is hard.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 7:53 AM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]


We Pray. From the same marketing team that brought you "Molest a Booth Babe" (previously). Fuck those guys.
posted by naju at 8:11 AM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]


Starts off as four player co-op but each player becomes independent when they unlock the "Schism" and "Heresy" powers.
posted by Electric Dragon at 8:16 AM on November 20, 2009


I would play this game with the same kind of dedication to getting all the achievements that my housemates apply to Halo!
posted by emperor.seamus at 8:36 AM on November 20, 2009


Sure, make fun of the church screenshots, but this game will rock when you play a Knight Templar and hack people to bits with a sword for Jesus! Fuck yeah!
posted by dno at 8:51 AM on November 20, 2009


Wait, some of you people actually think this is REAL? Ugh, metafilter, I thought you were smarter than that...
posted by sunshinesky at 9:33 AM on November 20, 2009


Does the Konami code work? Father Father Son Son Holy Spirit Holy Spirit B A Start?

bravo
posted by empath at 10:03 AM on November 20, 2009


If you want a much more entertaining video about why Dante's Inferno and everyone involved with it sucks, check out this trainwreck in which Jason Hall (former CEO of Monolith and Old Man Murray whipping boy ) interviews the development team. One guy says the game is a thoughtful tribute to a literary classic and the other guy says it's "Nobody read the frickin' poem...the important part is this game has lots of blood, violence, gore...and tits."

And then watch them get into an argument over how big to make the boobs on the "lust minion."
posted by straight at 10:11 AM on November 20, 2009


It's great how the "this weak overdone joke has turned out to be a stupid viral marketing campaign" experience has become a standard feature of my online existence. It's the greatest way of being an unpaid corporate shill since people started voluntarily wearing corporate logos on their clothing.
posted by nanojath at 12:18 PM on November 20, 2009


Wait, some of you people actually think this is REAL? Ugh, metafilter, I thought you were smarter than that...

Well, if Left Behind: Eternal Forces is an actual product, We Pray is not so implausible.
posted by emeiji at 12:24 PM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]


the greatest way of being an unpaid corporate shill

Sometimes corporations can think of funny stuff too. Sucks about the ad being embedded in the site - I thought I'd clicked through everything first so definitely my bad on that - but I still think this parody is hilarious.
posted by scrutiny at 12:39 PM on November 20, 2009


It's no sillier than most genuine church rituals, and is indisputably (see! the score went up!) effective. It's a prank at the expense of organized religion, which deserves it.
posted by aeschenkarnos at 3:58 PM on November 20, 2009


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