On Video Games

[theladyfeylene]

Okay, now that my viewing scheme is fixed....

My list of games for the XboX is growing. Despite controversy, I do want to play the new Resident Evil. I've heard all points of view on it, read the arguments and dissertations, and figure I'll just make my own judgments upon playing the game myself. I think that's all anyone can do. And as I'm

Comments

Re: Edited post

[theladyfeylene]

I'm honestly not making any assumptions or anything until I've got the game myself. There are so many ways that, in context, those images could be - while uncomfortable for various reasons - not at all what some people are making them out to be. And it always bothers me when people jump on little bits of information and try and make an entire case out of it.

I think the whole problem with racism (and sexism) in Japanese games is that we, here in the Western world, can only look at it in our own context. We come at them with our own American sense of history and racial/sexist issues. And I'm of two minds on it. On one hand, yes, we're bringing our world view and our historical view to it, and that can lead us to seeing things which weren't intended. But Japan isn't an isolated fortress, and isn't completely unaware of the history of racial issues in the US. I don't think there is deliberate racism going on in mainstream games, but is there casual racism? Sure. It's alive and well today, all over the world.

On the other hand, without a clear knowledge of Japan's own racial issues (which I admit I know only a small bit about) there could be issues which are far worse than what we bring to the games, but how on earth would we know? It's a very complicated issue, I think. As it always is when dealing with these things.

I'm not terribly far into MGS3, but I have to agree that what I've seen of The Boss definitely strikes me as a strong, well done female character. I can't really speak on sexism in the games, as I don't have much experience with them - save for the original NES games. I will admit now that sexism in media (video games, television, etc) is something I'm much more firm on than racism. And I know this is another world view (and yes, privilege issue) as I am a mostly-Caucasian woman.