god's gonna sit this one out
By and large, I'm a pretty nice guy. I do nice things for people, don't break the law (that you know about), don't even drink or smoke or do drugs or anything like that.
But I'll admit there's a small sociopathic streak deep within the recesses of my soul. I would never give in to it, and I do a pretty good job of keeping it repressed (it's a big part of the reason I love Oreos so much). Still, every once in a while, it's kind of fun to indulge it.
And that's what The Punisher does.
Understand: it's not really anything special as a game. It's not unlike Max Payne or any number of other third-person perspective shoot-em-'ups. But it's incredibly cathartic, and a big part of that can be attributed to its "interrogation" sequences. How many other games let you slam a window onto the chest of a criminal scumbag to get information from him? Or hold one over the side of a building? Or push their face into a grinding machine?...well, OK, so maybe the level of gore isn't anything that special, but The Punisher is easily the most gruesome game I've played in a really long time. And yet, it never takes itself too seriously, thanks to a pretty darn good script by Garth "You Shall Know No Other Punisher Writer Before Me" Ennis. Consider this exchange, after ol' Frankie-boy dispatches a mugger the only way he knows how:
Woman: Thank you!
Frank: ...for what?
Woman: Saving my life.
Frank: ...right.
Or this one, after Frank lays waste to a room full of crackhouse thugs:
Frank: ...Sucks to be them.
Or this one!:
(After the aforementioned face-shredding grinder scene)
Frank ...He was a good worker. Always kept his nose to the grindstone.
Ha ha! He must be a riot at parties. I've never heard a man pronounce an ellipsis with such diction.
I haven't played a lot of the game yet, just the first level or so, but I'm enjoying it so far. Here's where you could make the argument for my hypocrisy in enjoying this game yet condemning Grand Theft Auto and all its copycats. I have four very persuasive and articulate arguments:
1) The Punisher is awesome. He was before, and he will be after. He's my favorite example of moral relativism. ^_^;;;;;;;
2) It's well-written and actually has a narrative that wasn't ripped off from Scarface/Boyz in the Hood/Goodfellas/whatever.
3) Whereas GTA gleefully encourages you to senselessly murder innocent civilians, The Punisher gleefully encourages you to murder hardcore gangbangers and thugs, and actually kicks you out of the mission if you kill an innocent bystander. That's not how Frank Castle rolls, you see. Does this make The Punisher a more morally acceptable game than Grand Theft Auto? Um, yes. What kind of stupid question is that?
4) Grand Theft Auto sucks. Hard.
I can't really give the game a real assessment until I've played more of it, but so far, it's a lot of fun. I really need to rewatch the movie now.
But I'll admit there's a small sociopathic streak deep within the recesses of my soul. I would never give in to it, and I do a pretty good job of keeping it repressed (it's a big part of the reason I love Oreos so much). Still, every once in a while, it's kind of fun to indulge it.
And that's what The Punisher does.
Understand: it's not really anything special as a game. It's not unlike Max Payne or any number of other third-person perspective shoot-em-'ups. But it's incredibly cathartic, and a big part of that can be attributed to its "interrogation" sequences. How many other games let you slam a window onto the chest of a criminal scumbag to get information from him? Or hold one over the side of a building? Or push their face into a grinding machine?...well, OK, so maybe the level of gore isn't anything that special, but The Punisher is easily the most gruesome game I've played in a really long time. And yet, it never takes itself too seriously, thanks to a pretty darn good script by Garth "You Shall Know No Other Punisher Writer Before Me" Ennis. Consider this exchange, after ol' Frankie-boy dispatches a mugger the only way he knows how:
Woman: Thank you!
Frank: ...for what?
Woman: Saving my life.
Frank: ...right.
Or this one, after Frank lays waste to a room full of crackhouse thugs:
Frank: ...Sucks to be them.
Or this one!:
(After the aforementioned face-shredding grinder scene)
Frank ...He was a good worker. Always kept his nose to the grindstone.
Ha ha! He must be a riot at parties. I've never heard a man pronounce an ellipsis with such diction.
I haven't played a lot of the game yet, just the first level or so, but I'm enjoying it so far. Here's where you could make the argument for my hypocrisy in enjoying this game yet condemning Grand Theft Auto and all its copycats. I have four very persuasive and articulate arguments:
1) The Punisher is awesome. He was before, and he will be after. He's my favorite example of moral relativism. ^_^;;;;;;;
2) It's well-written and actually has a narrative that wasn't ripped off from Scarface/Boyz in the Hood/Goodfellas/whatever.
3) Whereas GTA gleefully encourages you to senselessly murder innocent civilians, The Punisher gleefully encourages you to murder hardcore gangbangers and thugs, and actually kicks you out of the mission if you kill an innocent bystander. That's not how Frank Castle rolls, you see. Does this make The Punisher a more morally acceptable game than Grand Theft Auto? Um, yes. What kind of stupid question is that?
4) Grand Theft Auto sucks. Hard.
I can't really give the game a real assessment until I've played more of it, but so far, it's a lot of fun. I really need to rewatch the movie now.