Call of controversy

As the dust settles after one of the biggest storms of recent times, it’s time to reflect.
Now I’m not talking about last weekend’s horrendous weather.I
’m talking about the social, moral and political storm that was created by the year’s – sorry, no the era’s – most anticipated game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
It seems nowadays that the perfect way to promote a game is to cause some degree of controversy.
I mean, what’s so wrong with including a scene where Russian hitmen walk through a busy airport killing women and children alike without a care in the world?
Everything it seems.
The impact of that particular level sent shockwaves across the world – and boosted sales to unprecedented levels.
I heard some gossip the other day that the first-person shooter game has grossed more in two weeks than several of the biggest film releases of the year.
To exemplify things I have to admit that even I was shocked at the particular scene. And that’s the first time that has ever happened.
When I started playing it (having never played any game in the series before), I thought it was pretty good, good graphics, pretty good gameplay and really not quite worth the hype surrounding it.
But then that airport level came along and I began to understand why the game had generated so much publicity.
I found myself sitting there, unable to operate the controller because I found it, well... a tad wrong.
Games like Grand Theft Auto are violent as hell and deserve their 18 certificate and warnings.
But the difference is that the GTA series is very obviously a cartoon land. Okay the design and realism is great, but it’s clearly not real.
The problem with Call of Duty is that it is created to be as real as possible.
Having been to Afghanistan twice in my other roles on The Herald I was shocked to see the realism of an Afghan-style level.
The look of the place and even the sounds were near-on perfect and threw me back into those days I experienced last year.
So Call of Duty’s designers are trying to make it as real as possible. And you can’t blame them for doing that.
It’s just that... well, there is a certain point when it could be classed as going ‘too far’.
Usually my thoughts are quite liberal on matters like this. But I have to say I think they have over-stepped the mark in a bid to gain some headlines.
I mean does playing it make me want to go find a gun and shoot someone? No, it doesn’t.Would it have that affect on a child or an easily influenced person?I don’t think it would.
But there has got to be a certain level of correctness, and when you’re creating something which is supposed to be as ‘real’ as possible, there has to be line in the sand.
From the developers point of view they will agree that controversy is worthy of risk.
And ultimately when that risk makes $310million in just 24 hours through sales in the UK and the US making it the biggest launch in history across all forms of entertainment, it pays off.
Whatever happened to the carefree games like Dizzy on the Spectrum?!
Here's the Call of Duty review and a few others, judge for yourselves!


Title: Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Platform: PS3
Genre: Shooter
Price: £54.99
Hit count: 5/5

Busting through the £50 price tag in recessionary times is a bold move, and one that has been greeted with a few rumbles of discontent.
But for any gamer with half a brain and a love for first-person shooters, you’ll find out pretty quickly that Modern Warfare 2 more than justifies its payment.
Who wouldn’t part with that amount of cash for the privilege of being thrust into the most visceral, jaw-dropping single-player experience you’ve ever been involved in?
And the multiplayer mode will have gamers coming back for more, years after the launch hype has died down.
Polished to perfection in nearly every respect, it’s a gripping, living, breathing work of video-game art.
And £55 for a masterpiece ain’t that bad.


Title: Ghostbusters
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action
Price: £44.99
Hit count: 4/5
Yet another movie to morph onto console systems, Ghostbusters: The Video Game presents an all-new storyline for gamers to get their teeth into, once again putting you in charge of that motley crew of paranormal pest controllers.
Not only does this title deliver in terms of humour, and superb voice-acting from almost all of the original stars, it also has the kind of gameplay mechanics that you’d wish for when faced with the prospect of grappling with a ghost above a trap and lowering it down to complete the capture.
It’s pretty much everything fans could have hoped for in terms of an authentic recreation of a much-loved film, and it’s a great example of how movie tie-in titles don’t always have to be tosh.


Title: Singstar: Take That
Platform: PS3
Genre: Music
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 4/5

While it’s all very well trawling pretty swiftly through the back-catalogues of 1980s artists who found their way onto Singstar, the real pleasure is to be had in bellowing at the tracks that you really know and love.
Everyone, whether they admit it or not, has a favourite Take That track or two.
And this disc is a cracking compilation of tunes from the fab five (who then became four), from Babe and Back For Good, through to Could It Be Magic and the more recent hits since reforming, such as Patience, Rule The World and Greatest Day.
A whopping 25 tunes for under £20 is a superb deal, and fans of the band should add this to their karaoke collection now!


Title: Women’s Murder Club: Games Of Passion
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Adventure
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 2/5

Stepping into the investigative shoes of Women’s Murder Club members Lindsay, Claire and Cindy, you’re asked to investigate a string of seemingly unrelated murders as they unfold.
Beautiful women go missing and turn up dead around every corner, and the clues point to the least likely of suspects.
All this plays out through a mixture of object finding in different environments, interspersed with some pretty basic mini-games, such as sliding puzzles or memory games.
While the prospect of a new story from James Patterson may tempt fans of the books to try out this digital experience, it’s not really worth it.
Far too easy and rarely engaging, your time would be better spent reading your favourite paperback once again.


Title: Cooking Mama 3: Shop And Chop
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Cookery
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 3/5

Mama’s back, having traded in the trowel for the truffle in Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop!
The stylus becomes the ultimate cooking utensil as players chop, grate, slice, stir, spread, sprinkle, roll and more through 200-plus mini-games.
But perhaps the main addition this time around is the shopping mini-games, which take you out of the kitchen to buy the ingredients before you get home and start showing off your stylus skills.
As with the previous two games, Shop And Chop looks as cute as ever, plays just as well and, while not really moving the series on as much as it could, the extra features keep things fresh and new for hardcore fans of virtual vegetable chopping.
So sharpen up your stylus and get your shopping bag ready, you’ve got cooking to do!

GAMES CHART ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE

1. Wii Fit Plus
2. FIFA 10
3. Wii Sports Resort
4. Football Manager 2010
5. Dragon Age: Origins
6. Forza Motorsport 3
7. Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games
8. Grand Theft Auto Episodes – Liberty City
9. Pro Evolution Soccer 2010
10. Tekken 6

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd