I was actually more emotionally affected by the killing of Roach and Ghost by Sheppard than the airport scene. At that point into the game we had vested so much into those two and they were murdered, doused in gas and burned, I was blown away by the brutality of it. Awesome game and will be replayed over and over.

Originally posted by stereovoyaged
I was actually more emotionally affected by the killing of Roach and Ghost by Sheppard than the airport scene. At that point into the game we had vested so much into those two and they were murdered, doused in gas and burned, I was blown away by the brutality of it. Awesome game and will be replayed over and over.

You seriously owe me a new keyboard and LCD screen.

That is comedy, folks.

I heart stereovoyaged

I will say right now that I have played it and did not realise what the devs meant by the scene being 'disturbing'. I have played almost every decent shooter that has ever come out, and have played easily over a thousand video games since the old amstrad and moon buggy.

The level in modern warfare 2 actually made me sick and disgusted to be honest. To a degree I didn't think possible in a video game. It goes without saying I didn't use my weapons until the civvies were gone.

I thought that the overall level design and story was quite poor compared to modern warfare 1. Maybe they were struggling for stand out levels that people will remember such as 'all ghillied up' and the ac-130 mission from the first game.

I think this game crossed a few boundaries (in a progressive manner) in the depiction of war. It showed all too well how no one is really a 'good guy' when it comes to the end.

Just goes to show that we need that R18+ rating in Aus. Silly pollies.

[edit on 19-11-2009 by seenitall]

I used to love these games until I realised the real meaning behind them.

Look in game hire shops and you will see that at least 80% of "games" involve killing.

This, along with toy guns, teaches kids that it's "cool" to be a soldier. And when the time comes for them to seek employment, guess what they want to be? A volunteer for a mass human sacrifice, to please TPTB.

Mind control is such a simple thing. Look at what "Twilight" has done to thousands. It has tricked many into thinking that drinking someone else's blood is "cool". Even "cooler" if a God drinks yours...

[edit on 19/11/09 by NuclearPaul]

Ok so to tell you the truth when i played this level (airport) for the first time i was surpised and didnt quite get what the hell is going on but i soon found myself flashing everything that moves i even killed the struglers ffs . And taking into consideration that the event takes place in Russia and i am Russian and i was killing Russians, i did feel bad ... a bit . But as somebody said at the begging of this thread its how you been raised by your parents and the morals and ethics you have gained. Concluding i certainlty not going to really pay attention to that and go all dramatic about it , but thats just me , however i would not go recommending such games as people do not act alike and the mentality is different

I think some people are reading *far* too much into this.

It's just a video game. Sure, it has elements which many people find disturbing. But so do films, television shows, books and news articles.

I've been playing the game on and off for the past week and while graphically it's fantastic, I despise the AI and design of the progression whereby the enemies spawn endlessly and continuously until you hit a catch/save-point. The enemies will just come running at you, one by one and get mowed down. Not very realistic.

As for the airport level, I can see what they were trying to do and it was quite clever, really. It was forcing the player into a moral dilemna which is quite different. True it was harsh and no doubt many people, like me, enjoyed participating in the ensuing slaughter.

If this was any type of "mind altering" game by subversive powers, or an attempt to "indoctrinate" people into a military mindset, then they are gearing their potential recruits up for failure as real people DO NOT simply run into a doorway and get cut to ribbons.. and then their teammates keep running in.

Besides, Borderlands is a far far better game

Yeah I played this level recently and knew it must've been controversial. In terms of the gameplay it's a great game, two player missions are awesome too.
There have been countless games in the past where you can shoot civilians! I don't think that's the debate here though.
I think it's the mix of two things really:

1. The popularity of the game and exposure
2. The barbaric level where you shoot white, American civilians in the Airport.

I can understand why parents are concerned with this kinda thing though, but I don't think there's really anything to worry about. If you don't like it don't buy the game. Buy Grand Theft Auto for Christmas that's amazing!

SPOILER ALERT for those who are planning to play the campaign mode. For those who find the airport level distasteful based only on second-hand info, and are ranting against it, read on so you can understand the level in the proper context.

I've played the airport level, and for the record, I didn't gun down any civilians. As has been stated previously, the level causes a moral/ethical dilemma, you are actually forced to think a little more deeply about the situation than any other game I've played with similar subject matter. This is a good thing in my opinion, this is not just random violence for the sake of random violence. It causes you to confront yourself, you question the perceptions of right and wrong, you ask yourself if the end justifies the means. This is something most games won't do. Not only that, but it is pivotal to the story line. I give credit to Infinity Ward for taking a more sophisticated approach to such topics.

This level has been reported completely out of context, looked at in a vacuum as if it were the only level in the game. In the briefing from the CIA, who has evidently gone to great lengths to place you close to the man who orchestrates this attack, you are told you will lose part of yourself.

Why hasn't the media reported on the Fire Base Phoenix level, where you demonstrate the proper use of a rifle and a frag grenade for the Afghan militia you are training? How about the part immediately following where you run the obstacle course with silhouette targets of civilians and insurgents, stressing that under no circumstances are you allowed to shoot the civilians? This obstacle course is the pre-requisite for your selection by the CIA for the infiltration of the cell who carries out the airport attack.

What about your patrol through the streets of an Afghan city? As your convoy proceeds through tight streets, you report some unarmed insurgents scouting your convoy from a balcony to your CO, but are told to hold your fire, that you don't have carte blanche to shoot anyone you please.

Or how about the Brazilian Favela (shanty town) level you play as "Roach"? Where you have to distinguish between civilians and the numerous people trying to kill you, if you kill civilians you have to restart at the last check-point.

This is nothing but scape-goating, a cop-out for those who refuse to accept responsibility for their actions or inactions. Especially for those parents who use video games as a babysitter for their children instead of parenting them, teaching them. If you plan on buying this game for your child, be prepared to sit with them, play it with them and explain the deeper ethical/moral issues conveyed. This is a mature game, with mature themes that will fly right over the head of younger children.

I've been playing video games for two decades now, that includes my formative years, and I love horror movies. Now I'm working on my computer science degree so I can make video games, an under appreciated art form that can convey deep, emotional, and gripping stories. Immersing a person into a story unlike any other form of entertainment (except perhaps for D&D, lol). I love FPS and military themed games, fighting games, in short, violent video games. I'll never forget the first time I played Mortal Kombat in the arcade or took someone out online. Guess what though, I have no criminal record, never been in a fight, and I make good grades. Then again, I had good parents. So the argument that games turn your average kid into a rampaging criminal maniac don't hold any water for me.

In closing, if some of you hadn't noticed, Modern Warfare 1 & 2 are games about war, it's even in the title, and war is ugly, confusing, and disturbing. Portraying war in any other way would be dangerous. That is what is upsetting people most about this game, the realism of it, its disturbingly real depiction of the world we live in right now.

why do people instantly jump to brainwashing our youth to love war blah blah blah. The game is for people 18 and older.

"spending an afternoon with my 11 year old cousin playing Call of Duty 4, was a disturbing experience." ....cute, do you 2 also look at porn together?

---before the game even lets you to the main menu it tells you there are graphic scenes which, if you say yes, will be omitted from the game and you will not have to see them.

the point is, its a story, you play an undercover agent inside a terrorist ring. you dont have to pull the trigger if you dont want to.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

point is, if the game is for +18 which is enforced by an ID check, people want to blame the developers for corrupting the youth...its the parents buying these games for their children, id love to see a 11 year old boy try to purchase one of these.

i laugh because the parents buy a 10 year old boy graphic violence which is intended for a mature audience 18+, yet they dont buy him graphic porn because hes isnt old enoughf or it.

dont blame the developers, you see a child with this game, the developers didnt hand deliver him a copy, his dumbass parents bought it for him, then blame the company when its violent.

people are stupid.

Originally posted by seenitall
The level in modern warfare 2 actually made me sick and disgusted to be honest. To a degree I didn't think possible in a video game. It goes without saying I didn't use my weapons until the civvies were gone.

It's a video game, get over it.
For the record - I laid waste to my surroundings on the airport level. And, the premise of the level was staging a false flag operation - to blame on the American government.

Played the game & finished.. Had a great time!

The airport scene is nothing really, actually quite fun.

I was more "upset" when I got shot and burned alive by the general.


The bottom line is, this is a game.. There's been hundreds if not THOUSANDS of movies that are more "disturbing".

If you're offended too easily, simple.. don't play the game, the warnings are there.

I have nothing to add to the topic any further, other than to say that i am currently at level 66, 2nd Prestige.

Mild mannered manager by day, devious walter mitty by night.