the_batman
Banned
it looks like they went all out on creating a game with variety.
I was skeptical at first. I thought it was just some simplistic old world art that shouldn't be taken literally. But I did some digging, and sadly it seems I was wrong.
http://www.bl.uk/learning/timeline/item106661.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brookes_(ship)
You play as a Jewish Pacman and you are trying to collect the Stars of David for your country, but the Gestapo ghost's just won't leave you alone! You have now learned that the Gestapo were evil.
Shit, now I gave them an idea.
What the hell is this? How did steam administration approve it?! How could it been green lighted?!
Disgusting!
What if it has a MGS2-esque cutscene at the ending explaining the horrors of slavery and making the player the ultimate sinner for continuing to play the game.
This is fucking gross, absolutely terrible. How the fuck can Valv eallow something like this?
So is this a game that tries to educate the players on what happened during that period for slaves ( and fails at it judging by the slave tetris ). Or just straight up a game for racists, by racists?
This is fucking gross, absolutely terrible. How the fuck can Valv eallow something like this?
Steam said:September 13, 2013
Frog Fractions 2?
Slave Tetris
I've seen it all now.
Which is just Plague Corpse Tetris from Monty Python & The Quest for the Holy Grail.Slave Tetris is just a reskin of Plague Corpse Tetris from the first game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_7ZBi28j_w#t=31
That's how I took it.Don't you guys think they did slave tetris just to show how horrifically the slaves were treated? I don't think they were being mean. Not on purpose anyway.
Don't you guys think they did slave tetris just to show how horrifically the slaves were treated? I don't think they were being mean. Not on purpose anyway.
I could see that, however making it a game element is just distasteful. It would be different in the context of a parodying game like South Park and likes, but this is meant to be taken seriously. It's like teaching the cruelity of the Nazireich by letting the player take control of an officier, leading jews into the chamber, beating everyone who doesn't comply and pull the gas lever. It's not funny and engaging in the wrong way.Don't you guys think they did slave tetris just to show how horrifically the slaves were treated? I don't think they were being mean. Not on purpose anyway.
Don't you guys think they did slave tetris just to show how horrifically the slaves were treated? I don't think they were being mean. Not on purpose anyway.
Don't you guys think they did slave tetris just to show how horrifically the slaves were treated? I don't think they were being mean. Not on purpose anyway.
Yeah I don't think it's intentionally offensive but its still a very naive and tone death attempt at making learning fun.Don't you guys think they did slave tetris just to show how horrifically the slaves were treated? I don't think they were being mean. Not on purpose anyway.
I don't think there is intentional harm here. The slave tetris part is preceded by a educational/history voice over that describes how slaves were seen as simple commodities/cargo and were placed on top of each other a lot of the time, not seated like people. Then you proceed to play the tetris where you see the cargo hold and loading people into it. I think presentation is trying to be too much of a game while still providing the historical/educational part. I don't think this is straight up intentional racism by racists for racists. It includes effort put into voice overs by multiple men/women and the writing doesn't come off as racist but your general educational tone.
It shouldn't have tried to add a lot of gamification and instead focus more on a point and click or something.
Thralled is a completely different game. This is an edutainment game aimed at schoolkids learning about that period in time, Thralled is an art-game trying to make a big statement. Could it been handled better? Yes. But Thralled is in no way a good comparison.Wow, just wow... Hey, freedom of speech and all... But if I'm valve, I wouldn't want this in my store...
It's not the subject matter, it's the execution...
Here's a similar concept done 'right' in "thralled"
http://www.polygon.com/2014/6/12/5805402/thralled-is-a-beautiful-and-heartbreaking-game
Edit:
I see this as less problematic than the hundreds of games across all gaming platforms that actively glorify war and violence.
You think a fun little game like Tetris is fit to communicate the horrific treatment of slaves then?
Yeah no, don't bring fun into something as horrific as the topic at hand if you want to educate children. Save your slave Tetris for an episode of South Park.
Also, it's not only the distasteful Tetris mini game that's the only questionable design decision the developers made here. I find the mouse character's lines and voiceover even more sickening, trying to make the player feel like they're embarking on an exciting and joyful slave trade adventure.
What the hell is this? How did steam administration approve it?! How could it been green lighted?!
Disgusting!
I don't.
Valve should remove it.
That tetris mini-game is fucked up.
I'm referring to this...wow.
Didn't see the game screenshot until now
before everyone raises their pitchforks... the trailer suggests this is an educational game. although I agree it is extremely tacky in presentation.
And I think that is the message the game is trying to convey. That Tetris image is pretty shocking and so is the act of stacking slaves in the ship.
Honestly I don't see too much problems with this game. It aims to be educational, not glorify slave trade.
This is true, but there is a reason many children's books will often take liberties to avoid showing some atrocities to try to be tactful, not scare the children away, and most of all try to not make it look like a parody or look tasteless which would defeat the purpose and intent of what you're trying to convey.
Slavery and racism is a very delicate subject to explore that requires a lot of tact and understanding.