Editor’s Note: Parents! You might want to pay special attention to this article!
It started with the infamous Grand Theft Auto, and now, it has spawned numerous sequels. The series has been deemed controversial because it involved such instances as violence, nudity, drugs, and other adult situations. With one game even having a mod that allowed the player to do explicit things with the main character’s girlfriend. Rockstar did re-release the game, after removing that portion of the coding. There are numerous murder cases where the attorneys have brought the Grand Theft Auto series into play, but all have failed to use the game as substantial evidence. The series is possibly the most controversial video game series ever created; ironically, it is also one of the most popular. Rockstar Games is currently working on another Grand Theft Auto title due to release this fall.
Manhunt, one of Rockstar’s other gems (released on November 18, 2003), is considered one of the most sadistically violent games of all time. In the first Manhunt game, the player controlled a serial killer that lurks through each mission dispatching enemy gang members. Occaisionally, the player kills the victims with a firearm, but primarily with gruesome, over the top action sequences. The more gruesome the kill, the more points earned. There was also a sequel to the game. Manhunt 2 released on October 31, 2007 for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii and PC. In Manhunt 2, the player is a different character named Daniel. The game begins with the player escaping the asylum that they are locked away in, killing everyone who gets in their way. As the story continues, the player moves through multiple different areas, killing off gang members. Sound familiar? Well, they changed the mission structure, so even though there was a story, it wasn’t quite as engaging as the first. However, it was enough to draw the player in and keep them wanting to play the game. The Manhunt series has sold 1.7 Million copies to date. It is unknown is Rockstar will create another Manhunt game in the future.
State of Emergency, Rockstar’s action-adventure that released in February of 2002, was also controversial. However, there was not as much negativity thrown towards State of Emergency, as there was titles like Grand Theft Auto and Manhunt. However, it was still not liked. It was considered controversial because of it’s military-style level of violence, and it’s coup d’etat content. Such as political assassinations of corrupt government officials. The game was degraded by Washington politicians for it’s similarity to the 1999 World Trade Organization Riots in Seattle, which caused about three million dollars in damage. The game featured the fictitious, “American Trade Organization”, as the antagonistic establishment. The game was given average-low review scores, and was never more than just a mediocre attempt at a well thought out idea.
Then, they brought us the school-time madness of Bully. This third person action-adventure sandbox game took place at Bullworth Academy, a fictional private school. The main protagonist of the story is James “Jimmy” Hopkins. A 15-year old, well, bully. He has been expelled from every school he has ever attended, and that’s how he ended up here. As far as being controversial, this is possibly the most non-controversial game Rockstar has released. The only controversy was the fact that there was sexual themes, and violence amongst teens. The sexual material involved things such as pinching the buttocks of female classmates, kissing female classmates (and in a few instances male classmates), and a gym teacher that hit on the female students. The violence was that of fights, shooting students with slingshots and other weapons, and playing dodgeball in gym class.
Rockstar Games is one of the most daring, and successful game development companies in the world, gaining and losing much respect from people all over the world, throughout their entire existence.
