Sadistic and realistic gore/violence in contemporary games

[GodofHardcore]

When I was a kid and I first played Mortal Kombat 2, the combination of blood/gore/violence and dark themes scared me a little bit but I got over that fact since overall the game was not realistic enough and too over-the-top to take seriously.

I just played the newest Mortal Kombat game and as a man, I am frankly disturbed by what I saw. The game was still over-the-top but the sheer brutality of the fatality animations left me feeling numb and I couldn't enjoy it like I enjoyed the similarly brainless MK2 of the old consoles. I realize it's just a video game fantasy but the brutality man.

I noticed the same gore thing with cinema and I blame Saw/Hostel for it. Gore used to be extreme and for fringe viewers, and now it is mainstream. Now everyone's talking about things like the Human Centipede (and worse). These gore movies don't even pretend to have a plot or any artistic value anymore. This goes for Human Centipede and that stupid French movie about a woman is tortured and has all of her skin torn off just so that the sick person doing it can learn what happens from a near-death experience. Ever heard of Google? You can google that fucking shit.

Why did I enjoy MK2 despite (or because of) its gore but hated the newest MK?

What is your feelings about gore in media today?

[eskil]

I've always thought gore in video games was completely fine since the depictions were wildly unrealistic due to the graphical limitations of past consoles. Since modern machines are more powerful and capable of more realistic displays of extreme violence, I've changed my view somewhat.
Then again, that's what everyone was saying about the original Mortal Kombat. They said they didn't mind violence in video games, but this latest-generation, super-realistic violence (on the incredibly powerful SNES) had to go. It was too lifelike.

[AppleQueso]

Honestly, MK9's gore was no more 'realistic' than any previous game in the series.

[feamatar]

well, Elvira games were pretty realistic, though there gore was really painted. The early FPS games were kind of gory, closely looking at those I think they could be considered disgusting today.

But one game for sure aged well, that is Silent Hill. It is able to create the same disgust as years ago

I had a strange feeling at the end of Modern Warfare 3 though, at the point when the main boss was hung up. I understood there, why many people can find games too realistic.

[Luke]

godofhardcore may have to change his handle if video game sprites being burned alive makes him go numb.

It's all silly video game violence. If a game suggested you "try it for real", then I would be offended, but as of today I do not have the ability to shoot paralyzing ice balls from my fist.

Manhunt is even so over the top it's just laughable, and the true crime of The Human Centipede is that it warranted a sequel.

[GodofHardcore]

godofhardcore may have to change his handle if video game sprites being burned alive makes him go numb.

but we're not talking about cartoony 2d video game sprites. we're talking about 3d models intended to look realistic.

and being burned alive is low on the sadistic gore meter. there are much worse fates in store: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijh4fcapGY4

[AppleQueso]

godofhardcore may have to change his handle if video game sprites being burned alive makes him go numb.

but we're not talking about cartoony 2d video game sprites. we're talking about 3d models intended to look realistic.

and being burned alive is low on the sadistic gore meter. there are much worse fates in store: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijh4fcapGY4

MK1-3 used digitized actors and had some of the most realistic looking graphics possible at the time.

There really isn't anything in that video that's particularly disturbing (or even at all that realistic).

[brunoafh]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijh4fcapGY4

I was only able to last about 40 seconds into the video before laughing out loud.

[AppleQueso]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijh4fcapGY4

I was only able to last about 40 seconds into the video before laughing out loud.

MK's violence has always been super goofy and over the top. It's kinda the whole point.

Plus there's those sound effects, especially the goofy voices!

[Luke]

godofhardcore may have to change his handle if video game sprites being burned alive makes him go numb.

but we're not talking about cartoony 2d video game sprites. we're talking about 3d models intended to look realistic.

and being burned alive is low on the sadistic gore meter. there are much worse fates in store: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijh4fcapGY4

Everything about those fatalities are silly and cartoony. There is nothing realistic about them at all.