January 30, 2008
Of this we can be sure:Going forward, there will be no shortage of material to fuel the video game violence controversy.
Brash Entertainment has more or less seen to that with its hot-off-the-wire announcement that it will release SAW, the video game, in October, 2009.
From the press release:
SAW the videogame will give fans of Jigsaw and these films a reason to live. Collaborating closely with Lions Gate and Twisted pictures, the game will have its own unique storyline, while answering questions left unanswered by the SAW films.
In an effort to stay true to the movies, Brash is working closely with creators of the SAW franchise, Leigh Whannell and James Wan, ensuring the game pulls no punches, and delivers the horrifying suspense and disbelief that has floored fans worldwide. The SAW game is currently in development for next-gen platforms and will be built using the Unreal 3 game engine.
Also included in the press release is this link.
Comments
Pornographic doesn't have to mean sexually explicit. In my case of the use of the word, it's meant to be explicit in the violence of the sake of the violence. Much like how the traditional use of pornography is sexually explicit of the sake there of. Maybe I should have used the word obscene, but people, whom I've talked to, namely my friends, get some kind of arousal from the Saw series.
@chuma
Thanks Monkeythumbs. I was going to post the Random House Dictionary one, but that'll do.
"To me they’re just an excuse for explicit gore. "
Yeah, ain't it great? :)
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
Because by now we know what an artillery shell sounds like when its falling towards us. You still yell incoming, even though there is a chance its not going to land on you, and there the chance it might even be a dud.
A good few gore scenes in the movies are avoided because the victim managed to escape.
Now, I am looking forward to seeing what they do with this game. A murder mystery/puzzle game couple be interesting ,and I won't try to predict the future and say it will or won't.
A Ghostbusters game is coming out, I don't see anyone saying that will suck without a doubt in their minds.
Since I live in America I expect to play games like this uncut on consoles so I could get the whole experience.
To the rest: Manhunt 2's controversy with a MOD of Saw.
Otherwise, it would work out decently well with you playing as people caught in Jigsaw's traps and having to solve them to get out, or else as the detectives trying to catch him.
Two things NEED to happen for this game to work.
1) It has to be totally original, not based on any of the movies. Otherwise, the game makers will get lazy.
2) Tobin Bell has to be involved in voice acting for his Jigsaw character. That should be obvious though.
My friend witnessed a man bring FIVE children with him to see Rambo, they needed booster seats. Maybe the people who will undoubtable freak over this game should check out the audience of R rated movies sometime.
Good Movie Franchise + Game Creation = Shitty Game.
Therefore...
Shitty Movie Franchise + Game Creation = (Shitty Game) ^ 2
I think thats about how it'll work out...
I'd like to see JT not flip out about this one. Cause if he still exists after his trial, this one is a free trip to the candy store. Far too easy.
1) It's a movie video game. By the laws of nature, it has to suck.
2) I don't care for the Saw series. Sure, I haven't seen them, but not one of you have said that it's not gore-porn, so thus, I must assume that my basic assumptions about the movie are correct.
Also, the trailers for movies are made to give the basic premise of the movie away. It's what the marketers, directors, and producers want the public to think the movies is about.
So, yes, I am basically in the same boat as the anti-game critics, but with one great exception; I don't want to force my standards of taste and obscene upon you all. If you want to play it, go for it. Enjoy yourself with it.
I enjoyed the old Jurassic Park game on the Sega Genesis. The one where you played as either Dr. Grant or a raptor. Never did beat it though. What was up with the final bosses in that game? They seemed immortal!
Other than that.... Umm, best I can come up with is some of the Star Wars games like KOTOR and Star Wars: Battlefields. But those aren't exactly based on the movies.
On the political front, the tie in to the movies should play into the oncoming controversy pretty well, since no one can say that this game could be marketed to kids (although I'm sure they will try)
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
Random Tower: Game News and Commentary
Anyways, the media will fest with it.
at least there will be something else to blame
Oh and the media attention and cries from the anti-video game people are going to send sales through the roof.
How will anti-game violence pundits be able to attack this game, when they made no effort to attack the movie?
This will trully show who the real hypocrites are.
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
Random Tower: Game News and Commentary
Exactly! Moreover, while individuals such as Leland Yee will be screaming "OMG! We DEFINITELY need legislation to 'protect the children' from this ultra-violent video game!", but still remaining silent on the idea of legislating the sale of the MOVIE to minors, whether the rated R version or the UnRated version.
I suspect the Player Character will be one of jigsaw's victims. Of course, it will have to be a new Jigsaw. Still, I wonder if this will technically be SAW V, or some side diversion.
Nightwng2000
NW2K software
"Oh... Shit..."
I think the shit ball is starting to roll downhill. Except, that's not snow it's picking up...
----
Papa Midnight
Well, for all we know you could be a cop trying to stop Jigsaw. I can actually picture a game where you have a limited time to discover the way to save people trapped in his machines, otherwise they die a very graphic death. You'd have to navigate through each part of his lair to reach the person, all the while dealing with booby traps. Or it'll be a bloody gore fest with no redeeming qualities.
Ehh, I'll give it 5:1 odds that this game is going to get threatened with law suits before they even release details.
@ Nightwng2000
They could always make it a prequel or an "untold story".
Still this has the potential to be a real shit storm.
Then again this has the potential for another rage against the ESRB Ao rating spat.
Gift.
...What if the game uses scenes cut from the movies for the deaths? Or simply footage for transitions?
I think that would put an interesting spin on things. Suddenly the video game critics would be criticizing what's in the movies at the same time.
All in all I won't be buying this game. Xlorep Darkhelm is right... When was the last time you saw a video game based on a movie that rocked? To be fair, movies made from games have sucked just as much.
Yeah - and I'll bet it won't cause an outcry with any lawyers or politicians either. Just a quick bit of media 'hype' and that's it. After all - it's based on something Hollywood came up with - so it can't be evil like GTA and Manhunt.
Oh and please lets stick to the terminology agreed upon by those of us who speak English rather than those used by lawyers and politicians. Pornography is sexual in nature, not violent. These films are at times sick, sensationalistic and purile. They are not pornographic.
Dunno about prequel. SAW IV gave us Jigsaw's background.
But one of the untold stories that we didn't get in the other films... maybe.
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
I hope this game is good, I hope it is successful, and I HOPE it cause controversy if only to finally show how much hypocrasy is present in the fight against video game violence.
I just can't defend this one.
Whilst I wish this game wasn't being made in the first place, I'm sure there must be some people out there looking forward to it, and I guess if Manhunt 2 is acceptable to gamers, what makes a Saw game any different?
I'll be interested to see the inevitable fight at the BBFC when the game gets released. They've passed all four Saw films for general release, so they'd really have to clarify exactly why in their view videogames require stricter censorship than movies.
I'm kind of hoping it causes controversy, too. Being based on the movies which had no major backlash would give us a great argument.
News anchor: "The newest sick, twisted, pornographic, virtual orgasmic rape video game is named Saw. In it players can torture, rape, and eventually kill innocent people all for their own pedophilic pleasure."
Actual VG Expert: "Oh, are you talking about that game based on the Saw movie series? The series that your organization never complained about, despite it being just as bad as or worse than this game?"
News Anchor: "Uh... in other news... um... Let's go to Bob with the weather."
If you are one of jigsaw's vicitms, then all player actions in the game will be effectively positive non-violent actions to try and PREVENT graphic scenes of death, by rescuing self/others from jigsaws traps.
That means critics CANNOT criticise the game in terms of it encouraging violence. In fact if someones death leads to game over, it positively DISCOURAGES it , and infact re-inforces the idea that you dont want the graphic death to happen.
The interesting thing then arises as to wether they criticise it as a) Marketed to kids (it surely wont be say if it has an M rating) or b) just because it CONTAINS extreme violence.
If b) then it really reeks of hypocracy, even more than usual. How on earth can you critricise a violent scene in one medium, but not in another when they are so similar. And arguably whish is more lifelike? Real actors, or polygonal models?
if a) again, surely you jsut have to point out that minors are statistically LESS likely to be able to buy the game than to see the film.
I was actually hoping for a SAW game!. not because i think itl be good, (itl more than likely suck) but because i wanted exactly this kind of issue to be raised. Effectively its almost like a trap for hypocritical politicians to be named n shamed. And i bet the usual suspects walk right into it.
bring it on!
"January 30th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
No problem with the movie, but now that I’M the one doing the killing…"
well yeah .. except you arent actually killing.. that would involve a loss of life.. not the loss of some polygons form a screen. And you arent doing the 'killing' the charachter in the game universe is.
THQ just announced a deal where they will be doing mobile games for Playboy. Playboy has been a controversial magazine far longer than Saw has been a barely controversial film franchise, yet I never saw it mentioned anywhere on GP because it has no effect on politics. Why is a vaguely-controversial-slasher-flick-turned-video-game any different?
So what are GP's motivations here. Did Brash Entertainment pay for this hype piece? Is GP trying to spark a controversy to ensure it has material for next year? Or is GP going to report on every violent video game announced from now on? Is this an attempt to be able to say "you saw it first on GP!"? ("SAW it first"... get it?)
I don't like having to criticize GP on it's forums, I love the site and I don't want to label myself as a troll. But I'm so sick of the way that the game industry and enthusiast media become so aggressively defensive long before they're ever attacked. It makes us look weak and afraid, like children that are scared of losing their toys. Deal with the issues when they arise, instead of inadvertently causing the issues yourself with articles like this.