As reported in The Nation and commented on at Daily Kos and Talk2Action, Left Behind: Eternal Forces is back and raising some controversy as part of a Pentagon-endorsed care package being sent to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. These "Freedom Packets" come from Operation Straight Up (OSU), an organization dedicated to the admirable task of encouraging and bringing relief to soldiers but, regrettably, wrapping that around a fire-and-brimstone message of apocalyptic theology. I've already written a review of the game, where I found that some of its more troubling aspects, namely its treatment of women and minorities, were not being mentioned in much of the outcry generated by the game's release. Still, as Bruce Wilson points out somewhat shrilly but accurately, the current context for this game which associates OSU's efforts with the Crusades is, as we say in academia, pretty thoroughly problematic.
As is usually the case when a controversial game gets passed around outside the game community, much of Blumenthal's and Wilson's reactions are pointed at the idea of the game, rather than the content. Wilson does, however, make some insightful remarks about the rhetoric of the "prayer button" which restores Christian character's spirit meter (i.e., their ability to function) after they have committed spiritually troubling acts. One criticism of rapture theology is that it absolves Christians of responsible treatment of Earth's resources ("We're leaving anyway, so why should we plan ahead"), and Wilson makes a good point that the prayer button is an extension of this same thinking.
Ian Bogost has a section on this game in Persuasive Games and he has an interesting take on it as well. Ian acknowledges the unique dynamic of the prayer function, but argues that, overall, religion is an abstract "spirituality" in terms of how its expressed in the game's procedural rhetoric. Sure, there are ideological messages inserted between levels, and the context the game is presented in makes it pretty clear which brand of Christianity your supposed to feel compelled by, but the game itself is at it's ludological core a competent military strategy game with a spiritual skin. Wilson and others are right to criticize and oppose the context and the way OSU is presenting it, but as for the game itself, I'm not convinced that it's going to change anyone's mind. It certainly does include the ability to kill the forces of evil (or, in my case, lots of being killed by them), but those forces are clearly marked as evil, just like in most games. In other words, I can appreciate the argument of those who say this isn't that bad. As it is, though, I think the game's problematic aspects are likely to be missed but may yet have an undue or inappropriate influence when its bolstered with the Crusader rhetoric of OSU.
As a product being sent to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, this game raises enough potential ideological and ethical problems that I think it's a mistake for the Pentagon to endorse it. Moreover, the game itself is pretty boring. Send them some Mario Kart for chrissake.
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