Scientists are discovering that playing video and computer games can change the way we act, think, and feel. Whether these changes are good or bad has become a subject of intense debate.
For years now, video games have had their fair share of bad press when it comes to violence. You only have to search the internet for ‘manhunt’ to see what I mean. Just read the debate on this forum for an insight into the media hype it can create:
Manhunt poll
We are at the stage in technology now where the most realistic of situations appear within the worlds most popular consoles. Manhunt being at forefront of this due to its very detailed scenes and storylines. But seriously, will playing a game so realistic, actually convince you to carry out the same actions in real life?
One way to eradicate, or control this is by means of censorship. Of course adding an 18 certificate to a game will not prevent it from being played by anyone under that age, but it gives parents or guardians the chance to decide if it is fit for that particular person to play. Do all parents and guardians adhere to this? Even if they do, children can still play the game round a friend’s house for example. In my opinion, adding an 18 certificate to a video game, or even a DVD, gives it an extra bit of advertisement. When (and if) Manhunt 2 gets a UK release, it is going to be one of the biggest sellers of the year. Not that the game will be of a high standard you understand, but because of the 18 certificate it most surely will have and the hype it has had in the media.
Violence in schools and many other young offenders often explain their actions were due to a playing a violent video game. To the casual gamer, it seems ridiculous that you can be so engrossed in a game that it causes temporary schizophrenia, but to a hardcore gamer, you can easily see how you can be part of the world you have been so frequently visiting on your consoles. There are documented articles of experiments that were undertaken with young gamers, where their heart rate and blood pressures were monitored whilst playing various genres of games. The results were quite obvious; those who had played more aggressive violent games had a higher blood pressure and heart rate than those who played more puzzle like complex games. Although the results show the marked increase, there were no indications that that persons behaviour changed after several long game sessions. So how does it stand up in court with no evidental proof that the video game was to blame?
Years ago there was a film called 'The Lawnmower man'. Yes, it was a film about a male grass cutter, but he was of simple mind and nature. This was up until he became a guinea pig for a virtual reality 'game'. He became so engrossed and involved within the virtual reality world that it affected him as a person. He became more phsyically fit and aware of his surroundings, but an unexpected twist was that it improved his IQ. He became smarter the more he got involved with the ‘gaming’ experience. There are actual results in American psychology university that show playing video games can improve learning and ability. The mere thought that scientists are beginning to see a link between video games and increased problem solving, is a somewhat comforting one.
Rockstar, a familiar name amongst the console world are at the forefront of controversial video game themes. Wandering around a city deciding which car to steal and see how many police cars you can destroy in the process being a popular method of playing the famous ‘Grand theft auto’ series. I have played most formats of this game since the first appearance in the PS1. I have spent many hours, doing drug deals, stealing cars, blowing buildings up and killing many pedestrians in the process. I have not once tried to emulate this in real life. Granted I got penalised for speeding once, but that was 5 miles over the speed limit, not 140mph plus in a ‘banshee’ or a ‘cheetah’ while escorting a nightclub owner’s bird to his yacht. (Chance would be a fine thing!)
This is my exact point. Video games are an escape from reality. Much in the same way that films are when you are so engrossed in them. Watch a film that has severe weather compared to what is in reality and for a few split seconds after you finished watching it, you think the real weather is like that outside. Realistic graphics merely improve the experience and do not (in my opinion) change a person’s mood swings or behaviour. The mere suggestion that what you play influence your actions is ridiculous. Yes we should have certificates on games that require it, I’m in no way trying to encourage younger gamers to see what all the fuss is about with manhunt or whatever game will come into the media limelight next (Rockstar’s Bully for example). I am merely expressing the need for control over what younger people are allowed to see and hear by the appropriate parent or guardian.
We are never going see violence in games eradicated. There will always be the one game that stands out for its violence, bad language or inappropriate scene, but no matter how many times it’s played, it will not influence the gamer more so than the effect on watching present day news has on the viewer.
Violence in video games
the katana, chainsaw are 2 of my fave weapons in that game, so sick, so fun 
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