"Hatred" Reveal Trailer. Or as I like to call it, "The Next Big Controversy"

[WhiteNachos]

I saw cops in the trailer.

And you're missing my point, what if it really was a serial killer thing where you had to go on the run from the law rather than just go home. There's potential here.

And killing for fun describes the multiplayer in basically every FPS ever made.

I saw cops getting their asses killed

the game didn't depict the cops as any real danger. if anything they where just one more thing to shoot. and in a multiplier fps people actually try to shoot/fight back. Sometimes with devastating results.

And Gone Home also has potential. Doesn't change what most people think of it though.

You honestly think the cops aren't going to shoot back?

I'd say the odds of that happening are about 0.

eh. Still think I saw a flash game of something like this some where. I guess I don't see what the big deal is. another controversy game, woopie.
t Do you honestly watch that trailer and think the cops are any threat at all? they have pistols against a guy with an AK-47 who doesn't give a shit.
The cops firing back is the equivalent to firefighter trying to tack out a forest/wild fire with min-water guns. ain't gonna do shit.

It's a trailer, it's not a gameplay video. I don't remember any tanks in GTA trailers but if you get the maximum wanted level you have tanks firing at you.

eh. I still think that i've seen flash games like this for free online. idk it just seems like one of "those" games. you know that ones. They have one main gimmick going for it and that's it. kinda like "Gone Home" and "Dear Ester". Games that sell based on Controversy mostly.

You might be right but if I was going to sell a game based off controversy alone I'd do it differently. I'd have murdered children in the trailer maybe have the main character shoot up a ball pit, and have the word 'wacky' somewhere in the title.

 

[WhiteNachos]

Part of me wonders if this was commissioned by people who genuinely hate videogames and/or the people trying to change videogames "for the better"...

Because it kind of looks like Starwman: The Game to me; something manufactured purely to paint the industry and gamers as crazy people. It plays on just about every prejudice and it seems to be doing it on purpose.

Reminder: one of the most popular video game franchises in the world is named after a felony and enables people to go on killing-sprees.

That is done very tongue in cheek with a dark humor context,

*cough* Cop out *cough* *cough* Bullshit *cough*. Oh sorry there was something in my throat. Seriously you're going to argue that you slaughter pedestrians ironically?

What is tongue and cheek about getting into huge shoot outs with the police? The same police that the games say are corrupt? The same police it demands you kill in certain missions because you are a criminal?

What about GTA IV when they tried to have a gritty story with drama and you can still mow down civilians for fun?

If you think GTA is indicative of reality what so ever then there is no point in going into this discussion any further. You said your piece and I said mine, so now all that can be done is allowing people who see these comments to draw their own conclusions.

There are tons of games where the enjoyment comes from shooting everything on the screen, the only difference between those games and this one is that this game doesn't try to make you empathize with the protagonist (at least not from this trailer).

So trying to dismiss comparisons to GTA seems really dishonest. GTA San Andreas seems wacky today, but a lot of that is due to how far graphics have come. At the time the graphics were only slightly below average. It certainly didn't sell itself as a wacky sandbox game

 

[Fappy]

-Snip-

I don't see how what I said has anything to do with media violence = real life violence. I just said it looks stupid.

 

[WhiteNachos]

I don't know if this has been posted. Forgive me if it has, but apparently, these guys are neo-nazis: http://www.playerattack.co.uk/news/2014/10/17/hatred-is-the-neo-nazi-hate-crime-of-video-games/

Alright I don't want to give traffic to an article with such an obvious clickbait headline (it says the game itself is a neo nazi hate crime which is total BS they're using to get views) so what evidence does it have that they're neo nazis?

And secondly, would it matter? You're not targeting any particular group in this game, so this game clearly is not promoting any nazi views.

 

[BarkBarker]

Wow, people who insist that media doesn't affect behavior would have a hard time explaining comments like this.

And like I said in my previous post, it's strange that people are finding this ''hard to take seriously'' or ''trying too hard to be edgy'' or whatever. You only need to look at snippets of released ''manifestos'' from real-life killers who did the same thing to see the same kind of self-righteous, nihilistic justifications for hating people and society.

I'm curious about what Jim Sterling thinks of the trailer, seeing as he insisted that gamers aren't desensitized to violence.

It is empty fantasized violence that is impersonal and lacks meaningful context, the game looks boring as fuck because it looks boring as fuck, this is hardly anything even close to controversial. I am not desensitized to real life violence, I very clearly differentiate when I see someone who actually gets their head blown off and a video game, the disconnect is a very large part of what makes my eyes glaze over. From the view of someone with a decent palette of games and a long time consumer of the industry, this is a shitty looking game with what feels like an immature adolescent approach to the violence. Don't quote me suggesting me as an example of media affecting behaviour, I have never found mindless violence to be appealing in any way, It is also boring considering they are trying to entertain me with it and it seems so pathetic.

 

[Windcaler]

Maybe its just me but as I listened to that it sounded like something one of the many psycopaths responsible for shootings would leave in their final note. That said, I think a game like this (and the other past games that have mimicked such tragedys) are done in very bad taste. While I will never take the stance that someones work should be censored I really dont see any artistic merit here either.

The game by itself looks like a twinstick shooter which in and of itself turns me off because of the boring and repetitive nature of those games. So part of me wonders if they just made this game controversial for sake of controversy. At the end of the day it does not look interesting, fun, insightful, or engaging so for now I think I'll be passing this one by.

 

[Godhead]

This looks like it belongs in the games section of Newgrounds.

 

[kuolonen]

... Yeah I am going to play this game. I found I have become very tired of the gritty main hero since, I think Call of duty: modern warfare. The best part in Watch_dogs was the mini-game with giant military spider-robot going on rampage. For giving a chance to play the villain, I am willing to forgive a lot in gameplay, acting, ethics, etc. Honestly killing is killing. Why try justify it?

That said, this will be one hell of an ammo pack for the FOX news and its ilk.

 

[prowll]

There's 'really violent' and then there's pointless violence. This seems to be in the latter camp.
At least in GTA and Saint's Row, there's a reasonable story-line reason for the violence. Most of the people hurt in story line are not innocent.
This seems deliberately to be a 'civilian' killer. No real story line, just start shooting at the civvies. Even as someone who LOVES the SR and GTA series, I'm taking a pass.

 

[Frankster]

Immediate thoughts on seeing the trailer: Hey looks like Nathan Explosion from Metalocalypse made a game!

Second thoughts: It's going to be hilarious seeing people's reactions to this.

 

[Hazy992]

Just looks like it's trying to be edgy and 'OMG so controversial' for the sake of it. I'm not offended by it or anything, it just looks stupid.

I mean I'll have fun doing a GTA/Saints Row rampage as much as the next guy, but there's still a point to those games beyond that. Doing nothing but that would just get boring.

 

[cthulhuspawn82]

Even though I don't have any particular interest in this game, it would make me feel better knowing it exists. I don't like thinking that I am in an environment where the status quo pushes regulation or censorship of anything, even "highly offensive" material. I think we need a game that pushes the boundaries to see if those boundaries are still there.

It's the same as me downloading a kill-able children mod for Skyrim despite never actually having any intention to kill children. It makes me feel bad to be told I'm not allowed to do something, even if it's something I have no intention of doing. I want to know that I can go on a murder rampage (in a game of course) even if I never will.

 

[RedDeadFred]

I can't take this crap seriously.

Wow, people who insist that media doesn't affect behavior would have a hard time explaining comments like this.

And like I said in my previous post, it's strange that people are finding this ''hard to take seriously'' or ''trying too hard to be edgy'' or whatever. You only need to look at snippets of released ''manifestos'' from real-life killers who did the same thing to see the same kind of self-righteous, nihilistic justifications for hating people and society.

I'm curious about what Jim Sterling thinks of the trailer, seeing as he insisted that gamers aren't desensitized to violence.

What I meant was, I can't take it seriously as a game. It felt waaay too real. I can't take it seriously as a game because all it seems to be doing is celebrating the act of gunning down innocent civilians. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind being evil in other games (I prefer it in Fallout), but this trailer just rubbed me the wrong way. I can't take it seriously because it seems like some fucked up fantasy that the devs might have.

I don't really know where the line is on this stuff for me, but I do know that this crossed it. I had a hard time watching that trailer. I can see how you misconstrued my comment though since it was fairly vague.

 

[Zak757]

So edgy my wrists started bleeding. Didn't even feel it because my sides hurt even more from the laughing.

Anyway, in an interview between Polygon and Jarosław Zieliński, he says that Hatred is "all about honesty." I don't think anyone here thought that there was any sort of profound or respectable artistic statement behind this, but now you know for sure.

"The answer is simple really. We wanted to create something contrary to prevailing standards of forcing games to be more polite or nice than they really are or even should be.
"Yes, putting things simply, we are developing a game about killing people. But what's more important is the fact that we are honest in our approach. Our game doesn't pretend to be anything else than what it is and we don't add to it any fake philosophy.

"What it means to me is the way we are told and taught to think, even if it's totally in spite of ourselves. And you get that coercion in the gaming industry as well. I mean right now we're the best example of it.
"In this world you cannot simply say that you are working on a game about killing people for no particular reason, not to expose yourself to angry, negative comments caused by panic and shock. We all know those big stories accusing games of all the evil there is, including accusations of educating murderers. And does it mean they are all ultimately true? Not at all of course.
"Like many of us, I grew up playing all kind of games. More or less violent. And I'm still just a regular guy like millions of other gamers in the world. But what I observe these days are games, that used to be considered a rebellious medium, losing that factor and just trying to fit in the nice and sweet pop-culture.

So this is bringing the fight to made-up non-problems. Supposedly, many game developers are forced into adding things almost everyone cares about like themes, characters, stories and context for murder into their games thanks to our oppressively politically correct culture. Because of this, we are now getting "dishonest" games that aren't willing to indulge in the "mature" content they truly care about. No more indiscriminate murder of innocents (Prototype, Hotline Miami), no more nude women (Bayonetta 2, Witcher 2), no more player-inflicted torture (GTA V, Splinter Cell), no more rape (MGS V), no more hyper violent executions (Sleeping Dogs, MGR, God of War), no more child killing (Mass Effect 3, Modern Warfare 3, Last of Us), and any games that attempt this will be thrashed by reviewers and blocked off from public consumption (oh wait, all of these games are doing just fine).

If games are ever going to be censored into being "acceptable," it is games like Hatred that are going to be the cause of it. It strongly reinforces the idea that video games are murder simulators, and there is no defense against that because that's exactly what Hatred is. There isn't even anything to soften the blow either, like cartoonish graphics or remotely dislikeable targets. Just lots of close-ups on stabbing realistic looking cops in the face. No doubt people in positions of power are going to see this on Fox News and blow up about it.

Jaroslaw is right in that we get plenty of dishonest games, but the effect he thinks this is having is exactly backwards. I'm sure plenty of games would like to not be forced into including narratively-dissonant shooting galleries, but that is what is proven to make money and that is what the customer expects.

Also, I brought something worth sharing:

 

[DerangedHobo]

They don't even need to be obviously wacky. This game needs to go the full way and make itself so edgy that it becomes funny. License the entirety of Linkin Park's discography, have the character laugh about killing babies and have customizable long-coats (with fedora DLC), make it a parody by overcharging the various aspects of a metalhead, emo or goth.

Dude you fucking had me at "customizable long-coats with fedora DLC", I'd buy the everloving shit out of that game.

But that aside, it does insult me that shit like this can rile people up. I even saw one person (on a gamespot forum mind you) talk about how this will "cause more stringent censorship of games" and how it will restrict free speech, not seeing the obvious irony and hypocrisy. I'll buy it, partly to laugh at it and partly just for the killing, I'm at peace with man's violent nature.

As an aside, people not to get more angry at the retard "journalists" who will get angry at this game instead of laughing at it. "murrica' the brave" my ass.

 

[DerangedHobo]

If games are ever going to be censored into being "acceptable," it is games like Hatred that are going to be the cause of it. It strongly reinforces the idea that video games are murder simulators, and there is no defense against that because that's exactly what Hatred is. There isn't even anything to soften the blow either, like cartoonish graphics or remotely dislikeable targets. Just lots of close-ups on stabbing realistic looking cops in the face. No doubt people in positions of power are going to see this on Fox News and blow up about it.

Wait, back the fuck up. So we should censor games because they may cause more stringent censorship? There is something very wrong in a society where popular sports include MMA and Boxing, where every second on every new channel there is rampant senationalism about "EBOLA IS GOING TO MAKE YOU BLEED FROM YOUR ASSHOLE, BE PREPARED" and "ISIS BEHEADS ANOTHER INNOCENT JOURNALIST" but anything to do with senseless violence which isn't dressed up to be more "palatable" is instantly mocked at demonized.

You just proved the developer's point. You proved that developers have to dress up a game, that low rent mindless violence despite being a part of the human condition and our very society has to be dressed up for it to be "ok". You cannot be behind video games as an expressive medium but then censor games like "hatred" on the grounds that it will cause more games to be censored. If those standing for free expression censor content then that is blatant hypocrisy and it's pretty backwards.

Don't get me wrong, Hatred is laughably stupid. I mean the intro voice over was comedy gold and it is more or less violence for violence sake but it still has a right to be a video game.

 

[WarpZone]

Okay first of all, the mainstream media isn't going to even know this game exists because it's by an indie developer. Simple as that. They only find out about games when they've already sold 20 bazillion copies and parents have heard the name from their kids a few times.

Second of all, the developers of this game would welcome such a witch-hunt. Everything about the trailer is designed to court public infamy from the press. I would say they are probably banking on it.

Third of all, the game sucks. Just look at it. It's Saints Row meets MadWorld but without any of the charm of either. You play as the bad guy, plain and simple. But not the cathartic, mustache-twirling kind of villain that is actually fun to play as. This ain't no Prototype or Infamous. This ain't even Postal or BoneTown. This is Depressing Joyless Hatefest, The Game. I honestly can't even think of any title from any medium to compare it to.

Fourth of all, who is this game even marketed to? Who is it for? The Concerned Parents? Are they going to buy it just to burn it publicly? I can't imagine any gamer choosing to play this. It's just too depressing and joyless. If you take the ad at face value, it appears to be marketed towards dedicated Columbine-planners... but since that is a demographic that does not exist (schools would get shot up every day if it did) and was created whole-cloth by the news media to pander to concerned parents by demonizing video games, I don't really see how anyone involved with this project expects to get paid.

Maybe it has some value as pure art. Maybe. Like, as a cultural artifact designed to hold up a grim and unrelenting caricature of humanity while saying "PRETEND THIS IS REAL FOR TWENTY MINUTES. NOW TRY TO FEEL." Somehow I don't think even Jim Sterling would get a sadistic giggle out of this one. It just takes itself too seriously to be taken seriously. It's gritty and dismal to the point of cartoonishness. Nihilism should be more thought-provoking than this. Ultraviolence should be more cathartic than this. This reads like spank material for a type of person that, if they existed, would certainly not have the time or money to purchase video games.

I could see the game attracting a lot of attention in the form of "let's imagine that someone out there would find this game entertaining and shudder in horror," but again, how exactly is the developer planning to translate that kind of "interest" into actual sales? I don't get it.

And what *really* baffles me is how high-quality some of the takedown animations looked in the preview. I know it's Unreal Engine, but this is a very content-heavy premise. Where did they get the industry talent to actually produce even this "Vertical Slice" trailer? How are they keeping the 3D modellers and animators working? It can't be money out-of-pocket, because come on, it's an indie developer, and it can't be passion or an honest belief in the product, because come on, who can take this shit seriously?

Oh, wait. I've got it. It must be angel investors. Sure. They told a bunch of rich idiots "hay let's make the violentest game evar, everyone will buy it!" and they fell for it. Oh well. I guess we'll get that witch hunt after all, indie or non-indie, if the people who invested in it also own media outlets, or at least can pull some strings here or there.

Well, that sucks for us and it sucks for Gaming. At least console players will never have to worry about seeing this turd surfacing on their platform of choice. This breaks every rule in the platform curator's books, and not in a good way.

 

[kuolonen]

Third of all, the game sucks. Just look at it. It's Saints Row meets MadWorld but without any of the charm of either. You play as the bad guy, plain and simple. But not the cathartic, mustache-twirling kind of villain that is actually fun to play as. This ain't no Prototype or Infamous. This ain't even Postal or BoneTown. This is Depressing Joyless Hatefest, The Game. I honestly can't even think of any title from any medium to compare it to.

Fourth of all, who is this game even marketed to? Who is it for? The Concerned Parents? Are they going to buy it just to burn it publicly? I can't imagine any gamer choosing to play this. It's just too depressing and joyless. If you take the ad at face value, it appears to be marketed towards dedicated Columbine-planners... but since that is a demographic that does not exist (schools would get shot up every day if it did) and was created whole-cloth by the news media to pander to concerned parents by demonizing video games, I don't really see how anyone involved with this project expects to get paid.

You write 9 paragraph wall post, so cocksure, telling how absolutely no-one wont actually want to buy this game, and yet you don't notice me saying literally 8 post before that I am going to buy and play it? Some awareness before posting would not go a miss.

Such assumptions about what other people like to play, and what kind of villain it is fun to play as. Really now, who do I have to blame for this? I remember lot of people parroting yahtzee back in the day about how it is only fun to be evil as long the game assumes you won't. Who the heck are you people to decide that for others?

I am not saying this game will selling +1 000 000 but I do know there's going to be a niche audience wanting to play this too. But hey, thanks for framing all of them as dedicated Columbine-Planners. So people playing games like this can only be ones who actually plan to do the stuff in real life? Do I really need to go into what that thought process implies?

 

[LaughingAtlas]

Eh. I feel like for violence against those who don't fight back to be fun, there has to be some kind of levity to it, (as with Saint's Row or Dead Rising) a or at least a very good reason to be cross with them. (The civilians in Payday 2 know exactly what they did. And will continue to do. During a firefight.) Whatever catharsis this game might have, it's nothing to putting on a viking hat, hopping in a neon-pink monster truck, roaring through the streets and tossing grenades out the window without a care what I hit, and running around karate-kicking people when the car explodes. This can be even funnier when you're a big, fat guy in a stylish suit and no shoes.

Maybe if you were like, a giant monster, only less interested in unscheduled demolition than those in Rampage. Maybe a huge snake, like Jafar at the end of Aladdin. In fact, that exactly, let's see a game where you play as Jafar going batshit insane with power, slithering through the streets, eating people whole, turning things into weak, ineffective versions of what they were, making puns the whole time.

 

[verdant monkai]

Looks ok. I like the look of the main character, he looks like the crow.

I'd get the game if it had story and some interesting psycho-analysis of the character, as it happens it looks like its just going to be a beat your last highscore kind of game.