Journey of Jesus Punches Out Diablo

[BehattedWanderer]

Spiritual video game world championships, and no one's inviting Kratos, one of the most popular Gods around?

I call sham.

Though, there's a thought. Kratos vs Jesus in a grudgematch? Man, what that scowly-faced mass murderer could do to that son of a virgin would make his crucifixion look like his bar mitzvah. Ha!

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

a game that lets players "walk in the Messiah's steps, in an authentic experience of Israel set in Christ's time." Players will travel with Jesus through the Gospels, earning an education about the history and politics of the Holy Land along the way.

What?! Lame!

When I saw that image, I was like "Punch Out, with Jesus?!" A concept that absurd, I would almost have been willing to play, just for the spectacle.

The actual game being described, though, sounds SO LAME.

If I want "authentic" information about Christ's time, I will do so with actual research. You know, from professional historians, not a bunch of bible-toting manipulators attempting to brainwash converts with a cheap video game.

Now, a game where Jesus punches demons while wearing tiny shorts - THAT I would play!

It wouldn't convert me, though. Jesus was a nice Jewish boy, and I respect what he had to say... and I'd like to see him punch his way through incrementally more difficult demons until he gets a prize match with the Devil.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

Lightside Games
Lucifer - Light Bearer.
Conspiracy.

Psst...

For the record, Lucifer actually has nothing to do with the Christian devil. Lucifer was the name of a Persian king that got mistranslated. Whoopsie. A thousand years of cultural references made over a typo.

The Christian Devil is probably supposed to be Samael, the Angel who posed as the Serpent and talked God into screwing over Job.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samael

 

[nohorsetown]

Dammit, (some) Christians - I can't take you seriously when you sell out and compromise your own values like this. So you made a shitty game, again. That's a problem in itself, but then you try to get press by latching on to Diablo 3, a game which you personally associate with "the enemy". Now, I don't adhere to your religion.. but I'm pretty sure you don't, either. You're supposed to hold your head high, not stoop to slimy ride-the-devil's-popularity tricks.

Some of the posters above have mentioned how Christians shouldn't have a problem with Diablo, or "dark"/"magicky" games, cuz you play as a good guy, duh! I think that's a pretty weak argument, tho. Sure, you kill the devil, and thousands of other monsters/demons/bad guys, and that's because you're *constantly killing shit*. Not really a Jesus-ey kinda message.

If I was a Christian game developer, I would not be cool with that. I'd try to make a game with a positive message, with non-violent challenges and conflicts, which - and here's the kicker - *actually holds up as a decent game*. Not facebook crap. Not trying to ride someone else's popularity. Not talking down to my audience, not rallying them with knee-jerk one-sided moralism. Maybe, God-willing, I could promote actual discussions and analysis of faith.

Christianity is supposed to be a *religion*, right? Like, spirituality and the meaning of life and how to grow as a person? Instead it seems like, for many, it's just an insular, reactionary club to belong to. So come on, Christians - step up to the plate. If you have to make a video game, make one which is relevant to your faith, won't turn non-Christians away, doesn't rely on riding popular trends, and which is actually good. You've got God and the Truth on your side, so what's stopping you?

 

[Terminal Blue]

Wow that Jesus is white. Wouldn't it be more realistic for him to be more Arabic appearance.

He should also have short hair. Noone in Israel at the time would have grown their hair that long.

The idea of Jesus having long hair is a medieval thing.

On topic. I'm not opposed to "religious" games, in fact I'd like to see more of them.

But these people just seem to think a video game is basically a book which young people will read because it's got pretty pictures, and that's not going to work. Especially if you're not actually offering anything you couldn't get at sunday school.

 

[Caligulove]

"Both games immerse the player, and you are what you eat," Lightside CEO Brent Dusing added.

Ha! Communion joke

 

[Right Hook]

It would be sweet if it had a morality system.

[sup]Give people bread: +2 Paragon.[/sup]

[sup]Tell people about your dad: +1 Paragon.[/sup]

[sup]Tell gay man he will burn in hell: +5 Paragon.[/sup]

[sup]Judge people based on their decisions, despite so-called free will: +1 Paragon.[/sup]

(Obviously I'm kidding and one renegade point would cause you to lose since you wouldn't be perfectly good anymore. Also I should be able to customize my Jesus, we don't really know what he looked like after all, I want mine to have dreadlocks.)

 

[Paradoxrifts]

So Brent Dusing, you are what you eat? So does that mean child-molesting clergy are just trying to turn the little tykes into disciples of god?

Oh yeah, I went there.

 

[weirdee]

"Interestingly, also launching today: Diablo 3, the newest installment of a game series built around battles with demonic creatures, which debuted in 1996 with the tagline, 'All Hell breaks loose'," the studio said in a press release.

"Both games immerse the player, and you are what you eat," Lightside CEO Brent Dusing added. I can't even begin to guess what that's supposed to mean.

I'm a little confused... so, in Diablo, you fight demons, eventually descending to Hell and fighting Diablo himself to save the world.

Dusing seems to be trying to imply that playing Diablo will make you a Satanist or something. But if you take his statement, "you are what you eat," to its logical metaphoric conclusion (the role you take in games becomes the role you take in life), everyone who plays Diablo III will become a crusader against (legitimate!) evil.

Then, in a staggering and beautiful display of logic, the ad depicts Jesus himself triumphant after beating the Devil with violence as an example of what you are and aren't supposed to do. It's pretty much what God would have wanted.

 

[triggrhappy94]

Well I learned something...
I didn't know Diable 3 came out yesterday. Anyone know if it's good?

 

[Hat Man]

"Both games immerse the player, and you are what you eat," Lightside CEO Brent Dusing added. I can't even begin to guess what that's supposed to mean.

It's real simple. They're saying if you play Diablo you are a demon worshiper. While if you play their game you are a holly christian.

 

[Jegsimmons]

wow, a little flash facebook game in good fun in one thread not hurting anyone.....and people are hostile and insulting as usual.

keep it classy escapist.

 

[rbstewart7263]

"Interestingly, also launching today: Diablo 3, the newest installment of a game series built around battles with demonic creatures, which debuted in 1996 with the tagline, 'All Hell breaks loose'," the studio said in a press release.

"Both games immerse the player, and you are what you eat," Lightside CEO Brent Dusing added. I can't even begin to guess what that's supposed to mean.

I'm a little confused... so, in Diablo, you fight demons, eventually descending to Hell and fighting Diablo himself to save the world.

Dusing seems to be trying to imply that playing Diablo will make you a Satanist or something. But if you take his statement, "you are what you eat," to its logical metaphoric conclusion (the role you take in games becomes the role you take in life), everyone who plays Diablo III will become a crusader against (legitimate!) evil.

To be fair I imagine the game doesnt feature the dark elements that diablo does and even if im a killer of bad things the whole pie(ie: sights sounds feelings) will be absorbed by my mind and subconcious so I can see how one would (possibly) breed more positivity than the other.


assuming the jesus game is good that is.

 

[thepyrethatburns]

"Open conversations about faith"

And by that they mean nothing but long drawn out circle-jerks about how awesome their religion is, shoving it own people's throats, an saying how anyone who thinks to criticize their particular faith is going to roast in hell for all of eternity.

Replace religion with gaming and you've just described 90% of the topics on the Escapist. In fact, a lot of the Escapist news stories are written to get the reaction displayed in this topic.

wow, a little flash facebook game in good fun in one thread not hurting anyone.....and people are hostile and insulting as usual.

keep it classy escapist.

Pretty much this.

 

[TheBelgianGuy]

"Open conversations about faith"

And by that they mean nothing but long drawn out circle-jerks about how awesome their religion is, shoving it own people's throats, an saying how anyone who thinks to criticize their particular faith is going to roast in hell for all of eternity. Nothing quiets critics than by saying they'll burn forever!

Of course, when someone tries to say that they should mind that other people don't want a religion shove down their throat, those people are "opressing their faith". They are "waging war on religion".

Says the intolerant, "I hate you because you believe in something I don't" person.
You are what's wrong, not religious people. Just listen to yourself. Circle jerks? that's exactly what you are doing here.
Shoving down people's throats? you're shoving atheism down people's throats.
You're criticizing something you know nothing about, telling everybody who can hear how stupid those religious people are. You're not a critic, your a band-wagon atheist. "Look mommy see how cool I am, I'm a keyboard warrior against religion lololol"

This is just a game. Religious people have as much right to it as you.
You.
Are.
Intolerant.

Whatever you say about religion, you're thrice as much a problem.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

Wow that Jesus is white. Wouldn't it be more realistic for him to be more Arabic appearance.

He should also have short hair. Noone in Israel at the time would have grown their hair that long.

The idea of Jesus having long hair is a medieval thing.

On topic. I'm not opposed to "religious" games, in fact I'd like to see more of them.

But these people just seem to think a video game is basically a book which young people will read because it's got pretty pictures, and that's not going to work. Especially if you're not actually offering anything you couldn't get at sunday school.

Do you REALLY want to try to 'sell' a middle eastern, bearded, anti war, anti capitalist socialist character to American Christians?

I'm just surprised Jesus isn't smiting evil with a Magnum, in US religious art.

Now I've proven my ignorance with my stereotypes, I'll pile it on some more, and ask the dumb question many people may have been thinking, isn't 'el diablo' just spanish for 'the devil' or something close?

 

[MortisLegio]

wow, a little flash facebook game in good fun in one thread not hurting anyone.....and people are hostile and insulting as usual.

keep it classy escapist.

Didn't you get the memo? Everyone must be as insulting as possible over a "funny" ad campaign for a Facebook game today.

OT: I was kinda hoping for a boxing game where Jesus beats up demons, but to my dismay its not. Oh well,I like the picture (historical inaccuracies of Jesus not withstanding).

 

[Mr. Omega]

snip

Whatever you say about religion, you're thrice as much a problem.

Yes, this is the real problem. Not the people committing violence based on beliefs, or the ones passing stupid legislation, or the ones spewing out hateful things on national airwaves.

It's people making snarky remarks on the internet.

Truly you have a deep and nuanced view of the world.

 

[Ranorak]

And that's why today is also the day that Lightside Games has chosen to debut Journey of Jesus: The Calling, a game that lets players "walk in the Messiah's steps, in an authentic experience of Israel set in Christ's time." Players will travel with Jesus through the Gospels, earning an education about the history and politics of the Holy Land along the way.

And we do this by showing Jesus as a white male, instead of the Arabic look he probably would have had if he was real.

Yes, we want people to play it as close to realism as possible, but not making Jesus look real, because that might offend people.