They Went There

Konami to publish third-person 'game-a-mentary' set in Fallujah.

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By John Gillooly on 7 April, 2009

Despite the talk of murder simulators and moral decline, there are some lines that games don’t cross. I’m not talking about the unrestricted killing sprees in titles like Postal, although there are similar themes – I’m talking more about the way military-focused titles seem to skirt modern conflict (and end up back on Omaha beach again).

Throw Nazis or Tojo into the mix, and you have a clear-cut enemy that we know were vanquished by the heroic Allies. World War II games thrive because everyone has a clear-cut mental picture of goodies and baddies, and enough time has passed to duck the nasty aspects of war.

Even though Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare revolved around a modern day conflict in the Middle East, it was still fantastical and non-specific. Same goes for series like Battlefield and Tom Clancy’s insert name here. These games use the trappings of warfare in the present day, but abstract the concept enough to not make it about the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan. This is a stark contrast from the location-specific authenticity strived for in most World War II games.

While there have been whispers floating that the next Medal of Honor will go to Afghanistan (choosing the more ‘justified’ of the two conflicts), we haven’t seen anyone brave enough to announce a big budget title set in the actual modern day. That has changed, however, with Konami announcing ‘Six Days in Fallujah.’

Developed by Atomic Games (makers of the Close Combat series), this third-person shooter accurately recreates the first six days of conflict in Fallujah. It is touted to be a to-the-minute accurate depiction of what went on during that period, following various units through the conflict. In a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article about the game, Atomic president Peter Tamte attempts to spin it as an interactive documentary (using the god-awful term game-a-mentary), with source materials supplied by those actually involved in the conflict. Of course, at no point does he mention the Iraqi perspective, instead focusing on materials supplied by the US side of the battle.

It is clear that Konami appreciates the sensitivity of the subject matter, already starting the PR war that will be needed to stem off criticism that it is all too soon. The WSJ article quotes Konami marketing VP, Anthony Crouts, who states “We’re not trying to make social commentary. We’re not pro-war. We’re not trying to make people feel uncomfortable. We just want to bring a compelling entertainment experience…”

The problem is that by choosing a subject that is both fresh and polarising, Konami is already making a social commentary. By placing players into the role of a US marine, it is slanting the game in a certain direction. It is not as if the game is about Iraqis fighting off the US invasion force, or about normal people trying to live their lives as bullets fly overhead. It is the tale of the aggressor, which makes allusions to it being a documentary seem a thinly veiled PR spin to justifying adopting subject matter that has, until now, been taboo in mainstream gaming.

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