By Dylan Petty
For many years, we have had a variety of games, and as an audience, we have become accustomed to the world around us. For quite some time, video games have featured gratuitous violence, with some even being banned due to the sheer amount of violence they contain.
However, one game has persevered. Although it was released during a time when PG movies could be what we consider PG-13 today, or even potentially rated R, the game was tame compared to today’s standards. The video game Doom has been around since its release in 1993. Simply put, people were screwed in many ways, from their sense of humor to the music they listened to. I would almost call it a time of rebellion for parents with teenagers or any adult child living with them. But as time has marched on, we have become increasingly censored, from nudity in the media to generous amounts of gore in video games. We are simply not exposed to the nitty-gritty that our parents used to experience.
As an example, when we go to a PG-13 movie now, we can understand why it may be PG-13 in the same way that an R-rated movie might, but Titanic is rated PG-13 and will show some nudity. I mention this for comparison because the game Doom simply has not done that. To be frank and understated, it has gotten worse in the bloodiest way possible.
Back in ’93, when it was first released, it was just a normal first-person shooter game where you would run around and shoot what you see, no questions asked, and the enemy would fall apart in pixelated pieces, but no blood would flow or anything. Now, if you shoot an enemy, you will rip their arm off and stab them with the bone stub or beat their head in with it just to kill them. Case in point, with that example alone, the Doom games have only gotten more violent in an age where everything seems to be either censoring themselves or trying to be careful with what is said or shown. This game simply did not budge. If anything, it almost feels like they are saying “yes, we see people are more sensitive, but we aren’t making games for them,” or at least that is how it feels.
I believe everyone should expose themselves to this game, not just because it is fun to play, but also because it is just wild. It is unfiltered gore. When I talked to someone, they told me, “I cannot play the game. My girlfriend would not even sleep with me if I played that game. She thinks those games are sick.” We are doomed. Although I would agree with the girlfriend, the games are sick but not nauseating. (Menacing chuckle here.)
All the Doom games are accessible on PlayStation and Xbox, so I would highly recommend playing them given the chance to expose yourselves to something and avoid impending doom.
