Why Are We Ignoring Sexual Violence in MGS Ground Zeroes?

Voxel Juice writes "While many column inches were dedicated to the implied rape in Tomb Raider or how disgusting the female artwork in Dragon's Crown was, there has been little said about Ground Zeroes depiction of rape and the humiliating way Kojima has portrayed the female character of Paz."

[N2NOther]

So why should this be called out? Why are video games exempt from pushing these boundaries and envelopes when other artforms have been doing this since the beginning of time? Why does games media think one is OK but not the other?

[hkgamer]

Agreed. Never really understood why people cared about tomb raider. TR had nothing and even if that guy was about to rape Lara then so what?

Those guys in TR were guys in an island and someone that they are capturing is hot, a villian in a movie would choose to rape her 99.999% of the time.

I think if you controlled a character that had a choice to rape someone then that would be disturbing.

[Dirtnapstor]

I understand what you're attempting to say, but are you sanctioning rape stating it's acceptable under certain circumstances? Regardless of motives?
I'm not one to limit artistic expression in any medium, but we as a people should not be so casual about it. You think?

[hkgamer]

@dirtnapstor

I'm not really sanctioning rape. I'm just saying that having control over something is more disturing then seeing it in a cutscene. I remember hearing about the COD airport scene where you shoot a bunch of civilians, that sounds disturbing.

I'm also not saying we should be casual about it. being casual about it would be something like what GTA would do.

[CrossingEden]

Maybe because the majority of films that tackle these subjects are not poorly written. Maybe because video games pale in comparison to films when it comes to storytelling, characterization, acting, dialogue, etc. THAT'S why it's ok for films and novels to tackle these subjects. Video games are nowhere near as well versed in storytelling as films, we're barely ahead of comic book storytelling outside of an extremely short list of exceptions. Kojima used rape as a writer's shorthand for controversy and mature writing,. Just like he uses overly long explanations to make his writing seem more intelligent than it really is. Metal Gear is not a series that should tackle these issues AT ALL. Especially considering that the rape victim proceeds to say
"I would like to kill you"
only for the person who initiated it to reply
"The feeling is mutual, but we're secret agents."
^ This childish dialogue is exactly why Metal Gear is not mature enough or well written enough to handle subjects as serious as this. And all the people saying "oh well war is horrible and this happens every day" you have no idea what you're talking about. Yes rape happens on a daily basis, yes war is horrible, but rape victims do NOT spout things like what was stated above after it has occurred! So yes, we should ignore Kojima's pathetic attempts to make his series look mature, because the truth is, video games are not in anyway shape or form considered more cultured since GZ was released.

[N2NOther]

First of all, there are plenty of books, movies, music and such that depict rape that aren't well written or crafted. So that argument holds no water.

You are suggesting that only "cultured" or "mature" forms of art should address this topic. I disagree completely with that. You don't like his approach? Fine. That's one thing.

Either games are art or they aren't. You can't have it both ways.

[micx]

Here wo go again... Sigh.

[SaturdayNightBeaver]

Man , when i see an article like this , or some "feminism" or "sexism" in games BS over internet , especially here , i flip out like shit.. It's a damn mature story with content aimed at mature people who understand stuff and have some common sense , it tries to wake an emotion or send a message and entertain in some ways..

I hate it so much when some weird people online think these kind of stories and games have a bad impact or encourage people to do the same wrong things like they see in game or movie or even read in some book. It's not like that at all , they are just wrong and don't know wtf they are talking about , just trying to be smart...but not?

[Sketchy_Galore]

Because we're not all trying to generate hits by playing the phony outrage card.

[ravinash]

http://www.nixbros.net/wp-c...

its in the post.

[DarkLord1003]

cause it's a video game - remember?
edit: and call the art style of Dragon's Crown disgusting is really annoying. It's the artists right to design the characters he/she wants to design.
I don't want to live on the planet anymore...

[IcicleTrepan]

Yep, guess what, if someone doesn't like it, they don't have to buy it. This whole idea of 'I don't like it, therefore you shouldn't like it and it shouldn't be allowed to exist' is Communist bullshit.

[DarkLord1003]

Yeah - it's so annoying. Certain people on the internet think their opinion is somehow more value than the opinion of others and therefor everybody should have the same opinion... it's a crazy world out there :-)

[hkgamer]

not really communist bullshit. Actually definitely not communist at all.

But I totally agree with you, if you don't like it, don't buy it.

but days have changed, especially for internet people. They want everything and if they don't get it they complain.If they don't like something, even if they had no interest in it and never bought it they still feel entitled to complain.

[agonism]

Or perhaps fascist bullshit, which is one of many logical conclusions to right wing politics (church, state, nationalism, capitalism, nuclear family, patriarchy, heterosexism, racism, herd instinct, etc)?

Let's just agree that totalitarianism is shit but that some things still need to be worked out in conflict, huh?

[Are_The_MaDNess]

i agree, Anime have done this for years with the same Design as Dragon's Crown. why is it ok there and not in a game? its the same, its all a way for an artist to express himself.

[DanielGearSolid]

So annoying

[OculusRift]

Has anyone seen my ten foot pole?

[randomass171]

No, but maybe you could hit the author with it! XD

[MrSwankSinatra]

See this why journalism is dying a slow death, not only has kojima talked about these topics, but he's already said that he's taking MGS to a darker direction. He's explained the characters and why these certain situations exist in ground zeroes. The fact that this so called journalist didn't even realize the information has been out there for months babbles my mind.

[hkgamer]

journalism isn't dying. I mean if you only look at proper journalism then it isn't dying. These sites however is practically writing articles based on what they read. no one actually does any research themselves.

[KonsoruMasuta]

I like how they only talk about the way Paz was treated when Chico was also tortured and beaten. In one of the tapes, Skullface forced both Paz and Chico to have sex with each other. Is Paz somehow more import than Chico because of her gender?

[DarkLord1003]

You speak words of wisdom!! Why does nobody give a shit about Chico? Because he's a guy - that's way...

[hkgamer]

guys getting forced to have sex with a girl that he likes does not compare at all.

[KonsoruMasuta]

@Hkgamer

I hope you're not serious. That does count. If you listen to the tapes, you will see that Chico did not want to do it.

This isn't a consensual moment filled with roses, this is Chico being forced to sexually assault a girl that he cares for while he has guns pointed at him. Not even mentioning that he is only 13. He could obviously see she was in pain, yet he had to comply with the will of the man holding them captive.

If you think that there is nothing wrong with a 13 year old boy being forced to have sex with somebody, while you watch, I would ask that you get examined.

He was also beaten and tortured.

[CarlosX360]

There are some theories that Chico is Quiet (meaning this 'guy' is a girl).

[CrowbaitBob]

@hkgamer

For Chico the experience of acting as the tool that is being used to torture someone he deeply cares about is quite possibly even worse than if he were merely being tortured alone.

I seriously hope that you don't actually believe that it would be pleasurable to be forced into that situation.

[Ratty]

Good point. Paz did get more crap than Chico though.

[xBigxBossx]

I agree. It's funny how all these sites call Paz a throw away character. They obviously didn't play Peace Walker. It was more emotional for me as someone who invested well over 100 hrs in peace walker.

[Ratty]

It hasn't been ignored. It's getting much less attention than Quiet but is not ignored.

[CernaML]

The author should stay far far away from Law and Order SVU.

Ground Zeroes has nothing on that show when it comes to sexual violence. So stop whining. Games shouldnt hold back thier punches anymore.

[RedCloud88]

I'm all for serious topics like rape, torture, and death in video games, if it legitimately moves the story in a meaningful way. If it's used for pure shock value then it's not only unneeded, but destructive to the art we've seen grow along with us. Heavy rain contained a guaranteed child death, kidnapping, nudity, sex, and a drug using cop. Not to mention several tense and potentially fatal scenes for your main characters, and the potential for a second child death at the end. The scene where Madison strips for the club owner is as much a psychological rape as any other I've ever seen or read, one in which a woman is forced to degrade herself to a sex object as a means of survival, with no way of knowing for certain the outcome. These things for me added up to an amazing storytelling experience that I played straight through the day it came out, with my girlfriend beside me, neither of us able to leave until the story was completed. But if a game adds these things for no more than shock, then its just as bad as a b movie adding a few nude scenes to get a couple extra purchases. It literally damages the image video games have built as true art forms and interactive storytelling experiences.

[N2NOther]

It's the prologue. How do you know how it moved the story forward or not. If it informs the character, then I don't see the issue.

[RedCloud88]

Oh I wasn't clear about that, my bad. I actually haven't played it yet, mgs I mean, I was just saying what I said in a general sense.

[isarai]

Just shut up

[McScroggz]

Any topic should be available in fiction if done respectfully. I remember the outcry when the rumors of rape, or implied rape in Tomb Raider surfaced. And I was legitimately upset - not at rape being addressed in a video game, but that there was a vocal segment of gamers who raged at the fact it was there. Sometimes the best, most moving stories are those that are tough to face. Many people loved 12 Years a Slave or Prisoners but don't know if they can/would watch those movies again because it's such a tough topic (slavery and child abduction respectfully).

So in regards to the sexual violence in MGS: Ground Zeroes, while it was a little over the top (MGS always is), it's a perfectly reasonable event that could happen in that situation. So people need to calm down.

[taijutsu363]

Oh My F*ckin G*d! Like come on with this! We know its a game we know! Just JUST like we KNOW when we see rape in movies ITS JUST A MOVIE! Rape did not actually happen to the actress in movie it is non-existent just like the game!

Now directors and developers show such scenes (imo) to give their stories strength to make gamers/audiences feel for the character the event happened to and feel that anger or need for revenge for the characters' bf, gf, friend, father, brother, etc.

I just wish everyone could stop taking games when events like this occurs so seriously!

[Mikefizzled]

If this journalist throws their dummy out at Ground Zeroes I would love to see what Kojima has in store for Phantom Pain.

[CarlosX360]

Yeah. And you know what? I say, "BRING IT ON!"

[Inception]

Tired with this kind of crap

Seriously, you crazy feminazis should stick with fashion, bags, finger nails, condoms, or something rather than trying to analyze video games, especially legendary series like MGS!

Oh and before i'm leaving, i will try to remind the writer that Paz is a spy. She already prepared the consequences when she blew her cover and failed to finish her mission in Peace Walker. It's just like in the movies such as James Bond or any espionage movies when the agent blew their cover, than they prepared the consequences, wether those rape, tortured, or even death.

Also, Paz tragic situation in Ground Zeroes is one of the driving force for Big Boss to hate Cipher (Zero) even further and became the man in MG 1 & 2 who want's to create a haven for soldiers and free from The Patriots hands.

Oh well it's useless to explain this thing to feminazis who can't see / think outside sexism.

[Jubez187]

Because we live in a world where bad things happen. If you don't wanna see it, skip the cutscene, or don't play the game. Turning your face from something doesn't make it so it doesn't exist.

[Ethereal]

I felt it portrayed in a way that was to get to the player but not disgust them (just audio). This felt as if it was meant to progress the story and unsettle the player a bit, which it did and fuel the fire for Zero and Skull Face. If you ask me, I have seen far worse depictions in film that are VERY unsettling. The hills have eyes for example. Like someone said before, just because it is uncommon in games doesnt mean it should get any more attention that other forms of media.

[Brucis]

"or how disgusting the female artwork in Dragon's Crown was"
I should have tuned out there but I didn't. I immediately regret my decision to give this article the benefit of the doubt.

[metalgod88]

There's worse stuff on the internet. Seriously. While I felt the scene was kind of awkward, I also felt the devs were trying to get some type of emotion out of the player, and it seems they have succeeded.

[MasterD919]

If they think this is bad...wait until Phantom Pain. I'm sure there is likely 10X more shocking scenes as Big Boss falls from grace.

[jmobley]

I'm against the random inclusion of things like rape for shock value. However, based on the setting and the history associated with this time period and the setting, it wasn't just random rape for shock value, it happened. Also rape happens, it's a sad reality, and it's also sad that people still get angry when people wan to utilize it to tell a story. Nothing should be off limits in games, if you don't like it don't play it.

[Wastrel5]

From the writer: "Let me clarify my opinion: I don’t have a problem with video games portraying controversial issues, of depicting sexual assault, rape, murder, genocide, goat sadism etc. I do have a problem if it isn't handled respectfully or if the motives behind such portrayals are questionable. In my opinion, Ground Zeroes doesn't handle this respectfully and Kojima’s motives are unclear. I admit the title to this article could be less click-baity, but then nobody would have read it."

[CrowbaitBob]

Opinions are like assholes.

[assdan]

Why is it so horrible that a rape is in a game? Seriously. Maybe he's trying to say something about it. There are incredibly vivid rape scenes in movies and TV shows, and those always turn out better, in my opinion, than when it's just referenced. Simply referencing it ignores from what happens.

[bakasora]

I still cant stop thinking about Paz's cruel predicament 1 week after playing GZ.

[Hicken]

Then that segment of the game has done its job.

It's not supposed to be all pretty and happy. It's supposed to disturb: it's war, after all.

Seems like some people can't handle that a game could possibly deal with such a subject, though.

[Max-Zorin]

Watch a movie called I spit on your grave. A million times worse.