To keep this relevant I have made some edits and updates but have kept most of the article intact. Thanks for reading!!
The Last of Us: A Violent Tale
With the recent pandemic, everything has been migrated online and so it is difficult to keep track of all the micro events and announcements that drop weekly. Therefore, I am unable to make it to all these online events, thus I rely on video game news blogs like Polygon, Gamespot, IGN, etc, like most of you to get my news. However, this article was originally written when I heard a report that Sony would be announcing a number of new games along with updates on some of the more anticipated titles at Paris Games Week in 2017. Naturally, I would scour the net to find out what announcements and updates had been made. During my search I came across an interesting article from Polygon. More on that in a minute. Before that, and to establish context for the Polygon article, I wanted to discuss The Last of Us Part 2 trailer that was released during Paris Games Week. I understand that this is largely outdated now but still worth highlighting a few things as that trailer was amazing and the hype it generated was unlike anything I had seen… other than the FFVII Remake announcement of course!
At the time of this article, I had noticed a trend by Naughty Dog, and other video game developers, working towards creating strong women in leading roles. I am a huge advocate of playing as female characters in video games. Some have argued that this can cause gender confusion in younger people but I’ve often wondered if this really is a bad thing. I mean, exploring your sexuality is an important part of development, isn’t it? Anyway, back on topic.
One of the reasons I might l go to a movie, or even play a video game, might be due to the presence of a female character as the protagonist. Obviously, it’s important that she fits the story (ie: Ellie/Abby) and that her inclusion is not just to appease the people advocating for social justice. Let me be clear, I am onboard with equity, diversity and inclusion but the character needs to fit the role. In this case, and many others (Resident Evil, Tomb Raider, Parasite Eve, etc), it works. Often, however, the depiction of said character is completely opposite of the typical ‘Maiden’ archetype. I think we’ve come a long way since the days of typical archetypes and the trailer for ‘The Last of Us Part 2’ is certainly no slouch when it comes to re-defining the role of women in video games!
The trailer for The Last of Us Part 2 is absolutely fantastic. In addition, it captures the desperation faced by Joel and Ellie in the first game. Unfortunately, the fashion in which we meet and engage with the few characters in the trailer has led to some controversy. As you are also aware, even now, this controversy is still ongoing not only related to violence but a certain character's sexuality preferences along with a choice in narrative for the game. The controversy has even led to death threats towards the developers and even the voice actors. The voice actors are acting, they deserve none of that. Moving on. The other aspect of discussion highlights the graphic violence within the trailer. As gamers, we have a certain expectation when it comes to the brands we love. Looking at The Last of Us, we expect violence and lots of it. I mean, we are talking about the breakdown of society and the emergence of survival. You can’t make Part 2 sunshines and rainbows if the first one was a nightmare come to life. Therefore, I’m not really surprised given the amount of violence in that trailer, yet, some people voiced their concern about the degree of violence depicted in The Last of Us Part 2 along with video games in general.
The Extreme Violence in the Trailer
Enter Polygon. I recently read an article discussing extreme violence in video games and during my reading I soon realized this wasn’t a discussion solely about violence in video games but violence towards women depicted in video games and pop culture (https://www.polygon.com/2017/10/30/16571230/last-of-us-part-...). I take no issue with the author’s stance on how women are objectified or placed in roles that might, MIGHT, promote violence towards women in the real world but more to why her argument was masked by the title. I initially started to read the article because I thought I was going to be reading solely about violence in video games. An interesting discussion topic no less! The author, however, argues how violence in pop culture and video games dehumanizes the consumer to the point that they associate the images of violence towards women with pleasure.
I feel that there are many instances where companies will use and feature violence towards women to capture an audience. While I also do not agree with using violence towards women as a selling feature, a part of me knows that the violent acts towards the women in this scene is not intended to sell the game but rather to introduce a new character and the struggles she faces in the world of ‘The Last of Us’. If they had placed Joel in this scene would the author at Polygon write her article in the same tone? Hmm, that’s a good question I think. The article in question discussed extreme violence but she gradually became more focused on the violence towards women as I read through the article. There are several women in the scene.
Regardless, growing up, many of us have been taught that women are frail, that women can’t fend for themselves. This emotion creates and harbors a feeling that women need to be protected. Yet, as we grow as a society we begin to understand that women are fighters and women are survivors! When a video game developer or movie director decides to put their lead protagonist in a violent situation and we have emotionally invested ourselves in that character, male or female, the survival of that character becomes more personal. Companies then use this personal attachment to sell their products instead of the actual violence that many people think we are attracted to.
Is Violence Necessary?
While I completely agree that violence is an often overused sales tactic, violence can’t be avoided. The very foundation of video games are built around action and violence and the moment you take it away, video games become less of a thrill. I don’t know about you guys but I enjoy the danger found in a video game. The fact that my demise means the end of the game. The very idea that I can die in a video game, however, and restart the level or the game makes it all the more appealing. I am mature enough to understand that any game I play, even as they become more realistic, are not real.
Many youth in the world are very impressionable and thus our duty as parents and guardians of those youth is to ensure they also understand the difference between what is right, what is wrong, and what is real. I’m not saying shelter our youth to the point they become resentful, after all, kids need some freedom to explore and interact with their environments. My daughter is 3 years old now and we are starting to teach her the difference between what’s on TV and reality. She is now starting to recognize violence on TV and it is is even becoming scary for her. She will tell us that she doesn’t want to watch a show because the character stubbed her toe. I’m lookin’ at you Peppa Pig.
Additionally, I grew up in a household where I was offered many of the same freedoms that I offer Aerith and I turned out alright.The more youth are sheltered, the less prepared they will be when they are out on their own (https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/surviving-your-childs-a...). If they are not exposed to certain things while growing up and those experiences pop up later in life, how will they cope if they haven’t confronted a situation such as this before? Do they turn and run? Do they stand up for what’s right? Guidance and supervision from parents and guardians should be reinforced but should also be explained and not completely shut off. I mean, youth are going to consume this content whether you’re there or not. Kids are going to play The Last of Us and it is up to us as parents to make sure they understand this is just a video game.
There will always be content out there that pushes the boundaries of what is accepted and what isn’t. The difference of using violence in a game like ‘The Last of Us’ is that ‘The Last of Us’ offers a cinematic experience. A delicate story of survival and family is told through the desperation faced by the characters in the game. ‘The Last of Us’ would not be the same without the level violence depicted. Simlarly, Super Mario, a game that despite what you may think, is also ripe with death and violence. The game sells because that violence is delicately masked by bright colorful worlds and cute characters. Go figure. Violence sells.
Why not use violence as a means to sell your game so long as it has a place in that universe. I’m not a big fan of games that are violent without context. The author of the article must have known that ‘The Last of Us Part 2’ trailer was going to feature violence and knew that it would likely feature a strong willed protagonist. Even better was that the protagonist was a woman, and certainly not the typical ‘maiden’ as featured in a game like Super Mario. Surely the author understood that the violent events the character faced within the game and trailer stays true to the world that Naughty Dog has built. In addition, I believe that the actual selling feature aside from the violence is the anticipation of a good story, who is this woman? What is her story and relationship to Joel or Ellie? I’ll not go into further detail in case none of you have played the game but the trailer was an accurate display of the events in ‘The Last of Us Part 2’ and the consequences faced by both Abby and Ellie. At the time, the trailer left me with many questions and I could not wait to see what role the woman (Abby) played in the coming game! 2P OUT!!
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