Ban this sick filth!

[Jack Ketch]

Two articles that ran in the British press in the run up to Silent Hill's release, one fearing it would herald the fall of society, the other a pretty favourable review.

`DON'T LET KIDS SEE SICK GAME'.
By SPEEDWAY BY JOHN KEATING and BY IAN MARROW.
441 words
12 July 1999
Manchester Evening News
MN
English
(c) 1999


PARENTS are being warned not to let their children see a sick video game described by its manufacturers as a "deeply disturbing, psychological horror experience."

The PlayStation game - Silent Hill - is produced by Konami of Japan and goes on sale on FridayIt will have a voluntary 15-plus age rating.

The company's press release admits it contains scenes of child kidnap, demon personification and ritual ceremonies. The film has already caused outrage and led to calls for a change in the law.

The Manchester Evening News has established that the British Board of Film Certification - who are responsible for monitoring such games - have not even seen Silent Hill.

This is because a twist in the law means that although every cinema film, no matter how mild, has to be examined by the BBFC, video games are exempt unless they portray human sexual acts, genitalia, gross violence or criminal activity likely to encourage crime.

The body that decides whether PlayStation games need referring is the Video Standards Council set up by the games industry and operating under a voluntary code.

Wythenshawe MP Paul Goggins "deplored" the company's tactics in trying to boost sales in a morbid way. He will ask Home Secretary Jack Straw what action he could take to prevent or restrict sales.

David Johnston, for the Church of England in Manchester, said: "It is very sad that this company is marketing its product by advertising it as depraved. If it is as bad as they say it is there should be some legal protection to stop it falling into the hands of children.

"There is evidence that both children and adults are badly affected by these sick products." John Beyer, director of the National Viewers and Listeners Association, said parents must resist demands from their children for such games: "If they are concerned about what their children are doing on computers they should be taking it up with their MPs and the game manufacturers.

"There is a lot of concern, but many parents are illiterate when it comes to computers, and something must be done in terms of regulations or law so that this sort of material doesn't get on the market."

Konami said they were bringing the nature of the game to public attention to make sure parents did not let children play it.

Steve Wilson, a director of Electronics Boutique that runs the Game chain of shops, said staff in stores like the one in the Arndale Centre would refuse to sell the game to children.

The trouble with Harry.
By Greg Howson.
285 words
15 July 1999
The Guardian
GRDN
6
English
(c) 1999


Silent Hill Sony PlayStation #34.99 Konami/Sony Harry Mason. Ordinary name, extraordinary situation. Taking his young daughter Cheryl on vacation to Silent Hill had seemed like such a good idea. It had been the perfect opportunity to do the quality time thing.

All had seemed well until, at the foggy city limits, a bright glare caused the car to crash. Harry woke up alone. Where was Cheryl? Stepping into Harry's shoes, your aim is to find his daughter before suing the travel agent that recommended the trip. Actually the legal case can wait as finding Cheryl takes a lot longer than anticipated.

Resident Evil started the `survival horror' genre and Silent Hill picks up the thread while throwing in some extra psychological nastiness. Controlling Harry you'll uncover some particularly weird goings-on in a town blighted by perpetual mist. This fog is instrumental as you can see only a few yards ahead, even with a flashlight. Town houses and alleyways appear from the gloom and a variety of demonic creatures cause big problems. Inadequately armed, you'll spend much of the game counting bullets and avoiding strange noises.

The search for Cheryl takes in a deserted school and church. As expected, these locations are far from innocent, which only adds to the unnerving charm.

Despite the game's eerie ambience, things are not perfect. The graphics, while atmospherically murky, do serve to hide the perfunctory backdrops. Harry, all hunched and lumbering, runs like a man with an urgent toilet appointment.

Like a foggier Twin Peaks, Silent Hill is frustrating, confusing and unsettling although, unlike said TV classic, you'll eventually understand what is going on.

[NarooN]

Lol @ that first article. Seems things like that are what led to the censorship of the child-like creatures.

[Wooden Plank]

Did those retards even put the friggin' game in a PlayStation? It says in bright letters.

'There are violent and disturbing images in this game.'

I hate my government.

[nur_ein_tier]

These are great.

[schlaufuchsMIKE]

Harry, all hunched and lumbering, runs like a man with an urgent toilet appointment.

I always thought he ran oddly.

[Waverer]

Harry, all hunched and lumbering, runs like a man with an urgent toilet appointment.

Hehe... he does.

I'll admit, I wouldn't doubt that almost every one of you people are deeply disturbed but it probably has nothing to do with the game itself.

[Wren]

With people like this, it always makes me wonder what their stance is on the national news.....

[Mr.E.Nygma]

Blaming the media for your/kids own mistakes is stupid.

[JaneTheNurse]

Konami said they were bringing the nature of the game to public attention to make sure parents did not let children play it.

Steve Wilson, a director of Electronics Boutique that runs the Game chain of shops, said staff in stores like the one in the Arndale Centre would refuse to sell the game to children.

I like the fact that it all seems pretty resolved.

[WalterisHere]

Blaming the media for your/kids own mistakes is stupid.

Actually, media plays a big role in how children grow up, specially nowadays. Im 16, so I dont have a child. But I can confirm that other kids act out because of the type of music they listen to, what they see on tv, movies, and in video games. I just don't see how Silent Hill is a bad influence.

But to say media has nothing to do with it is ridiculous. Maybe not in your family it didn't, but others are CENTERED around the media.

[Purramid_Head]

Blaming the media for your/kids own mistakes is stupid.

Actually, media plays a big role in how children grow up, specially nowadays. Im 16, so I dont have a child. But I can confirm that other kids act out because of the type of music they listen to, what they see on tv, movies, and in video games. I just don't see how Silent Hill is a bad influence.

But to say media has nothing to do with it is ridiculous. Maybe not in your family it didn't, but others are CENTERED around the media.

Actually, the media is not responsible for how you raise your kids.

[Floodclaw]

^It's up to the parents to filter the media their children has access to. A mother screaming at video games like Silent Hill corrupting her children should really have controlled whether her children had access to it in the first place.

[WalterisHere]

Blaming the media for your/kids own mistakes is stupid.

Actually, media plays a big role in how children grow up, specially nowadays. Im 16, so I dont have a child. But I can confirm that other kids act out because of the type of music they listen to, what they see on tv, movies, and in video games. I just don't see how Silent Hill is a bad influence.

But to say media has nothing to do with it is ridiculous. Maybe not in your family it didn't, but others are CENTERED around the media.

Actually, the media is not responsible for how you raise your kids.

Well of course not, I never said the Media is responsible for how your kids are raised. The parents are, but the media can dictate how people act. You can't honestly say, that the way you act and think today has nothing to do with any type of music you listened to, or shows you have seen, or video games you have played.

For example, Books are a type of media, and look how much the bible can impact a child. Give a child, young enough, the wrong media, and they start to think wrong about life. Parents play a role in that as well, but so does media.

[Mr.E.Nygma]

Blaming the media for your/kids own mistakes is stupid.

Actually, media plays a big role in how children grow up, specially nowadays. Im 16, so I dont have a child. But I can confirm that other kids act out because of the type of music they listen to, what they see on tv, movies, and in video games. I just don't see how Silent Hill is a bad influence.

But to say media has nothing to do with it is ridiculous. Maybe not in your family it didn't, but others are CENTERED around the media.

Dude the media has not affected me at all.

I grew up playing GTA, and violent games. I listened to Eminem and Marilyn Manson and I turned out just fine.

Parents have no one to blame but themselves if their kids do something.

[what]

Parents have no one to blame but themselves if their kids do something.

That's not fair at all. Unless you exert complete totalitarian rule over your child's life, he or she will invariably do things you don't want them to do and you can't possibly prevent every one of them. Realistically, there's only so much a parent can do. This is not to say that media should be censored or regulated because it certainly should not ever be, but every experience we have affects us, be it media, relationships, or even just the use of imagination, and certainly, young children should not be allowed access to some of these things before they have the ability to understand them for what they are.

[Mr.E.Nygma]

Parents have no one to blame but themselves if their kids do something.

That's not fair at all. Unless you exert complete totalitarian rule over your child's life, he or she will invariably do things you don't want them to do and you can't possibly prevent every one of them. Realistically, there's only so much a parent can do. This is not to say that media should be censored or regulated because it certainly should not ever be, but every experience we have affects us, be it media, relationships, or even just the use of imagination, and certainly, young children should not be allowed access to some of these things before they have the ability to understand them for what they are.

I'm talking media wise. Like if they buy their son GTA 4 and he beats up a hooker type of thing.

[WalterisHere]

Parents have no one to blame but themselves if their kids do something.

That's not fair at all. Unless you exert complete totalitarian rule over your child's life, he or she will invariably do things you don't want them to do and you can't possibly prevent every one of them. Realistically, there's only so much a parent can do. This is not to say that media should be censored or regulated because it certainly should not ever be, but every experience we have affects us, be it media, relationships, or even just the use of imagination, and certainly, young children should not be allowed access to some of these things before they have the ability to understand them for what they are.

I'm talking media wise. Like if they buy their son GTA 4 and he beats up a hooker type of thing.

There have been few, but still there are people who act out cause they have played GTA at a young age. Maybe not you, but it affects some kids.

[JaneTheNurse]

...Or maybe we could conclude that these are already screwed up people who get inspired as to what method to go with.
Y'know, there are regular old psychos out there who murder and rape and do all that sort of thing without any video game inspiration. Plus, everyone likes a scapegoat, so violent video games/movies/tv/books often get the blame.
Ever hear about serial killers and Catcher In The Rye? Look that shit up.

[what]

I'm talking media wise. Like if they buy their son GTA 4 and he beats up a hooker type of thing.

That's too simplistic, though. There are many factors at play if a person does something like that, some of which may be mental disorders, and you can't really blame those on anybody.

We always want a single thing we can blame for any given problem, but it rarely ever works out so simply. It's just as wrong to blame parents for a kid who does bad things as it is to blame a video game.

[WalterisHere]

...Or maybe we could conclude that these are already screwed up people who get inspired as to what method to go with.
Y'know, there are regular old psychos out there who murder and rape and do all that sort of thing without any video game inspiration. Plus, everyone likes a scapegoat, so violent video games/movies/tv/books often get the blame.
Ever hear about serial killers and Catcher In The Rye? Look that shit up.

There are billions of people out there, all are different. Like What said, some people may have mental dissorders and act out just because they see something on tv and think it looks cool. Not saying Media is always to blame, or at all, really, but it does affect people at time, not all people, but some here and there, some I know and knew.