Ninja Saviors does not specify the country being attacked. It’s described as “once great and prosperous” and now, led by a tyrant. Enemies appear decidedly western. In the background? Rows of military hardware primed to strike. On its initial release in 1994, Ninja Saviors Return came after a wave of software championing Desert Storm. Games… Continue reading Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors (PS4)
In one of Modern Warfare’s flashbacks, Urzikstan freedom fighter Farah escapes from her town when Russians launch a gas attack. Her father killed, her older brother leading, Farah dodges soldiers as they execute people nearby. Farah is near enough to hear the shots practically point blank. Crawling under a broken wall, a child’s lifeless body… Continue reading Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (PS4)
Ghost Recon: Breakpoint seems anti-conservative. Torture bad, the narrative says. In flashbacks to Iraq, the antagonist played by Jon Bernthal is stuck in the mid-2000s, projecting Bush-era aggressiveness. He’s repulsed by those who won’t abuse prisoners. Protagonist “Nomad” keeps a firm heroic posture in story sequences. Then in-game, Nomad bashes heads in with pistols to… Continue reading Ghost Recon: Breakpoint (PS4)
Borderlands is a comical realization of two things. One is an apocalypse. Two is that apocalypse leaves only people and the American dedication to capitalism behind. Slavish dedication to money created what’s left of this planet (and others nearby in Borderlands 3). People go insane worshiping entertainers and capitalists like gods; they promise the population… Continue reading Borderlands 3 (PS4)
The Hammer of Dawn satellite super weapon is Gear 5’s equivalent to the hydrogen bombds of World War II. A visit to an outsider outpost brings derision aimed at the COG military – a small child pretends to shoot them, calling them fascists as he runs away. Later, a mission involves satellite assembly, backed by… Continue reading Gears 5 (Xbox One)
There’s truth in NBA 2K20’s story this year. When a college teammate goes down with an ACL tear and loses his sports scholarship, protagonist Che protests. “All this talk about family, but we’re really just entertainment,” he says, in backlash to the exploitative NCAA business model. If there’s a wonder why NBA 2K20 doesn’t feature… Continue reading NBA 2K20 (PS4)
Jesse Faden wants her brother back. The American government took him, specifically the Federal Bureau of Control. It’s become corrupt. An entity known as “The Hiss” took over, turning federal employees into mind-controlled drones. Faden rushes in guns blazing, restoring this government to its rightful form. Yes, it’s a Trump thing. It’s difficult to think… Continue reading Control (PS4)
