Harmful to young persons: the truly evil chainsaw massacre

From: Anonymus
Date: Sat, 20 Jun 1998 21:32 +0200
[author's name known to the editors]

The web is the gommorha of the modern world. This was confirmed only
lately by experts like Petra Muller (jugendschutz.net) and Dr. Rose
Gotte (youth welfare ministry Rhineland-Pfalz). Everywhere on the web
there is a menace threatening young people, who are unexpectedly flooded
with obscene filth. And shocked by the perversions, they loose
orientation and click themselves deeper into the mire.

One example can prove the truth of the expert's claim. Harmlessly
looking for games, the young internet surfer browses through the pages
and finds a hyperlink to Xevil. The description of the game as a "crazy"
action adventure turns out to be deceiving, and since even Michael
Jackson declared "bad" to be "good", the game's name does not prevent
the youngster from downloading. Unpack, start game, it is a ten minute's
job. And hell breaks loose.

Already on the title screen the blood gushes. At game start, a text
claims violence not only to be the best way to solve problems, but the
only one. Playing a random game figure - a ninja, a muscleman, a robot
and the like - the player finds himself in the hectic situation of
suddenly having to defend himself against similar game figures. And
there is a whole arsenal of weapons: napalm grenades, shuriken,
missiles, laser guns - just to name the more exotic ones. Even fighting
dogs can be set on the opponent. Items like doppelganger, invisibility,
and soul swapper cause additional confusion in the 2-D maze. Aim of the
game: to slaughter all foes without being floored yourself.

Not only the glorification of violence shall be discussed here. The game
also leads to drug consumation. The players constantly come across PCP
and crack and experience a temporary and hard to control enhancement of
powers of the figure. Also it has to be spoken of a general lack of
pity, when players - the peak of abnormality - have the task of
massacring 40 baby seals.

The game also gives the user "the sense of power and exclusivity -
things that can be attractive to people who are socially isolated or who
feel inferior, especially young people." (Petra Muller). And finally,
the network option realizes the "prolongation of the
experience of violence in space and time" (Monika Gerstendorfer).

[...]