What are Violent Video Games?
Violent video games are video games that feature an abundance of various acts of violence such as shooting, stabbing, and punching In these games, the player usually takes on the role of a character with the goal of achieving some objective, often by taking out enemies, villains, or monsters. While violence in video games has been around for decades, recent years have seen a rise in the number and intensity of violent video games.
The impact of violent video games upon children and adults has become a major concern for parents, psychologists, and educators. Some argue that violent video games desensitize players to real-life violence, making them more likely to commit violent acts, while others claim that video games can be used as a method of venting frustration and relieving stress without consequences. There is still much research that needs to be done to understand the true effects of violent video games.
Examples of Violent Video Games
Grand Theft Auto (GTA): Grand Theft Auto is a widely popular and controversial open-world action-adventure game series. It is known for its polished graphics, open-world sandbox-style gameplay, and its detailed story. Throughout the series, players must complete missions while engaging in a variety of criminal activities, such as carjacking, gunplay, and bank robberies.
Call of Duty: The Call of Duty series is a highly popular first-person shooter video game series set in various war-torn environments. Throughout the game, players must battle against enemies while completing objectives and progressing through the story in order to win. The series has sold over 250 million copies, making it one of the most successful video game franchises of all time.
Doom: Doom is a classic first-person shooter game that is often seen as the grandfather of the FPS genre. The game was released in 1993 and quickly became a landmark for the genre. Players take on the role of an unnamed space marine as they battle against hordes of demons in order to save humanity.
Mortal Kombat: Mortal Kombat is an iconic fighting game series that has been around since 1992. Throughout the series, players must battle against other fighters in a tournament-style setting. The series is known for its over-the-top violence, as players must fight their opponents to the death in order to win.
God of War: The God of War series is an action-adventure hack-and-slash game series that follows the story of the demigod Kratos as he battles against various gods and monsters in order to exact revenge on the gods that betrayed him. The series is known for its intense and bloody combat, featuring decapitations, dismemberment, and gratuitous amounts of blood.