Good Christian video game

[Lone Gamer]

Anybody ever thought of a really good Christian video game cause i'm getting tired of seeing crap like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq5a8BSZLFE
making us look bad like we have no imagination. Somebody could actually make a Christian based video game without having to harm or kill a person *coughleftbehindcough* or atleast thats what i've heard about it. Somebody could make a game based on spiritual warfare, where you battle against your flesh and demons, and also going through obstacles. It could be like a Legend of Zelda type where when you progress through the game you get items and weapons like the sword of the word of God, and the belt of truth.It could also have some RPG elements.

Am I the only one who has been thinking of this?

[uc pseudonym]

Believe it or not, this is generally considered one of the better Christian video games. Sure, it's obviously a Zelda derivative (I smiled at the naming screen), but it does have decent gameplay.

In any case, you are hardly alone in wanting quality games made from a Christian perspective. The subject has come up repeatedly on these forums. But the issue is difficult, because making quality games requires funds and these are not as readily available as games would have you believe. Many Christian organizations that could provide adequate funding would not approve of the type of game most of us want.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

The idea of a successful Christian videogame is something I am highly skeptical of.

"You found the Plate Armor of Righteousness!'
"You found the Sword of 1000 Truths!*"
"You found the Shield of God's Holiness!"
"You found the Mace of Judgement!"

Sounds kind of corny to me.

Really, the only Christian videogames I could see working would be one that incorporated the "ye old times" environment with some buff macho man running around and slaying demons in the name of God, or something. But we kind of have too many hack and slash games to begin with. *Points to God of War, Heavenly Sword, etc*

*Made to Salzman's specifications and stored on a 1 Gig flash drive.

[mechana2015]

As far as I remember... Left Behind the game was horrific, and featured prayer magic and warfare between demons coming out of UN troop carriers and left behind... groups.

Other than being uncreative and really difficult to play (I never came close to beating it, partially due to the obscene "password" based save system), the game you showed, spiritual warfare (unfortunately) is one of the better games out there. In it you collect the armor of god (effects and occassionally weapons) and the fruit of the spirit (projectile weapons) and use them to "convert" people and kill demons. Essentially, its the game you described in your opening post, in 2D.

[Radical Dreamer]

Somebody could make a game based on spiritual warfare, where you battle against your flesh and demons, and also going through obstacles. It could be like a Legend of Zelda type where when you progress through the game you get items and weapons like the sword of the word of God, and the belt of truth.It could also have some RPG elements.

Am I the only one who has been thinking of this?

I'm always fairly skeptical of things like this; that is, taking something from popular culture and reworking it to slap a "Christian" label on it. Most Christian entertainment is, sadly enough, fairly uncreative, and mostly because of ideals like, "oh, it could be just like this, only 'Christianized.'" I mean, what's going to make the game stand out if it's just Zelda or Final Fantasy under a "Christian" skin? Just something to think about.

[Danderson]

No exactly what you mean Lone Gamer.....It's funny, but when I was younger (and had way to much time on my hands) I actually started making ideas for a spiritual warfare MMORPG, that had you be an angel in the army of God...

Unfortunetly, I think the only way a great Christian based game will ever be made is if it's creator(s) have an understanding of how the lessons, morals, and stories from the Bible can be aplyied to everyday life, yet be able to pull it off in a creatively, interactive way that wouldn't be corny and/or cliched, yet still come off as clean. Also, the creators would not officially label it as a Chrisitian game, but as a game that has values and morals that are Christian-based....

[PrincessZelda]

Duuude, I think my neighbor had that old Nintendo game...

[Nikolai Melodie]

Believe it or not, I have that game around here somewhere. It was my brother's when he was a kid.... a good 15 years before I was around. Whoo, age gap .

[Nate]

That game is so terrible. You lose the Belt of Truth for going into the bar? What kind of crap is that?

Actually we covered the subject of Christian video games rather in depth in one of the earlier episodes of the CAA Gamecast (SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION). The problem is that making a Christian video game is exceptionally difficult, if not flat out impossible.

The problem is that the nature of our religion does not lend itself well to game mechanics. For example, if I am in desperate need of a job, I will pray, "Lord, please help me find a job." But what if it is God's will that I not get a job yet, for whatever reason? I will pray, but God will say, "Not yet."

In a game, you usually want the ability you select to work. But what if it never works, just as if I may pray for something and I may never get it? That's no good. And to me, reducing the awesome power of prayer to an "ability" or to take the place of magic, is a very bad move.

Speaking of which, what kind of setting would this be in? A fantasy setting wouldn't lend itself well to Christianity, what with elves, orcs, wizards, Raise Dead spells, and so on. But a real world setting, well, then you basically have like...the Sims, but with Christian characters...which isn't really too innovative.

All of us as Christians are currently in a spiritual war with Satan and the forces of our own inherent sinful nature, and none of us have divine armor/weapons in a literal sense, nor do we have any fantastical powers like fireballs or lightning bolts. So the idea of a regular person gaining "Armor of God" in a literal sense and fighting demons is absurd and terrible, and not very Biblical to boot IMO.

But then even if you have a game that merely reinforces good morals, what good is that? Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism...all of these religions reinforce good morals and niceness too, and they're hardly Christian. Christianity is not defined by morals, but by Jesus Christ...which is why a game that merely promotes "good morals" fails as a Christian game by my standards, because it could just as easily promote Buddhism.

Which leads to that a Christian game that reinforces Christian values would have to do so in an extremely preachy way, or by having that lame "Bible quiz" crap so many Christian games are fond of.

I think the idea of making a Christian video game is, well, a red herring. David Perry, the head of Shiny Entertainment back in the day, made Earthworm Jim among other games. He is a Christian from what I have heard (attended a Methodist college too), and his games are not overtly Christian.

We do what we do to honor God. Whether the things we create honor God in and of themselves, isn't important. ChristianKitsune and other CAA artists draw lots of pictures, most of which aren't Christian pictures. But they still do it in praise of God. I think video games should be the same way. Not necessarily Christian in nature, but created in honor of the talents God has given us.

[TheMelodyMaker]

Ahem. I know it isn't perfect, but I am trying to honor our Lord with it.

[Godly Paladin]

I'm only posting here because it hasn't gotten four pages in yet, so let me say my opinion, which is this: we don't need "Christian" games/movies. What we need are games/movies/music that have an inherently Christian worldview. No kidding, most blatantly Christian games are going to come off as corny. And we don't even need games/movies told from a Christian character's perspective or with plots about religion. What we need is quality entertainment that portrays Christianity correctly and portrays sin correctly. You'll provoke more thought and speak more to people's souls that way than any other.

[uc pseudonym]

That game is so terrible. You lose the Belt of Truth for going into the bar? What kind of crap is that?

I completely agree. Presumably shooting people with fruit of the spirit helps them, so why wouldn't you want to help the people in the bar? Even from a morally conservative developer, I would expect a bar to be some kind of dungeon, not a random trap.

we don't need "Christian" games/movies. What we need are games/movies/music that have an inherently Christian worldview. No kidding, most blatantly Christian games are going to come off as corny. And we don't even need games/movies told from a Christian character's perspective or with plots about religion. What we need is quality entertainment that portrays Christianity correctly and portrays sin correctly. You'll provoke more thought and speak more to people's souls that way than any other.

I think that is what most of us wish "Christian videogame" meant. Forcing things like prayer or spiritual warfare to be game mechanics is an inherently bad (though not unworkable) idea in my opinion. Most of us are Christians in the sense that we go about our lives and deal with the tenets of our faith in the process. What's wrong with a game based on the same premise... albeit with someone whose life works better for a game?

[Mr. Rogers]

Christians need to learn to be creative on their own instead of just taking secular products and reworking them to Christianize them. Look back in the middle ages; Christian art was some of the best that was produced, now, all we do is a second rate (at best) job at copying everyone else and end up with crappy products, art, etc. We are friends with the most creative being in existance, we should reflect that in what we do.

[Raiden no Kishi]

Maybe Christians should hold off on trying to make "Christian games" for a while and focus on actually having a lick of skill at creating games period. [No offense intended towards anyone ~ take this as my prescription for the industry as a whole].

.rai//

[Danderson]

What we need are games/movies/music that have an inherently Christian worldview.

Amen to that......I think that sums up the ultimate goal for a creative Christian in any media industry, whether it be film, gaming, music, etc...

[Novi]

Anyone heard about a game called "Ominous Horizons: A Paladins calling?" (or something)
I used to play it back when I was on primary school and it's in my opinion a pretty good christian game, atleast the best I've played. But yeah I gotta agree with Godly Paladin.

[Godly Paladin]

It was pretty good - that and Catechumen at least were decent examples of their genre (FPSs), unlike Saints of Virtue, Heavenly War, and a couple others.

Did anyone ever play that...geez, what was it...um...I think Eternal Darkness: Shadows of Light? It was the online multiplayer FPS.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Eternal Darkness: Shadows of Light?

Decent FPS but the graphics were dated as anything. At least the gameplay was pretty fun, if basic. Definetly one of the better Christian games out there.

[Godly Paladin]

Do you have a copy?

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

No sorry, I just played the extended demo.

[Godly Paladin]

Ah, I was going to hook you up with a lonely $15 bucks. :p

[Lone Gamer]

When I get my own computer i'll show you guys and girls.

[minutz3]

Well, you guys ought to check out the Angry Video Games Nerds "review" of Bible games for NES :-P

<MOD SNIP>

[Mithrandir]

minutz3:

That link was not appropriate for our audience here. Please review the rules of the board and be sensitive to our younger users.

Thanks,
Mithrandir

[bakura_fan]

Ominous Horizons. It's pretty good. It's actually the best Christian game I've ever found. It intrigued me cause it was rated T. I was curious how a Christian game could be rated T.
I have yet to beat the ancient egypt level. *sigh*
http://www.n-lightning.com/ominoushorizons.htm

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1010025&item_no=0091915

Also, that game was awesome! ^_^ the one on Youtube. I wish that our computer hadn't fried itself cause I never got past like...the railroad...or something like that...I don't remember...I was like...7...or 9....or something like that. lol. ^_^ I wonder where I could find it again to play....hmm....

[teen4truth]

*looks around dazed and confused*

I thought I was in the post ur pic thread.

*shys away slowly*

[Yokuo]

Silly silly T4T, I see you haven't changed in my absense

My overall thought... is that a Christian video game would be awesome, if executed properly, without being cheesy. But just games from a Christian viewpoint would be good too (as previously stated)

[AsianBlossom]

I just say that if you're going to make a Christian video game, put the Christian elements in there, but subtly. I think the only people who are going to want to play games that are overtly Christian are grade-school children (just my opinion, as I was like that when I was a lot younger). So, just like how a zookeeper feeds medicine to the animals (hides the pills in the food), we should slip in Christian messages in any Christian video games, so it's cool on the surface, and wholesome underneath.

[teen4truth]

Something can't be 'overtly wholesome' and cool at the same time?

I beg to differ.

[Yokuo]

Something can't be 'overtly wholesome' and cool at the same time?

I beg to differ.

Quoted for truth.

Seriously, it can be wholesome, with awesome Christian values, and cool at the same time.