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Spring-Loaded · Sep 15, 2017

Note: this was meant to be about non-online interactions with racist people

While there isn't must that comes to mind for me, I do wonder what's stuff that slipped under my radar that I'd recognize looking back. Obviously, something like Custer's Revenge would count, but there's subtler stuff out there.

On a tangential note, the "deranged" enemies in Arkham Asylum seem in extremely poor form, seemingly without any awareness, for such a big budget game. It wasn't until I recently replayed it that I realized how messed up that depiction of mental illness was.

Lord of Ostia · Sep 15, 2017

I know people like this character, but the Cole Train guy from Gears of War always rubbed me the wrong way. Probably not the best example but he's the first that came to mind.

Hilbert · Sep 15, 2017

resident evil 5.

just so much of it.

Dictator93 · Sep 15, 2017

I really want to say that one character in Deus Ex: HR, but that is just the first thing that popped up in my head. Probably something from the NES and SNES days though would be much more crass.

Lord of Ostia said:
I know people like this character, but the Cole Train guy from Gears of War always rubbed me the wrong way. Probably not the best example but he's the first that came to mind.

Cole Train makes my head explode, such an annoying character with how he is done.

alfredofroylan · Sep 15, 2017

Custer's Revenge, yeah I'm that old.

Orb · Sep 15, 2017

Hilbert said:
resident evil 5.

just so much of it.

To be fair, I dont think it counts really as all the nonzombie african/black characters are good guys.

Just really.... clueless rather than racist.

Zojirushi · Sep 15, 2017

Being the white savior in Far Cry 3. Fuck that game's story.

pje122 · Sep 15, 2017

I dare not even type it!

LewieP · Sep 15, 2017

When I first arrived in Mexico in Red Dead Redemption, I was just having a look around, shot at some of the wildlife, and explored a bit of the open expanse. Then a bunch of bandits appeared and a shootout/chase ensued.

Once I'd taken care of all the bandits, I walked over to the nearest corpse, intending to loot it. I automatically pressed the appropriate button, but as I did I realised that the context popup actually said "skin animal", not "loot corpse", but I'd already pressed the button.

Then it cut to the ground level camera perspective, looking up at what I thought was my character brutally skinning what the game had designated as an "animal".

Turn out the corpse had actually fell on top of a bird I'd previously shot, and that was the animal I was skinning, but I didn't realise that until afterwards, and I thought the game was just depicting awful racist dehumanising attitudes.

Lime · Sep 15, 2017

Resident Evil 5

I can't even believe it got released

compo · Sep 15, 2017

Postal 2 with the muslim women in the convenience store. There's probably a lot more in that game, but I only played it for a couple hours.

SlipperyFishes · Sep 15, 2017

Resident Evil 5 was a prettttttty fucking tone deaf example of racism via inappropriate representation.

Googling found Spanish for Everyone which is just yikes on a bike. Here's the intro.

The game begins with your Mexican friend stealing your Nintendo DS and fleeing south of the border. In order to get it back, you have to go to Mexico and find him. Not only does your friend turn out to be a stereotypical thief but out of nowhere, a horny Mexican woman appears who promises to teach you many things, with Spanish being one of them.

I'd consider the mental health depictions to be less a topic of conversation under this banner, even tangentially as they're two very different problems (often linked though, I'll agree to that in some circumstances).

Lord of Ostia · Sep 15, 2017

Orb said:
To be fair, I dont think it counts really as all the nonzombie african/black characters are good guys.

Just really.... clueless rather than racist.

Pretty sure the reason the game is racist isn't because the zombies are African, and it's more the depiction of certain characters and enemies. I never got very far in RE5 though so I'm not super familiar with the game.

Takyon · Sep 15, 2017

That woman you can talk to in Deus Ex Human Revolution.
Bizarre to say the least.

Chao · Sep 15, 2017

Not sure if it's the most racist thing or not, but this guy in FFXIII always made me go "rrrrreeeeeeally?" whenever he showed up in promotional material. Never played the game though.

Lord of Ostia · Sep 15, 2017

Chao said:
Not sure if it's the most racist thing or not, but this guy in FFXIII always made me go "rrrrreeeeeeally?" whenever it showed up in promotional material. Never played the game though.

I'd say that nearly every portrayal of black people in Japanese games is at least slightly racist.

McMoneyman · Sep 15, 2017

I remember being shocked by how racist LA Noire was. I mean it was intentional and fitting the time period, but it surprised me at the time when I played it.

Orb · Sep 15, 2017

Lord of Ostia said:
Pretty sure the reason the game is racist isn't because the zombies are African, and it's more the depiction of certain characters and enemies. I never got very far in RE5 though so I'm not super familiar with the game.

I actually take back what I said because I remembered Chapter 3 and wowsers that was not okay.

Orb · Sep 15, 2017

Lord of Ostia said:
I'd say that nearly every portrayal of black people in Japanese games is at least slightly racist.

Japanese games and media seem to get some slack for some reason despite nowadays being the more racist media.

King Al B · Sep 15, 2017

woopWOOP · Sep 15, 2017

Wham Bam Rock from Kirby Super Star

Its design is... dated to say the least

The boss got edited in the DS remake, but the SNES Mini game will probably have it like this

sflufan · Sep 15, 2017

Cole Train just grossed the hell out of me.

Lord of Ostia · Sep 15, 2017

Orb said:
Japanese games and media seem to get some slack for some reason despite nowadays being the more racist media.

They get slack because black people are almost entirely absent from their society and culture, and they don't have a history of specific oppression towards black people (as far as I'm aware). The racism is seen as born from ignorance rather than hatred. Doesn't make it any less problematic though, tbh.

KeyBladerXIII · Sep 15, 2017

Chao said:
Not sure if it's the most racist thing or not, but this guy in FFXIII always made me go "rrrrreeeeeeally?" whenever he showed up in promotional material. Never played the game though.

The chocobo in his afro is indeed stupid, but Sazh is the best part of that game, he doesn't act like a stereotype at all.

Youth Crew · Sep 15, 2017

LewieP said:
When I first arrived in Mexico in Red Dead Redemption, I was just having a look around, shot at some of the wildlife, and explored a bit of the open expanse. Then a bunch of bandits appeared and a shootout/chase ensued.

Once I'd taken care of all the bandits, I walked over to the nearest corpse, intending to loot it. I automatically pressed the appropriate button, but as I did I realised that the context popup actually said "skin animal", not "loot corpse", but I'd already pressed the button.

Then it cut to the ground level camera perspective, looking up at what I thought was my character brutally skinning what the game had designated as an "animal".

Turn out the corpse had actually fell on top of a bird I'd previously shot, and that was the animal I was skinning, but I didn't realise that until afterwards, and I thought the game was just depicting awful racist dehumanising attitudes.

Aw man, this was almost a great copypasta.

PK Gaming · Sep 15, 2017

Orb said:
To be fair, I dont think it counts really as all the nonzombie african/black characters are good guys.

Just really.... clueless rather than racist.

Well it's not like being clueless precludes you from being racist. That said, while I think many of the complaints were overblown (some people even straight up lied about the game's supposed racism!), the game plays so blatantly into the "White savior" trope it borders on cringe. Also Sheva was such a non-character, and some of her alternate costumes were ehhhhhh.

Mesoian · Sep 15, 2017

Chao said:
Not sure if it's the most racist thing or not, but this guy in FFXIII always made me go "rrrrreeeeeeally?" whenever he showed up in promotional material. Never played the game though.

He is, legit, the best character in that game.

NintendosBooger · Sep 15, 2017

Basically every Japanese game with Black people in it. You know you're in for a treat when the character creation tool limits Black hair selection to shaved bald, an afro, or cornrows.

hzsn724 · Sep 15, 2017

Played by

PaulBizkit · Sep 15, 2017

Chairmanchuck · Sep 15, 2017

What would you say about stereotypical fighting game characters?

I mean a lot of fighting games use stereotypes to show off where that character is coming from.

Zutrax · Sep 15, 2017

Hilbert said:
resident evil 5.

just so much of it.

Lime said:
Resident Evil 5

I can't even believe it got released

SlipperyFishes said:
Resident Evil 5 was a prettttttty fucking tone deaf example of racism via inappropriate representation.

It's been a decent amount of time since I played Resident Evil 5, but I genuinely don't recall it being particularly racist. I could be sorely misremembering since that was back in my High School days however. I'm not disagreeing with you all, I just more am looking to be reminded of how exactly.

Orb · Sep 15, 2017

Lord of Ostia said:
They get slack because black people are almost entirely absent from their society and culture, and they don't have a history of specific oppression towards black people (as far as I'm aware). The racism is seen as born from ignorance rather than hatred. Doesn't make it any less problematic though, tbh.

Yeah, maybe in the days before the internet and easy education and learning and feedback they could get away with it, but in 2017 theres less excuses for it. Like the gay portrayal in Persona 5, or Bandai in Danganronpa 3. Always comes off as willingly tonedeaf and ignorant imo

Chairmanchuck · Sep 15, 2017

Zutrax said:
It's been a decent amount of time since I played Resident Evil 5, but I genuinely don't recall it being particularly racist. I could be sorely misremembering since that was back in my High School Days however. I'm not disagreeing with you all, I just more am looking to be reminded of how exactly.

Aeana · Sep 15, 2017

Square's Tom Sawyer.

yuoke · Sep 15, 2017

KidB · Sep 15, 2017

GTA CAN be very racist at times. What stuck out the most to me was that voodoo practitioner in Vice City who gave you missions.

kurahador · Sep 15, 2017

Lord of Ostia said:
I'd say that nearly every portrayal of black people in Japanese games is at least slightly racist.

Uhhh...Sazh is actually the only one acting normal in that game which I'm guessing thanks to the actor playing him being an actual black guy.

Everyone else acting felt like it was lifted from anime.

Finky Spunky · Sep 15, 2017

Zutrax · Sep 15, 2017

Chairmanchuck said:

Oh yeah... never mind I take back what I said. I completely forgot there were "tribal" zombies.

Orb · Sep 15, 2017

Aeana said:
Square's Tom Sawyer.

Holy shit

Jawmuncher · Sep 15, 2017

RE5 I think is in the middle. A lot of it could be perceived as such without context. But within the game itself I don't think it's an issue. You have mixed enemies in the more modern areas. You then have tribal enemies in the secluded areas.

Regardless I doubt Capcom ever touches that sort of location again. Even with the "well it's Japan" thing they had going for RE5 back in the day. It would be exploded 10x from where it was at last time. Since there was controversy even back then over the setting.

yuoke · Sep 15, 2017

I mean couldn't re4 be considered racist for the same reason as 5 basically?

mullet2000 · Sep 15, 2017

Kingdom Hearts is pretty fucking bad about literally every character with dark skin being evil.

There's a scene in Kingdom Hearts 2 where a character (Diz), who had been disguised as one of the bad guys, has his dark skin burn off revealing that he actually has white skin, when he's revealing he's actually a good guy.

Also in Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, the main villain (who is dark skinned) takes over one of the protagonist's bodies, which turns his skin dark. Tacky.

Hilbert · Sep 15, 2017

Chairmanchuck said:

in addition, the white woman being dragged away, and sheevas other outfit.

Greatest Ever · Sep 15, 2017

Division's core concept of a government militia takeover just shooting a bunch of black people to 'create order' or whatever makes me wonder how it got past everyone at Ubisoft.

Jonnax · Sep 15, 2017

Command and Conquer Generals is pretty racist to both Arabs and the Chinese.

From things like the accents. To the GLA having slaves and suicide bombers. The Chinese having horde bonuses.

It's a kind of soft racism. Of course the American side is idealised.

Recently played it and almost lost respect for Westwood but it was made post EA shutting them down. So it was just EA shitting on their legacy.

PK Gaming · Sep 15, 2017

hzsn724 said:
Played by

Considering the reverse happens quite frequently, I'm not sure I agree. If you can avoid embarrassingly bad accents and obnoxious stereotypes it's fine. And Laura Bailey did a good job with Nadine.

Chairmanchuck · Sep 15, 2017

Besides my question about stereotypical characters, what about "patriotic" games like CoD, where most of the time the bad guys are "Russians, Chinese" etc.?

Also if someone remembers Vietcong, that game was racist af:

The americans were portrayed as heroes, who just want to help Vietnamese, but the Vietnamese soldiers were depicted as rapists, child murderers etc.

Jawmuncher · Sep 15, 2017

Hilbert said:
in addition, the white woman being dragged away, and sheevas other outfit.

I would say Sheva's outfit is by far the worst thing in the game. Since it's nothing but sexy fan service.

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