Review: The Bible Game – PS2
by John Walker on Jul.10, 2006, under The Rest
One of the more bizarre games I’ve reviewed for Eurogamer. Finally the Applied Theology degree has been of some use!
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July 11th, 2006 on 01:49
Tahnks Mr Walker, you made me find out about Catechumen.
That game makes me sad. A “Non violent” game which anything but.
‘ridiculous people who think there’s something special or ‘religious’ about saying “thy” instead of “your”. Perhaps this is more of a personal gripe, but it’s still rather peculiar to use archaic language in a game clearly aimed at a modern audience.’
No, it’s not just you. I don’t understand it either. (Esp. as many of these people think Thee = Me) It’s also related to the annoyance that is people who tell you that you’re not saved if you use a bible that isn’t the KJV.
July 13th, 2006 on 07:06
Re your remarks in the review comments thread about ‘terrorist’/’robber’… Is it true, as I’ve been informed by a couple of sources, that most of the references to ‘hell’ in the KJV are the result of bad translation?
July 13th, 2006 on 16:02
Well yes it’s true.
As for ‘hell’, it’s all over the map in terms of what’s being refered to. However, the notions of eternally burning fire in the NT are references to an incinerator outside of Jerusalem that was used for burning the area’s refuse. The fire never went out as refuse was constantly fed in, hence the apparent contradiction of absolute destruction and eternal burning. It appears to be simply a metaphor for a death without Christ as being absolute death – just ceasing to exist. Rather than fire and brimstone, etc.
July 13th, 2006 on 19:57
another interesting thing about hell is who Jesus mentioned it to. In all but one case (IIRC) it’s to the Pharisees. It’s not something he went around scaring people with (“Believe in me or you’ll go to HELLl!!!!”)
Looking at how the bible actually treats ‘heaven and hell’ as compared to general ‘common sense’ views of it is quite an eye-opener. The sad thing is quite how few people do.
July 21st, 2006 on 15:05
Whether or not you’re a believer, one thing it’s hard to ignore is that religion is as enduring as it is because it sure as shit knows how to tell a good story. I mean, I don’t have a degree in theology or anything, but I can’t be that far off the mark in thinking that the stories that make up the best bits of the bible and other religious texts stayed around for so long because they were good enough to get passed from person to person in a pre-print world.
So why do Christian game makers never take a leaf out of that book? They always seem to be falling over themselves to ape the mechanics of other games without playing to the fundamental strengths of their material.
Imagine an RPG where you play a persecuted early-Christian during a vindictive Roman occupation winning points for spreading the word, rescuing lion-bait and converting the , or some kind of contemporary period management-based thinger garnering support for a fledgling charity from slum to shiny skyscraper..
Something with a decent story could have a much wider appeal than the usual thinly disguised rip off.
July 21st, 2006 on 15:06
Today’s missing word is “unconvinced”.