Top 10 Most Controversial Video Games of All Time

Video games that have extreme violence and sex can often become more controversial than films and novels. Perhaps it's because the medium is so interactive that people feel that it can have a more influential effect on its audience/user. It's one thing to watch a heinous crime on screen, but another thing to actually participate in it.

Here are some games that have caused society to raise their pitchforks whether it was rational or not.

1. Rapelay

This is a game that revolves around a man who wants to stalk and rape a mother and her two daughters. That's the entirety of the game and you can do a lot of perverse things in the game. Other games have included the topic of rape, but Rapelay is different since it gloriefies the whole concept of it. It has already been banned in Argentina, Malaysia, and Thailand for those reasons.

2. Resident Evil 5

When Capcom released a trailer for Resident Evil 5 in E3 2007, there were several allegations that the game was racist despite it only being a preview. Critics complained that the enemies were only black and not racially diverse. However, the actual game did have a mix enemies and organizations deemed it not to be racist. The issue made a splash online and on news shows (within and beyond gaming) though which is what makes it so controversial.

3.Postal games

Whenever I mention the Postal games, I love using the cat silencer video for some reason. So yes, you can use cat silencers in this game and even urinate on dead bodies. Critics also blasted the game for promoting homophobia, racial/ethnic stereotypes, and animal cruelty. I think it's worth pointing out that the game can be played without inflicting violence, but it's not really a choice. Think of it like going to a restaurant and not eating a single thing. The whole game primes you for criminal activity!

The game is banned in New Zealand, Malaysia, Germany, and France. In one country, you could go to jail for 10 years if you owned it.

4. Ethnic Cleansing

I call this game that racist equivalent of Rapelay. The main objective of the game is to kill African Americans, Hispanics, and Jews either as a Skinhead or Klansman. Oh yeah, the former Prime Minister of Israel Ariel Sharon and you had to assassinate him in the "Yiddish Control Center."

5. Super Columbine Massacre RPG

I can't begin to fathom my disgust for this game. However, I think I was more shocked by the comments for this video. People were actually praising and defending these two boys for senselessly shooting down their peers. Anyway, someone made a game that re-enacted the Columbine shooting massacre. 

It might have been okay if it was carefully done and sensitive that game that gave educational insight on what happened and into the criminal mind. However, it's nothing but tasteless and you can kill the actual victims all over again.

6. Mass Effect

Nothing infuriates me more than mainstream media blowing things up to unecessary proportions and being factually inaccurate with their incosistencies. FOX News accused Mass Effect of having full nudity and portrays it as a game that's just all about sex. Thankfully, Geoff Keighley was there to stick it to this lady's face but that wasn't enough to open her narrow mind. 

Just so you know, the only nudity you see is a brief look at Liara's butt and a side boob. If that's what full nudity is, then what's porn?

7. Muslim Massacre: The Game of Modern Religious Genocide

Similar to Ethnic Cleansing, but you only kill Arabs/Muslims in the game. You know, there's a fine line between smart commentary and tasteless depiction. People often confuse the two and it's sad that people are actually praising and defending this game. If I'm not mistaken, the creator was obviously simply messing around with this game and he wasn't out to educate people. I actually think its worse since he clearly trivializes something like this from the very beginning.

8. Grand Theft Auto games

You know your franchise is controversial when there's an entire Wikipedia page dedicated just to cover its controversies. To point out what's controversial in the game is like me describing the entire game. The whole concept of Grand Theft Auto is controversial even from the title alone. From beating up prostitutes, hot coffee mod, and the torture scenes, there's just too many to mention. I don't think the series will ever shy away from controversy since the publicity does give them a boost.

I believe that some of the games are banned in several countries, but that hasn't stopped them from making a billion dollars in three days.

9. Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

I can't seem to find the actual video, but Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number already has its fair share of controversy when a demo showed during the Penny Arcade Expo 2013 revealed that the game showed the protagonist raping a woman. To be fair, the context was entirely fake because it was as if the characters were shooting a film. People were still offended though, and it's still unclear whether it will be in the final game. If it does, then expect it to be cut short since the developers didn't want it to be the highlight of the game.

10. Manhunt games

While these executions may be graphic, nothing beats the simplicity of the plastic bag kill for me. Anyway, Manhunt is a really heavy franchise to play and the developer themselves have admitted that they were uncomfortable too. These are the types of games you just have to take a breather because of how dark the games are.

The games are notoriously tied to a couple of murders that happen in real life and have been fiercely fought by some lawmakers like Jack Thompson.