Violence in video games is nothing new, but the imminent release of Carmageddon II - Carpocalypse Now has re-opened old arguments about violence in games. Like its predecessor, Carmageddon II is basically a racing-car game, but with a twist. Some would say it is very twisted, as one of the major themes of the game is running down pedestrians.
The publishers, SCi, plan to release two versions of the game. The less gory version, rated 15s by ELSPA (Europeans Leisure and Software Publishers Association), has zombies as the victims instead of "humans" and consequently their blood is not red but a ghoulish green. For the German version of the original, even zombies were too much and instead it featured bloodless robots.
SCi want the British Board of Film Censorship (BBFC) to pass the "human" version with an 18s certificate, but there have been some delays. The latest, apparently, is because the BBFC wants to put a demonstration of the game to a panel of child psychologists to determine what effects it may have. The involvement of child psychologists seems strange, however, since SCi want it certified for over-18s.
The obvious problem with game ratings is that they are not always enforced. Much younger teenagers, if eager enough, (all the more eager because they are not supposed to have it) will probably get their hands on a copy without too much bother. Even if only the "zombie" version hits our streets, it won't be long before some website has a patch that will humanise those ghouls. For the original Carmageddon there are downloads available of many types of "pedestrian" patches, including one which transforms the zombies into characters from the cartoon South Park.
If people want to play Carmageddon II and really want to run down characters which look human, it seems that the current censorship regime cannot stop them. As for Carmageddon, it was not a personal favourite by any means - although it sold over 600,000 copies worldwide.
Victory Boxing 2, Sony PlayStation, £34.99
JVC hopes this title will be its biggest hit of the year. It is more of a simulation than an arcade punch 'em up and requires the use of the head (to think and get into the tactics of a slugging match) rather than just punching as fast as possible. With the emphasis on tactics, there are exhibition, tournament and world title modes to choose from. The player can view the action from a variety of angles, including first-person perspective. It is hard to fault Victory Boxing 2, since it achieves what it sets out to do, but when the aim is to simulate boxing I'm not sure that is the greatest of compliments. For boxing fans though, it's likely to be a knockout.
Graphics: 84%, Sound: 80%, Gameplay: 80%
Formula 1 '98, PlayStation, £44.99
This is the third F1 game from Psygnosis to appear on the PlayStation. It's an official product of the FIA Formula One World Championship, so all the teams, drivers (excluding Jacques Villeneuve), regulations (including grooved tyres) and tracks are what would be expected. It is also firmly based on the '98 season just ended - which in one way, makes it out-of-date as soon as it hits the shelves. It is, however, still the most current F1 game around - which is perhaps its strongest selling point. For those who haven't got an F1 game already, this one is highly recommended. There are enhanced car dynamics and modelling, motion-captured pit crew and other little tweaks that make it an improvement on its predecessors. But for people who already have F1 '97, there isn't a great deal extra to make them part with hard cash - unless they're going around the bend in ways other than racing games.
Graphics: 90%, Sound: 86%, Gameplay: 89%
games@irish-times.ie