Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus comes out tomorrow. While this may seem like just another video games (albeit an amazing looking one), it is actually far more significant. Wolfenstein: The New Order was released a few years ago, but in many ways that seems like a different era altogether. In the time since then, America and indeed much of the world, has become very divided politically. This is normal for most countries, but what is not okay is the rise of extremist hate speech and people advocating racism.
Now while those individuals do have a right to say what they say due to first amendment rights, it is also important to know that we can stand up to them. The fact is that this is a pivotal moment, not just in terms of politics but also in terms of society in general, i.e. what direction we will be going in. That is where a game like Wolfenstein II: The new Colossus comes in. Given the rise of what has been dubbed the Alt-Right, it is necessary to make sure we do not let the fact that the Nazis committed horrible atrocities and murdered millions. We cannot let their image be rehabilitated by those who seek to hide the past and pretend they were not evil, those who seek to revive their movement an ideology.
Wolfenstein II, is in fact more than a game. It has become a response to the extremists and lets them know “No, you aren’t the heroes. You are most definitely the villains”. It holds nothing back and that is what is needed. While punching someone in real life can end up with you being arrested or charged (since it is assault), art does not have that same limitation. Wolfenstein II carries on the tradition of works like Captain America and shows that those who resist against hate will triumph in the end. B.J. Blazkowicz is in many ways the Captain America we need today, and it is good we have him.
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The above is the opinion solely of the author and not necessarily hat of Real Otaku Gamer or its staff.