There’s be a furore of negative comments over a level in Modern Warfare 2 in which the player is working as an undercover CIA agent who must participate (or at least be complicit) in the slaughter of civilians as part of a terrorist attack.
Although I’ve disagreed with The Reverend’s earlier rants, I have to agree with him on this one. The argument that this grotesque level is there to add realism (rather than sensationalism and hollow controversy) is pretty flaky when you effectively remove choice and culpability from the player.
As is often the case, The Onion is right on the money with their preview for Modern Warfare 3 (video via Aeropause):
Ultra-Realistic Modern Warfare Game Features Awaiting Orders, Repairing Trucks
Now that’s realism taken to another level entirely. (I should probably note that I find “realistic” war games, that glorify violence, rather distasteful.)