Video Games Violence: Purpose of Blood and Gore?

Video games violence has always been seen as ‘problematic’ in the context of media. Pundits have been trying to blame all sorts of violent outbursts on simulated video game violence ever since forever, which came to a head with the original DOOM in 1993. This particular issue aside, it would be rather silly to claim that blood and gore have no actual purpose in games, and here, we’ll be taking a look at what that purpose might be.

Generally speaking, the implementation of blood and gore in games can be boiled down to two specific trains of thought. First is that of using it as hit feedback, while the second is that of using it for shock factor. We’ve got plenty of examples of either, though using blood as hit feedback is a far more widespread choice than is using it to shock the player and/or viewer.

The role of blood and gore in games

Killing Floor 2 comes front-and-center in this regard. It is one of the most prominent examples of excessive violence for the purpose of delivering effective and satisfying hit feedback. This wave-based survival FPS gives each and every gun considerable heft. It transfers caliber-based stopping power to the big screen by literally letting you take chunks out of its mutated, violent Zeds. In Killing Floor 2, guns are powerful, and this is very clearly conveyed. Not only that, but it also uses tech which allows for blood and bits to stay visible for far longer than is usual. This means each of the game’s levels slowly transforms into a butcher’s shop. This makes for an immensely brutal shooter, but a very fun one, too.

Blood and gore are used to a similar extent in Left 4 Dead 2, Bulletstorm, Dead Space, and Shadow Warrior 2. These games make your shots feel powerful. Gratuitous violence is not featured for the sake of gratuitous violence, but rather as an element of each game’s fun-factor. Not that playing these games with gore turned off (where applicable) is an awful experience, but it does seem like toggling it away takes away something pretty important from the package.

Video games violence isn't necessarily a problem

Blood and gore are often crucial for solid, crunchy hit feedback. This is quite apparent in two particular examples: The Darkness 2 and Sniper Elite 4. The Darkness 2 is a niche FPS which grants the protagonist so-called quad-wield capabilities. They have the opportunity to dual-wield the majority of available weapons, but also two additional demonic tendrils! These help them slash and chew their way through hordes of mooks. Here, violence is simply a key part of the experience, and a similar point is made with Sniper Elite 4, though with far less messy splatter to worry about.

We can safely conclude, then, that the majority of violent games use blood and gore not only to enhance the way in which they communicate that the player’s hits have connected, but also to help set the atmosphere just right. Left 4 Dead 2 without full gore enabled feels comparatively muted, for example. This counts both in gameplay and visual departments, and though it’s fair that the option to disable gore exists, clearly it is not the intended experience.

Rarer still are video games that do feature excessive violence in this or that form, but do not employ it simply as a way for the player to verify hits and damage. In Spec Ops: The Line, there is a clear progression in the protagonist’s brutality and willingness to murder people in cold blood. Not to mention the white phosphorus scene. Here, blood, gore, and violence are a valid storytelling technique. They are also one of the few reasons an otherwise dull and generic shooter is still relevant.

Embracing video games violence, blood, and gore as a feature

Insurgency: Sandstorm surprised a number of players with how it handles its bouts of violence and the resulting damage. Short and devastating, gunfights in Sandstorm wrap up quickly. Left behind are corpses with blood pooling underneath, and a small splatter of red here and there. When you do come across some truly heavy ordinance, however, be prepared for severed limbs and fist-sized holes in bodies. This is a subtler implementation of blood and gore mechanics than we’ve seen in most other games. Regardless, it does leave a lasting impression. It is relatively rare, and it tells you something about the way the other player was downed. Again, this plays into the overall experience of the game.

Like any other element of any given game, blood and gore are deliberate inclusions. Indirectly or not, they make a statement of some sort about the type of game that you are playing. The extent of violence shown helps put players in the mood that the developers envisioned for playing the game. With that in mind, perhaps it’s best to take it at face value and just go with the flow.