MilSim Shooter Six Days in Fallujah is back in the public eye, 12 years after being cancelled originally. It’s an ambitious project, meant to show the Battle of Fallujah in 2004 on the ground, using interviews from people who were there, and featuring a narrative-driven campaign. It defines itself as a “Hero Shooter” on Steam, but also as a “Tactical Shooter”, so we’re not really sure what to think yet.
Some people are pleased to see the game has come back, interested to see how Konami tells the story of the battle, while others feel that it could end up being a very one-sided narrative. Many other games, particularly shooters, that have featured Iraq or the Global War on Terror more broadly, don’t tend to have much nuance, or show the conflicts from an objective angle. Here’s what the CEO of publisher Victura, Peter Tamte, has to say:
It’s hard to understand what combat is actually like through fake people doing fake things in fake places. This generation showed sacrifice and courage in Iraq as remarkable as any in history. And now they’re offering the rest of us a new way to understand one of the most important events of our century. It’s time to challenge outdated stereotypes about what video games can be.
I suppose we’ll see how it is handled. I for one, am hesitant but will be watching this closely.
-Jack Trumbull
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