How do veterans feel about WWII games?

[StorDuff]

The topic basically says it all. I started off playing WWII games with Medal of Honor and then Call of Duty, and some others in between. Right now I have been playing Blitzkrieg, which isn't perfect, but I think it makes a sincere attempt to portray the war. The release of Call of Duty 2 has been a bit troubling for me, overall I don't like the game, but some things, such as the taunts "You poor fascist bastards came all this way just to die on the Russian front" and the extremely prolific use of the Winchester shotgun (by UK, USA, Germany, and Russia) make the game feel very unrealistic and appealing to the lowest common denominator. My question is: if you know any (or are one) WWII veterans, how do they feel about all these shooters and strategy games coming out set in WWII.

There are no Korean war games (that I know of), not many Vietnam ones, and the ones set in the Middle East only portray the American side. These are all more recent or sensitive conflicts, and perhaps game developrs have found a war that feels like ancient history to today's generation and have exploited it. I don't have much of a problem with any game, but I would like to hear input from people that are a bit closer to the issue personally...

[Prussian Blau]

Hi StorDuff

My grandfather flew in the Luftwaffe during WW2, and about five or six years ago got into playing combat flight simulations and now plays about an hour a day on them. He in fact finds some of the anti German remarks made on the simulations rather funny and he has no problem with any games of WW2.

In respect to Vietnam and Korean war games you might want to look into "War Over Vietnam" and for the Korean war "Cold War Conflicts", both reasonable good strategy games.

[max painless]

I stopped playing call of duty after I realized the mortars would never hit me, despite blowing up everywhere around me. crap! Ghost recon, the original, online against other humans, is the way to go bro.

[infanterielandser]

I am recently back from Iraq...and naturally, some things are cheesey in the games. But I like the middle eastern games because you can do things in the game that you wanted to do while you were over there, but couldn't! (legally speaking of course!)

[cobra6]

I think the only game veterans find realistic enough is Brothers in Arms.

Call of Duty is too arcade (not enough realism) though COD2 is realistic enough on "hard"
A lot of WW2 games dont have enough ambiance and feel to look real.

Thats because game developers want to sell their product too the broadest adience possible.
Now that I think about it the only two developers I know off who dont aim for that are the makers of Brothers in Arms and the makers of Operation Flashpoint...
Let's hope OFP2 lives up to my expectations...

Cobra 6

[corderex]

I am recently back from Iraq...and naturally, some things are cheesey in the games. But I like the middle eastern games because you can do things in the game that you wanted to do while you were over there, but couldn't! (legally speaking of course!)

Like what?

[infanterielandser]

Coder,

Well, for one, shoot first instead of just returning fire. And being able to act on your own initiative

[Alex Dekker]

Funny, I've asked an WW 2 veteran this question. His answer: "If people like to play such games, just let them. But it stays a game. You will never get close to what happened during the war, because you don't really die, have no need to be afraid, you won't feel alone, and you don't have to wait for hours or even days before something happens." At that time, I could live with an answer like this. But afterwards, I didn't like to play wargames (such as Panzer General I and II, Steel Panthers I and III, yes they are very old!) anymore.

And right now? I just love to play Close Combat V, but every now and then I keep thinking about those words as I posted above.

(Must be the age, I'm over thirty )