Religion in video games.

[Holkeye]

I wanted to make this thread because its really interesting to me to see how religions have influenced factors in video games. If anyone knows of any, I'd be interested to hear them. Please try not to spam up this thread, if you can.


Final Fantasy 6 - Ever wonder why the main character's name is Terra, while in Japan it is "Tina"? Well, I think that I've figured this one out on my own. Bear with me though, it could be a stretch:
Tina is born from the union of a human and an Esper. (In Japan, Espers were called God Beasts.) Tina's mother is named "Madonna", which is also a name that the virgin Mary is sometimes given. The name "Tina" is actually a condensed form of "Christina", which is a feminization of "Christ". This makes Tina, in effect, a female version of Christ. I think that the translators, in keeping with Nintendo tradition, changed the name to obliterate all traces of religious undertones in the game.


Chrono Trigger - I think there is a website dedicated to this, but there are a few obvious things that stick out. Chrono is sort of like Jesus in parts, but there are some major liberties taken. For instance, Chrono meets up with Balthazar, Melchior, and Gaspar, the three time mages. These are the names of the three wise men that follow the star of Bethlehem to the manger where Jesus is being born. Also, the three wise men were also known as "magi" or "mages".
Later on in the game, Chrono is killed by Lavos, and when you gather the things needed to resurrect him, (which in itself is a reference,) you climb to the top of Death Mtn. Once the time egg does its thing, and Chrono is brought back to the living, the tree lights up like a Christmas tree.

[Nightwolf]

I dont know about relegion, but if anyone has played Stretch Panic then they'd know.
Like, its ...its not showing anything bad but its just weird. The basic point is to plast big "b's" with your magic scarf. no blood, no nudity but its just weird for the basic gameplay to be blasting b's instead of just being a sideplay.

[MrMoo]

Xenogears and Xenosaga are HEAVILY packed with religious allusions. A lot of things were based on the old testament, such as Abel and Cian, the Zohar, "5th/Neo Jerusalem", the cross and crucifixion.

[Dwarra?]

Assassins Creed, set in the jesus loving era of the crusades. (well kinda)

[Holkeye]

Xenogears and Xenosaga are HEAVILY packed with religious allusions. A lot of things were based on the old testament, such as Abel and Cian, the Zohar, "5th/Neo Jerusalem", the cross and crucifixion.

I've heard this one before, and was going to list it, but I didn't know enough of the details because I got bored with Xenosaga like 3 hours in.

[Esmeralda]

La Pucelle is practically a big bomb of religion. You have like, nuns with boobs bigger than Dolly Partons killing demons. The original japanese version had crosses just about everywhere (For example, Priers hat and Croix's weapon) but they were removed in the american/european version. They also thought about changing Croix's name since it means cross in french but idk about that. It doesn't exactly meddle with christianity or any other religion but it does revolve around it. The Goddess in the game could be related to Jesus in the sense that she sees herself as an embodiment of light, not a savior/god.

[Leventhan]

Religions are funny in video games, very......stereotypical.

[&&&&&&&&&&&&&]

command and conquer.

God created Adam and placed him in the Garden of Eden. Then god created Eve. They ate from the Tree of Knowledge, they were banished from Eden. Adam and Eve had two sons: Cain and Abel. Cain, killed Abel, And God banished Cain and marked him and all his children for the crime with a black skin. Cain was banished from the sight of God, and traveled to the land of Nod.

In command and conquer, the main antagonist is kane, who is the leader of nod. He dies many times and has been alive for at least 112 years (or 2000 years if you believe that kane is cain).

~BanisherOfEden

[Arrow]

In Earthbound, they removed all the red crosses on the hospitals. :b

[Holkeye]

command and conquer.

God created Adam and placed him in the Garden of Eden. Then god created Eve. They ate from the Tree of Knowledge, they were banished from Eden. Adam and Eve had two sons: Cain and Abel. Cain, killed Abel, And God banished Cain and marked him and all his children for the crime with a black skin. Cain was banished from the sight of God, and traveled to the land of Nod.

In command and conquer, the main antagonist is kane, who is the leader of nod. He dies many times and has been alive for at least 112 years (or 2000 years if you believe that kane is cain).

~BanisherOfEden

This is the best one I've seen yet. Very detailed, and informative. Keep them coming~

[Sophist]

Killer7 was all about life after death. Each character was, in the end, the same person. The old man, Harman Smith, was about to die, so in his final weeks, he started to create characters off his personality to kill the Heaven Smiles that came to take him away. He flashes through all the places that were major points in his life, trying to stay alive.

: \

[SirJackRex]

Eternal Darkness was soaked in religion...
I don't know how to explain more than that, but, there's a lot, it's been a long time since I've played it, though...
Most of the characters were somehow affiliated with a Holy place.

[Lord Dante]

command and conquer.

God created Adam and placed him in the Garden of Eden. Then god created Eve. They ate from the Tree of Knowledge, they were banished from Eden. Adam and Eve had two sons: Cain and Abel. Cain, killed Abel, And God banished Cain and marked him and all his children for the crime with a black skin. Cain was banished from the sight of God, and traveled to the land of Nod.

In command and conquer, the main antagonist is kane, who is the leader of nod. He dies many times and has been alive for at least 112 years (or 2000 years if you believe that kane is cain).

~BanisherOfEden

Also, you left out that Nod is a land mentioned in the Old Testament.

[modern algebra]

Cain was banished from the sight of God, and traveled to the land of Nod.

?

[Kokowam]

Cain was banished from the sight of God, and traveled to the land of Nod.

?

God was pissed at Cain so he cursed him. Then Cain went to Nod. Simple.

Also, you left out that Nod is a land mentioned in the Old Testament.

I suppose saying that he traveled to Nod would mean it was mentioned.

In Earthbound, they removed all the red crosses on the hospitals. :b

Wtf, really? I never noticed...

[JAP]

Nobody mentioned Drakengard? O.o

That game is not straightly connected with any religion IMO, but it still contains complexity about God (in this game, "The Watchers").
Manah, for example, as the main villain in the first game, is possessed by "The Watchers" and wanted to destroy the world, for she was a poor little kid who's abandoned by her very own mother. The Cult of The Watchers took adavantage of her potential for being a vessel and there she was, becoming the evil evil boss. Meh, it was scary when she talks with The Watchers' voice. Ouch. =O
Then Furiae, Caim's sister, The Goddess who took the burden of the Seals to keep the world's balanced but ended up revived as a monster. She also LOVES her very own brother, in... that way. Yea.
If you listen to the theme song, Growing Wings, it mentions The Watchers as well.
There are many religious organizations in this game. Cult of the Watchers, the Knights of the Seal, etc.

Too bad that game is not really popular. It's actually a good one. BLOOOOD

Still, Xeno series contains massive religion content too.

BTW this is a silly one...
[spoiler]The Bible Game contains ENORMOUS religion content LOL[/spoiler]

OK, forgive me. =3

[modern algebra]

Cain was banished from the sight of God, and traveled to the land of Nod.

?

I was responding to Lord Dante you silly cow. Do they not have cow elementary anymore?

[Lord Dante]

Cain was banished from the sight of God, and traveled to the land of Nod.

?

I was responding to Lord Dante you silly cow. Do they not have cow elementary anymore?

oh lol, how did i read over that?
I'm silly
Good show old man =D

[Holkeye]

Stop shitting up my thread.

BACK TO TOPIC

[Lord Dante]

Age of Empires always employs a religious building of some sort, and in the first two games you can use holy men to convert your enemies. Also, many technologies researched within these buildings are religion-based (duh), and relate to historical religious attributes and movements.