Originally posted by EXDr Frank:

I played this game for like 100 hours (its an amazing game btw) my first impression with the leaders of the factions was (oh great, more DEI bullshit) but honestly, ESPECIALLY given that you can customize the appearance of your agents (who you will be spending the majority of time with), it really doesn't FEEL that way if you play it.

In fact, YOU are the leader of your faction, the "leader" is just your advisor and you don't hear from them that often.

That said, here is a point in the text at which the woman leading the "Servants" faction (the bad guys helping the aliens) sings a Christian Hymn: "This little light of mine" and another where she talks about how it built character to grow up on a farm (well, you read about it in a text pop-up for some new technology) and this to be the woke thing in the game: it makes ZERO sense that the rural Christian lady would be the one to fanatically want to serve the Aliens.

THAT SAID, there really go out of there way to make things objective in other ways:

For example, you can actually have HAMAS and MOSSAD as one of the organizations that your agents join (and gain the benefits of)... Also, as the game starts, Russia and Ukraine are at war. I'm pleasantly surprised they didn't censor this stuff. A lot of the game is like that: they include things that other devs would censor out to avoid the controversy, I like that they have a real sandbox here.

I was so into this game, I read the PhD thesis of the guy who made it... and I think we might be barking up the wrong tree here: he's a war reporter interested in fair and objective reporting of conflicts.

And I disagree with your characterization of the Welfare vs. Economy vs. Spoils vs. Climate vs. Inequality....

It's a very complicated set of factors that all influence each other (along with another bunch of adjustable priorities) and they generally seem to make sense to me..... spoils is essentially corruption so OF course its going to have a negative impact.

Obviously human ECONOMIC activity have SOME impact on the climate of the planet, the question is just HOW MUCH? Let me ask you this; if you could tweak the formulas for inequality (which is essentially just a measurement for the size of a country's middle class) and climate, how would you do it? I'm not sure it could be much better?

Again, when they set up such a complicated system to try and model how a modern country is run, I'm not sure I've seen a better one... maybe HOI4...

The description for the Welfare priority states:

The Welfare priority represents redistribution of wealth and repairing harm done to the environment. Completing the Welfare priority decreases inequality by -0.005 and mitigates global environmental hazards by reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere toward safer levels.

That seems pretty clear to me. The game presents welfare as a means by which to reduce inequality while also helping to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and other "environmental hazards" despite it doing neither in reality.

So not only does this game present greenhouse gas emissions as a problem that needs to be solved via governmental intervention (pro-Climate Action), it also presents welfare as the means by which to solve that problem (pro-DEI).

Originally posted by ShoneChello:

Originally posted by madeline:

The developer of the game has done this. He has the ability to "rate" levels, which makes them give in-game rewards and places them in special menus for all to see. The developer is the only person who can rate levels.

Here are some Woke levels that are officially rated/endorsed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajt2_9oouBI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTeENSCjK80
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r_WEj5Iros
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCIxfGbhTWU

Ok good. In light of this information, this game will probably receive an informational at best (it will most likely get a not recommended).

There is a reason you shouldn't theme your level around this stuff; not because it's bad (although it kind of is), but because it will be very controversial. If you don't believe me, go check the comment section of one of these levels. The amount of hate, criticism, and flame wars friendly comments these levels get are definitely worth seeing.

Yes, in light of this new information, this game will be updated to not recommended.

Thanks! I counted the breakdown a while back but it's cool to see it in a bar graph.

Did you create this? If so, nice job!

Though, for consistency, I'd say the informational bars should be the yellow ones and the not recommended should be the red/orange ones.

Originally posted by Sky Star:

Personally, I'm not bothered about the nationality/race of original characters as long as established. The review says something about "overtly DEI messaging" but can you give an example like something anti male/straight/white or pushing the rainbow message?

Artificial diversity is enough to qualify a game as "overtly pro-DEI" for the purposes of our list.

Apart from the cast, I didn't see anything else of note.

Originally posted by Theren314:

*Furin has made a minor error. China's GDP in game is listed higher than the US's because Terra Invicta uses PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) to adjust GDP values. This takes into account the relative prices of Labor and Basic goods between nations. At the game's start date, September 2022, when adjusted for PPP, the game's GDP figures are all accurate.

Thanks for the additional context.

The basic observation is still true so I'll leave my post as-is. You can all decide for yourselves whether to believe China's official economic numbers (and, by extension, the IMF, WB, and CIA's GDP at PPP exchange rate estimates based on them).

I'll leave this here for your consideration:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-economy-wikileaks/chinas-gdp-is-man-made-unreliable-top-leader-idUSTRE6B527D20101206/

As for the pro-Communism messaging mentioned by the review, I think it's still fair to have that given, "Climate change can be worsened by things such as the Spoils and Economy priorities. It can be improved by using the Welfare priority."
https://wiki.hoodedhorse.com/Terra_Invicta/Climate_Change

The Welfare priority is primarily used to reduce inequality.
https://terrainvictagame.fandom.com/wiki/Nations#Inequality

On the plots of the first two games, I don't think Metal Slug 1 is pro-globalism because you're fighting against the guy that wants to establish a "New World Order."

Similarly, I don't think Metal Slug 2 is pro-environmentalism either because you are fighting against the martians.

That being said, I've looked into all the Metal Slug games on Steam and here's how I'll probably rate them:

Metal Slug 1 = recommended
Metal Slug 2 = informational
Metal Slug X = informational
Metal Slug 3 = informational
Metal Slug Defense = not recommended
Metal Slug Attack Reloaded = not recommended
Metal Slug: Awakening = not recommended
Metal Slug Tactics = not recommended

For the informational ones, it's because there are playable female front-line combatants (Eri and Fio). The player does not have to play as them and they do not make an appearance if the player chooses to play as one of the male characters.

For the not recommended ones, Eri and Fio's involvement in the story/gameplay is not optional. They make an appearance and/or the player must play as them at some point.

Originally posted by Beita:

I enjoyed the art style and the atmosphere as well, but felt that this type of character, especially in the very beginning of the game was out of context and immersion breaking. I have never seen a black woman mechanic in my entire life so seeing one immediately from the start felt more like a DEI plant than anything else. This was also not an isolated incident as there were other visible minorities presented in an "equitable" way.

Agreed. Here's a list of some of them:

The shipwright is a Black woman.
The travelling merchant is an Asian woman.
The builder is a woman.
The researcher is a woman.
The engineer (The Iron Rig dlc) is a woman.
The foreman (The Iron Rig dlc) is a POC.

Given what appears to be a 20th century setting, the diversity seen in-game is extremely improbable. It is unlikely that women would be in any of the above-listed positions. The foreman being a POC is also extremely improbable.

As a result, this game will be added as not recommended.

Thanks! I'll add this game as not recommended.

Thanks!

In addition to the conversation mentioned in that thread, here are some other moments of interest I found:

Reference Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLziEf9cl_0

https://youtu.be/dLziEf9cl_0?t=8516 - Cain doesn't want to lower his weapon while in a standoff with the player character. He has to be reminded by Victor that his female boss, Rebecca, is in charge. Rebecca asserts her authority over him: "Question my sanity again, Cain. I dare you."

https://youtu.be/dLziEf9cl_0?t=11698 - Later, you find out Rebecca is Hanzo's sister. According to Morlock, "she puts up a good facade" and "is doing everything she can to keep us afloat" despite being "at the end of her rope."

https://youtu.be/dLziEf9cl_0?t=8898 - Morlock is referred to using they/them pronouns.

As a result, this game will be added as not recommended.

Thanks! I'll add this game as not recommended.