Pocket God is the 7th most popular game on the Australian iTunes store.
What kind of God would you be? Benevolent or vengeful? Play pocket God and discover the answer within yourself. On a remote island, you are the all powerful God that rules over the primitive islanders. You can bring new life, then take it away just as quickly. Exercise your powers on the islanders. Lift them in the air, alter gravity. Hit them with a lightning bolt you’re the island God! All god’s powers are demonstrated in Pocket God’s help menu.
The Herald reports how some Polynesians find the depiction of islanders disgusting and degrading.
As a Christian I’m not sure where to start on this one:
- There is a certain irony that all powerful Pocket God needs a help manual
- I’m not suprised how popular it is – since Adam we’ve wanted to grasp after power like this
- the game majors on being cruel and capricious – tapping into our fears that God is not loving and wants to oppress us, while exposing our own darker desires to dominate all before us
- how different would the game be if you could become an islanders, sacrifice yourself for their sake, and restore the broken world? pocket God would never do that though…
Thoughts?
July 10, 2009 at 12:45 am
It’s a harmless iPod app. I have it and LOVE it. The racist business is junk, they never meant to portray pacific islanders. Oh, and did you know that you can do nice stuff for them? Like, give them a fishing pole to go fishing, give them a celebration dance, give them food, let them rest, Help them fend off an evil T. Rex, and even let them go to the bathroom! It’s not real power, it’s just a game. I’m no huge christian, but I believe in god, and think about this: By developing this harmless application, you can take your stress out on fake little people rather than how some people turn to murder, which God would obviously not approve of. The idea of the game is that you can control whatever on your little islands, not showing how the developers think of god. The name “Pocket God” simply explains that you have power similar to what “god” would have – If you believe in god, no doubt would you know that he could whip up a storm if he wanted to… look at Noah’s Ark! Maybe it’s similar to that, except slightly more humorous things that need to be punished(such as the pygmies constantly farting and picking their noses). This game is awesome, and if you do have an iPod, you should really get the game before criticizing it.
July 10, 2009 at 10:19 am
Thanks Liam
I did get it. It is fun. Somehow though feeding them fish isn’t as much fun as dangling them over the shark or flicking them into a volcano. And you’re right – better to flick an islander into a volcano than a workmate. But it does tell me something about myself – that if I had the power to flick them into a volcano I just might – & I’m glad that the one who has the power to do that to us is more gracious and kind than I would be.
Michael
PS thanks for picking nose & farting tip – I hadn’t noticed that – my 8 year old will love it
July 11, 2009 at 5:09 am
Thanks for the response
I would definitely say that, if the pygmies were REAL people, I would never be flicking them into the volcano. But, since they’re virtual, it’s fine with me – and besides, when you press the plus button they come back – reincarnation.