A short while ago, the video game Ryse: Son of Rome was released to the horror of every historian and casual history buff.

The game includes carbon fibre armour, "Saving Private Flavius and Boudicca laying siege to Rome with WAR ELEPHANTS.

So yeah, not the most historically accurate game, but many people would say "Oh it's just a game, just enjoy it", but many of us would say "Nah" and just pick apart everything for funsies, getting angrier by the second.

So yeah, even without playing it, it makes my stomach hurt seeing this game.

However, i was faced with my own hipocrisy.

One of the most fun games i've played is Shadow of Rome.

It's fuckin' ridiculous. In this game, famed Roman General Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa is a centurion, who wants to save his father from being wrongfully executed for the murder of Caesar and decides to take part in massive gladiatorial games to win a chance of saving his dad. Meanwhile, Octavianus skulks around Rome, spying on Senators and other important people, trying to learn who Caesars murderers are.

I mean... the game is just over the top silly (watch this video if you don't believe me.) and is obviously barely historically accurate (we have Marcus Antonius fighting with a giant golden anime sword.... and just about everything really).

So why does the bad history in this game bother me less than it does in Ryse? It's a personal issue that i still haven't resolved to be honest, and i haven't even played Ryse. Why did i get so annoyed with Ryse when one of my favorite games has a Marcus Antonius fighting with a giant anime sword on a flaming ship?

So, where do you draw the line between what you enjoy and what makes you feel personally insulted? Have you ever been in the same situation as i am, felt the same dillema?

Why do i, or you even, get so angry at Braveheart, but give 300 a pass, even though both are disgustingly innacurate, and in the case of 300. insanely racist (i'm really starting to hate that movie now honestly). Or do you not give ANY movie a free pass?

Disscuss o: