This level in last year's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 raised serious concerns about how much is too much in a game.

Last year, it was rumored that the next Call of Duty installment would contain objectionable content. While a few of the levels include civilians and the consequences of shooting them ends with the level restarting there is one level that undoubtedly raised a few eyebrows.

The controversial game level involves a U.S. soldier (tapped to be part of a special undercover, infilitration assignment that’s a black ops  unit) partaking in a rather gruesome attack on innocent civilians at a Russian airport.  It was part of his assignment, not that we’d ever put Americans operatives in a situation in which they’d be responsible for the mass slaughter of civilians. Definitely wouldn’t play well for the human pysche that’s for sure.

Luckily, the game developer, Infinity Ward, gave users the option of ignoring the level all together when a new game (starting completely over).  Those with a weak stomach, or would have issue with such a level and ignore it and act as if never happened. 

While I understand, and appreciate, the move to give users the option of ignoring an entire level, I have to wonder just what it else is going to be taken to the politically correct level. In COD: MW2, we’ve replaced religious extremists with Russian terrorists who get the keys to the nukes and launch an attack on the United States.

Having played that level, I can understand the problem. It is graphic. You’re an American, slaughtering innocent civilians there is something morally wrong with that. There are moral convictions. International law would prevent any legitimate operative from participating in such an event. But if the operative was legit, that would take the meaning away from the game.

And honestly, the level was all for naught. It doesn’t take away from the game play or story. The level ends with the operative getting shot by the Russian terrorist leader. So it begs the question, was the controversial level even needed? Probably not.