Using morphine injections to heighten senses and perform devastating attacks might cause some problems for Velvet Assassin, SouthPeak and Replay Studio’s WWII stealth action game, when it comes time to reveal their wares to various videogame ratings boards, the notoriously nitpicky gatekeepers of distribution. Other high-profile games have bowed to the pressure, removing references to real life drugs to prevent banning, so will Velvet Assassin do the same? In an e-mail statement sent to MTV Multiplayer, SouthPeak product marketing manager Aubrey Norris stuck to her proverbial guns, defending the decision to include the controversial drug references as a matter of historical accuracy and artistic integrity.
“One of ‘Velvet Assassin’’s strongest features is the emphasis on retaining as much historical accuracy as possible,” explained Norris. “It’s a well known fact that morphine was widely used as a pain killer for wounded operatives and soldiers on all sides of the war. Not only does it fit the realism of the game, but it also plays an integral role in the actual gameplay experience. Use of morphine in the game is not meant to condone drug abuse, but to reflect the realistic nature of the game and true to life historical factors.”
“It is incredibly important to us that the artistic integrity of the developer (Replay Studios) is upheld in every aspect,” she continued. “Additionally, the spirit of the game centers on players experiencing the life of a British operative behind enemy lines through Violette’s memories. In order to provide players with the most realistic and visceral experiences, Replay Studios has gone to great lengths to adhere to the facts history has provided. These reasons are why we decided to include and keep morphine in ‘Velvet Assassin.’”
We wish Velvet Assassin the best of luck fighting the Nazis.
