Under Ash
Encyclopedia
Under Ash is a first-person shooter
sometimes explained to be a response to how Arab
s are pictured in computer games in general and America's Army
in particular. Like America's Army, it is considered to be video game propaganda
; however, it differs from America's Army in that it is not available free.
The player takes the role of Ahmed, a Palestinian
opposed to Israel
i occupation ("Zionists"
). Through the course of the game, Ahmed progresses from throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers to destroying Israeli military positions. The game has been criticized for being too hard, and is designed so that it's easy to be killed. If you shoot a civilian, the game ends automatically. In the end it isn't even possible to achieve a victory.
The game was published by Dar al-Fikr, a Syria
n publishing company, and the first pressing of ten thousand copies sold out in a week.
Its relevance to the fighting in the Middle East
makes it a controversial video game. The developers say it was made with a similar motive to Delta Force
and America's Army
.
Under Ash was followed up with Under Siege.
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
sometimes explained to be a response to how Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
s are pictured in computer games in general and America's Army
America's Army
America's Army is a series of video games and other media developed by the United States Army and released as a global public relations initiative to help with recruitment. America's Army was conceived by Colonel Casey Wardynski and is managed by the U.S...
in particular. Like America's Army, it is considered to be video game propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
; however, it differs from America's Army in that it is not available free.
The player takes the role of Ahmed, a Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
opposed to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i occupation ("Zionists"
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
). Through the course of the game, Ahmed progresses from throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers to destroying Israeli military positions. The game has been criticized for being too hard, and is designed so that it's easy to be killed. If you shoot a civilian, the game ends automatically. In the end it isn't even possible to achieve a victory.
The game was published by Dar al-Fikr, a Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n publishing company, and the first pressing of ten thousand copies sold out in a week.
Its relevance to the fighting in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
makes it a controversial video game. The developers say it was made with a similar motive to Delta Force
Delta Force (computer game)
Delta Force is a tactical first-person shooter computer game by developer and publisher NovaLogic. It was released for Microsoft Windows in 1998...
and America's Army
America's Army
America's Army is a series of video games and other media developed by the United States Army and released as a global public relations initiative to help with recruitment. America's Army was conceived by Colonel Casey Wardynski and is managed by the U.S...
.
Under Ash was followed up with Under Siege.
External links
- UnderAsh.net (in ArabicArabic languageArabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
with some English) - University on Video game propaganda
- The Developers website
- Interview with Radwan Kasmiya
Academic resources
- Digital Intifada, article about Afkar Media's games
- Digital Arabs: Representation in Video Games