Videogamers are not a single group. Some of us are Republicans, gay, disabled, ethnic minorities, not from America, or even Christian. So as I followed a Game Politics story about a couple of blogs taking issue with EA's crass publicity stunt in which they hired actors to pretend to be outraged Christians, I was delighted to discover a review of Soulcalibur IV on a blog called Catholic Videogamers.

One of the contributors is Andy Kirchoff, a seminary student. He'll be a priest in six years. And he's an avid player of Soulcalibur IV. In his review, he brings up Pope Benedict's 2007 address to the media, in which the latest Vicar of Christ said:

any trend to produce programs and products - including animated films and video games - which in the name of entertainment exalt violence and portray anti-social behavior or the trivialization of human sexuality, is a perversion

So right off the bat, the Pope has all but condemed this game, right? Kirchoff expresses his own reservations about Soulcalibur's portrayal of violence and especially sexuality. But he is undeterred. He writes:

As creatures, we're actively engaged, whether we like it or not, in a battle between good and evil; the various characters in the game often find themselves unwilling participants in the same struggle. I found this particular premise to be particularly compelling when I first played Soul Calibur II on the Gamecube, and even now, as a 20-something seminarian, I STILL do.

You go, Andy! Now that's a theologian for you, in the proud Judeo-Christian tradition of wrestling with authority without dismissing it. Jacob himself would be proud.

Also, I can't help but chuckle at the mental image I get from this bit of Kirchoff's review:

Whether I was clashing virtual weapons with CPU foes or battling with my brother seminarians, I had plenty of moments of distraught frustration after harsh losses alongside the triumphant satisfaction emanating from moments of victory.

There's a difference, of course, between a monastery and a seminary, but when Kirchoff calls them "brother seminarians", I can't help but think of a bunch of monks playing Soulcalibur. in fact, here's Allen Martin, a Carmelite Friar and one of the contributors to the site:

I want to play Soulcalibur against that guy. No joke. Let's go, Brother Martin. You and me. You can even take Mitsurugi.

Whether you're Catholic or not, Kirchoff's take on Soulcalibur IV is a great read. Videogamers tend to cluster into small and insular echo chambers, usually based around message boards and fan communities. Because of this, I feel it's important that we see the games we play through other people's eyes.

Unfortunately, it seems that Kirchoff is mainly interested in JRPGs. I hope he and his other contributors will write about a wider range of games (says the guy who's been writing about The Sims 3 for going on three weeks now). But thanks for the blog, guys. Consider yourselves bookmarked and keep up the great work!