Not Russian Roulette (Roblox)

Surprisingly, Roblox allows a lot of violence in games. There is a cut-off obviously, but for a platform that was initially geared toward children, they’ve always allowed it. Back before I started playing, I always thought it went against Roblox’s TOS. However, the official rules merely state only “realistic depictions of extreme gore” are forbidden from the platform. 

But how much is too much? And what is considered “realistic”? Finding the line between “excessive” and “acceptable” is something that developers have long sought the answers to. Just go to their developer forums, and you’ll find loads of game creators asking how much gore is allowed in their game. The answers are always vague, because Roblox is a lot like the MPAA: There are no set limits. It’s a collection of arbitrary rules and values that can change from one day - or one developer - to the next.

I don't know about realistic, but the gore is extreme.

But there is one category that the company has a clear, no tolerance policy for: Suicide and self harm. The seriousness of this was proven when the popular game “Breaking Point” was temporarily taken down for featuring a game mode based on “Russian roulette”. A game that features several other game modes where the entire point is to kill everyone else in your server. And that was nominated for a Bloxy award a few years back.

That hasn’t stopped developers from trying to slip it between the cracks. A game simply titled “Russian Roulette” made rounds a couple of years ago before getting banned. Yet copies of it continue to pop up, even to this day. This is no doubt the result of open game code, allowing anyone to replicate the game, with little effort. If nothing else, it proves the primitive nature of Roblox’s moderation. Shouldn’t a game directly titled after bannable content immediately flag the system? 

The game itself is simple: Everyone in the server (a max of 8 people) sit around a table. The surrounding room is appropriately grungy and monochrome. One-by-one players are handed a revolver containing a single bullet. When it’s their turn, players can either opt to spin the barrel, or fire the gun straight away. If their lucky, the gun doesn’t go off. If they’re not, they die instantly.

What might make this even more disturbing than “Breaking Point” is the level of gore involved. It might be the most violent game on the platform. Every time the gun goes off, the unfortunate victim’s head explodes, causing a five-second cascade of blood to fountain from the wound. Chunks of what remain land everywhere, often ending up on the table for the remaining contestants to see. The bodies eventually disappear, but the blood stays on the ground, a sobering reminder of the fate that will befall every contestant but one.

The silly upgrades seem out of place.

To call it “disturbing” feels too light; it borders on psychological torture. When players exit the game during their turn, the in-game caption reads “[players name] couldn’t handle the stress.” And “stressful” is a perfect handle to describe it. Even though the game uses players’ avatars - which are often ridiculous and silly - it doesn’t make the events any less jarring. Even knowing the stakes are confined to a video game won’t prevent you from sweating every time it’s your turn. It won’t prevent you from releasing a breath of air every time your character survives, or tensing up when the gun goes off, revealing your bloody fate.

This is one of those games that clearly shouldn’t exist on a platform that is geared toward children, and where the maximum rating is “13+”. It’s the type of game Roblox should ban. But it also speaks to the amateurish grade of their moderation that games like it keep popping up. How are they not immediately detected? 

And yet, part of me admires it. It’s dark. It’s disturbing. It’s intense. In terms of emotional connection, it’s everything a horror game should be. It hits notes that not even the most unexpected jumpscares can replicate. If you’re not at least partially affected by it, you should see a psychiatrist immediately. 

The main thing holding it back is the near-complete lack of interactivity. Unlike “Breaking Point”, there are no other game modes. There is no skill involved. Game play simply consists of selecting “Fire” or “Spin and Fire” when it’s the player’s turn, and nothing else. I don’t know if I could call such a disturbing game “boring”, but it doesn’t encourage long-term play.

Then again, in this case, it’s probably a good thing.

RATING: 5.5/10