NZ Minister of Defence speaks out against Medal of Honor

Christchurch newspaper The Press has reported that New Zealand's Minister of Defence, Wayne Mapp, has spoken out against the upcoming release of the revamped Medal of Honor.

The upcoming first-person shooter will step out of the World War II theatre of war for the first time, instead adopting modern-day Afghanistan as its setting.  In fact, the game's adversarial multiplayer mode requires some players to assume the role of Taleban troops and fire upon coalition troops.

According to The Press, Mapp claims that the game is a direct insult to our armed services currently active in the region. "This game undermines the values of our nation, and the dedicated service of our men and women in uniform," he said. "Terrorist acts have caused the deaths of several New Zealanders."

Mapp is but the latest politician to criticise the upcoming game for its insensitivity. Game Console recently reported that British Defence Secretary Liam Fox told the BBC that he's calling on retailers to "ban this tasteless product". Electronic Arts president Frank Gibeau has responded that the game will release unaltered despite the mounting criticism.