Forget the Super Mario Bros. For the first time ever, gamers are about to experience the Super Miracle Bro.
Sorry, we couldn't resist. But it's true: a new video game will allow gamers to play the role of Jesus and perform miracles just like Christ does in the Bible.
The game, titled "I Am Jesus Christ," is purported to be the world’s first game that allows gamers to step into the well-worn sandals of Christianity’s savior.
You, too, can walk on water, turn water into wine, and heal the sick, just as Jesus did!
The game's trailer shows what it's like to walk the world as Christ:
Simulating Jesus
“Are you prepared to fight with Satan in the desert, cure the sick and help the needy?” the game’s Steam page asks. "Perform over 30 iconic miracles from the feeding of the 5,000 and healing lepers to the calming of the sea and giving sight to the blind.”
Call it the original JRPG (that is to say, Jesus RPG). Gamers will play as Jesus through all the major events of Christ's life as seen in the New Testament, from baptism to crucifixion.
The relevant scripture even pops up in the game when you’re on a mission lifted straight from the Bible.
Along the way, Jesus will engage in RPG-style side quests helping Judean locals with various tasks and leveling up his powers. Per the creators, it sounds like players will eventually battle Satan in the desert.
A Sincere Effort
The creators of the game seem sincere about this mission to create a Jesus RPG.
The CEO of the company behind the game, Maksym Vysochanskiy, says that “basically, over 20 years ago, I was so inspired by computer-animated movies like Shrek and Toy Story that I thought, ‘It would be great to make such a movie about Jesus Christ.’”
Over time the idea morphed into a video game where gamers could roleplay as Jesus.
There are countless books and films about Jesus, he says. Why not a game?
The developers recognize that the game has "meme potential" – that is, some people might play the game in order to mock it and share their jokes on the internet.
However, the developers say they feel called to the project, mockery or not, and hope to faithfully retell the story of Jesus in video game form.
Playing on God Mode
Whether performing miracles and battling Satan will resonate with gamers is yet to be seen.
Surely there's a market out there for gamers who will try it as a lark, but early reactions seem skeptical that the gameplay and graphics will hold up against the scores of popular games available to gamers today.
Still, the developers seem to think that there’s demand out there for their Jesus Christ simulator, both in the already faithful and in potential converts eager to learn about the King of Kings through his own eyes.
What do you think? Will the journey of Jesus resonate with gamers? Is Jesus Christ about to join Mario and Pikachu as the next gaming icon, or is this a bad idea?
57 comments
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Thomas Payette
I think this game has the potential to teach, reach, and inform the newer online gaming generation with an alternative to the killing, criminal, bloody gaming world. Live the simulated life of Jesus and perform the healing miracles. Role play in a game that involves caring, loving, and helping fellow people is a far different option from what seems to be popular. It gives parents of children an opportunity to allow their children to play a game that promotes the values they wish to teach.
I hope this is successful and becomes a popular game.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
You do realize the game is a satire about Christianity. It mocks the Bible and Christian beliefs.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
So in that game can Jesus have an orgy with his apostles, while Mary & Joseph watch intently while pigging out on buttered popcorn?
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Douglas Robert Spindler
@Carl Bernard Elfstrom Absolutely while God videos orgy and adds to his collection. And don't forget all of the young children Jesus will invite.
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Burruss Scott Williams
how do know this ws made to mock Christianity, after reading this it reminded of the original reason for the game Oregon Trail, that was a teaching tool, I read where some people came up with a Hajj game for Muslims,
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Douglas Robert Spindler
@Burruss Scott Williams There has been a covert moment over the past decade to create video games, movies and web content which when viewed by adults appear to have Christian values. But when played/viewed by younger audiences mocks Christians and Christian beliefs. It’s like hidden Mickey’s with Disney. When the kids find them they have a good laugh and don’t tell the adults. The kids see the Christian Adults as being so dumb to be focused on seeing the Christian beliefs they miss the real meaning which is to mock their beliefs.
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JT of the plains
I think this game also has a potential to teach. The trailer did not seem to be mocking or making fun. Obviously, a trailer is not the whole thing, but I will check it out when it is available
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Bishop William Dusenberry, DD
When I was a freshman, in a Comparative Cultures class, we developed a game called “Crucify” which was a takeoff of the game “Hangman’ only we’d crucify those in the game, instead of hang them.
We had “thorns on the head” and “spear in the side” besides getting nailed in both hands and feet.
What fascinated those of us in the crucify game — is that we realized that Jesus was committing suicide (altruistic) by allowing himself to be tortured to death, and we found fault with Jesus’s father (the Christian God) for arranging to have his son murdered, then blaming it on Judas and the Romans; the Romans subsequently blamed Jesus’s murder on the Jews.
As a bishop, with a DD, and four ULC doctorates (whose been sainted twice) I strongly recommend “crucify” instead of hangman, because it’s much more interesting.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
When one has to brag about their achievements, “a bishop, with a DD, and four ULC doctorates (whose been sainted twice” people wonder why you have to do it?
Do you tell this to any young people? I’m sure they can’t help but laugh when you say you are “a bishop, with a DD”. I’m thinking you don’t know what that means.
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Bishop William Dusenberry, DD
Douglas appears to envy my bishopship, from the Universal Life Church, my two doctorates of divinity, and my doctorates in theology, metaphysics, epistemology and free-thought.
And, the fact that I’ve been sainted twice, is another reason Douglas appears to envy my ULC credentials.
Which is understandable— those with few or no credentials — rather than get some credentials of their own — they try to undermine the credentials of others, and in the process conclude they’ve elevated themselves.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
@William Dusenberry. Well my son I am an award winning Professor Reverend; you very well might have been one of my students. William Dusenberry I assure you I have no bishopship envy.
While you may have paid for several degrees and paid to be have sainted twice. Appears something you did not learn is that God wants you to be humble. God has told us over and over not to make things up and be humble about one’s accomplishments. You might want to return to school to learn the lesions you missed.
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Rev'd Andrew
Poor "professor reverend" Spindler appears to lack the ability to detect both humor and irony.
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Michael Anderson
The detector is down but the amplifier is turned to 11!
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Rev. Dr. G. Waldron
It is most unfortunate that you post on here. I of course disagree with everything you say, but’s free speech is allowed on this site regardless of hurt, shame or discrimination.
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Pastor Jim
Rev. Waldron... free speech is sacred and "hurt, shame or discrimination" are all choices the listener makes to my free speech. I say what I feel but I rarely intend to hurt anyone, anyway. Personally, I feel those who choose to be hurt or otherwise offended by something I say are reminiscent of snowflakes looking for a place to melt.
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Rev. Dr. G. Waldron
Pastor, my comments were not directed to you. They were directed to William Dusenberry's comments.
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Pastor Jim
Regardless Rev., when one makes statements that are slanted such as your comment to William Dusenbury's original comment, I must exercise my right to free speech.
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
Can you get "quality time" with Mary Magdalene?
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Absolutely. And be sure to check out the other (non-Christian) fun you can have in the game. It’s a hoot - Really mocks Christians and Christian beliefs.
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John D. Partin
What have Mary Magdalene or the Virgin Mary or Jesus done against you that would make you mock and insult them and say "can you get 'quality time' with Mary Magdalene"? Why would you take your resentment against pretentious and hateful "Christians" out on them, when those people never listened to Jesus Christ or only twisted and distorted what He said to make it fit their agenda. So, these false "Christians" aren't Jesus' fault and He and the saints don't deserve ridicule because of them. That doesn't make any sense at all for you and other people to be doing that and is, clearly, not doing unto others as you would have others do unto you. That's all that I feel like casting any pearls before swine or wasting any fairness and reasons on Christ haters today, but I tried to do what I could to reach out and get through to you and am not responsible for your and your ilk's keeping your minds closed and refusing to listen and try to understand, which is all on you.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
John, it sounds like it would be a lot of fun for non Christians, who have been offended by that evil christian religion. I'd very much like to play it. I can think of a lot of really hilarious things to make Jesus do in that game. Ofcourse, I don't think he really ever existed, and the bible is a very twisted comic book. So it's just good, clean fun.
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John D. Partin
Do you also "think" that it would be "a lot of fun" to trip people on crutches or in wheelchairs, who have done nothing against you, down several flights of stairs?!! Or to lead blind people across the street and right into the path of oncoming cars?! Or toss a ball in front of cars in heavy traffic for kids to run out to get it?!! And you talk about the Bible and Christianity being "evil and twisted"?!! Clean up your own "thinking" and heart first by not saying that it "would be a lot of fun" to insult Jesus, Mary Magdalene, the Virgin Mary, and Saints, who have done nothing against you, because of what other people have done "in their name"? Or are your comments here just more of your usual unthinking, obnoxious, and sarcastic comments in your pose in here? Wise up to yourself and stop doing things to others that you wouldn't want to have done to yourself!! What goes around comes around---to you, too!! Reform your life and thinking, since this is certainly the best time of year for you to do so.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
J. Dolly Partin sounds like she's going through a bad case of PMS. I hope she gets over it soon, so she can go back to saying decent things.
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Dane
I am legitimately intrigued by the concept of this game, and will probably play it myself. Religion and mythology are often tapped for imagery to add to games, but I think this may be the first game that actually portrays the events described in a scripture. Looking forward to seeing it for myself. And I'm an atheist.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Dane, it sounds like you'll make an excellent ULC Minister.
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Paul Phillip Miller
I'm waiting for the LARP version of this game! sign me up
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James Riggle-Johnson
Press "R" to recharge your "Holy Spirit" energy? OMG... I see lots of pearl clutching in my future. hahahaha
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
And doesn't it say in the instructions to press "D" to destroy Christianity, and start a new game? I wish we could do that in real life.
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Douglas R. Reynolds
I don't claim to be an expert on Christianity, by any means, but isn't that, kinda, blasphemous?
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Reverend Lee Jackson
I fail to see the blasphemy. "Walk a mile in another man's shoes" is how the old saying goes, isn't it? Well, isn't this the ultimate test of that saying? I don't know if Jesus said it or not, but it sounds like something he would have said, and I don't think he would have exempted himself, especially if the effort to reproduce the shoes and the mile was a sincere one, which this one appears to be.
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Reverend Lee Jackson
I fail to see the blasphemy. "Walk a mile in another man's shoes" is how the old saying goes, isn't it? I don't know if Jesus actually said that, but it sounds like something he would have said, and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have exempted himself, especially if the attempt to recreate the shoes and the mile were sincere, which I believe they were.
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Ealdormon Piparskeggr Robinson
I'll stick with Dungeons & Dragons, Traveller and other such.
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
one thing I've noticed in the comments here at ulc, the more religious someone is the more convoluted, ungrammatical, un-punctuated and tautological their comments are. and the more self-righteous and upset they become the more their comments become almost entirely non-nonsensical
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
You're right, JJ! There are a lot of illiterate religious zealots on this blog. And their illiteracy seems to go hand in hand with their ignorant beliefs.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
@Carl Bernard Elfstrom And they claim to have one or more degrees from unaccredited institutions. Sad they so blinded by their religion they can't see or think.
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Colleen McAllister
Seems to trivialize a matter of eternity. But it might also be a way to teach a younger generation.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Has anyone here played the game called Let's All Sodomize Jesus?
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Larry Mager
WHERE can I get this game, please????????????????????????????????? I'd rather him play this than some of the REALLY violent games that he does.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Larry, I think they sell it at Toys R Us, right next to the Ouija boards.
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Joseph Lee Dunford
This game is available on Steam.
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Reverend Kurt
Oh goody the intellectuality challenged fanatics can now practise the basest of human endeavours, lust, rape, incest, paedophilia, theft, murder genocide and so on all in the game to perfect their perversions before going taking up practise in the real world. They won't feel guilty because in a game, you can go back and resurrect your characters. Hallelujah
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Donald J Rothschild Jr
Nailed it Rev Kurt
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Nicholas J Page
I'm not into gaming but why not use the old fashioned way send them or take them to a real place The Church. Games could give out the wrong teaching or lie.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Nicholas, I must be missing something, for my chess board has never said a word.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
I think it would be much better to play the game, and burn down all the churches.
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John D. Partin
You don't think at all or you wouldn't be saying that all the churches should be burned down, which is just some more ignorant comments from you and Nazi and Klan style book and synagogue and church burning and bombing idiocy!!!
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Pastor Jim
I am a universal-lifer who is truly convinced we are all children of the universe and I like the idea of the game. It is a comforting escape from the gratuitous killing, gore, and crime purported but the current style of role play gaming. I would like to see it published in other faiths, that we all might learn about other's beliefs.
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Donald J Rothschild Jr
“escape from the gratuitous killing…”. Take a real dive into the stories in the bible. There is more killing, incest, sex, crime etc. than most movies today. And yet the far right wants to ban/burn books they don’t agree with. They should add the Bible to their list of banned books that promote sex, violence, etc.
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Cheryl Pettijohn
I am skeptical about the motivation behind this game, however it could be used as a teaching tool or an attempt at relevancy to the plugged in generations. That doesn't bother me. I do worry about the potential for mocking others religions, though. I cannot judge the game on that as I have not played it. I think in this day of hateful rhetoric we need to be careful. Don't criticize another's belief's else you open yourself up to criticism about yours.
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Reverend Lee Jackson
I fail to see the blasphemy. "Walk a mile in another man's shoes" is how the old saying goes, isn't it? I don't know if Jesus actually said that, but it sounds like something he would have said, and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have exempted himself, especially if the attempt to recreate the shoes and the mile were sincere, which I believe they were.
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Stanley Mac Donald
Not the first god game ,, 20 years ago was black white https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_%26_White_(video_game) for setails
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Ehrman, I've listened quite intently to the stories of dull and ignorant ministers on this blog. That's why I do such a good job of putting them in their proper places.
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Andrew Paul Fisher
All for reaching out to the young but really … Grand Theft Jerusalem!!!!!
There’s simplifying the Word and then the potential for blasphemy
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Gene Schenck
This is stupid I have beaten the devil and am a close friend to Jesus for over 2000 years.
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Ashley K Dennison
I completely agree some people learn by playing games so maybe it is a good idea that they come out with it.
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John Heaven Concepcion
Why do you think it's even a game?
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