New Testament themed video game ‘I Am Jesus Christ’ lets gamers portray Jesus
A New Testament inspired role-playing video game called "I Am Jesus Christ" is set to be released early next year and will allow gamers to portray Jesus Christ.
Polish game developer PlayWay released a trailer for “I am Jesus Christ” on YouTube Dec. 6 and shows how gamers can play out events in Jesus' life such as performing miracles for points. The game also depicts the crucifixion and Jesus' resurrection as the stone is rolled away from the tomb.
“‘I am Jesus Christ’ is a realistic simulator game inspired by stories from the New Testament of the Bible,” a description of the game reads on Steam, the site that will distribute the video game. “Check if you can perform all famous miracles from the Bible like Jesus Christ. It is a simulation game and you can try to save the world as He did. Are you ready to fight with Satan in the desert, exorcising demons and curing sick people? Or calm the storm in the sea?”
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Twitter user Angerbeard gave the game “gold” reviews and said the game features a fight with Satan, baptisms, and the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit.
The features on I Am Jesus Christ are gold. "Realistic fight with Satan" pic.twitter.com/gJGtadc3ne
— Angerbeard (@AngerbeardTV) December 7, 2019
A trailer for the game has been viewed on YouTube more than 440,000 times but is receiving mixed reviews.
The Rev. Christopher J. Benek, an internationally recognized expert in emerging technology and theology who is pastor and CEO of CoCreators, said he believes the game can be a good thing for video game players.
“With more than 2 billion gamers in the world and such a large percentage of the world’s population identifying as Christian, it makes sense that developers would create a video game that seeks to tap into people’s source of ultimate meaning,” Benek told The Christian Post in a Tuesday interview about “I Am Jesus Christ.”
“Since Christian discipleship involves the process of formation in Christ, it seems reasonable that a Christian themed video game would seek to model this formation as well. The Apostles themselves sought to heal people, performed miracles, and even raise people from the dead.”
Benek said Christian themed video games have historically had notoriously poor gameplay, and bad storylines, so he encouraged the churched to embrace new ventures such as this game.
“Creating new ways to teach people formational Christian behavior using emerging technology is essential to the future flourishing of the church,” he said.
“Personally, I would very much like to see more virtue-based iterations in the tech community. I am glad to see that there are developers with religious inklings willing to brave into this rapidly expanding technological territory,” Benek added.
“I Am Jesus Christ” has not released further details on its release date but Steam’s description says that it's "coming soon."
