Under Siege (2005 video game)
| Under Siege | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Afkar Media |
| Publisher(s) | Dar al-Fikr |
| Designer(s) | Radwan Kasmiya |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release | 2005 |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Under Siege (Taht-al-hissar تحت الحصار) is a sequel to the video game Under Ash designed by Radwan Kasmiya. Like Under Ash, it is a first-person shooter, with the option of playing the game as a third-person shooter. The game focuses on the lives of a Palestinian family between 1999 and 2002 during the second Intifada. The player shoots at Israeli Defense Force soldiers throughout most of the game. Shooting at civilians or otherwise hurting them ends the game.[1]
The game has been described as a docugame, since all the game levels are based on actual events documented by United Nations records (1978–2004).[2]
Under Siege is about the modern history of Palestine and it focuses on the lives of five Palestinian family members, during the second Intifada 1999–2002.
- Ahmad, a young man who believes in using armed struggle to solve his people's problems.
- Khaled, an ex-freedom fighter who cooperates with Israeli intelligence because he sees no other way of helping to end the conflict.
- Mary, Khaled's wife and Ahmed's sister, who is meant to symbolize the plight of Palestinian women.
- Mann, a 13-year-old boy whose school is frequently closed due to occupation orders.
- Abu Himam, an old veteran who reminds his fellows of the importance of the Palestinian national struggle.
The game was released in three versions:
- UnderSiege "path to freedom" 2006 Arabic only.
- UnderSiege "remnant of human" 2007 Arabic only.
- UnderSiege Golden Edition 2008, English & Arabic.
In 2013, the Golden Edition was released for free on the Afkar Media website, accompanied by a message saying "RIP Under Ash".
References
External links
- Official homepage
- Afkar Media, The Developer
- Article at Water Cooler Games
- Interview with Radwan Kasmiya, author of Under Siege
Academic Sources
- Digital Intifada, article about Afkar Media's games
- Digital Arabs: Representation in Video Games