History Trivia / Mercenaries

** Venezuela went even further than just banning the game: Hugo Chavez, who mistakenly believed that it was about assassinating him, denounced all video games as "poison" on his live TV show. His party would use the game as an excuse to ban [[MurderSimulator "video games about war and killing"]], a ban that still exists to this day.

** Both games make efforts to avoid offending their targets, but it wasn't really enough; particularly when a cheat code allows for Han Solo to run around North Korea, blowing up temples and monuments. Both games caught flak from western game reviewers for this reason (''EGM'' in 2005, and ''WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation'' in 2008).

** In the case of South Korea, it is not so much about taking offense as it is about political tension: The Koreas are still ''technically'' in a state of war, so any media without a strong historical basis which portrays them fighting is just too risky to allow, even if South Korea itself is portrayed as the good guys. Particularly when the game developers used to sell training sims to the U.S. military, something both North Korea and Venezuela were ''very'' quick to point out when denouncing the games, with some Venezuelan leaders even going so far as to accuse Pandemic and EA of attempting to train kids into soldiers ready to invade Venezuela themselves!

** In the case of South Korea, it is not so much about taking offense as it is about political tension: The Koreas are still *technically* in a state of war, so any media without a strong historical basis which portrays them fighting is just too risky to allow. Particularly when the game developers used to sell training sims to the U.S. military.

* TheDanza: Creator/JenniferHale plays Jennifer Mui.

** Both games make efforts to avoid offending their targets, but it isn't really enough; particularly when a cheat code allows for Han Solo to run around North Korea, blowing up temples and monuments. Both games caught flak from western game reviewers for this reason (''EGM'' in 2005, and ''WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation'' in 2008).

* TroubledProduction: ''World in Flames'' was one of many games that suffered under EA's need for constant releases and was released in a very unpolished state as a result which really hurt its commercial and critical reception.

* TroubledProduction: ''World in Flames'' was one of many games that suffered under EA's need for constant releases and was released in a very unpolished state as a result.

** In the case of South Korea, it is not so much about offence as it is about political tension: the Koreas are still *technically* in a state of war, so any media without a strong historical basis which portrays them fighting is just too risky to allow. Particularly when the game developers used to sell training sims to the U.S. military.

** In the case of South Korea, it is not so much about offence as it is about political tension: the Koreas are still *technically* in a state of war, so any media without a strong historical basis which portrays them fighting is just too risky to allow. Particularly when the game devlopers used to sell training sims to the U.S. military.

* HeyItsThatVoice: Creator/JenniferHale ([[Franchise/MetalGear Naomi]], [[Franchise/MassEffect Fem!Shep]]) plays Jen Mui, Creator/PeterStormare (Hollywood's choice for anyone of [[FakeNationality vague European background]]) plays Mattias, and Creator/PhilLaMarr ([[{{DCAU}} Green Lantern]], SamuraiJack) plays Jacobs. The original also had Carl Weathers as the Allied Nations commander.
** Rebecca Sanabria is one of the resistance fighters who offers you contracts. Who? She's also known for bragging about having the biggest balls in [[SaintsRow Stillwater]].
** In the Spanish version, Mattias is [[TheSimpsons Homer Simpson]].
** Bruce [=McGill=] and James Hong, anyone?
** Blanco is acted by Greg Eagles, the actor of Grim from {{The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy}} and Gray Fox from the original version of {{Metal Gear Solid}}.

* FollowTheLeader: ''World In Flames'' was a hot mess. It tries a little too hard to be the ''VideoGame/JustCause'' series (grappling hook) without improving on the previous game's shortcomings at all. In fact, it even removed some elements of ''[=PoD=]''.

** Blanco is acted by Greg Eagles, the actor of Grim from {{The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy}} and Gray Fox in the original version of {{Metal Gear Solid}}.

** Blanco is acted by Greg Eagles, the actor of Grim from {{The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy}} and Gray Fox in the original version of {{Metal Gear Solid}}.

** Blanco is acted by {{Greg Eagles}}, the actor of Grim from {{The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy}} and Gray Fox in the original version of {{Metal Gear Solid}}.

** Blanco is acted by {{Greg Eagles}}, the actor of Grim from {{The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy)) and Gray Fox in the original version of ((Metal Gear Solid}}.

* BannedInChina: Thinking of picking up ''Playground of Destruction'' in the Koreas or ''World in Flames'' in Venezuela? Don't bother. Both games make efforts to avoid offending their targets, but it isn't really enough; particularly when a cheat code allows for Han Solo to run around North Korea, blowing up temples and monuments. Both games caught flak from western game reviewers for this reason (''EGM'' in 2005, and ''WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation'' in 2008).

* HeyItsThatVoice: Creator/JenniferHale ([[Franchise/MetalGear Naomi]], [[Franchise/MassEffect Fem!Shep]]) plays Jen Mui, Creator/PeterStormare (Hollywood's choice for anyone of [[FakeNationality vague European background]]) plays Mattias, and PhilLaMarr ([[{{DCAU}} Green Lantern]], SamuraiJack) plays Jacobs. The original also had Carl Weathers as the Allied Nations commander.

* HeyItsThatVoice: Creator/JenniferHale ([[Franchise/MetalGear Naomi]], [[Franchise/MassEffect Fem!Shep]]) plays Jen Mui, PeterStormare (Hollywood's choice for anyone of [[FakeNationality vague European background]]) plays Mattias, and PhilLaMarr ([[{{DCAU}} Green Lantern]], SamuraiJack) plays Jacobs. The original also had Carl Weathers as the Allied Nations commander.

* HeyItsThatVoice: JenniferHale ([[Franchise/MetalGear Naomi]], [[Franchise/MassEffect Fem!Shep]]) plays Jen Mui, PeterStormare (Hollywood's choice for anyone of [[FakeNationality vague European background]]) plays Mattias, and PhilLaMarr ([[{{DCAU}} Green Lantern]], SamuraiJack) plays Jacobs. The original also had Carl Weathers as the Allied Nations commander.

* HeyItsThatVoice: JenniferHale ([[Franchise/MetalGear Naomi]], [[Franchise/MassEffect Fem!Shep]]) plays Jen Mui, Peter Stormare (Hollywood's choice for anyone of [[FakeNationality vague European background]]) plays Mattias, and PhilLaMarr ([[{{DCAU}} Green Lantern]], SamuraiJack) plays Jacobs. The original also had Carl Weathers as the Allied Nations commander.

* BannedInChina: Thinking of picking up ''Playground of Destruction'' in the Koreas or ''World in Flames'' in Venezuela? Don't bother. Both games make efforts to avoid offending their targets, but it isn't really enough; particularly when a cheat code allows for Han Solo to run around North Korea, blowing up temples and monuments. Both games caught flak from western game reviewers for this reason (''EGM'' in 2005, and ''ZeroPunctuation'' in 2008).