17 Most Violent Video Game Moments Of The Decade (So Far)

2. White Phosphorous - Spec-Ops: The Line

Speaking of realistic violence, Spec-Ops goes to some pretty startling lengths to make a comment on desensitisation and the continued effects of war and conflict on the human psyche.

The now-iconic 'white phosphorous' scene is most indicative of this - especially as it plays on the AC-130 'gunship view' that we all enjoyed back in COD 4: Modern Warfare. Times have most definitely changed in regards to drones carrying out some truly horrific acts of war, and Spec-Ops addressed this by giving you the option to drop the incendiary chemical over what you thought were only packs of enemy troops.

Instead, just as your inbuilt nature to target many foes at once leads to killing a huge group in one go, it's revealed the heat signatures were actually innocent civilians taking refuge, the lasting image being a mother with their child who were both killed when the rounds dropped.