No Religion: Religions in gaming is bad
Modern DAy Still Practiced Religion: Realism and Ability to relate (Civ 4, COD4)
Anchient Mythology: Cool Epics (Too Human, God Of War)
MAde up Religion: (ie 9 Divine of Oblvion or The Force of Star Wars)

Depends on if it makes the game better or not, and if it's done in good taste.

I'd say all three kinds, having a religion of any kind in your game gives it more depth and background which can make a game more interesting to play.

Where's the option "Whatever makes the game good?"

same as the above

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Can you guess what I am going to say next...

Generally, don't base a game around religion, but you don't have to rule it out. For example, God of War used the religion of the Ancient Greeks really well.

it really depends on the setting and story of the game.

Religion is a vitally important feature of a game setting. Of course, not all games need to have it, but there's nothing wrong with including religion as part of a setting.

If the game takes place in the real world, real religions are fine, most games are based in fictional settings, so the religion is fictional as well.

who cares, its a game... any religon is fine.

Yeah, I think this is probably a topic that's been done before and it tends to boil down to a shouting match between atheists, muslims and hardcore christians...lets just avoid that, entirely...

Let developers talk about religion in games if they want to.
I couldn't care less really.
The good thing about fictional religions is that you can be very politically incorrect about them and nobody will ever give a damn.

I think I'll agree with most of the posts thus far: As long as it fits the game's setting and storyline, then whatever works.

Where is the secret cult dedicated to worshipping me option?

I've got no problem with ancient or made up religions. Civ 4 and COD 4 don't seem to take a stand on religion, so that's fine. I think a game that's anti or pro-any religion is weird. It just feels out of place in a game if you focus on something so pervasive in everyday life. It's like advertising in games, but weirder.

any religion is fine!!

I chose the made up religion although I see nothing wrong with ancient religions (if used properly and portrayed correctly or close to anyways). Titan quest had a good take on the Greek, Egyptian and Chinese religions, if I remember correctly, although not entirely correct portrayal but with a few twists to make it fit into the story of the game.

Generally I prefer no religions in games as they tend either to be a ham-fisted "religion is bad" metaphor, or in most RPGs just cookie-cutter saintly light vs demonic cults.

Brockyman:
Depends on if it makes the game better or not, and if it's done in good taste.

well i agree

You should have put a any religion option.

I think made up ones, expecially cults are good because then you have a new baddy to fight ^^

Well, made-up religions give you the benefit of having a religion in your game and provides opportunities for faith-based storylines without the hassle of dealing with backlash that comes from using real religions, but any option is good as long as it is done in good taste. I will admit that ancient mythology makes for cool epic stories, but you don't have much freedom in terms of original storylines. For example, a game based around Achilles would have it's story already made, so there would not be much room for new story unless you disregard the established mythos.

I'd like to see a religious beat em up between some of the major figures in world religion, or even some ancient ones. That would be a great game even though they couldn't even include Mohamed and Buddha wouldn't actually be able to hit anybody back.

Err...why don't you have another category "all the above depending on the story?" Each example you cite in your 'poll' has validity to it depending on how it is applied.

It's interesting how religions in games always follow archetypes: you've got your crazy occult cultists, your holy fanatics and champions of the light, and your spiritual, Buddhist types. Nothing in between, really.

The Shin Megami Tensei series uses both, modern and ancient religions.

We need more games with Hindu and Mesopotamian mythology.

wewontdie11:
I'd like to see a religious beat em up between some of the major figures in world religion, or even some ancient ones. That would be a great game even though they couldn't even include Mohamed and Buddha wouldn't actually be able to hit anybody back.

Adult Swim made a flash version of that, it's on their website www.adultswim.com It's okay, but pretty basic.

I wouldn't mind real world religion being used in games nor movies so much if Christianity wasn't portrayed so wrongly most of the time. I get really sick of the main villian being a religious nut. Also of games, TV shows and movies where the Christian character is portrayed as being uncool and dorky while the non-Christian characters are portrayed much more favorably. People of other faiths like Muslims, Buhdists etc. tend to be stereotyped in games and movies too. I know it's up to the writers and there is free speech and all of that, but considering the way religion is portrayed, I'd just as soon that no real religions are used. You can still way whatever you want about a religion or religion in general in a story by making up a fake religion that has certain characteristics. That's what good social fiction does, it says something about the real world but in an imaginative and indirect way.

Well, they've already made hundreds of games about populations being brainwashed, so i think religion is just another storyline floating around, waiting to be sucked dry.

i say put it in, especially in say RPGs... different religions and different degrees of orthodoxy affecting some aspects of your character...

Given religion is a core part of everyday existence for many people, yes.

There's no reason to censor such a huge part of our culture.

I would say that for storyline, religion is always a refreshing thing to see.
It adds to the depth in my opinion.

urprobablyright:
Well, they've already made hundreds of games about populations being brainwashed, so i think religion is just another storyline floating around, waiting to be sucked dry.

Well, it doesn't HAVE to just have the same ideas pulled out of it over and over. The elder scrolls series pulls it off pretty well. Just having it integrated rather than being the dominant theme is what i like.

Painkiller would have really sucked without religion.

Partially because of the entire premise being based on you destroying Hells minions, you know.

I am not religious at all, however i don't have a problem with it being portrayed in the media, be that music, games or films. It just makes interesting topic matter and the world would be a wore place without Indiana Jones *

* There are only 3 Indy films

btw did you know that paladins in WoW are christian?

If they are going to try and build a realistic world then they need to include religion. No matter where you go someone somewhere believes in a greater power in one form or another, religion is almost an instinctive defence mechanism for people.
Using real religions though should only be done in the case of games like Civ, if you are able to avoid real world religions and the troubles they can bring then great. It also gives the freedom to show religious intolerance, unrest and wars without insulting anyone's beliefs.