Pick-axe to the head and shotgun to the face = solid fight choregraphy, not fetishist or sadistic. I hope you realize the ridiculousness of such a statement.
What's ridiculous about it? It's very eye-catching fight choreography and body language. Someone else said it was "too stylish."
The fact that this was discussed and debated show that tons of people had a problem with the way gamers approach violence. Like Faceless007 said, it's a discussion that's needed to be had for all games with gratuitous careless violence.
That discussion was never more likely to happen then during the recent school shootings when the focus of the entire world, the NRA, even the Vice President was focused squarely on violence in gaming.
The overwhelming majority decided it was a conversation not worth having, and decided that they have very little problem with it.
I don't know what rock you have been living under. Tons of people and outlets have criticized and debates the No Russian level, both esoterically and exoterically.
Yet it's literally one of the most mainstream games of all time. Makes me question the legitimacy of your "tons of people" claim.
Tons of people have criticized the torture in Splinter Cell, most notably the well-respected Tom Bissel. Ubisoft even removed the specific scene because of the outcry.
I know. That's what I said.
I have no idea how you can actually say such a rude thing to faceless007 when she or he is being very articulate and well-reasoned in his/her arguments.
Is my post sadistic?