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Games Rated Incorrectly By The ESRB | This Thread is Rated 'M' for Mature
- Thread starter flkraven
- Start date
Kojima deliberately downtoned Peace Walker relative to other Metal Gear game so as to reach a wider PSP audience, just so you know.
Interesting. So do MS, Sony, & Nintendo have rules stating that all games must be rated by the ESRB? Or can an unrated game be released on their console?
blame space
Banned
what happens in this game.. I've played the demo. the rating seems crazy.
Parallax Scroll
Banned
I always assumed Microsoft wanted the M rating so they could better position Xbox as the "grown-up" console compared to PS2 and Gamecube.
First game that came to mind. I can still hear that sound of the kid's back breaking and getting taken into a hole to be eaten.
Guess it's just the fact the way I was raised when it came to video game rating (& I guess movies for that matter) transferred over to me with helping my dad raise my sister (plus I'm kind of following his example of what she's allowed to see). I don't mind her watching me T-rated games, but I kind of feel more comfortable not being interrupted playing something that isn't intended for kid. To each their own, I suppose. Though I tend to play M-rated games that get the rating for more than just violence. Really depends on the game, I guess.
I heard the swearing goes through the roof later in the game. I was rather surprised by the rating myself.
what happens in this game.. I've played the demo. the rating seems crazy.
Forgot about this one...really enjoyed that quest line too for the most part.
Remeber coming across the traitors house and reading the diary, and being completely creedped after that point...thinking back, I guess its more surprising more of the brotherhood isn't like that to be honest
KojiKnight
Member
I do believe they have rules stating that games on their system have to be rated (specifically to avoid any "adult" games slipping in). That said, there is nothing stopping them from raising that restriction.
To give you some context, the ESRB exists in the US specifically to have avoided a government mandated rating system. Congress gave the game industry an ultimatum of "come up with a industry wide rating system, or we'll intervene." Needless to say, no one wanted the government to control game ratings (or else we'd have ended up like Australia for sure). Since self regulation works really well in the gaming industry for the most part, it's been fine.
There have been a few crazies who blame every shooting in the world on violent video games who've tried and step up and interfere, but they are pretty much shut down now that Games are considered a form of protected expression under the first amendment... Doing so means it's illegal to ban even extremely bad/distasteful video games. It also severely limits what kind of regulations can be placed on the industry.
(edit) A bit more back on topic, Starcraft 1 initially had an M rating and by the time brood wars came out, it was lowered to T.
but damn, batman's cracking some bones/skulls in neato x-ray mode! you can see it!
...they're not dead though.
blame space
Banned
when you think about it everything in a video game is dead.
Damn. Didn't seem too bad at first, then I got to the Swamp and Shadow Monsters. They definitely crossed the line with those.
Oh yeah, forgot about that part with 4. Might be derserved in that instance.
But I still don't feel that sexiness should push a M rating. I mean, if they showed full nudity like in God of War and Heavy Rain, sure. But getting a Matrue rating over small outfits seems like too much. It also seems inconsistent since other fighters get away with a T rating.
I don't know about Crackdown, but has some pretty bloody/gory looking impalments. Ass Creed also has F bombs, which are an insta-M rating. Batman has no blood/gore splatter at all during gameplay, and only brief moments during cutscenes. Also, no F bombs.
Overall, execution seems to be more important than the content. A game can have a ton of killing and swearing, but if it it's done in a way that's not too intense or foul then it'll get a lower rating. I feel the Arkham games have kept things at a very PG-13 level.
dude your tag is so sick
Flame Lord
Member
I thought I read that it was because of some nudity mod that came out on the PC. Though it makes sense that the brotherhood could be the cause too considering a guy
gets fucking skinned alive
What, because of the cartoony art style?
Halo is a game where you dismember reanimated corpses en masse. It's a game where a few grenades can literally paint a room with the blood of your enemies..
It's a game where the player character extracts a device from a character's head by driving his fist through the character's skull.
The M rating isn't really that weird. At least not for the first game in the series. Maybe a few of the later ones.
Agreed. It made me so happy when I found out Senran Kagura Burst got a T rating in America. I have no idea how that happened, but it felt like a good sign.
http://www.esrb.org/ratings/synopsis.jsp?Certificate=26980
That description DON'T fit that rating =P
Manhunt 2 was completely fucked by the ESRB and the BBFC. Uncut it should have had an M/18 rating. There are plenty of films with much more violence, blood and gore than that game had in its uncut form. The censorship completely ruined the game, it should have had a Teen rating in its cut form.
It was easily one of the best games released last gen when played the way it should be played.
It was easily one of the best games released last gen when played the way it should be played.
Azure Dream
Member
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Bionic Commando: Rearmed got an M rating for 5 seconds of end game head explosion that was already in the NES version. (Obviously more detailed.) Otherwise, that game could have almost been an E10+.
They may have thought it should be rated similarly to the upcoming sequel, since it was part of the same franchise. Maybe not. It's a shame, either way, that Capcom couldn't cut the ending, release the game as T, and offer the full ending as free DLC rated M. (Which is possible now.) The option just wasn't there at the time, and it probably cost them a bunch of sales. Of course, the added DLC costs and testing would've cut into profits, but I still think it would've been the better option, if it had been allowed then.
E10+ did not exist when Melee came out. It wasn't announced until 2005.
They may have thought it should be rated similarly to the upcoming sequel, since it was part of the same franchise. Maybe not. It's a shame, either way, that Capcom couldn't cut the ending, release the game as T, and offer the full ending as free DLC rated M. (Which is possible now.) The option just wasn't there at the time, and it probably cost them a bunch of sales. Of course, the added DLC costs and testing would've cut into profits, but I still think it would've been the better option, if it had been allowed then.
E10+ did not exist when Melee came out. It wasn't announced until 2005.
I remember the cut scene where you kill
the mutated Captain Keyes (sp?)
There's also blood splatter left on walls and the ground which is a no-no for T for Teen.
That's the point with the comparison to Soul Calibur, which is hardly lacking in mammary content itself.
I have no idea how South Park got away without an AO rating. It just kind of confirmed to me that a big license like that can basically get away with whatever they want and still only get an MA because I seriously can't think of anything more extreme than some of the content in that game.
For those who haven't played it/don't mind spoilers, in this game you:
These are just a few examples. The game doesn't offend me, but I did feel the need for a shower afterwards. How it got away without an AO is beyond me. It makes the film look quaint.
For those who haven't played it/don't mind spoilers, in this game you:
-get sodomized by alien dildos repeatedly while you clench your sphincter attempting to prevent it's penetration.
-open doors to see a man masturbate
-remove your clothes so a child pornographer can photograph you
-fight turn based battles in front of your parents fucking each other (naked) ending in a QTE where you have to dodge your father's testicles
-perform an abortion
-go into a dungeon composed of a gay man's ass who is into S&M and all the objects he sticks up his ass
-open doors to see a man masturbate
-remove your clothes so a child pornographer can photograph you
-fight turn based battles in front of your parents fucking each other (naked) ending in a QTE where you have to dodge your father's testicles
-perform an abortion
-go into a dungeon composed of a gay man's ass who is into S&M and all the objects he sticks up his ass
These are just a few examples. The game doesn't offend me, but I did feel the need for a shower afterwards. How it got away without an AO is beyond me. It makes the film look quaint.
ShockingAlberto
Member
ESRB ratings aren't consistent, I guess?
Robert at Zeboyd Games
Banned
I thought it was rather surprising that Lunar: Eternal Blue on the Sega CD got a K-A rating (the old equivalent of E) back in the day despite having nudity in a couple cutscenes.
ShockingAlberto
Member
Well
Persona 3 has kids shooting themselves in the head.
I imagine that contributed a little to the M-rating.
My understanding of how CERO works is that they crack down harder on sexual content than the ESRB does. CERO is pretty crazy compared to what we're used to in the west, since a game like inFamous gets the dreaded CERO Z rating because you can kill civilians, which is a huge no-no over there.
TheGreatLugia
Banned
I never really got why Kirby's Return to Dream Land was rated E10+. It didn't seem to do anything that would prevent it from getting an E rating.
Is that with or without Mara and similar designs that are basically male genitalia with limbs/tentacles attached?
I thought the hotsprings stuff was implied, not explicit nudity. Maybe i'm blurring the silver saga stuff in what I'm remembering though...
Regardless though, it is more of a teen rated situation...
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
It actually reminded me a lot of the Duo scene in Mega Man X4 where he slices up some dudes and red oil/blood shoots everywhere. I think they put a warning sticker on the game making a note of that... Or at least, that's what I heard. And that game is rated E.
K-A is E, just rebranded..
Fair enough (even in Japan it was controversial), but what about Persona 4?
TreasureHunterG
Banned
Dark Cloud series, ICO and Zelda: Twilight Princess were E10 at best. Star Fox 64 should have been T considering the big amount of shooting and explosions. Why F-Zero GX is T? LOL. Perfect Dark getting M was also a big what when GoldenEye got a T and content wise they were very similar.
right, but i'd imagine that's one of the reasons they re-evaluated it in the first place.
Yes, I'm aware...that's kind of the point of the thread, isn't it?
Ya, People seem to be forgetting the Penis demons. That's instant M territory in the US.
SapientWolf
Trucker Sexologist
Games with 'cartoony' graphics tend to get lighter ratings. Hell Yeah is rated T, for example, and it has some pretty heavy gore and sexual innuendo.
It's not even just cartoony graphics, it is a certain style in general. I would argue that the Bioshock has a Pixar/Cartoony quality and it doesn't get a free pass. However, I found that the demeaning tone and use of the word 'whore' and 'slut' by a childish/cartoony character in The Witch and the Hundred Knight much more disturbing than the f-bombs dropped in Call of Duty.
I think the problem is that a blanket rule is used across the entire rating system. ie. If it contains 'fuck', it is rated M. Instead, there should be general guidlines and games should be judged by the overal tone, substance, and presentation.
XANDER CAGE
Member
I have no idea if it's true or total guff but I knew someone who worked on the marketing for the original Halo in some capacity who once told me that the game was actually rated T before 9/11, but was resubmitted afterward and got bumped up to an M. I guess he'd know, if there were marketing materials set to go out with the T logo on them.
Any trailers or other materials from before that date with M logos in them? It was probably just a bullshit story, but it seemed plausible.
Edit -
Also Persona 3 has a giant dick monster, suicide references, and that throwaway scene where Mitsuru thinks Fuuka is masturbating because she has the ab machine stuck on full blast. Complete with Fuuka yelling "I'm coming!" when Mitsuru knocks on the door. M seems justified.
Any trailers or other materials from before that date with M logos in them? It was probably just a bullshit story, but it seemed plausible.
Edit -
Also Persona 3 has a giant dick monster, suicide references, and that throwaway scene where Mitsuru thinks Fuuka is masturbating because she has the ab machine stuck on full blast. Complete with Fuuka yelling "I'm coming!" when Mitsuru knocks on the door. M seems justified.
Keeping the exploding Hitler head in the remake was not a "oh, the game's gonna be rated the same as the other entire in the ser---- Whoops" moment of incompetence. Rather, the devs decided that the exploding Hitler head was too iconic to the NES game and awesome to warrant cutting out and so went "Fuck the T rating, we're keeping it in". Also, said scene was indeed cut out from the Japanese version only, making its rating B.
Source: http://www.destructoid.com/what-a-d...ionic-commando-rearmed-s-m-rating-88866.phtml
sakipon
Member
Is that the reason Army Corps of Hell was rated M in the US? It was PEGI 12 in Europe ("Realistic looking violence towards non human looking characters - Mild bad language") Fantasy basically, except for some interestingly designed demons.
I never understood this either.
I remember Goldeneye showed body parts turning red when you shot them. Is Perfect Dark really that much bloodier? I haven't played PD in a while so I can't remember.
Some Persona designs like Mara, sexual scenes tackled with the Devil S. Link and Kashiwagi, implied sexual assault of an adult and minor, serial murders as a concept, "death" of a child, strip club dungeon and boss...
I don't think Persona 4 first this thread at all.