110°

Why R18+ is Not the Answer, a Case Study Involving Saints Row IV

OXCGN:

When the Australian Classification Board (ACB) refused to classify Saints Row IV, debate surrounding censorship, appropriateness and the false hope of the R18+ classification in Australia sparked up again.

Here are my 2 cents.

If you thought the R18+ classification would automatically let you play any game created no matter how obscene or graphic, you were wrong and you should feel bad.

Deep Silver screwed up by choosing cheap laughs over a considered approach to mature content, underestimating the importance of incorporating adult material in a relevant and context specific way.

RocknRolla3896d ago

I went into this thinking it would have been a one sided article, but after having a read I saw that it was extremely fair to both sides.

It not only criticizes Deep Silver/Volition regarding the content of the game but also the R18+ classification AND then goes back to how the game for Australians is nerfed.

In the sense that they cannot play with anyone around the world in multiplayer because it's been modified.

That's a huge kick in the nuts, I had no idea about that.

GrathiusXR3896d ago

The amount of people I know who have imported this game solely based on the fact that we got screwed into ONLY being able to play with those with the same copy as us is phenomenal.

I WAS going to pick this up but since it's been delayed till Sept 12th only days before GTAV, looks like they've lost a customer.

Have to wait until after the Summer of games to pick it up.

aksobey3896d ago

Great article. Thanks for the interesting read.

BadCircuit3896d ago

I can only say: thank goodness for region free games :)

RocknRolla3896d ago

I know right thank god, but for those who have no clue about importing they're missing out unfortunately!

gaminoz3896d ago

@BadCircuit

I think you are missing the point. He isn't arguing for ALL CONTENT to be acceptable in Australia.

He is having a go also at the publisher for allowing some of that content, which is just pushing it for an over the top laugh, to be considered acceptable.

gigoran3896d ago

I know right thank god, but for those who have no clue about importing laws, customs package searching, confiscating banned items, and fines or jail time, they're in trouble unfortunately!

MRMagoo1233896d ago

I think the R rating should be pretty much anything goes, its kind of stupid the way it is now, i dont care if the board of directors who ever they are (i know they dont play games) think the stuff that was removed wasnt relevant to the game.

The R rating has basically just taken the place of the MA15+ rating with nearly the same stupid restrictions and not much else.

RocknRolla3896d ago

Still though when a game includes something purely for the sake of cheap laughs without any context it's kind of stupid.

At least within GTA it's there with reason NOT for the sake of some laughs and just to be different.

MRMagoo1233896d ago (Edited 3896d ago )

the whole point in a game is to escape realism, adding stupid rules saying "no fun things allowed if its not contextual" is stupid no matter how you put it.

The main problem is that ppl dont realise this is games and not real life, the ppl that cant tell the difference are the problem not the games themselves.

aliengmr3896d ago

Yeah picking up hookers was done with the intent of being serious. Sure. Real high brow stuff, GTA.

You really don't understand comedy at all. Funny thing, not everybody thinks the way you do. I know, sounds crazy, but stay with me here. People actually have differing opinions on what is funny.

RocknRolla3896d ago

Regardless of if people can distinguish between games and real life isn't the point.

Putting in a weapon where you can probe any innocent passer by up the ass is not fun. Nor is it funny.

Especially if it's just in there for the sake of being different than GTA

Hicken3896d ago

Maybe not to you- or me, for that matter- but for some, it is. If you don't like it, feel free not to use that weapon, or to play at all.

Cheap laughs abound in movies and elsewhere. Why is it video games cannot have them? It's tacky and unrefined and crude and base, and exactly the sort of thing you'd expect from Saints Row.

It's not for you to decide if others will find it funny. Nor is it for whatever certification board that exists to do that task. It's their task to explain the content and rate it accordingly. Personal sense of humor is irrelevant and, to a certain degree, so are personal morals.

The things I do in video games- whether it's simply walking into someone's house in a JRPG, or mowing down waves of people in one shooter or another- don't reflect on me as an individual. They don't reflect my beliefs. They just reflect (some) things I enjoy doing in a game.

This is one of those times where #dealwithit is appropriate.

MRMagoo1233896d ago (Edited 3896d ago )

Odd you say "Putting in a weapon where you can probe any innocent passer by up the ass is not fun. Nor is it funny" as if its a fact i find it funny so that point is invalid, i seem to remember in the game destroy all humans on the ps1 and 2 you could anal probe ppl and their heads would pop so you could collect their brains. http://www.youtube.com/watc... not the best video but proves my point.

I also see you may be one of the ppl that cant see the difference between a game and real life via this statement "any innocent passer by " they arent real ppl let alone innocent, i think you really need to think about what you write before trying to debate anything.

RocknRolla3896d ago

The fact that you think I can't distinguish between games and real life is simply put amazing.

The fact you find striking an innocent person walking along the street up the ass with an anal probe weapon then thrusting them into the air all on the basis of fun is even more amazing.

I'm glad the ACB banned this game and it got edited for Australia. Some people seem to still have brains which is good to see.

3896d ago
aliengmr3896d ago

You know its doubly ironic that you say "innocent passerby" as it relates to SR4.

Anyway, I am glad you feel safer knowing this game isn't roaming free in Australia, could be a disaster. I mean people could have been watching that and....not found it funny! *GASP*

People could have had an awkward moment! Sure glad the Aussies avoided that!

gaminoz3896d ago

Now now boys, nothing wrong with expressing an opinion...don't need to name call :)

I agree that anal probe seems stupid and immature and don't understand those that think it is funny, at least more than a second or two. I remember though I found the cerebral bore hilarious in Turok back in the N64 days, so maybe because its because I'm older now.

In any case it is up to the dev. to put in what they want, and it is up to the ratings board to rate it according to their standards.

It will always be a certain amount of interpretation.

annus3895d ago

Holy shit you are delusional. It's fun in GTA shooting people and running them over, it doesn't mean that I think the real thing is fun or funny.

Saints Row IV wasn't even banned for that weapon, it was because of drug use.

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130°

Looking Back At 2008, An Unbelievably Incredible Year Of Video Game Releases

Huzaifa from eXputer: "2008 was home to the likes of Call of Duty: World at War, Dead Space, GTA 4, Far Cry 2, Left 4 Dead, and many other hits, which is outright remarkable."

ChasterMies1d 2h ago

Some of these low paid video game “news” writers weren’t born before 2007.

just_looken22h ago

Here here

Those that were around before 2000's i am sure are like me that think we entered a world of non readers or those that follow without question.

I can not wait to see fallout 3 a goty game even though it was about water with non content until you add the dlc/updates then you got the performance/crashing

CrimsonWing691d 13h ago

I don’t think anything can compare to 2023

lucasnooker1d 13h ago

1998 - the best year in gaming! Metal gear solid, crash bandicoot 3, medievil, half life, ocarina of time, thief, tenchu, resident evil 2, Spyro, tomb raider 3, oddworld abes exodus, banjo kazooie.

It was a different breed of a gaming era. You’ll never understand what it was like back then. The aura of gaming, it was different!

KyRo1d 13h ago (Edited 1d 13h ago )

I second this. Gaming was a lot more varied and fun than it is today. I'm 35 so getting on compared to some here but I got to see all the changes from NES up to now but I've never felt so disappointed in any generation than I have this current gen. I was expecting more from this generation rather than prettier versions of games that came before it. Game mechanics have become so refined that alot of games feel the same and has done for a while now.

Maybe it's time to have a break for a while. I love gaming but I don't feel I get much fun in the traditional sense out of it anymore.

CrimsonWing691d 13h ago (Edited 1d 13h ago )

Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil 2, Abe’s Exodus, and Ocarina of Time are the only things from that list that I liked.

Here’s the 2023 game releases that I personally liked… and big releases that I didn’t care for:

- Dead Space Remake
- Wo Long Dynatsy
- Resident Evil 4 Remake
- Diablo 4
- Fire Emblem Engage
- Hogwarts Legcay
- Street Fighter 6
- Hi-Fi Rush
- Like a Dragon: Ishin
- Octopath Traveler 2
- Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters
- Final Fanatsy XVI (actually ended up not liking this, but it was still a big deal release)
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
- Lies of P
- Mortal Kombat 1
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Starfield (Ended up hating this one, but big release)
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder
- Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (I’m an old-school Zelda fan, but didn’t really enjoy this game)
- Alan Wake 2

I mean, honestly I’ve never seen a year of major IP releases like that, ever.

Profchaos1d 10h ago (Edited 1d 10h ago )

Isn't it just a generational thing realistically.

I've been gaming since way back and I some of my favourite games go as far back as the late 80s for me each generation has a year or two of game changing releases one after another before an inevitable dry spell.

I kind of agree gaming had a different feel games hit different because we didn't have the internet nothing got spoiled and you really had to put in the effort to beat a puzzle which could set entire groups of people looking for a solution. But most importantly games were experimental and not as cookie cutter as today even basics like controls were not universal today r2 is shoot l2 is ads garunteed you can't deviate from that in a shooter back then it could of been square, R1 or R1 and circle nothing was standard.

But as time moves on a new generation picks up their controller they are going to be interested in different things that PS1 demo disc with the t Rex blew our primitive 16 bit brains back on launch but to kids today it's laughable.
The new gen of kids coming into to hobby seem to value different things to us there seems to be a huge focus on online play, streamers, gaming personalities, and social experiences, convience of digital downloads. To me I value none of that but that's ok like my parents not liking the band's I would listen to its just the natural cycle.

Gameseeker_Frampt1d 1h ago

Just about every year in the 7th generation was great and something we most likely won't experience again.

2009 for example had Assassin's Creed 2, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Dragon Age: Origins, Uncharted 2, Halo 3: ODST, Killzone 2, Borderlands, Bayonetta, and Demon's Souls to name a few.

just_looken22h ago

It still amazes me we got over 7 rockstar games ps2/ps3 but 3 for the ps3/ps4/ps5

Dragon age 1-3 and mass effect 1-3 in 7ish years what a generation.

80°

Now is the Best Time to Get This Incredible RPG Bundle on Steam

If you are looking for an awesome RPG, look no further. Steam is offering a significant discount on its Fallout Franchise Bundle.

SimpleSlave2d ago

"You can get all Fallout games in a bundle at a significant 20% discount on Steam. Individually, all these games add up to $244.91. With the discount, you can get them all for $195.91. That is $49 less than the original price. Quite a significant discount for such a popular franchise."

😊 😂 🤣 😐 - But why?

Just wait for a sale and get most if not all of it for a fraction of that price.

20% off...lol

Tacoboto2d ago

The games were just on a real sale over the last week or two for the show promotion. Fallout 4 was $10, 3 was $5, NV was cheap as heck too.

So what the heck is this

Inverno2d ago

The original games have been given out for free by Amazon for GOG and Epic, 76 is free now on Amazon if you have prime, Epic has also given out new Vegas for free and 4 has gone down to pretty cheap prices. 194 bucks is a total ripoff when you can get these games individually for less. Don't forget cd keys might sell em for a dollar less at times too. Come on man, us cheapskates won't touch anything near or above 100 lolz

isarai2d ago

Bro that's a ridiculous ripoff are you kidding me? 🤣

150°

Fallout 3's Reveal Led To Death Threats And Bethesda's First Security Guard

The artist behind Fallout 4’s Deathclaw reveals just how bad things got back when Bethesda took over the series

anast3d ago

People are stupid I get it. No one should feel unsafe,

But I think they need to talk about why they cut so many corners during the development process and why none of their games ever look current. And why they think all of this is okay while they charge full price.

LucasRuinedChildhood3d ago

As much as Bethesda deserve criticism, that's not really relevant to the reveal of Fallout 3 in 2007.

VenomUK3d ago

The default angle Kotaku always go for is to highlight the worst in gaming.

I would’ve focused on the creative.

anast2d ago

The game went downhill at Fallout 3's release. This is when they started to cut corners.

gold_drake3d ago

there is no "but". the hell lol
you dont send death threats, period.

anast2d ago

Usually, you have good comments but this isn't one of them. It just rides the mob. We can do both condemn the actions and not let them use it for other things.

I can say I received a death threat and everyone needs to shut up. People are not honest and will use horrible things to their advantage.

Armaggedon2d ago

Not all games “look” current.

anast2d ago

Their games always look like the gen before it.

Armaggedon2d ago

Yeah, but thats not the result of laziness, incompetence, or a bad engine. Thats what happens with their type of open world games. Its hard for people to find a point of comparison because no one makes games like Bethesda does.

gold_drake2d ago

mh ok thanks, i still think ur wrong in this mate.

anast2d ago

No problem. I'm not here to convince you. I'm only stating an actuality. What your words do if we look at them like events.

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