The Ratings System

I was going to go on a rant about the ratings system and how out of touch the policy makers were with the gaming public. I thought this was fair considering there had been a pretty strong push by gamers over the last three or four years to introduce an 'R' rated category for games. Then I read an article in the Herald Sun today that said they are going to recommend the introduction of an 'R' rating for games. Well, it's taken them long enough, but there goes my post on the blogg.

Then I started to think about what games I had been deprived of because of the rating system. I think it is a fair statement to say that those in control of the ratings really don't understand what goes on in a game. I seriously doubt they play them and I hardly think they even read anything about them.

I have this image of those people responsible for classifying games and movies sitting around a small cinema all day watching porn. In this scene they have a stack of DVDs that they have to rate. They flick through the pile of DVDs.
One of them holds up a title. He says, "Disney film."
Another says. "Give it a G rating."
They hold up the next title.
"Another bloody Pixar computer animated film."
"Give it a PG rating."
They get to the next one.
"This one is hard core porn with two way horse and goat action with steeming swingers."
"We'd better watch that one. It might have illicit content."
"We might have to watch it twice," another says, "just in case we miss something the first time."
I don't know, maybe it's me but that seems like the cushiest job. Which politician do you have to bonk to get that job?

Anyway, the point I'm getting to is what games have we really not been able to play in the last twelve months because of the rating system? Leisure Suit Larry Magna Cum Laude. I made the mistake of getting a friend who was travelling to the states get me a copy of this banned game. As far as I am concerned the ratings board did the Australian public a service by banning that game. Leisure Suit Larry played an important role in my youth. It probably taught me more about sex than my parents did. I didn't know what a prophylactic was before playing the game, but the remake of the game was a waste of space. It was just another software developer cashing in on an established game franchise without actually doing any work to make a game that was worth playing.

The only other two games I could think of which had been banned after being released were Manhunt and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. There seems to be a theme here. Rockstar games seem to be going for the record of the most number of software titles banned in a country by the one developer. Definitely a title worth aiming for. Fortunately, I picked up a copy of both these games before they were banned. Manhunt didn't phase me much, but GTA: San Andreas I played through till the end and I will do again.

I had a look at some of the games we had in stock. I saw this ratings sticker which I found confusing and made me think that the ratings board really didn't understand what they were rating:



What is the deal with this? Is it Moderate Science Fiction with Violence. Are they commenting on the quality of the science fiction in game? Otherwise, if read literally, what is Moderate Science Fiction Violence? If you take someones head off in science fiction is it different than taking their head off in real life? Does shooting someone with a laser gun differ from shooting them with an M4 in game? Maybe it is time that we opened up the doors and got rid of the ratings board. They can stop watching porn and just let everything in to the country and let discerning adults decide on what they want to watch. As far as I am concerned if you are really interested in watching a movie with two way horse and goat action with steaming swingers then maybe the best job for you is on the ratings board.