Define "mature"

Everyone keeps asking about how they want more "mature" games on the wii. Well, what exactly do you call "mature?" I see something as mature when it is able to deal with serious topics without spilling an ounce of blood (unless absolutely neccesary). When something is uber violent, or filled with more "F" words than a Chris Rock stand up show, I see that as immature. To those who want a "mature" game, how would you define it?

What is mature?

Mature is when you don't do something to look mature.Wintry_Flutist

QFT

i guess to me... a mature game involves a darker element... more serious subject matter

people don't have to die... but sometimes it goes with the territory

there doesn't have to be guns and murder and blood, just something with more substance than say raving rabbids or something haha

From the ESRB website

"MATURE
Titles rated M (Mature) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language. "

Or in layman's terms, a game with adult situations, but nothing overly perverse or risque. Those recieve the Adult's only tag.

read my blog

and read raahsnavj's blog

we both talk about the whole casual and hardcore gamer thing.

Playing a motion controlled Wii game in public and not short arming the controls because you're worried how you look.

Not thinking ANY way of gaming is "cool"?

Playing a motion controlled Wii game in public and not short arming the controls because you're worried how you look.

Not thinking ANY way of gaming is "cool"?

Jaysonguy

very true...otherwise we'd turn into sheeps! :o:o

On the topic of Mature games I feel sure that I wouldn't have liked any of the Metal Gear Solid games if they were made to be rated E. I don't think I could enjoy a game where you plant poop and shoot laser tag beams to tag out the enemy. Some games need to be what they are and as a consequence it is rated M. That does not mean a rated M games is any good, or better than a rated E.WolfWatch

I feel that MGS is mature mostly because of how it deals with its subject matter. Although the whole nuclear weapons motif is present, how it deals with the Snake/Otacon friendships, Snake's love interests, and the boss battles (particularly the tear jerker that was the final boss battle with The Boss in MGS3) shows that the game stands on its own 2 feet without resorting to the whole "look at me1 i have blood!" or "look at me i'm just like (insert game here) but..."

On the topic of Mature games I feel sure that I wouldn't have liked any of the Metal Gear Solid games if they were made to be rated E. I don't think I could enjoy a game where you plant poop and shoot laser tag beams to tag out the enemy. Some games need to be what they are and as a consequence it is rated M. That does not mean a rated M games is any good, or better than a rated E.WolfWatch

Actually, there is a MGS game rated E10. It was attached to Ape Escape 3 (PS2). Your gun was a banana and you threw pinapple gernades. Plus the mission is to rescue Snake! It really is better than it looks, they nailed the controls down tight, even going back to MGS1 for inspiration.

Any game can be considered mature, since no game technically excludes adult gamers. But if you play Warioware without laughing just to prove you're mature, i think its time to find out just what you think is funny.

If a game can make a child, preteen, or teen think that they are mature by playing it, it's not a mature game.

From the ESRB website

"MATURE
Titles rated M (Mature) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language. "

Or in layman's terms, a game with adult situations, but nothing overly perverse or risque. Those recieve the Adult's only tag.

SirSpudly

Everyone keeps asking about how they want more "mature" games on the wii. Well, what exactly do you call "mature?" I see something as mature when it is able to deal with serious topics without spilling an ounce of blood (unless absolutely neccesary). When something is uber violent, or filled with more "F" words than a Chris Rock stand up show, I see that as immature. To those who want a "mature" game, how would you define it?

What is mature?

icarus212001

I think its part of a whole marketting ploy to try and appeal to older people. I remember seeing a video game tournament where they were playing Burnout and Mario Kart. Now Burnout is a good game, but it doesn't hold a candle to Mario Kart, but the general conclusion around the Burnout people is that because a game doesn't have a CERTAIN look that its immature and for children. That simply isn't true. I had many arguments about this in school when comparing games like MADEN to Banjo Kazooie.

I've watched people who can sit through the worst FPS get utterly frustraited at games like Mario because they "don't get it". I think games based on "real world" situations are usually considered more mature because people understand them, they don't get plumbers jumping on turtles, and thats sad. It just shows how much imagination has died in society.

mature is that which does not appeal to the immature

for example, (and not naming games) mindless explosions, guns blazing, pointless attempts to seem mature and a severe lack of restrainment (not that they can' do it, just that they don't have to worry about doing it) is all immature. Since a game with those qualities would be appealing if not owned by every 12 year old in the world.

mature is refinement, fun, and more casual look at how mature they seem.

Maturity is a state of mind. It's probably a lot harder to define than what is 'immature'. For example, No More Heroes has an M rating. There is a lot of blood, swearing, and the plot is downright ludicrous. Many things in the game don't make a lot of sense, like how Travis' bike is larger than most cars and never takes a lick of damage no matter how many times you crash it. How he wields a light saber and cuts people up. In my mind, nothing about this game screams 'only an adult would get it'. If anything, the game is immature in how it handles the subject matter.

Note that I never said the game isn't entertaining or fun. But that's going off topic. The point is, maturity has less to do with the content of a game and more to do with how the content is handled. Plenty of Final Fantasy games' plots are a lot more serious than the plot of, say, Mortal Kombat. Yet the former almost always gets an E or T rating and the latter always gets an M rating. I'd bet any kid would understand the nuances of 'fight in a tournament to free Outworld' a lot easier than 'Summoners go on a pilgrimage to defeat the evil entity known as Sin, yet the truth is it's all a scam by the world's religious leaders to keep the world spiraling in sorrow and avoiding the finality of death'. (At least I think that summarizes the plot of FFX.)

And expanding on that further, just because a game like Mario Galaxy is filled with talking stars, whimsical worlds and cutesy creatures doesn't mean the game is necessarily 'immature'. I know I don't feel like I'm playing something 'just for kids' when I play it. In fact, I think that's the answer right there. While blood, swearing and nudity may or may not be bad for kids (depending upon how it's handled), anyone who equates someone who likes Mario or Zelda as an 'immature' person is the pot calling the kettle black.

[QUOTE="SirSpudly"]

From the ESRB website

"MATURE
Titles rated M (Mature) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language. "

Or in layman's terms, a game with adult situations, but nothing overly perverse or risque. Those recieve the Adult's only tag.

raahsnavj

I agree 100%. Anyone who says "Well, a game isn't mature because kids play and think they are mature!" are just looking for a reason to start a fight.

something with more subject matter and is mind boggling. doesn't always have to be violence but how many games these days aren't violent?

everytime you say "mature" people automatically think of gore and blood etc. but thats not what is meant. no one is talking about the esrb definition of mature.

[QUOTE="raahsnavj"][QUOTE="SirSpudly"]

From the ESRB website

"MATURE
Titles rated M (Mature) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language. "

Or in layman's terms, a game with adult situations, but nothing overly perverse or risque. Those recieve the Adult's only tag.

Dark_Knight6

I agree 100%. Anyone who says "Well, a game isn't mature because kids play and think they are mature!" are just looking for a reason to start a fight.

It's a worthy fight.

I'm a newly turned 21 y/o guy. i've been playing video games all my life.

i'm the type of person that enjoys complexity and a good storyline that makes you think. as I got older my preferences changed. i'm a political science major and philosophy minor so i'm used to complexity and thinking and those simplistic games really don't do anything for me.

If a game can make a child, preteen, or teen think that they are mature by playing it, it's not a mature game.

bob_newman

QFT