Whats wrong with people.

(First off this blog is pasted here from my myspace page, so please cut me some slack for the parts where I describe certon games)

In light of the ERSB rating of the game Manhunt 2 Sony has stated that it forbids third party software companies from releasing AO (Adults-Only) rated games. My grip with this decision, and the rating system is this. Many of the games that are released, in my opinion, should have had an AO rating but only received an M (Mature) rating. The decision that Manhunt 2 gets an AO rating is because of the level of violence. That same level of violence can be recreated in many other games, and is actually a large part of them. The ESRB system is far from perfect, and in many ways far from practical. The Halo games receive an M rating more so because of the blood, where as Medal of Honor series receives a T (Teen) rating. Both have the same level of violence, and both have the same level of mature language use. One is a fantasy game the other is more so based on actual events. The majority of the blood you see in Halo isn't coming from humans; it's a glowing blue ooze from aliens. Where as with Medal of Honor you are shooting at other human beings. Granted there isn't blood spewing from them, the fact still remains that both games are equally violent. So why is one game only allowed for people 17+ and the other rated for those who are 13+?

Many of the games that are created by Take Two Interactive are of an adult nature and thanks to others who are on there own zealot race against "indecency" say nothing of other media. Television, which has many graphic images that people don't make a fuss about. The television show 24 is a prime example of this. Others such as Law and Order, Lost, and even Hero's. All have images and situations that are considered inappropriate for children, but there they are. Every night on free television. Buying and renting movies as well are easily obtained by children. But people don't seem to make a fuss about it. Music is another one. Also you watch the evening news and you see stories about rapes, murders, police chases, floods, and other horrible thins happing around the globe. An no one files law suits about that. What's the difference is it because it's the news, because it's real. Real violence, and disturbing stories about actual people would be something to keep from children. But there it is on the 5 o'clock news for all to see. Many people would argue.

"But kids don't watch the news."

Well I did. I would sit and watch it with my father. That was time I spent with him when he would get home from work. I'm sure I'm not alone in this matter.

So what is indecent, what is crossing "the line"? I can understand Sony and Nintendo's avoidance to the bad press that would ensue with the release of this game. But the fact that a person could can take there hard where and play pornographic material at any time with no problems, is kind of backwards. A game depicting unrealistic violence (let's be fair here) Manhunt 2 can't be played. But another game that has far more realistic violence is ok, Rainbow Six. Rainbow Six has you play as a squad of counter terrorist commandos who use actual military tactics to infiltrate and kill other people. Some would argue that your not killing random people but people who are terrorists. Killing is still killing, and violence is still violence.

The context of games is also something that I think is misplaced in the ESRB system. Meaning that it doesn't exist. Why wouldn't a game like Silent Hill receive an AO rating? The context of that game can invoke a deep psychological fear. More so than a game like Resident Evil both are considered violent scary games. Resident Evil has an M rating, but the fear that is invoked from that game is far less stressful than Silent Hill. I my self enjoy both games, but it was with Silent Hill that I actually wanted to stop playing, I didn't want to go to the next room. Needless to say I always did. The remake of the game Doom is another example. Sure you had your guns and could take anything out, but the fact that you never really knew where anything was going to come from, left you overly weary of heading into unknown room. And it is that psychological impact that can far worse than seeing a polygonal character be gutted. All in all my main grip with these decisions is one the pure hypocrisy in one form of violence is ok, but another form isn't. And two the miss informed people who hear one thing and go ape without any actual knowledge of what they are complaining about.