Wait just a minute... you guys who disagree with my opinion... what the hell are you thinking? Do you seriously believe that 17 years is the magic age that marks the level of maturity necessary to play this game? And in 6 months, the moment I wake up on my birthday I'll suddenly view the world in a whole new light?
You're wrong; I can't understand how you could come up with such a stupid generalization about my maturity. I am more mentally mature than many of my 17 and 18 year old friends, and the ESRB system simply cannot reflect such a factor.
Now, I understand this game has its Mature rating for a reason. I understand this game is far worse than many other M games. But I've played the previous games, enjoyed them, and wasn't affected by them at all, due to the comedic way the criminal/violent/sexual elements were presented. From what I've seen and heard, GTA 4 isn't any different, albeit the graphics overhaul.
My parents know I can handle the content (or so they say), but they don't want to "expose" me to the game, as if it will scar me in some way.
"Dad, I know prostitutes exist. I know drugs exist. I know drug-abusing prostitutes exist. Don't fret. I won't be persuaded by this game."
"Yes, but you were our gift from God, and we don't expose our gifts from God to this kind of 'pollution'. Go find another game."
My family isn't as religious as they sound in these posts. They just use religion because they know it's the one thing I can't argue against without coming up with a clever (and sometimes desperate) counterargument to what God's opinion is.
It's as if they don't want the game in their house, like it will kill us in our sleep or something.
By the way, when I created this topic, the title was intended to be sarcastic, because I know titles such as this are commonly used amongst 11 year-olds when creating similar threads. Please don't take it seriously.
Edit: Yes, I realize the rating is there to protect me, and it worked. But many of the game's negative aspects can be found in my school. I have some druggy/alcoholic (many underage) friends... A guy on my bus pulled a knife last year... I see more (dry) sex than I would care to... and the swearing is worse than I have EVER heard in a movie or viceo game. The ESRB doesn't take into account the side-knowledge picked up from public schools. These experiences allowed me to acknowledge that these things exist, and that my parents have good reasons behind being strict with me.
It isn't as if they're worried about the game itself causing me harm. They're worried the game might affect my judgment, encouraging me to do things against their will. But because of high school, I am capable of making my own (right) decisions. I am aware that I'm only 16, and have much to learn, but I know GTA 4 is just a game, and it won't affect my decision making ability.
CheeseGuardian
Once again you highlight just how immature you are. Not everyone is going to agree with you, that's how life works, deal with it.
Your parents are being responsible, which doesn't happen a lot these days, so I applaud them. Age ratings are there for a reason, and at 16 you are still maturing. There is no magic switch at 17 or 18 that suddenly makes you mature, hell, some people wont be emotionally ready for a lot of things at 18, but by then you have a couple more years under your belt and that is experience in life, and life isn't fair. That's a lesson you will learn.
You're at an age where you think you know everything, and that you are right and everyone else is wrong. This opinion will change in time, at which point, you will be emotionally ready for life's challenges.
Until then, keep your nose clean, and stop whining at your parents. If they see that you can act grown up and deal with things in a rational way they might just let you have the game.
Until then, GTA4 isn't the only game in the world, hell, it isn't even that good (I'm not GTA bashing, I've never really liked any of the games, simple as). There are a lot of games, some just as good, if not better, where you don't have to be 17/18 to play them.
Get one of those and enjoy it.
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