[quote name='Brak']You're concerned that the game will get in the hands of minors
if it were rated M. As it follows, you're concerned that this game will corrode the minds of children -- that's safe to assume, and a moot point. So let's just go past that one.[/quote]I agree it's a moot point, but to make it clear: I make no claims as to whether this game will "corrode the minds of children". The goal of ratings is not to "ensure that the game will not get in the hands of minors", but to ensure that parents and private business are informed of the game's content.
Now, that first concern - the concern of the title getting in the hands of minors - doesn't that indirectly say that you think the ratings system is a joke, and does not work at all, as you believe the title will be played by minors?
No, not at all. Not in any way whatsoever.
If you think that the rating's system is a failure because minors are playing M rated titles, you had better give up right now. The whole purpose of a ratings system is to put the power in the hands of the parents, not the government. That necessarily requires that parents choose to not allow, or (uh-oh, here's a shocker) TO allow, their children to play an M rated title.
The "M" rating means "Mature", not "banned for minors". The M rating does NOT guarantee minors will not play the game, and many parents would gladly allow their children to play M rated games. Content in M rated games is relatively tame to what can be imagined.
The content in Manhunt 2, as it has been described to me, could never be compared to that of, say, Halo 2. The "M" rating, and the content in Manhunt 2, are vastly different beasts.
M rated games "may be suitable for persons of 17", but AO rated games "should only be played by persons 18 and over". There is an obvious difference between these ratings.
M rated games get in the hands of minors far easier than AO rated games. It is very easy for a parent to decide "well, my child is mature enough to play Halo, he's mature enough to play any M rated game." In order to properly classify games, games that are egregiously more violent of filled with more sexual content must have a rating that suits their content.
Now, if the game were banned, like in England, well then yes: the ratings system has failed. But we here in the land of the free do not censor speech. We have a rating to give games like this, and we use it. To take a game that is being widespread banned in Europe (I can guarantee Germany, at least, will ban this title), and complain that our ratings system has failed because the game received an AO rating, is riddiculous.
If anything, our console manufacturers are to blame for refusing to liscence AO titles.
I think this received a rating before they even play-tested the game.
That's riddiculous.THE PUNISHER got an AO rating before being extensively edited, and that game didn't feature nearly as detailed murders, nor were they portrayed quite as sadomaschocistically.
That's the part that you didn't understand me "babbling the
on about", or however many classy "
s" you shoehorned in there, to make your point that much more valid.
Jesus, why can't people just read my posts without complaining about the words I use in delivering them???
