So it has finally happened. A JRPG pushed the nudity envelope too far and received an M-rating for it. After reading the ESRB description, I really don't see what the big deal is as it doesn't sound any worse than previous games in the series, but it looks like Ar tonelico Qoga will have the dubious honor of being the first M-rated JRPG based on nudity alone.
 
Anyway, here's the ESRB description:

This is a role-playing game in which players control a character named Aoto, an apprentice who becomes entangled in a three-way war on the fantastical planet of Ar Ciel. Players roam through towns and use swords and magical attacks to engage monsters and human-like enemies in hand-to-hand combat. Battles are accompanied by punches, kicks, colorful light effects, and loud cries of pain; enemies collapse or disappear in brief flashes of light when defeated. Some power moves cause female characters' clothes to vanish in layers; the characters are often depicted holding (covering) their breasts, wearing only underwear, or standing behind strips of light that obscure their genitals. In one cutscene, male characters encourage a woman to strip (e.g., "Uh . . . do I have to take off even more clothes…?" and "Quit teasing us and do it already!"); another sequence depicts a male character "removing" a magical crystal from a female character—this scene is accompanied by suggestive moans and comments (e.g., "Aoto's putting his hand inside Soma" and "Fumble around every inch inside of her . . . you will find what you're looking for . . . !"). One brief cutscene depicts a female character's exposed buttocks. The words "sh*t," "a*shole," and "b*tch," appear in the dialogue.

Plenty of shitty date sims are M rated.

Aoto, an apprentice who becomes entangled in a three-way

 I think I found the real reason for the M rating.

"

Aoto, an apprentice who becomes entangled in a three-way

 I think I found the real reason for the M rating.

"

uummm take male hormones much? or is it a dude?!?!?!?!? I CANT TTTEEELLLLL!!!!! 
 
@Axersia said:

 

"

A game I will never play was rated "M".  What a bummer!!!

" @Skooky said:

"

Aoto, an apprentice who becomes entangled in a three-way

 I think I found the real reason for the M rating.

"

Nono. All Gust games have a male hero in a harem and an embarrassing loli hottub scene. They make their games for very specific people. The kind of people who look at the floor when they're talking to someone. "

Because our Gamestop over here never ends up selling these games to anyone (but me strangly) I'll get this some time next month, I'm curious about the story and I've never played an Ar game before so I'm looking to try, I need more good games for my Ps3 reguardless.
 
@blackbird415 said:

" uummm take male hormones much? or is it a dude?!?!?!?!? I CANT TTTEEELLLLL!!!!! 
 
@Axersia said:

 

"

"

The game got a 12 rating in the UK  which just goes to show just how draconian the U.S can be at times when it comes to nudity and sexual innuendo.

" uummm take male hormones much? or is it a dude?!?!?!?!? I CANT TTTEEELLLLL!!!!! 
 
@Axersia said:

 

"

"

" The game got a 12 rating in the UK  which just goes to show just how draconian the U.S can be at times when it comes to nudity and sexual innuendo. "

" @Terranova said:

" The game got a 12 rating in the UK  which just goes to show just how draconian the U.S can be at times when it comes to nudity and sexual innuendo. "

Draconian? I can't figure out how these games didn't get an M rating in the first place. "

Amusingly there is no actual nudity in the game.

" The game got a 12 rating in the UK  which just goes to show just how draconian the U.S can be at times when it comes to nudity and sexual innuendo. "

Hhhmmmm if you can post up actual chics besides that dude that likes to dress up as a chic, then I may be interested.

" Hhhmmmm if you can post up actual chics besides that dude that likes to dress up as a chic, then I may be interested. "

" @ch13696 said:

" Hhhmmmm if you can post up actual chics besides that dude that likes to dress up as a chic, then I may be interested. "

These girls can turn into three more girls so it's like having 8 girls! XD "

" @Skooky said:

"

Aoto, an apprentice who becomes entangled in a three-way

 I think I found the real reason for the M rating.

"

Nono. All Gust games have a male hero in a harem and an embarrassing loli hottub scene. They make their games for very specific people. The kind of people who look at the floor when they're talking to someone. "

" @Skooky said:

"

Aoto, an apprentice who becomes entangled in a three-way

 I think I found the real reason for the M rating.

"

Nono. All Gust games have a male hero in a harem and an embarrassing loli hottub scene. They make their games for very specific people. The kind of people who look at the floor when they're talking to someone. "

Soooo pics?

"lol anime "

Just rented this as a part of a Journey of PS3 JRPGs I'm going on. Hopefully, this isn't as shitty as Neptunia or the others.

" @ryanwho said:

" @Skooky said:

"

Aoto, an apprentice who becomes entangled in a three-way

 I think I found the real reason for the M rating.

"

Nono. All Gust games have a male hero in a harem and an embarrassing loli hottub scene. They make their games for very specific people. The kind of people who look at the floor when they're talking to someone. "

As a guy who can't stop looking at peoples shoes when in conversation I can confirm this man's statement. "

"
 

"

"So it has finally happened. A JRPG pushed the nudity envelope too far and received an M-rating for it. After reading the ESRB description, I really don't see what the big deal is as it doesn't sound any worse than previous games in the series, but it looks like Ar tonelico Qoga will have the dubious honor of being the first M-rated JRPG based on nudity alone.
 
Anyway, here's the ESRB description:

This is a role-playing game in which players control a character named Aoto, an apprentice who becomes entangled in a three-way war on the fantastical planet of Ar Ciel. Players roam through towns and use swords and magical attacks to engage monsters and human-like enemies in hand-to-hand combat. Battles are accompanied by punches, kicks, colorful light effects, and loud cries of pain; enemies collapse or disappear in brief flashes of light when defeated. Some power moves cause female characters' clothes to vanish in layers; the characters are often depicted holding (covering) their breasts, wearing only underwear, or standing behind strips of light that obscure their genitals. In one cutscene, male characters encourage a woman to strip (e.g., "Uh . . . do I have to take off even more clothes…?" and "Quit teasing us and do it already!"); another sequence depicts a male character "removing" a magical crystal from a female character—this scene is accompanied by suggestive moans and comments (e.g., "Aoto's putting his hand inside Soma" and "Fumble around every inch inside of her . . . you will find what you're looking for . . . !"). One brief cutscene depicts a female character's exposed buttocks. The words "sh*t," "a*shole," and "b*tch," appear in the dialogue.

So does this make you more or less interested in the game? I was always planning to pick it up and I'm actually a little worried now they'll end up censoring it to get that T-rating. If so, I'll simply be unable to support the English version and will have to import the Japanese version instead. NIS America has already been doing a pretty shitty job on their recent localizations, and censorship just isn't something I can accept.
 

"

[Insert Cris Hansen picture here]

" @CaptainCody: There were two previous games in the series, both rated T. "

" @blackbird415 said:

" uummm take male hormones much? or is it a dude?!?!?!?!? I CANT TTTEEELLLLL!!!!! 
 
@Axersia said:

 

"

"

I think it's a dude "

"
 

"

Oh USA, you crack me up. Here's how it's done. Rated 12 and up and not a single fuck was given that day. 
 

" Oh USA, you crack me up. Here's how it's done. Rated 12 and up and not a single fuck was given that day. 
 

"

Exactly which just makes me wonder why We Dare isn't rated 6+ and frankly I haven't seen anything about We Dare on german speaking game sites. No one cares.

" @Sogeman said:

" Oh USA, you crack me up. Here's how it's done. Rated 12 and up and not a single fuck was given that day. 
 

"

I take it this is for the same 12+ audience as We Dare? :P "

" @ryanwho said:

" @Skooky said:

"

Aoto, an apprentice who becomes entangled in a three-way

 I think I found the real reason for the M rating.

"

Nono. All Gust games have a male hero in a harem and an embarrassing loli hottub scene. They make their games for very specific people. The kind of people who look at the floor when they're talking to someone. "

As a guy who can't stop looking at peoples shoes when in conversation I can confirm this man's statement. "

" @Hailinel said:

" @Sogeman said:

" Oh USA, you crack me up. Here's how it's done. Rated 12 and up and not a single fuck was given that day. 
 

"

I take it this is for the same 12+ audience as We Dare? :P "

PEGI gave Ar tonelico III .
Surprisingly, Ar tonelico II was only . Must be the strips of light. "

" @ryanwho said:

" @Skooky said:

"

Aoto, an apprentice who becomes entangled in a three-way

 I think I found the real reason for the M rating.

"

Nono. All Gust games have a male hero in a harem and an embarrassing loli hottub scene. They make their games for very specific people. The kind of people who look at the floor when they're talking to someone. "

I can vouch for this. "

" Oh USA, you crack me up. Here's how it's done. Rated 12 and up and not a single fuck was given that day. 
 

"

"Mine is rated M.. so.. wtf.. how come 12 that way? "

" @Sogeman said:

" Oh USA, you crack me up. Here's how it's done. Rated 12 and up and not a single fuck was given that day. 
 

"

God damn, I feel sorry for dudes who have to make Boxarts over there. Jeez. "

There's never been a JRPG with an M rating?

" @Catolf:  I can vouch for it because I own and have beaten every Gust, NIS, Atlus, and Idea factory game there is.  I have all of them in a display case in my house. "

" @Catolf said:

"Mine is rated M.. so.. wtf.. how come 12 that way? "

Well, the first two games were rated T by the ESRB, which is pretty similar to 12 in theory. "

" @Terranova said:

" The game got a 12 rating in the UK  which just goes to show just how draconian the U.S can be at times when it comes to nudity and sexual innuendo. "

maybe the U.K is not draconian enough huh? yeah.  USA, USA, USA!!! "

" @LordXavierBritish: Nier had a M rating "