Heavy Rain and censorship in Australia

Avatar image for quirkwood
quirkwood

326

Forum Posts

330

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#1  Edited By quirkwood

<rant>
I was just reading an interview with David Cage where he talks about heavy rain. In this interview he repeatedly mentioned that this game is for adults. Which is great the world needs more games that have adults in mind (as opposed to teenage boys). The only thing I am worried about is that the more I read about this game the less and less I think it is going to be refused classification here in Australia due to it's adult oriented material.
 
The censorship laws regarding video games in this country are draconian at best. The kids who used to crack the BIOS passwords on their parents PCs so they could use the computer whenever they liked are now the parents, so it surprises me that a country like Australia refuses classification on a game like Fallout 3.
 
Fallout 3 was not refused classification because of the hilarious over the top exploding heads, but because of the original names of the drugs. The Med-X we all know and love was supposed to be called morphine, but due to the fact that the Australian Office Film Literature Classification refused Fallout 3 classification all the drugs were renamed. If those drugs hadn't been renamed Fallout 3 would never have seen the shores of Australia. 
 
The violent content in Heavy Rain probably won't be a problem with the censors what will be is any sexual content it is going to contain. How long is it going to take before Australian censors get it right, when the average age of gamers world wide is a tech savvy over 35 it is time for a change.
 
The censorship rules here are totally effed up! if you don't believe me have a look at this junk: 
http://www.refused-classification.com/Games_A-Z.htm
 
The games at the other end of that link were or nearly were refused classification in Australia.
</rant>
 
Just wondering what the rest of the world thinks.
 

Avatar image for kaosangel-DELETED
KaosAngel

14251

Forum Posts

6507

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 8

User Lists: 3

#2  Edited By KaosAngel

PS3 is region free..import it.  It'll cost the same for you regardless.

Avatar image for get2sammyb
get2sammyb

6686

Forum Posts

1993

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 4

#3  Edited By get2sammyb
@KaosAngel: That's very true. But Heavy Rain strikes me as a game that's not going to be inherently plastered with the juvenile gore we see elsewhere. Heavy Rain is not trying to be "edgy and cool filled with gore for kids" -- it's a dark thriller aimed at adults.
 
The Silence Of The Lambs didn't have much gore but was frightening as fuck. Heavy Rain is aiming for something like that.
Avatar image for kaosangel-DELETED
KaosAngel

14251

Forum Posts

6507

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 8

User Lists: 3

#4  Edited By KaosAngel
@get2sammyb: ...and this is why I was so angry when it got pushed back to next year.  This is one of the few games I couldn't give a damn about trophies/achivements for.  I was promised big ass story with shit ton of path...that is what I want.  I only pray it doesn't get the same insane and stupid climax as Fahrenheit.
Avatar image for get2sammyb
get2sammyb

6686

Forum Posts

1993

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 4

#5  Edited By get2sammyb
@KaosAngel: Cage has already said it won't go supernatural, although they've already fluffed that with those Alternative Reality Glasses one of the characters has. Apparently that is the limit however.
 
I'm not sure how you're linking trophies to the delay. It's been pushed back for commercial reasons. Heavy Rain is going to get murdered in any sales climate, but certainly against the likes of Modern Warfare 2 it'd get crushed. It's sad to see the narrow mindedness of some gamers, but hey, this is the industry.
 
We sound like we're both excited about Heavy Rain for the same reasons. It's sweet that there are a few of us on here.
Avatar image for the_a_drain
The_A_Drain

4073

Forum Posts

577

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#6  Edited By The_A_Drain

Man that's a real shame. I feel for Australian gamers when stuff like this happens, you have to wait even longer than we do in Europe, you get more censorship (except possibly Germany) than almost anyone else, and you pay a ton. 
 
The people in charge really need to implement an 18 or 21 rating, it's not to much the 15 system that's at fault, but the inability for the current system to recognise anything above a 15. Which in this day an age is nothing short of insane to be honest, i'm amazed such a draconian measure is still in effect and has not been overturned. This generation alone it seems that something like 40+ games have been refused, all of which were ones a large amount of people were interested in, such as riddick etc. 
 
The one single good thing to come out of it imo, would be the Fallout 3 med renames, if only because it persuaded Bethesda to go with the original (where applicable) names (and create new ones that suited the world for new drugs) but on principal I stand against it as a form of censorship. I would have liked the game a lot less if the drugs had real world names, but that doesn't give me the right to support censorship. 
 
Heavy Rain is looking like one of the few games that might finally persuade me to stop buying cheap 360 games, and save for a PS3. The combined allure of playing MGS4, Heavy Rain and inFamous might just give me reason to make the jump. I'll have to find somewhere to put the thing though, room is sparse here.
Avatar image for ediscool
EdIsCool

1140

Forum Posts

112

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 2

#7  Edited By EdIsCool

Sadly gamers  dont vote. If they did this stuff would get overturned. And Jack Thompson's head would be on a plate..god bless the Florida bar though.

Avatar image for mordukai
mordukai

8516

Forum Posts

398

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

#8  Edited By mordukai
@quirkwood:  I feel for all the Australian gamers bothers who have to deal with douche bags like Michael Atkinson.  Australia needs a MA18+, a lot of gamers are getting the ole shaft because of this shenanigans. 
 
P.S - Welcome to Giant Bomb.
Avatar image for kaosangel-DELETED
KaosAngel

14251

Forum Posts

6507

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 8

User Lists: 3

#9  Edited By KaosAngel
@get2sammyb said:
" @KaosAngel: Cage has already said it won't go supernatural, although they've already fluffed that with those Alternative Reality Glasses one of the characters has. Apparently that is the limit however.  I'm not sure how you're linking trophies to the delay. It's been pushed back for commercial reasons. Heavy Rain is going to get murdered in any sales climate, but certainly against the likes of Modern Warfare 2 it'd get crushed. It's sad to see the narrow mindedness of some gamers, but hey, this is the industry.  We sound like we're both excited about Heavy Rain for the same reasons. It's sweet that there are a few of us on here. "
I've been waiting for Heavy Rain since back in 2005.  It was going to be the only game I buy for 2009 due to the insane story promise...now I can't.  :(
Avatar image for mordukai
mordukai

8516

Forum Posts

398

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

#10  Edited By mordukai
@KaosAngel said:
" @get2sammyb said:
" @KaosAngel: Cage has already said it won't go supernatural, although they've already fluffed that with those Alternative Reality Glasses one of the characters has. Apparently that is the limit however.  I'm not sure how you're linking trophies to the delay. It's been pushed back for commercial reasons. Heavy Rain is going to get murdered in any sales climate, but certainly against the likes of Modern Warfare 2 it'd get crushed. It's sad to see the narrow mindedness of some gamers, but hey, this is the industry.  We sound like we're both excited about Heavy Rain for the same reasons. It's sweet that there are a few of us on here. "
I've been waiting for Heavy Rain since back in 2005.  It was going to be the only game I buy for 2009 due to the insane story promise...now I can't.  :( "
Heavy Rain and God of War 3 are the two reasons I got my PS3 for. 
Avatar image for quirkwood
quirkwood

326

Forum Posts

330

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#11  Edited By quirkwood
@KaosAngel said:

" PS3 is region free..import it.  It'll cost the same for you regardless. "
 

The issue here isn't  so much that heavy rain wont be coming here it's that there isn't a proper ratings system for video games here. Unfortunately this probably has a lot to do with some parents who buy any old game for their kids. 
 
  @EdIsCool said:

" Sadly gamers  dont vote. If they did this stuff would get overturned. And Jack Thompson's head would be on a plate..god bless the Florida bar though. "

It's a mixed blessing here in Australia that it is illegal not to vote, the down side of this is that idiots have to vote too.   

 @Mordukai: Thanks :D That  Michael Atkinson is not a cool guy at all. He's probably never even played Pac-man.
Avatar image for syphiliticwilly
Syphiliticwilly

12

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#12  Edited By Syphiliticwilly

Its about time, games these days are much too violent. Nobody should be playing them, especially not australians.