Playing M-Rated Games

[Riggidig]

I recently got me an XBOX 360 slim and it's really awesome. I only own 2 games atm (Dead or Alive 4 and Tekken 6) so obviously I'd like to expand my library. I see however that a lot of the more popular titles are M/18-rated games. Personally I do not like to play games/watch movies that have such a high age restriction (I tend to not go higher than 16-rated or whatever the next rating below M is in the States).

This has probably been discussed before (someone please supply a link to such a thread if it does exist), so my apologies for repeating. Otherwise, what do you guys think? I personally believe if your gut's telling you you shouldn't be playing this type of game, then you shouldn't.

[Hiryu]

A lot of the M-Rated games I see are mostly because of violence. I believe Halo is rated M, but it doesn't have anything else besides violence.

I don't think there are any AO games avaliable because Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft want their systems to be family-friendly.

Read the ESRB label and decide for yourself.

[TopazRaven]

Yes, always read the labels, they'll usually tell you why said game is rated M.

[Rusty Claymore]

I thought DoA was rated M... Anyways, Xbox mostly flaunts M games. A good one though is Portal. You can download it or buy the Orange Box. Which has two other games included, not surprisingly rated M. XD

[ShiroiHikari]

Not all M-rated games are sex games. In fact I don't think any of them are. I believe that would earn a game an AO rating.

But if you don't want to play M-rated games then don't play them.

[Tsukuyomi]

Agreed ^__^ Everyone has their own moral compass (or something like that) they follow. If you don't think you're ready for it, then you don't have to play it ^^ On the other hand, just because you're not ready doesn't mean others aren't ^^ It just depends on the individual ^__^

Also agree on the whole M rating coming from violence ^__^ Not everyone can handle violence and some can ^^

[rocklobster]

The only M-rated game I've ever played was the original Doom.

[FllMtl Novelist]

If it's rated M for violence or language, my parents will let my siblings and me play it. But if there's obvious sexual content, the game's off-limits. (The only exception to that so far that I can remember is Mass Effect, which only MOI and I were allowed to play and I never finished. XD)

Personally, I don't play a whole lot of video games, but when I do, violence, gore, and language don't bother me so long as the game is good.

But I can understand why some people wouldn't play Gears of War and others like it.

On AO titles, I don't think they're not being made at all, but they're only sold at stores with permission to sell stuff like that. You won't find AO titles at many (if any) Gamestops or Walmarts.

[Nate]

If you don't wanna play them, don't play them.

I own quite a few M-rated games though, and enjoy them.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

If it's rated M for violence or language, my parents will let my siblings and me play it. But if there's obvious sexual content, the game's off-limits. (The only exception to that so far that I can remember is Mass Effect, which only MOI and I were allowed to play and I never finished. XD)

Though, with Mass Effect the sex scene is completely optional, even if you romance someone.

[FllMtl Novelist]

Though, with Mass Effect the sex scene is completely optional, even if you romance someone.

Yeah, I think that was the main reason we were allowed to play it. MOI avoided it completely.

[Htom Sirveaux]

I actually haven't been playing much M-rated stuff lately. Not out of a conscious decision, it just seems to be working out that way.

[Sammy Boy]

When considering a game's content, I think about whether it's part of the game because it needs to be there (for thematic reasons, or because it's required to advance the plot).

Often I find that violence in games are simply because it's due to context (e.g. combat, fighting bad guys, etc.).

That's how I decide, maybe that will help you in your decision making?

[Bobtheduck]

Most of my favorite games are M rated. Metal Gear series, Silent Hill series, Unreal Tournament 3... Rumor is that the most awesome looking final fantasy game in a long time, Versus 13, is going to be M rated too (for blood) and that's a definite buy (provided I have the money)

I'm not sure if Portal is M rated... I don't think it is. Orange box has a spectrum rating, T-M. I think Portal is the T in that bunch. I can't easily check this, as I only have the PC version and it's not installed on my laptop.

[Rusty Claymore]

Yeah, portal is not M, but Half Life and TF2 are. The rating system seems to be rather fluid sometimes. So rather than go off the rating, read reviews and preview the game. If your gut syas no, return/sell it. Fallout 3 is a good game, but the excessive(to me) gore and frequent religion bashing (ntm the increasingly frequent use of the F-word), made me decide to permanently shelf it. I think Burnout was rated T, and if you think about what is really happening, you're mass murdering via vehicular manslaughter, but I played and enjoyed it, since pedestrians and drivers didn't exist in the games world. XD

[Atria35]

I have no problem enjoying most M-rated games. For instance, Fallout 3 is one of my favorite games ever. It does depend on the game itself, though- I would never play Grand Theft Auto.

[Nate]

I actually like GTA games, though I've never beaten any. There comes a bit where the missions require too much luck and skills I don't have, especially when the game wants to make you act like you're playing a third person shooter when it isn't really very good at being one.

But I enjoy the missions up to that point and running around the city is always fun, especially when you enter the cheat code for the tank and start blowing up everything and everyone. Oddly enough, the police officers on foot are the most dangerous thing when you're in the tank. Cop cars just run into you and explode, but police officers on foot can yank you out of the tank and bust you if you don't run over them fast enough.

[Atria35]

and running around the city is always fun, especially when you enter the cheat code for the tank and start blowing up everything and everyone. Oddly enough, the police officers on foot are the most dangerous thing when you're in the tank. Cop cars just run into you and explode, but police officers on foot can yank you out of the tank and bust you if you don't run over them fast enough.

Okay, that sounds awesome. But I find that if I feel a need to mindlessly destroy stuff, Sims works almost as well- I set the house on fire and make them walk into it.

[TopazRaven]

Lol, wow, you two are terrible! xD

[mysngoeshere56]

I think it depends on what exactly makes the game rated M, mixed with the personal convictions of the player. I believe there are a few things that are specifically black or white, but for the most part, it all depends on a person's personal conviction.

I don't think I own or have played any M rated games in the past (not out of conviction to stay away, but for lack of anything in the department that's really sparked my interest). I own, play, and enjoy a lot of T-rated games though.

[Riggidig]

Maybe I posted incorrectly. Over here in South Africa games/movies are (usually) rated as follows:

G
PG
10M
10
PG-13
16
R18
X18


My limit regarding movies/games is usually 16. I just feel uncomfortable watching 18-rated movies/playing 18-rated games.

[Shao Feng-Li]

Isn't the 16 rating about the same as our M? At least, the only difference is M =17 years old.

Anyway, for me, it just depends on what it's rated for. There's a big difference between defending earth from attacking aliens (who have fake looking purple blood) and killing hookers to get your money back.

[Riggidig]

Isn't the 16 rating about the same as our M? At least, the only difference is M =17 years old.

Anyway, for me, it just depends on what it's rated for. There's a big difference between defending earth from attacking aliens (who have fake looking purple blood) and killing hookers to get your money back.

I agree. I have no problem offing a hoard of zombies or invading aliens, but killing people, especially innocent people (eg. GTA, Prototype) just doesn't sit well in my book.

[Shao Feng-Li]

I agree. I have no problem offing a hoard of zombies or invading aliens, but killing people, especially innocent people (eg. GTA, Prototype) just doesn't sit well in my book.

Yeah. Though, I do kinda like playing a dark side game of Knights of the Old Republic XD

[Riggidig]

Yeah. Though, I do kinda like playing a dark side game of Knights of the Old Republic XD

Ha ha I get you

[TopazRaven]

In all honesty I usually only play T-rated games and under because I can't handle gore. I never liked war games for this reason, but the kid I used to babysit would play them all the time. It always kind of disturbed me his parents would let a 10-year old play games where the whole point was basically shooting, blowing up and torturing people. So yeah anyway, I have played a little bit of GTA at a friends house before, it was a long time ago though, so maybe one of the first games. I just had fun driving around running from the cops. xD

[Riggidig]

In all honesty I usually only play T-rated games and under because I can't handle gore. I never liked war games for this reason, but the kid I used to babysit would play them all the time. It always kind of disturbed me his parents would let a 10-year old play games where the whole point was basically shooting, blowing up and torturing people. So yeah anyway, I have played a little bit of GTA at a friends house before, it was a long time ago though, so maybe one of the first games. I just had fun driving around running from the cops. xD

True. Watching kids around the age of 10 play such games also make me feel rather uncomfortable.

[TopazRaven]

I just worry about kids growing up with warped minds I suppose. I don't see how these sorts of games would be a good influence on a young child. They are rated 16 and up for a reason after all.

[Riggidig]

I just worry about kids growing up with warped minds I suppose. I don't see how these sorts of games would be a good influence on a young child. They are rated 16 and up for a reason after all.

At the local gameshop there are regularly kids in their pre-teens play Call of Duty Modern Warfare against each other. I guess it's the parents making those kind of decisions.

[Nate]

Remember that "16 and up" is just a guideline. Schindler's List was an R-rated movie, and schools around the country were encouraging high school kids to go see it.

It's funny, because during the Call of Duty Black Ops map pack Quick Look on Giant Bomb, Vinny mentioned something about third graders talking about Black Ops, and he's like "This game is rated M and these kids are playing it?" to which Jeff pointed out that when they were that age, they'd seen a lot of that kind of stuff too. He said he remembered his mom taping "Revenge of the Nerds" for him on TV and when he was watching it they got to the part with the female nudity and she was like "If I'd known this was in it I wouldn't have taped it for you!" But I think most of us saw violent movies when we were kids...I remember distinctly seeing Predator and Blade Runner by the time I was 10 years old.

And the conclusion Jeff and I have both reached is we turned out okay.