Usually, whenever we hear news about game ratings it involves a ratings board demanding ridiculous cuts to be made from a particular game, or some other kind of misunderstanding concerning a game’s content.
Fortunately, that’s not the case today, as it’s been announced that the British Board of Film Classification has given Quantic Dream's dark thriller Heavy Rain a rating of 15 for "strong language, violence and sex." And since the game passed with no cuts made, that means UK gamers will also be able to enjoy the game's nudity and kid killing in all its disturbing glory.
Speaking with INCGamers, a spokesperson for the BBFC explained the board’s decision, saying, "These are obviously not real people, or real people acting, and it all depends on the level of blood and violence. We use the same classification for games as we do for films, and this game is suitable for a 15 audience."
Considering the amount of time and effort Quantic Dream put into the casting and performance capture for the game, I wouldn’t be surprised if a few of the voice actors took offense to the "not real people acting" comment. Still, the board’s assessment is encouraging since it clearly demonstrates the board's willingness to extend the same artistic courtesy consistently extended to film. Also, between this, Mass Effect 2 and even Splinter Cell: Conviction, the BBFC is on a hot streak in terms of keeping a level head in terms of determining what content is or is not appropriate for the 15 and above crowd. Well done.
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Displaying 1–16 of 16
typhoon_2099
BBFC does it right, treat it like a film, it's nearly the same thing anyway, you're just in control. It should be the same over in the US, a board decides ratings, and it's illegal to sell to people below what they decide.
Works perfectly fine over here.
cryfordawn
spicypooptastic are you a dope? This game wil bomb? Every PS3 owner in the world will buy this game. You clearly have not a cue what games are about today.
YOU FAIL
cryfordawn
spicypooptastic are you an idiot? This game wil bomb? Every PS3 owner in the world will buy this game. You clearly have not a cue what games are about today.
YOU FAIL
spicypooptastic
I am sorry but this game looks Incredibly stupid. Half the game is walking around in silence when you like shake the controller to cut food, or press a button to look at a bear or laundry. Then you have the cheesy awkard pause dialog that sounds unnatural.
This game will bomb, and I gaurentee xplay will be talking about how they dropped the ball on this one.
that311guy123
This is the first game that's made me wish I own a PS3. I would love to play it, the creator's last project, Indigo Prophecy, was wonderful and it looks like they took all the best elements of that and improved on them for Hard Rain while cutting out the parts that were more iffy.
DreamingDarklyRobin
I'm a fan of games with good stories but if they aren't even going to bother with gameplay, they may just as well call it an interactive movie. Quick time events do not count as gameplay.
munnpope
so you gonna pass in a game that you never played because the way you think the game WILL be you're clever
Read more: http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/p ost/701652/British-Classificat ion-Board-Gives-Heavy-Rain-15- Rating.html#ixzz0brY89FMv
Mr_Eko_73
Not really surprising for a county that shows full-on frontal nudity on television after 10pm. The UK has always been more concerned about the level of blood and gore over sex.
HenNaHito
I'll pass on this one for an actual game with actual gameplay.
Nerdpunk
flp_b01 you end that sentence with a smiley? very disturbing.
it's a fact that europeans/uk are more liberal in their drug/sex intake. why am i still here in the u.s.?
vanphelan
I don't think so. But I am 25 so I don't have to worry about what games are rated :)
FLP_B01
thats great news for UK Gamers!
now if only Australia's government is the same as BBFC...every Australian gamers would be happy.
I wonder if Heavy Rain would get Mature rating here in North America. (I don't really care since I'm old enough to buy Adults Only games) :D
Jeedmah!
Why can't the ESRB give ratings based on actual ages. The difference between T and M is too broad.
mckin3228
I trust a lot of the mature themes in these games will go over the heads of 15 year olds.
ganjasaurus_rex
Congrats to the BBFC for understanding videogames are a legitimate storytelling medium. This will, hopefully, open the eyes of the various censorship agencies worldwide to this concept and cause them to follow suit.
jthmrocks
I'm still iffy about this game.
Displaying 1–16 of 16