Video Game Ratings, Part 2

I’m just going to tell some of you now – this blog is probably going to torque someone and that isn’t my intention at all. I do however have some opinions and questions about people who use the rating system as THE litmus test of what makes a game acceptable and/or unacceptable.

Exhibit A: The Media Wise Video Game Report Card (see link for full document). http://www.mediafamily.org/research/report_vgrc_2004.shtml

MediaWise Video Game Report Card Game Lists:
Parent Alert! Games to avoid for your children and teens
1. Doom 3, M
2. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, M
3. Half Life 2, M
4. Halo 2, M
5. Resident Evil: Outbreak, M
6. Psi Ops: the Mindgate Conspiracy, M
7. The Guy Game, M
8. Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude, M
9. Mortal Kombat Deception, M
10. Rumble Roses, M

There are some pretty raunchy games on this list. GTA – probably should have gotten an Adult Only rating because of nudity but M rating keeps it in retails stores to make money. Example of where the ESRB evalution of the game is a bit skewed.

Halo 2 gets the same M rating for violence and language. Of which, isn’t as intense as Call To Duty, World War II game in which you are shooting humans, but that game got a T rating. And isn’t on the games to avoid list. Hmmmm, interesting.

The other games – I understand why they are on the list – some pretty intense occult issues and sexual references in all of them. Except Halo. It’s just violent. I wonder why it was picked as a game to avoid as opposed to The Sims – which allows us to create and peep in on a community of people and manipulate them to cheat on their husbands/wives? Just asking.

Which brings us to the recommended list…

MediaWise Recommended Games for children and teens
1. ESPN NFL 2 K5, E
2. Pikmin 2, E
3. Sly 2: Band of Thieves, E
4. Karaoke Revolution Volume 3, E
5. Madden NFL 2005, E
6. Jak 3, T
7. Prince of Persia – Sands of Time, T
8. Myst IV: Revelation, T
9. RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, E
10. SimCity 4, E

All decent, fun games. But a couple of observations. A game like Sly 2 – where the object of the game is to go around stealing and not get caught – gets recommended but a game that is violent, yet teaches honor and sacrifice, like Call to Honor or Halo, isn’t recommended. Interesting.

Prince of Persia – not a bad game, but RECOMMENDED? I will quote a reviewer, who did like the game but had some cautions about it…

“Sensuality is a large part of the character Farah. Her clothing consists of an arabic version of a loin drape cloth/bikini top, and she serves as the prince’s love interest. There is a scene in the game where she is bathing nude in a pool, and she convinces the prince to disrobe and take a bath with her. The two swim around, and nudity is implied through the water but not shown explicitly. However, a small portion of Farah’s unclothed rear end is shown as she climbs out of the pool and sits on the edge. It is also implied that the two characters engage in sexual activity and shows them laying on a bed together before doing so.”

Karoake Revolution shouldn’t be on the recommended list because there are some people on this planet that should never open their mouth to sing. It’s just too painful…but I digress.

BOTTOM LINE
I wonder if the reviewer at Media Wise played the games or just looked at the rating then went from there. It’s an honest question, because not all M or E rated games are equal. NBA Street is an E rated game and a blast to play. One problem…trash talking. Funny one liners that put down the opponent ended up getting quoted from Cooper to his two sisters. Not funny.

I don’t worry about him blasting them with X-wing, but I guess that’s a possibility.

Some GuardRail Questions I Ask:

What is the overall tone and story of the game? What does the story celebrate?
Are there areas that I personally struggle with celebrated in the game?
What’s my discipline level? Am I spending as much time in the Word as I am gaming?

It’s not the fact that I play video games. But if I have to say no to Jesus to do it – then it’s a problem.

I will quote from a recently found great resource (http://www.almenconi.com/index.html) I look at periodically – “The problem may not be the game â€“ The real problem is how are you going to communicate your values to your child?”

I’ve got more…but this is all we can handle for now!