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Persona 4 rated for PlayStation 3 by ESRB
A content rating for an unannounced PlayStation 3 version of Atlus' PS2 JRPG Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 has appeared on the ESRB's website, hinting at a future re-release via the PlayStation Network. A PlayStation 2 Classics version of Persona 4 would complete the series on the PlayStation Network, joining downloadable PSOne versions of Persona and Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, the PlayStation 2 game Persona 3 FES, and PSP remakes of Persona, Persona 2: Innocent Sin, and Persona 3. Persona 4 previously saw an expanded re-release on the PlayStation Vita in 2012. Atlus announced that a quartet of new series entries -- Persona 5, Persona 4: Dancing All Night, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, and Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth -- will hit consoles and portable platforms throughout 2014 and 2015. [Image: Atlus]
Apple and Google just say no to ESRB mobile app ratings
You're familiar with the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB), right? They're the lot who help moms and dads ensure that their kiddies only get their grubby mitts on age-appropriate content. Recently, the ESRB's reach extended into the mobile space, but it turns out that Apple and Google aren't down with the ESRB's handy dandy ratings system. Despite being invited to the party, the two tech behemoths with matching app purchasing portals are quite content with their existing controls, thank you very much. Of course, the fact that the ESRB relies on developers to complete a detailed questionnaire instead of reviewing every app itself (not unlike existing Android Market and App Store protocols) might have something to do with Cupertino and Mountain View's reluctance to jump on the bandwagon. Looks like parents wanting to keep their kid's devices free from inappropriate content will have to remain vigilant without the ESRB's help.
ESRB ironically rates Bulletstorm 'Mature,' tries to summarize game
If you're not sure whether Bulletstorm exists to mock a 15-year-old's view of masculinity, or to celebrate it, the ESRB's rating summary isn't going to deliver any answers. The ESRB puts on a straight face as it describes Bulletstorm's inclusion of "Intoxicated Skillshots," references to "sexual acts, venereal diseases, and having sex with one's mother" and skillshots infused with sexual innuendo (e.g., Gag Reflex, Rear Entry, Drilldo, Mile High Club). The ratings board makes special note of one skillshot, "Fire in the Hole," which involves shooting at enemies' "exposed buttocks." Yummy!%Gallery-109508%
The Lawbringer: Self-regulation and the video game industry
Pop law abounds in The Lawbringer, your weekly dose of WoW, the law, video games and the MMO genre. Running parallel to the games we love and enjoy is a world full of rules, regulations, pitfalls and traps. How about you hang out with us as we discuss some of the more esoteric aspects of the games we love to play? Hello, friends. I hope you all enjoyed the discussion last week about Schwarzenegger v. EMA that took place in the article and in the comments. People get very passionate about the role of government, and I thought the conversation was a very positive one, so thank you. This week, I've got a little more self-regulation talk for you, so please come in, sit, and get ready for another fun look at the video games industry.
MMO Family: A parent's look at Fantage
MMO Family is your resource for leveling a gaming-specced family, from tips on balancing gaming with family life to finding age-appropriate online games for everyone in the family. Now that we've established that kids aren't gaming snobs and will dig into a good Flash game with as much relish as we grownups attack any top-rung MMO title, let's look at another up-and-coming Flash title for kids. Fantage (short for "Fantastic Age") has attracted nearly 7 million users since April 2008 almost entirely by word of mouth -- how's that for kid power? I suspect the reason Fantage tickles my 9-year-old playtester's fancy is tied to the advancements she's been making with her real-life character this summer. The achievements are flowing: she's figured out how to use the Page Up and Page Down buttons to snag [Swimming in the Deep End], she's acquired her first epic mount [Big Brother's Hand-Me-Down Bike] and she's become fascinated with the possibilities of /dance... We're even breaking away from class-specific gear sets to farm all the mats for her [Tier 4 School Supplies] individually via hotly contested minigames all over town. So while she's still utterly captivated by the sparkling magic of a game like Pixie Hollow, this evolving little personality is hooked on Fantage's opportunities to show off her own style and personality via her avatar and accessories. Different game, different flavor -- so let's investigate the attractions.
MMO Family: A parent's look at Pixie Hollow
MMO Family is your resource for leveling a gaming-specced family ... From tips on balancing gaming with family life to finding age-appropriate niches for every family member, MMO Family offers you advice on MMO gaming of the family, by the family and for the family. I wasn't planning to include a 2-D Flash game in MMO Family's initial sweep of children's games -- but then my daughter tried Disney's Pixie Hollow. Initially dismissive of the idea of slumming it in 2-D, she found herself utterly captivated by its magpie collection quests and friendly community of players. In the eyes of this 8-year-old road tester, Pixie Hollow delivers an enjoyable, social experience in an online world ... And I was forced to admit that this world suits her own interests as well as deeply immersive MMO worlds hold mine. We're not going to get into gender wars here. Obviously, some girls won't like the fairies theme, and we're sure grownups will continue their snarky debates over the game's recently added male characters ("sparrow men"). Beyond that, what's most apparent is that Pixie Hollow successfully snares both kids who are enthralled with the Disney Fairies franchise and those who simply enjoy a glittery, web-based spot to flutter and chatter.
MMO Family: A parent's look at Toontown Online
MMO Family is your resource for leveling a gaming-specced family ... From tips on balancing gaming with family life to finding age-appropriate niches for every family member, MMO Family offers you advice on MMO gaming of the family, by the family and for the family. Kids may not even realize they're playing an MMO (you know, one of those games that Mom and Dad talk about all the time and play after bedtime) when they log in to Toontown Online. All the traditional elements are there -- missions, combat, grouping, pets -- but they're all couched in the incomparable cartoon stylings of Disney. In fact, "couched" is probably the most apt descriptor possible, because Toontown is familiar and welcoming, just like that cozy couch you've been nestling into to watch Saturday morning cartoons for ... well, your whole life. That's not to say that the action in Toontown is laid back. It's anything but. Kids gobble up the zany, cartoon slapstick approach to "combat" (think cream pies and banana peels) and mini-games. In fact, they'll be so busy squirting the boss in the face with their lapel flowers that they won't even realize they're "working" on levels. This is kid-flavored MMO gaming at its candy-coated best.
MMO Family: A parent's look at Wizard101
MMO Family is your resource for leveling a gaming-specced family ... From tips on balancing gaming with family life to finding age-appropriate niches for every family member, MMO Family offers you advice on MMO gaming of the family, by the family and for the family. Wizard101 is the game your youngest gamers have been begging for. With stringent chat filters atop relaxed, turn-based game play, Wizard101 looks almost unbeatable for young players seeking an MMO with traditional fantasy appeal. It plays like a collectible card game with all the MMO trimmings: housing, armor and clothing, player houses, pets, mini-games ... Family subscription plans plus the most complete, well presented web documentation that we've found keep parents as happy as the kids. (And they just might find themselves tempted to start a character and build their own spell decks, too!)
ESRB: Death Track: Resurrection to get new life on PS3
Gaijin Entertainment Corporation plans to publish 1C's PC combat racing game Death Track: Resurrection, on PS3. At least, the publisher secured an ESRB rating for a PS3 version, which it probably wouldn't do if it didn't plan to release the game. Death Track: Resurrection, released last year, is about a violent racing competition set far in the future, in which cars have weapons and stuff. As a rookie driver, the player must make their way up the tournament ranks by driving well and not exploding. Resurrection is the sequel to a PC game, Deathtrack, created by Red Baron/Tribes developer Dynamix and originally released in 1989. That actually goes a long way toward explaining how you can have "Death Track" and "Resurrection" in the same title. It's the death track that was resurrected.
MMO Family: A parent's look at Ether Saga Online
MMO Family is your resource for leveling a gaming-specced family ... From tips on balancing gaming with family life to finding age-appropriate niches for every family member, MMO Family offers you advice on MMO gaming of the family, by the family and for the family. Next in our look at kids' MMOs is Ether Saga Online, winner of a 2009 National Parenting Publications Award for tweens and teens video games. Compared with the freewheeling, open-ended approach of Free Realms, ESO presents a more traditional MMO face. Even so, you probably weren't expecting a work of classic literature -- but that's in fact what you'll get. ESO, which was first developed for Chinese players, is based on Journey to the West (often known in the West as Monkey), considered one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature. All that, and it's free to play, too.
ESRB rates Castlevania: Rondo of Blood for Wii
[Castlevania Dungeon] According to a recent "T for Teen" classification by the ESRB, Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (better known as Dracula X: Rondo of Blood) appears to be heading to the Wii. An OFLC rating of the game back in December already hinted at the possibility of the game arriving on the Wii's Virtual Console (the Japanese version was released in April 2008), but the ESRB rating's description seems to clinch it, citing the "early-90s rendering" of "reddish blood-like bursts." Previously, unless you were a resident of Japan who owned a PC Engine CD in the early '90s (or, more likely, a PSP owner anywhere in the world within the past two years ago), there wasn't an easy way for you to get your hands on "Akumajō Dracula X Chi no Rondo" (Rondo of Blood's Japanese title). But now, it seems that Wii owners outside of Japan will get the chance to check out the game.
MMO Family: A parent's look at Free Realms
MMO Family is your resource for leveling a gaming-specced family ... From tips on balancing gaming with family life to finding age-appropriate niches for every family member, MMO Family offers you advice on MMO gaming of the family, by the family and for the family. This week, MMO Family begins a gaming-savvy look at some of the most popular kid MMOs. You know what you like in an MMO – but what about your kids? And what if you're looking for something the whole family could play together? Today's gaming family can nibble from a whole feast of MMOs: games for grownups (we can help you fence off areas for kids who want to play what Mom and Dad do), games for the little ones, games for tweens and teens, and games for everyone to play together. When it's time to find just the right selection for the kids, we'll help you reticle over the most likely targets. First up: Free Realms from Sony Online Entertainment.
MMO Family: Con your games like a pro
MMO Family is your resource for leveling a gaming-specced family ... From tips on balancing gaming with family life to finding age-appropriate niches for every family member, MMO Family offers you advice on MMO gaming of the family, by the family and for the family.When I first started playing MMOs in the very earliest days of EverQuest, I never quite understood my husband's rantings about the con system (i.e. to "consider" a monster's levels in relation to the player's). He can only take on light blues? Say what?! My magician's pet was putting down dark blues and whites while I ran to the kitchen for a drink. What was his problem, anyway? Unfortunately (for my husband and monks everywhere), no matter what they say, what's good for the goose isn't always good for the gander. And when it comes to choosing MMOs for your family, what's appropriate for one child and one family might be off the rails for another. Like keeping kids safe on the internet, the best strategy for choosing suitable games is a combination of tactics tailored to your family's likes, dislikes and needs. How can you best con the games your kids are begging to bring home?
ESRB lists a slew of new PS1 classics for PSN
The ESRB has revealed a list of games that could appear on the PSN soon. All six games (as detailed in the image above) are PS1 titles that have yet to appear on the PlayStation Store. Are these the games Sony's John Koller was talking about when he said PSN was to receive more from the classics library? This list may not be the ultimate, but it's a start. With the mention of this, and Resident Evil having been loaded onto PSN yesterday, it looks like SCEA is fulfilling its promise of more PS1 classics.Here's some further information on the six titles: Contra: Legacy of War - top-down version of classic Contra shooting action Dead in the Water - Think Twisted Metal ... on water Ford Racing - Hmm, we think it may have something to do with racing Mobile Light Force - Vertical-scrolling shmup Spec Ops: Airborne Commando - More shooting action XS Junior League Soccer - Soccer!
ESRB details new Star Wars: Battlefront titles
As it has in the past (accidentally so, we assume), the ESRB has leaked details for upcoming as yet unannounced titles. This time, the ESRB has trickled out details for two games -- both titled Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron -- for the Nintendo DS and PSP, Kotaku reports. According to product descriptions for each title, the games are presented in third-person and showcases battles throughout the Star Wars universe; in space, on land and in the air. Whether Elite Squadron is related to the Star Wars: Battlefront 3 title (formerly in development at Free Radical) remains to be seen. Full product descriptions can be found after the break. Joystiq has contacted LucasArts for a comment regarding the listings.
Punch-Out!! rated by ESRB, still coming 'first half 2009'
Readying Soda Popinski for battle with everyone's favorite underdog, Little Mac, takes time, folks. Today though, It seems that Nintendo may be getting closer to releasing the next iteration in the now aging series, Punch-Out!!, with the ESRB having officially rated the game as "Everyone 10+."Though we've yet to get our hands into Nintendo's punching gloves and see if the game's any good, based on screenshots and the little video we've seen we can wholeheartedly say (tongue fully in cheek) OMG PUNCH-OUT KING HIPPO AHHHH!1!11! Considering that the game's set for a "first half 2009" release window in Europe and the U.S., it has to be coming soon, right?Sorry to say this 9-year-olds, but it's time to suck it up and be patient. You'll hit the double digits soon! In the meantime, we'll be over here playing NES Punch-Out!! on your Wii. Without you.[Via PureNintendo]%Gallery-33381%
Top 5: Get Up, Stand Up
Coming off perhaps the longest election of all eternity, one aspect that stands out for me is the relentless demand for voting. Particularly for young people, the act of voting transcended the realm of obligation and became more of a societal requirement. 2004's "Vote or Die" campaign resurrected itself as "Don't Vote": a series of videos where celebrities tell us to be apathetic about voting ... and then hit us with a psych! You just got sarcasm'd! In reality, the "Don't Vote" videos are giving the viewer a wink which nonverbally says "we're messin' around; go vote, you moron!" Inarguably, such campaigns have been successful. The youth turnout was very large in 2004 and even larger this year. 24 million of them, in fact, aged 18 to 29 showed up, which is an increase of 2.2 million from 2004. While it's great to see participation in our political process, one wonders about the old newspaper to voting question, which goes something like this: "About half the population vote and about half read the newspaper. Let's hope it's the same half." Indeed, I question who is the better person: an uninformed voter, or an informed abstainer. On the other hand, perhaps pressuring us into the voting booth is justified: by voting for or against a candidate, we're investing ourselves in those individuals. Thus, we follow their progress and learn as we go. Whether the ends justify the means is for someone wiser than me to decide. Which leads me to gaming. Gaming is both entertainment and an art-form. It's evolved from an experiment by college researchers to a hobby for electronic enthusiasts to a distraction for bar patrons to a culture for children before finally reaching its final stage of metamorphosis: a global juggernaut larger than film and music which appeals to an incredibly diverse group of folks. And as it becomes more relevant in our society, those of us who follow it closely should feel a responsibility to stay informed and take action when appropriate and/or necessary. Last week I presented a list of items that divides gamers. Here's the Top 5 issues that should leave you standing shoulder to shoulder with your gaming comrades. NEXT >> #ninbutton { border-style: solid; border-color: #000; border-width: 2px; background-color: #BBB; color: #000; text-decoration: none; width: 100px; text-align: center; padding: 2px 2px 2px 2px; margin: 2px 2px 2px 2px; } .buttontext { color: #000; text-decoration: none; font: bold 14pt Helvetica; } #ninbutton:hover { text-decoration: none; color: #BBB; background-color: #000; } The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.
'Unofficial' XBLA Duke Nukem 3D gets ESRB rating
You can officially peel off that vaporware label and stick it to another game, because Duke Nukem 3D for the XBLA (not Forever, it still keeps its vaporware label) just ninja-received a rating from the ESRB. The still to be officially confirmed XBLA release of Duke 3D was recently given a Mature rating by the ESRB due to its "Blood and Gore, Strong Sexual Content and Violence" to which we say ... BRING IT! Now we just have to play the XBLA release date waiting game, though we're pretty darn sure we won't see it release anytime in August.
ESRB to curb early game leaks
Here are a few of the recent games that were announced via early ratings by the ESRB: Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, The Last Guy and Earthbound for Wii. A change in the ESRB's submission form will likely plug up those leaks, according to a memo leaked to Next-Gen. When publishers submit their game for rating, they now have the option to choose a date when the title is eligible to be uploaded to the ESRB's website. If left blank, the game will be eligible for display 30 days after it has been rated. The ratings board hopes that publishers don't overuse the new option. Said the memo, "The ESRB system will not work for consumers if publishers arbitrarily select dates bearing no reasonable relationship to consumer interest in the product." Our sights now turn to Australia's OFLC, Germany's USK and Britains's BBFC for early game leaks.
Is user generated content the future of MMOs?
User generated content. Second Life is built on it. Other games are slowly taking up the banner as well and introducing the ideas of the players into their fold. Are we doing ourselves a favor, or are we starting to completely shoot ourselves in the foot?MMOCrunch brought up the point that users are looking for a more customizable experience in their games and virtual worlds. They point to applications like Facebook and Unreal Tournament as examples of user generated content bringing in a huge audience and networking people like never before. Their article also goes on to look at why current MMOs don't go to the customizable lengths of these other applications. Problems stem from challenges in programming to the core inability for user generated content to be brought into a world where your actions drive a centralized plot line.
