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PSP: rated M for Mature
This should come as no surprise to PSP owners, but it's interesting to see the numbers nonetheless. When looking through the ESRB database, one sees that the PSP offers a greater variety of games than Nintendo's handheld. The PSP features 30 titles with an M rating. The DS, on the other hand, only has 2.Teen-rated games also find their home on the PSP. The DS only has 31 Teen-rated games, while the PSP has three times the number of titles, with 96 T-rated games.While it's undeniable that the DS is selling better than the PSP, one has to wonder how many of those consoles are for adults. I'd assume not too many. Grand Theft Auto sold over a million copies on Sony's handheld, while LocoRoco went by mostly unnoticed. I think it should be pretty clear that the two portables are targeting two very different markets: and older gamers, like myself, enjoy the slightly more adult-themed games of the PSP.
SNK's game is about witch-hunting, not girl-hunting
Doki Doki Majo Saiban, a little game (which almost surely will go no further than Japan) from SNK that was shown at TGS is suddenly back in the news. Has it been released? Are there videos? Not so much. Instead, people have been busily photoshopping some very risqué images that are being passed off as official screens. Of course, that's nothing new -- and it wouldn't be surprising if they were actual screens. However, some of the outcry around this particular set of faked screens is that some of the "characters" look extremely young. A certain p-word has been bandied about in reference to the game, and we hate to see misinformation spread, particularly when it comes to branding something as being a part of the "rapist game demographic" (a horrific quote if ever there was one), so we looked into the rumors. And we'll warn you up front that some of the sites linked herein further link to images that are most vehemently NSFW. Doki Doki Majo Saiban thrusts the player into the role of an intrepid young man hunting witches who appear human but are not. How can you tell the difference? By touching them. Seems innocent enough off the top, but the game is designed in a rather mature anime style. Now, this is common in Japanese media, and there's an entire genre of games (eroge) that, to non-Japanese audiences, might seem a little ... unusual. That's par for the course – what is anathema in America is acceptable in Europe and common in Japan, and vice versa, switch it around, etc. Sex and violence are handled differently in different countries and cultures. Doki Doki Majo Saiban is a Japanese game, and many Japanese gamers enjoy eroge. Until someone starts talking about releasing it elsewhere, who are we to impose our cultural sensibilities and sensitivities on it?
Updated Heroes trailer is no less bizarre than the last
Back in July, we posted a "leaked" trailer of Heroes for your viewing pleasure. The link has since been taken down, at the request of the publisher. At TGS, however, Suda 51's newest masterpiece was once again brought into the light. Anyone who's played their previous title, Killer 7, knows exactly how surrealistic these games can be, and this newer trailer does nothing but highlight the fact. Despite the "anybody pick up and play" design Nintendo seems to love so dearly, the Wii is accruing a rather impressive collection of extremely mature games. Between Heroes, Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles, Sadness, and the Orb/Thorn/Darkess combo from Crossbeam Studios, those of sounder mind and matter should be more than happy ... not to mention the ridiculous plethora of first-person shooters coming our way.
Grand Theft ... Nintendo? [update 1]
MTV (yeah, really) has a great GameFile piece up right now that speculates on the upcoming battle between the Nintendo Wii and the PS3. But though the rest is interesting, we only had eyes for one little thing that Reggie Fils-Aime let slip:"We're reaching out to every publisher, frankly every day. I'll be spending some time later today with the folks over at Take Two to see what type of support they can give our console. ... The fact is there will be M-rated content on the Wii console."This is either the sign of the apocalypse or the red carpet down which the Wii may strut to console wars victory. Take Two Interactive is, of course, the publisher behind the impossibly popular Grand Theft Auto franchise -- a franchise that has never appeared on a Nintendo console, though GTA has surfaced on the GBA.We'll give you a moment to consider that one. It's okay. We'll wait.
On Wii: Fatality! Mortal Kombat confirmed
With all the Midway love for the Wii lately, it's no real surprise that they've announced another title for the console. However, the spine-ripping action of Mortal Kombat raises several other speculative possibilities. Will MK hit the other next-gen consoles? Will it use the Wiimote? How many of us will be jumping around in our living rooms screaming, "Fatality?" In an odd twist, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon is being released first for the original Xbox and the PS2, with the Wii version to follow several months later. This seems like a strange move, considering it will lead to inevitable comparisions to the similarity of the Wii, spec-wise, to the current gen systems. Of course, the Wii isn't designed to be an expensive powerhouse that brings slightly better graphics into our gaming experience, but intent and purpose don't always matter, after all. The comparisons will be made. On the other hand, however, as this is the first Nintendo Mortal Kombat since 2004, its presence, along with hyper-mature games like Sadness, point to Nintendo's dedication to support games that really are for everyone, from kid's titles on up. Way up.
Red Steel with no blood?
TVG reports that Ubisoft's Revolution launch title, Red Steel, will avoid gratuitous violence. Despite influence from Tarantino's Kill Bill film series and sporting a name that seemingly implies blood-soaked katana, Red Steel will likely be released blood-free.The omission will help land the game a Teen-rating, which will increase the consumer demographic and extend the unofficial 'kid-tested, parent-approved' Nintendo theme to the Revolution. If you're at all disappointed by this toned-down development, just keep in mind that blood isn't necessary for a visceral experience.
