Update: Hatred is out.

Kotaku: 

http://kotaku.com/hatred-the-kotaku-review-1708545268

"Hatred isn’t exciting or frightening or intense or funny or even thought-provoking, except in the sense that playing it left me feeling so empty that I’m wondering whether that means there is something wrong with the game, or whether there is something wrong with me."

Eurogamer:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-06-04-hatred-review

"Maybe that's the point. Maybe this is all a garbled commentary on how normalised extreme violence has become in gaming."

 Gamespot: 

http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/hatred-review/1900-6416157/

"and yet still too childish to matter."

(Original Article)

I watched a few clips of Mortal Kombat X and I lamented on the state of gaming.

The fatalities were gruesome and the x ray combos graphic. But I wasn’t impressed. To me, it was just another video game that uses the “M” rating to let loose on simplistic ideas.

Many of our mature games aren’t actually mature. They appear to be “T” games with the gore, sex and language turned up a notch. These games feel like they are geared to teenagers who have just turned eighteen and are now in awe of their newfound liberties.

Is that what we define as mature gaming? Do we just turn up the blood, sex and language up a notch and then market it to adults? I strongly beg to differ.

Mature gaming isn’t just about blood, gore and sex. Mature gaming is about mature themes. When these mature themes have been engaged, they may lead you to more blood, more gore and introduce sexual situations. But it is certainly not the other way round.

One of Naughty Dog’s greatest achievements in The Last of Us was that they successfully engaged us in a maturely themed game. Yes, there was blood. Yes, there was strong language. But it all felt natural and not forced. As an adult, you felt comfortable playing this game because it treated you like an adult and not a salivating teenager.

Not every game has to be dark and serious like the Last of Us, but all I am asking is that if you are going for the “M” rating, respect the individuals you are targeting and treat us as such.

Please leave your thoughts below.

ratings are to inform people of potentially offensive content not to suggest a potential target audience.



therefore your argument is flawed.

It's funny that you discredit Mortal Kombat X as mature when it portrays pretty well what's to live with a stubborn wife/mother during a crisis phase in a relationship. Sure, it might be buried among some The Shinning fatalities from Johnny Cage, but it is there nonetheless. I applaud the developer for trying.

Well... The rated M rating is there to tell the parents that the game they are buying isn't suitable for younger children/teens so I think games that are rated M due to mindless nonsense is fine. If the games like Mortal Combat and stuff had a rated T rating, the anti gaming press out there will be on it like a whore on cum.

That's like saying that porn should be rated T because porn doesn't have a deep story

I came here to say this.

I think you misunderstood the ESRB's usage of the word "Mature"

"M rated" media usually is filled with stuff that speak to/of the dark side of human existence, that can be implemented in a very juvenile and brain dead way, but it can also be made in a tasteful and enrichening way

games more often than not tend to the former, yet sometimes there are games that use darker themes in a mature way

I think you're mistaking what M means - it's just there so someone like myself, as a parent, know what to expect from the game, and not let my E/PEGI 7 kids anywhere near it.

ESRB ratings are an attempt to educate adults who may not be gamers and help protect children. The rating has nothing to do with a game's theme, direction, or audience. I don't really get what you are trying to say in your statement. How would simply seeing the "M" on the game correlate in any way with it's premise, complexity, or its level of maturity? Sidenote: Last of Us was a good game but I think it was WAY overrated, personally.

You may have written that reply a little too hastily...

Please read your reply again and take your time.