Dark Sector banned by the OFLC
posted 14/02/08
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There's been no official word from the Australian publisher of Dark Sector, D3 Publisher, but IGN are reporting that the OFLC has refused it classification in Australia, and therefore, (unless changed) it's banned and won't be available for sale.
In its report, the Board (OFLC) describe Dark Sector as a "violent and sometimes gruesome game with a sinister storyline and ominous outcome. The violence and aggression inflicted upon the protagonist is of a high level, naturalistic and not stylised at all."
While the Board notes that the violence in the game takes place in the context of Hayden's mission to "defeat a scientist that has infected people with a mutant virus," the report spends several paragraphs detailing the most excessive examples of that violence, leading to the decision that its impact "exceeds strong and as such cannot be accomplished in a MA15+ classification."
For instance: "When Hayden cuts off his opponent's limb with the glaive, large amounts of blood spray forth from the stump and the injured person screams in agony which increases the impact." The report also mentions that some of the most violent elements of the gameplay, including "decapitation, dismemberment of limbs accompanied by large blood spurts, neck breaking twists and exploding bodies with post-action twitching body parts" are "relatively easy to accomplish".
Source : IGN.com
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As mentioned, D3 Publisher, the company distributing the game has not officially commented on the OFLC's verdict yet and when they do, we'll update this article to keep you informed.
Also, let's see no "OMG THE OFLC SUXOR" comments or threats against them. The OFLC is only working inside the ratings sytem that's available to them which at this point in time, doesn't allow the room for any sort of game that requires an [R] (or higher) rating.
Of course XBW agrees than some sort of maturer 18+ rating for games is long overdue. Games development is cut-throat enough without having to go back and spend money retooling almost every single part of your game because some country has a half arsed, incomplete rating system.
As we've said on numerous occasions. Nothing should be banned. Nothing. Not books, not movies, not games. Nothing. The rating systems should be able to accomodate any media or content thrown at it for classification but clearly our current one doesn't.
Then again, as I haven't played it, the game might totally suck and this might spare Aussie gamers the money it takes to find these things out ;-)
Shane...
Visit the Dark Sector gamezone for more info on this title
