PS3 News: Platinum Altered Revengeance To Avoid "Censorship Issues" - PS3 News

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Platinum Altered Revengeance To Avoid "Censorship Issues"

So what's going on with Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance?

Well, it was featured in the latest issue of Play Magazine, which means more details have found their way to eager eyes.

As summarized by The Silent Chief, we learn why new designer Platinum Games changed the enemies from human to cyborg; it seems the human foes were taken out "to avoid censorship issues in Japan." Now that surprises us, considering the sheer amount of violence in much of Japan's entertainment media. Also, Raiden will have the ability to parry attacks even when his back is turned to the incoming blow, which makes sense. The developer typically institutes this feature in their action-oriented titles.

It is interesting to note that censorship issue. We usually hear about excessively violent games being banned from places like Australia; more often than not, though, it's not a problem in Japan. Maybe Platinum just isn't all that comfortable with blood and gore...they're not really into that type of thing, as past titles like Vanquish and Bayonetta were about the action and atmosphere rather than the ripping apart of bodies.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance should make an appearance at this year's E3 (it'll even be playable, supposedly), so maybe that's when we'll get a solidified release date.

Related Game(s): Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Tags: metal gear rising revengeance, metal gear rising details, metal gear rising gameplay

4/9/2012 9:56:30 AM Ben Dutka

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Comments (25 posts)

Temjin001
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 10:12:55 AM
Reply

hehe crazy. Imagine God of War with cyborgs. Kratos would electricute himself =p

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Highlander
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 10:27:58 AM
Reply

Japanese game censors do have certain areas of sensitivity, thinking about Japanese games in general, I'm not that surprised by the change of human to cyborg. I frequently find that Japanese games abstract violence to a degree so that the violence is not quite human vs human, and does not always feature the kind of blood and gore that western games have.

I don't know precisely how much graphic violence Japanese TV/Cinema depicts compared to the West (outside the realm of anime). Certainly I find most television uncomfortably violent and gory. Even in prime time, and prior to what was the traditional watershed hours, there are frequent and graphic depictions of violence on TV in the US and UK. But then, I've complained for years about a double standard in the media, where TV and movies can depict really nasty, graphic violence, deaths, and all sorts of violent action, but are extremely sensitive to certain words and nudity. I've similarly complained that game ratings have the same double standard here. I also note that games sometimes seem to be held to a higher standard that TV or movies, and things that on TV or in a movie would barely rate a PG-13, routinely earn an M rating in games.

I see this as a continuing demonstration that games are held to a higher standard than other media when it comes to content and censorship.

As you noted, Vanquish and Bayonetta did something similar. So, I guess that we should not be surprised that this is the case for Metal Gear Rising.
Last edited by Highlander on 4/9/2012 10:28:23 AM

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Looking Glass
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 12:02:40 PM

Well to quote John Waters: "Violence is okay. Sex isn't". I also find this to be both funny and unfortunate to say the least. Although on another interesting note I've heard that in other places such as France the opposite standard is in play: Sex is okay but violence isn't.

Funny isn't it?

And for the record I myself am fervently opposed to censorship. And it doesn't matter to me what's being censored. I would still be opposed even if I don't like what's being censored.

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Godslim
Tuesday, April 10, 2012 @ 6:32:04 AM

very well said highlander
i find it crazy too i mean sex is only natural at the end of the day

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richfiles
Monday, April 16, 2012 @ 3:21:01 PM

Not sure how movies vs games are, censorship wise, in Japan... But man, I've seen "Ichi the Killer". This sounds weird to me, and almost more of an internal comfort level by the developer. This is a country that produced a movie where slipping on a human colon was made into a "not again" joke! With that, I'd say I'm pretty sure the developer is simply not interested in the bloody violence themselves.
Last edited by richfiles on 4/16/2012 3:22:06 PM

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oONewcloudOo
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 10:43:11 AM
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Its just not as satisfying killing cyborgs as it is humans. Oh god did I just say that!!

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Highlander
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 10:44:43 AM

Yes, yes you did...

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oONewcloudOo
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 11:01:37 AM

It looks like I may need to retire from video games incase I become a murder as it is "scientifically proven"

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Highlander
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 11:09:03 AM

Actually, the closest that has been proven is that video games can cause some temporary changes in the level of aggression, which could affect behavior. I believe that it's also been shown that violent games can desensitize some individuals to an extent, but unless you're already vulnerable to the influence and pre-disposed to act out, I don't believe that video games have been shown to have any direct link with violence - except the monkey see, monkey do stuff that kids act out on the playground. But then, they do teh same thing with Power Rangers and other gcrap like that, so it's not really too shocking.

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Highlander
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 11:17:13 AM

I should have added a big old IIRC in front of my previous post...

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slugga_status
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 10:47:04 AM
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That is kind of weird being that so much anime and games have violence in them coming from Japan. Oh well..wait and see approach

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Highlander
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 11:01:40 AM

I guess it depends on the target audience. though you might remember that Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 for the PS3 (the version that actually sold many copies in Japan) was changed to remove the showers of blood that featured in the 360 original. I always thought that that change had something to do with changing the game to be more suited to Japanese gamers.

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CaptRon
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 12:28:56 PM
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Game just keeps looking worse.

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fatelementality
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 1:21:21 PM
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I'm calling censorsh*t!

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Nynja
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 2:25:14 PM
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Cyborgs?...to avoid censorship...thankfully Team Ninja doesn't worry about crap like that.

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Oxvial
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 2:32:22 PM

To bad they didn't worry about making NG3 a better game.

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Shams
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 5:19:53 PM

If you have your doubts, then get it on the cheap, or rent it. The game is plenty awesome.

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WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 2:51:40 PM
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I enjoyed Enslaved and Dark Void but it gets a bit boring smashing bots all day, bad move.

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Amnesiac
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 8:43:13 PM
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I hope they'll just slap some synthetic skin on each of these foes, give 'em all different personalities but still insist that they're "robots" while never changing a thing.

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BikerSaint
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 9:23:40 PM

I like your suggestion, 1 "thumbs up" for you!

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sha4dowknight05
Monday, April 09, 2012 @ 9:41:34 PM
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The chances of me buying a samurai sword and chopping people up the public has been lowered down dramatically.................................................................................................................................................................

just the kind of stuff video games need. (sarcastically)

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___________
Tuesday, April 10, 2012 @ 4:42:57 AM
Reply

oh hogs wash!
platinum for some reason have a problem with gore so they just use this as a BS excuse to cover it up!
god i HATE it when companies treat their fans like they were born yesterday!

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Highlander
Tuesday, April 10, 2012 @ 10:29:41 AM

But...clearly you were...


...born yesterday.

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SS4
Thursday, April 12, 2012 @ 9:42:31 PM
Reply

I think censorship is stupid. People that want to censor everything should censor themselves coz no one wants to know what they think or feel.

If you don't like something don't buy it. Its like in resident evil 5 they had to add more white ppl in Africa coz it would be racist otherwise...

Seriously, ppl should chill out and let ppl be creative without being offended by everything and learn to enjoy themselves instead !

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Gravelight
Saturday, April 14, 2012 @ 2:11:44 AM
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Panty Wastes (*rimshot*)(*golf clap*). I agree SS4, people act like this is all new and forbidden. What little boy/girl doesn't find out about things a bit too early? (No darling, let him watch....let him watch.) He who hides from the world is the fool and a displeaser to his master, weak in knowledge because he rejects it.

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