The USA’s top game censorship body, the ESRB, has been condemned for publishing a heavily jaundiced rating of PSP micro-bikini simulator Dead or Alive Paradise, accusing the game of being “cheesy,” having “creepy voyeurism” and containing “bizarre, misguided notions of what women really want” by portraying them cavorting in bikinis on the beach.
Some more lewd bikinis to give an idea of what Dead or Alive Paradise is all about:
The Entertainment Software Rating Board’s evaluation roundly condemned the game in terms sure to sell more than a few extra copies:
This is a video game in which users watch grown women dressed in G-string bikinis jiggle their breasts while on a two-week vacation. Women’s breasts and butts will sway while playing volleyball, while hopping across cushions, while pole dancing, while posing on the ground, by the pool, on the beach, in front of the camera.
There are other activities: Users can gamble inside a casino to win credits for shopping; they can purchase bathing suits, sunglasses, hats, clothing at an island shop; they can “gift” these items to eight other women in hopes of winning their friendship, in hopes of playing more volleyball.
And as relationships blossom from the gift-giving and volleyball, users may get closer to the women, having earned their trust and confidence: users will then be prompted to zoom-in on their friends’ nearly-naked bodies, snap dozens of photos, and view them in the hotel later that night.
Parents and consumers should know that the game contains a fair amount of “cheesy,” and at times, creepy voyeurism—especially when users have complete rotate-pan-zoom control; but the game also contains bizarre, misguided notions of what women really want (if given two weeks, paid vacation, island resort)—Paradise cannot mean straddling felled tree trunks in dental-floss thongs.
Readers of such a description could be forgiven for thinking it was written by an outraged feminist…
After some questioned the “objectivity” of this evaluation, the ESRB quickly folded and replaced their description with a less puritanical one, merely saying “we mistakenly posted a rating summary that included what some could rightfully take to be subjective statements.”
The ESRB’s ratings do not carry legal force, but they can nonetheless issue de factor bans on games by issuing ratings “family-friendly” retailers will refuse to stock, ensuring developers must frequently cut content in order to appease them and secure a marketable rating. Unrated games are denied licensing on consoles or access to major retailers.
Incidentally, this is all the body chose to say about the incendiary but unproblematic scene in Modern Warfare 2 in which the player is given the chance to massacre dozens of innocents whilst playing as a terrorist attacking an airport:
The most intense depiction of violence occurs during a “No Russian” mission where players take on the role of an undercover Ranger: Several civilians are gunned down at an airport as players are given a choice to participate in the killings.
At least none of them were wearing skimpy bikinis.
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Why the hell wouldn't you just play Sexy Beach or something? What good is borderline porn when what you really want is just porn?
Well, They think we are buying this game for the volleyball? hell no! Even if it is DoA: Chess, I will buy. And how do they know if those characters are women? they are 3D arts >:/ to Hell with the ESBR and all those sick faggots there!
anyone thats ever played a doa game can tell you everything they've said is true
Well, wait some time and im sure someone will release a hack which makes them completely nude... so long.
keep in mind the ESRB is run by a HARD LINE Feminist
Doesn't matter. No one person rates a game. It's actually done by several people independently, I believe.
Is this even an actual game or an excuse to look at digital women?
Seems like the ESRB went overboard on their statement, but on the other hand, this still looks like a piece of garbage "game" and if you buy it, then wow.
Go buy a real game, even if it sucks. It's still a game compared to this drivel
I wonder what the puritanical ESRB would say if they were to rate a porn video instead.
You don't play this game for anything else but to see girls bounce on the beach.
Don't worry I heard full version coming to USA
Plus ESRB apologizes
(ESRB spokesman apologizes for subjectivity, and we get a rare peek inside the process.)
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3177815
don't you just love double standards in censorship?
criminal and abusive Violence? OK by ESRB!
natural lust for Sex or sexy things? THAT SHIT'S WRONG!
At least get the definition of double standards correct. Violence is violence, sexual content is sexual content. They are two different things.
Double standards would be more like giving Teen rating for someone getting blown to pieces in one game, then a Mature rating for the same event in another game.
Just because they allow violence doesn't mean they should allow sexual content. Or cannibalism. Or child sacrifices. Or realistic clubbing of baby seals, skinning the helpless animals, then throwing it aside so it'll die a slow, painful death. Damn you, Canada.
I'd rather play a game that promotes something natural, pleasurable, beautiful, and positive. There is no reason people 13+ shouldn't be able to look at the human body or sex when a majority of them have already gone through puberty.
The human body never hurt anyone, and we all enjoy sex. I would let my kids see nudity and sexual content in entertainment after I explained to them in detail responsibilities and consequences of their possible actions.
America is the only country in the world that makes films with sexual content in them 17+. Everyone else does 13+. Mostly only strong violence gets adult only ratings over elsewhere.
---
Anyways, the biggest problem is classy nudity and sexuality are essentially censored under the ESRB. Yet cheap smut like this gets the green light (It's not an insult. It panders to people that want sexual excitement. Nothing wrong with that). Gaming can not expand as a medium if we aren't allowed to expand into content that includes nudity and sexuality.
Just because a piece of entertainment has nudity or sex does not make it pornography. There are plenty of themes and emotions that can be explored.
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In terms of free speech, it is a double standard.
what part of this game "natural"?
Actually, you can get a X rating for violence in america. Robocop's first cut was an X-rating for excessive violence. I'm amazed something like Hostel didn't get one.
Modern trend for filmmakers seems to be to release a cut down version for cinemaplexes, then a unrated version straight to DVD/Blu-ray.
so who cares if its cheesy voyeurism? it still sells!
If only there was a place in real life where you could see this kinda stuff for free...
It's A GAME. It does not need to follow reality.
This is generally accepted on all fronts until scantily clad women are involved. Makes me sick.
This is a prime example of lack of professionalism. ESRB has overstepped its duty as a ratings board and it seems they need reminding that they are not writing game reviews. No wonder the economy is so bad in America, people can't even be trusted to do their job properly.
Moreover, due to their stupidity, they've given free publicity to Dead or Alive Paradise.
They changed the written part of their rating you know. It doesn't sound biased now, it's tellin' it how it is. Plus the DOAX series got really boring anyway.
To be fair, Modern Warfare 2 has one level where you gun down innocent bystanders. DOA spends the entire game objectifying women.
But, yeah, that doesn't change the fact that North American standards are ass backwards. Violence is apparently OK, but titties? BAN DAT SHIT.
America: Where LOL crashed into failure at a speed faster than light 40 years ago.
It was inappropriate of them to have opinions in what should be an objective rating.
But it's not like they're, you know...wrong.
"At least none of them were wearing skimpy bikinis." Great comment, LOLOLOL
Paradise cannot mean straddling felled tree trunks in dental-floss thongs.
Clearly written by a old and fat woman.
WTF? I think this game is tamed compare to Sexy Beach series! FUCKING ESRB!!!
if the first two weren't censored, or even bothered with... why would this one be?
Anyway, girls like meself like the fighters for DOA in a different setting. Micro bikinis and all.
I just watched the commercial and I couldn't help laughing. I seriously don't understand where the ESRB are coming from. The reviews say the game sucks though.
Man, who plays a DOA game without realizing that a good 80% of its marketing is based on the notion that sex sells? And as far as the "all women want" thing, the reviewer might as well have said that the game encourages the notion that all players want out of a video game are big, floppy titties. It's a game. These aren't real people. Everyone knows that and the only ones who don't have trouble differentiating between reality and fantasy to begin with.
The Dead or Alive Xtreme/ Paradise series is cheesy, creepy voyeurism. They sell to creepy voyeurs.
Not that that's a bad thing, it's just creepy.
When I heard about this game I thought, why make it on a PSP with inferior graphics instead of the PS3 or Xbox360?
Then I remembered THAT.
Suddenly this game is much more practical for what it was meant to be used for, best bathroom game ever.
Shit could be rated T by the way but a M is fine.
The ESRB are a ratings board; they do not 'censor' content, they only describe it.
Somewhat OT:
The "Australia bans small breast story" continues.
Read the comments--some of the people involved with this whole mess weigh in.
http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/01/29/has-australia-really-banned-small-breasts/
"Paradise cannot mean straddling felled tree trunks in dental-floss thongs."
To the people who are watching, that is exactly what paradise means.
I need to buy a psp again....
The ESRB and the U.S. deserve the criticism about loving violence so much and despising and form of sexuality, or even nudity.
However, if every place were like Germany and Australia - despising violence in games - then a lot of games might be impossible.
A strong hatred for either does not make sense - they are games, i.e. not real.
lol America. "Sex.bad.voilence.goooooood." One thing's for sure, if they kept that review up they'd have sold TONS of copies. Hell, I didn't even KNOW about this game until I saw this article!!! XD
If this ever gets released in Britfagland. (Which I doubt.)
I can just forsee it being heavily censored.
Damn prudish Britfags. ¬_¬
The last two did =/
several my ass...
only if my psp umd reader would work ;_;
Do they even make fighting games anymore?
i cant believe there is people out there trying to deprive the world of perfect cg breasts and hitomi dancing on a pole. madness!
as awesome as it would be to not have to leave my bed at night to see girls frolicking on the beach. theres already 2 games, and enough hd vids on the net to satisfy anyone.
think esrb dropped the ball on stopping these babes from destroying countless tissues.
"but the game also contains bizarre, misguided notions of what women really want (if given two weeks, paid vacation, island resort"
The DoA Xtreme 2 is my sister's favorite game...
Rly?
there are actually more girls playing in arcades than guys but in psp who knows.
THIS GAME IS IN ARCADES!?
i <3 your sister long time!
DoA on PSP.
I don't think its a good idea. They would look pixelated.
Tecmo should've focused on DoA5 where costumes get ripped and you get some DoA Xtreme actions. That would be fun.
PSP game of the year! lol
Ratings boards ARE censorship boards and it sucks. They are just suppose to report the facts, but they do encourage extreme bias by social, politic, and religious powers.
A good ratings board would not censor anything, ever, because it's all fictional. They would also only list descriptors to allow a person to make informed decisions for themselves. Instead, they put "age recommendations" on the box so the 1% of stupid parents that actually look for it can do even less work.
Our society and the brainwashed fools in it all favor extreme violence, and anything involving nudity or sexuality must be heavily regulated. They are suppose to be privately regulated so the government can not interfere.
You can simulate war, which you have to be 18 to actually participate in, where you explicitly take out thousands of people on a battlefield and it will be rated T for Teen or 13+.
But have a bunch of girls in bikinis that don't show the dreaded and purely evil 1% of human body that is the nipples and vulva that actually dictates "American nudity" and you're slapped with M for Mature or 17+. No sex, no "full nudity" and your game is still branded as pornography.
We can't even have tasteful sex scenes that would earn an R rating in America, or 13+ for every other country in the world.
A country where splitting people's spines in half with a chainsaw and slowly tearing and twisting people's heads off is "acceptable" but the human body is not.
Quote:
Our society and the brainwashed fools in it all favor extreme violence, and anything involving nudity or sexuality must be heavily regulated. They are suppose to be privately regulated so the government can not interfere.
My response:
This almost makes it seem like people favor death over life...
But I like to see the big M rating on my games. And violent games are better than doing it in real life. Also, I agree with the whole nudity thing, been sayin' that for a long time. But if they start to let nudity in more often they might clamp down on violence and I say that won't be good! No more games like AvP will be available on consoles!