Risen... banned here, but worth importing? [Archive]

concrete donkey

25-09-2009, 11:41 AM

After the snippet in hyper about this being refused classification in OZ, i thought i'd get more info on the game. it looks good, and will be out oct 2nd in the uk for 360 and PC. Does anyone know much about it? it looks 3rd person..

sausage

25-09-2009, 12:15 PM

Official site (http://risen.deepsilver.com/blog/pages/en/news/news.php)

making of trailer (http://www.gamershell.com/news_84456.html)

9IFsIXGi9i4

concrete donkey

25-09-2009, 03:15 PM

ooh thanks silly sausage!

JubeiSaotome

25-09-2009, 03:39 PM

Looks cool, but banned for what reason? (for what risen lol)

Lazlow

25-09-2009, 03:43 PM

Here are ESRB's notes on the game

"During the course of the game, players can interact with prostitutes (referred to as "whores" in the game) at a local brothel. Players can trigger a lengthy dialogue to engage in their services; sexual activity is strongly implied, but never depicted on screen"

Many of the characters in the game smoke a fictional drug called "brugleweed." The "wood reefer" plant is described as having a mild relaxing effect on users, and can be bought, sold, and used by players.

JubeiSaotome

25-09-2009, 03:44 PM

Ah, those crazy euros.

Vindik8or

25-09-2009, 03:56 PM

You can do all of that in The Witcher, except you can also make and sell the drug, as well as use it. F***! The OFLC needs to go.

concrete donkey

25-09-2009, 05:23 PM

yeah, its like they just draw their decisions out of a hat for each game. im gonna get this. its about $83 to get a pal copy from game.co.uk. if anyone else finds it cheaper, please put the site on here :)

Silverwolf

25-09-2009, 05:28 PM

You can do all of that in The Witcher, except you can also make and sell the drug, as well as use it. F***! The OFLC needs to go.

Exactly what I was thinking, what madness.

Allick

25-09-2009, 06:45 PM

Also doesn't the player see their character having sex in the witcher?

(I've never played the game, but this is what I seem to remember reading, could be wrong.)

StorminNorman

25-09-2009, 07:08 PM

Many of the characters in the game smoke a fictional drug called "brugleweed." The "wood reefer" plant is described as having a mild relaxing effect on users, and can be bought, sold, and used by players.

This is why it was banned here. Drug use is second only to sexual violence in terms of how quickly it'll get your game/movie/book banned in Australia.

concrete donkey

25-09-2009, 07:33 PM

This is why it was banned here. Drug use is second only to sexual violence in terms of how quickly it'll get your game/movie/book banned in Australia.

but everyone takes drugs of somekind these days. whats so offensive about it?

Lazlow

25-09-2009, 07:56 PM

The perception that a game that features illicit drug use, promotes and condones illicit drug use to impressionable young minds.

StorminNorman

25-09-2009, 07:59 PM

but everyone takes drugs of somekind these days. whats so offensive about it?
It's all to do with context: If the drug use is shown to be presenting drugs in a positive manner, then the Classification Board looks very darkly upon it.

I spent a fair chunk of time this year writing and submitting synopses for unclassified material to the OFLC so we could get them screened at Manifest. Understanding how the guidelines work, and how context is important is the key to getting somewhat questionable material through.

(Well, actually, the best way is to hide the actual thing you're worried about behind the synopsis for Maze.)

fearofthesky

25-09-2009, 08:03 PM

Also doesn't the player see their character having sex in the witcher?

(I've never played the game, but this is what I seem to remember reading, could be wrong.)

Haven't played The Witcher, but there is a sex scene (or two?) in Farenheit, for those who didn't hear/play it (came out for PS2/Xbox in about 2004, aka Indigo Prophecy in America(?)). Its not graphic (Hollywood-style sticky sheets, missionary) but you do use the the thumbsticks to control the "pleasure".

But that had events leading up to it and the game was solidly narrative driven. That was why I believe to OFLC were ok with that one.

But yes, there is no consistency in any of their decisions. If they just had an adult rating for video games of some kind...

concrete donkey

26-09-2009, 09:29 AM

i wonder if hyper will do a new section in the mag... like.. banned game reviews. every month there will be atleast one game banned in oz. jickle?

sausage

26-09-2009, 10:10 AM

For the lulz if nothing else.

Plus, us over here in New Zealand can point at the article and laugh.

Watchers

26-09-2009, 01:06 PM

You have magazines in NZ now?

sausage

26-09-2009, 01:17 PM

Right next to the flints!

concrete donkey

26-09-2009, 01:28 PM

For the lulz if nothing else.

Plus, us over here in New Zealand can point at the article and laugh.

hmm.. so that means i could import it from nz? hmm...

sausage

26-09-2009, 01:29 PM

There ya go....releases 20 October - IMPORT FROM NZ! (http://www.mightyape.co.nz/product/Xbox-360/Risen/3196876/)

Pre-order Price Guarantee: Order now and if the Mighty Ape price changes before release, you'll pay the lowest price.

Shit, this isn't bannable is it? Sorry heh....

concrete donkey

27-09-2009, 03:24 PM

Tukenstein

27-09-2009, 05:56 PM

Haven't played The Witcher, but there is a sex scene (or two?) in Farenheit, for those who didn't hear/play it (came out for PS2/Xbox in about 2004, aka Indigo Prophecy in America(?)). Its not graphic (Hollywood-style sticky sheets, missionary) but you do use the the thumbsticks to control the "pleasure".

I don't know what sex scene you were watching, but the one I saw had nipple and arse all over the place.

On a completely related note, I was paying closer attention to the Witcher discs at work today and they were labelled with the OFLC R18+ symbol.

fearofthesky

27-09-2009, 07:07 PM

I don't know what sex scene you were watching, but the one I saw had nipple and arse all over the place.

Bahahaha! When I did it it lasted like 3 seconds. It was the one with the ex-gf. Maybe I'm shit at it...

Completely not like in real life!

On a completely related note, I was paying closer attention to the Witcher discs at work today and they were labelled with the OFLC R18+ symbol.

No way! That must have been a printing F-up. Can you take pics? We could use this...somehow.

Tukenstein

27-09-2009, 07:36 PM

Anybody who owns the EE should be able to take pics. =]

Lazlow

27-09-2009, 07:37 PM

On a completely related note, I was paying closer attention to the Witcher discs at work today and they were labelled with the OFLC R18+ symbol.

Sure its not a PEGI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_European_Game_Information) 18+ label?

or a BBFC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Board_of_Film_Classification)18 sticker?

or a USK 18 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unterhaltungssoftware_Selbstkontrolle)sticker?

fearofthesky

27-09-2009, 08:01 PM

Sure its not a PEGI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_European_Game_Information) 18+ label?

or a BBFC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Board_of_Film_Classification)18 sticker?

or a USK 18 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unterhaltungssoftware_Selbstkontrolle)sticker?

Thats the other thing I was thinking. Some PAL releases have all the European ratings on them so they dont have to have multilple print runs (the discs, that is, the boxes always have the AUS ratings printed on them).

Its a bit of a jumble sometimes.

concrete donkey

27-09-2009, 08:12 PM

i just bought/pre ordered this. the current exchange rate, it cost $79 all up. not bad really.

Tukenstein

27-09-2009, 08:12 PM

Lazlow

27-09-2009, 08:24 PM

Indeed you are correct (http://www.kotaku.com.au/2008/10/australias_first_r18_video_game_oh_they_did_wha/)

http://i473.photobucket.com/albums/rr94/Cactus_Matt_88/Witcher.jpg

Bit hard to see, but sure enough on the disc itself is an R18+ label.

FrozenSoul80

27-09-2009, 08:27 PM

"Surprise! We had an R18+ rating all along. All those games we banned? It was just to piss you all off."

Thraxas

27-09-2009, 08:37 PM

Interesting. My copy has the MA15 red logo on the disc not the black R18.

Lazlow

27-09-2009, 08:44 PM

Its a printing error, they would've corrected it in any subsequent runs.

darklord

27-09-2009, 10:18 PM

Here are ESRB's notes on the game

Yet the Witcher passes, fully uncut. Nice.

McChimp

28-09-2009, 11:00 AM

I've just been looking at THIS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_banned_video_games#Australia) list, and it's quite amazing as to what games get pulled-up for what reasons, yet there's so-many others that just slip through, or get a second chance with minimal changes made.

Then you look at the number of games that've been banned here as compared to other countries, and it makes us (or at least the ratings-system) look absolutely ridiculous, like some kind of behind-the-times, fear-all little society. Also found it interesting that France has no ratings system what-so-ever (going by wiki, at least), which means, in the censorship board's way of thinking, the place should be a hot-bed of rapists, murderers and other-such criminals........which I'm pretty sure it isn't.

Lazlow

28-09-2009, 11:10 AM

France formally recognize PEGI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_European_Game_Information) ratings advice.

Many European countries do.

The best source for everything we are being kept safe from is Refused-Classification (http://www.refused-classification.com/)

sausage

28-09-2009, 11:12 AM

Ninja'd before surrender monkey reference.

concrete donkey

11-10-2009, 04:31 PM

heres igns review for the pc version of risen. ive only played the 360 version, and i love it. its a great game and a shame that australians miss out on a local copy. i recommend it to anyone who loves RPGs, especially if you found there to be too much hand holding in Oblivion. it feels more like Morrowind, which in my opinion was miles better than Oblivion.

linky

http://au.pc.ign.com/articles/103/1033646p1.html

dinopoke

11-10-2009, 06:47 PM

The general consensus seems to be that this is what Gothic 3 should have been.

concrete donkey

11-10-2009, 07:51 PM

The general consensus seems to be that this is what Gothic 3 should have been.

i dunno, ive never played a gothic game. my pc was never up to scratch in the past. but, i do know Risen is a great game. stupid ratings system

Mike-Towns

12-10-2009, 12:56 AM

Holy shitting asses this game starts off hard.

concrete donkey

12-10-2009, 10:55 AM

Holy shitting asses this game starts off hard.

yeah, avoid as much combat as you can until you join a faction. by that stage you will have earned heaps of experience so your leveled up enough to take on the lesser enemies. BUT, yeah, combat is difficult. i put it on easy just to get to grips with the combat mechanics, then moved it back to medium. ive noticed that tougher enemies have been placed in certain areas to keep you out until later. a bit cheap, i know. still, its a great game. Great story, and quests, voice acting is pretty good too. and the odd swear word always gives me a chuckle

REQUIEM

12-10-2009, 02:15 PM

I have the 360 version and IMO its shithouse. The combat is shocking, why didnt they utilise the fable 2 combat system is beyond me.( by that I mean just aim the direction stick at the foe you intend to hit.) The graphics that are shown on reviews etc are obviously the PC as the 360 version looks like an xbox version. STAY CLEAR of 360 version.

concrete donkey

12-10-2009, 02:49 PM

REQUIEM

12-10-2009, 02:50 PM

no, BUY THE 360 VERSION! its awesome

You serious???? when does it change from a turd to a gold bar? Serious question as I have played it for a couple of hours and its not getting any better. I want this game to be great I really do. I left WOW and so badly wanted an RPG to get back into.

concrete donkey

12-10-2009, 02:57 PM

you serious???? when does it change from a turd to a gold bar? Serious question as I have played it for a couple of hours and its not getting any better. I want this game to be great I really do.

I can understand people being turned off by the initial difficulty, but as i said before, it gets a lot easier when you join one of the 3 factions. but as for the graphics, i really dont see the problem. yeah, its not Gears of war 2, but they are still good, picturesque. I liked the game from the very beginning, so its hard for me to tell you a point where your interest will arrive. I love RPGs, and Morrowind is my favourite RPG of all time and Risen just reminds me of that. i find the story interesting, i love exploring the island, and i love the challenge. I tire of completing games so fast, and this is a game i can really sink my time into. and from what i can tell, the story may change alot depending on which faction you go with, allowing for atleast 2 more playthrus

REQUIEM

12-10-2009, 03:01 PM

I can understand people being turned off by the initial difficulty, but as i said before, it gets a lot easier when you join one of the 3 factions. but as for the graphics, i really dont see the problem. yeah, its not Gears of war 2, but they are still good, picturesque. I liked the game from the very beginning, so its hard for me to tell you a point where your interest will arrive. I love RPGs, and Morrowind is my favourite RPG of all time and Risen just reminds me of that. i find the story interesting, i love exploring the island, and i love the challenge. I tire of completing games so fast, and this is a game i can really sink my time into. and from what i can tell, the story may change alot depending on which faction you go with, allowing for atleast 2 more playthrus

its not the difficulty for me, I grabbed a hunting knife from the trolls in the cave and things been sweet from then on. Its the look and controls that get to me. I lived in oblivion for years so I may have been expecting too much.

concrete donkey

12-10-2009, 03:04 PM

its not the difficulty for me, I grabbed a hunting knife from the trolls in the cave and things been sweet from then on. Its the look and controls that get to me. I lived in oblivion for years so I may have been expecting too much.

I use the shield, holding down the B button blocks and your view targets the closest enemy. I dunno, maybe its a love/hate game..

I still think that its ridiculous that it was banned. Ive played alot of more offensive games. For example Mirrors Edge shouldve been banned for being so shit.

REQUIEM

12-10-2009, 03:25 PM

I use the shield, holding down the B button blocks and your view targets the closest enemy. I dunno, maybe its a love/hate game..

I still think that its ridiculous that it was banned. Ive played alot of more offensive games. For example Mirrors Edge shouldve been banned for being so shit.

Yeah the banning seems out of place. Its because of the prostitute quest (which is blacked out anyway, and the use of drugs lol by name only IMO) This Australian BS of banning games will end soon enough.) I play saints row 2 and that is FAR worse than most of the games that have been banned. It all makes no sense and as I stated it will only be a matter of time before common sense prevails.

Mike-Towns

12-10-2009, 06:25 PM

The PC version IS much better i'd say, for the controls alone. If you have a beast of a machine it looks wonderful too.

Another gripe: RPG's like this need more hit-boxes on NPC's and enemies. I understand that swamp-zombie dudes could still walk after taking at arrow to the back of the head, but I hit one dude who was standing near me right in the middle of his face...and he started chasing me.

concrete donkey

12-10-2009, 06:39 PM

Jobasa

09-11-2009, 05:56 PM

So, is this worth getting on 360? I haven't really heard anything about this game other than "It's a bit like Morrowind", which is high praise in my books.

9warbane

09-11-2009, 06:52 PM

Isn't it more like Gothic 3 then Morrowind.

REQUIEM

09-11-2009, 07:32 PM

So, is this worth getting on 360? I haven't really heard anything about this game other than "It's a bit like Morrowind", which is high praise in my books.

NO DONT DO IT... Grab Dragon age instead.