While definitely not the worst offenders, Idea Factory’s anime inspired Japanese RPGs have been known to fall on the risque side of the fence in the past. With games that feature young girls that transform into busty goddesses, bosses that have a thing for pre-teens and some gratuitous camera shots as clothes are torn to shreds, it’s strange that this game is the straw that broke the camel’s back in Australia.
During my time with MeiQ at E3, it seemed like one of the most inoffensive games the company has released. Spending most of the play time in first person and battling with Guardians instead of people doesn’t give the game a whole lot of time to be terribly lewd, while all of the characters I saw were lacking in the dreaded fan service department. Nonetheless, Australia must know something we don’t, considering they’re refusing to carry the game in its current state due to its depiction of:
“..matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that they should not be classified.”
Whoa, what game was I playing?
The board went on to state that the game would be, “…likely to cause offence to a reasonable adult… [featuring] a person who is, or appears to be, a child under 18 (whether the person is engaged in sexual activity or not).” The youngsters being exposed to sexual activity doesn’t seem to be much of an issue in other parts of the world, with Japan giving the game a 12+ rating, and the ESRB rating it as T for Teen. Could Australia be onto something, or are they just overreacting? After all, the country has a reputation for being strict when it comes to their gaming censorship, with games like Mortal Kombat, Saints Row, Grand Theft Auto and Hotline Miami having similar issues in the past. If nothing else, MeiQ can join these legendary games as one that’s received this dubious honor, and if controversy really does create cash, this buzz might be for the best in the end.
Source: Destructoid.com