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Yesterday we reported that the upcoming Reservoir Dogs video game had not been granted a rating by the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification; a move which makes it illegal for the game to go on sale down under.
The office has now explained some of the reasons why the game failed to receive a rating, notably citing the game’s “frequent depictions of violence that have a high impact.” This was deemed to exceed the allowed content for an MA 15+, and with no higher rating available the game was unable to be classified. The office gave the following more specific reasons for the ban:
“Players (participants in a bank heist) can literally blow the heads off hostages and police as well as execute hostages at point blank range with a gunshot to the head.“
“Using a series of so-called signature torture moves, players can use different means to torture hostages and thereby cause police to lay down their weapons, such as repeated pistol whipping the side of the head with blood spray evident, burning the eyes of a hostage with a cigar until they scream and die, cutting the fingers off a hostage with blood bursts as the victim screams in pain.“
“In lieu of taking a hostage the player can opt for a more violent scenario where a slow motion shootout occurs, accentuating the violence.“
