Left 4 Dead 2 banned in Australia

[Phht]

Well, technically it's not banned. It just can't be sold in stores at the moment. See, the Australian Classification Board refused classification of the game, and unclassified games can't be sold in stores.

From what I can tell, the Australian video game ratings only go up to Mature 15+ or something around that, so any game they deem more violent/whatever than a 15-17yo should be playing gets refused classification.

Be sure to read the update at the bottom of the article that provides why the ACB refused classification. It's hilarious.

[serbii]

Aww crap not again.
See this is why we import (that and it's like 1/2 price)

Yeah we don't have an R (18+) rating for games, so anything that can't be MA gets banned.

[AntiNaba]

New Zealand's just as bad. Hell, we even banned Puni Puni Poemy, but allowed in Bible Black and Gantz.

[Dervon]

Wait, why is this a problem? Can't you buy the game through Steam, no matter where you are? Heck, Valve runs Steam, they even have half-off week-ends and stuff. I think I've seen three of those for L4D 1, best time to buy it.

Again, can't you buy it through Steam?

[Phht]

They can probably adjust what's available for sell by region/country. Also, I dunno if Australia considers an online store to be the same as a retail store. If an online store that has no retail locations isn't considered the same as a retail store, then yeah, Valve could probably just sell it via Steam.

Also, L4D1 has a Ma15+ rating, and thus can be sold in stores anyhow.

[Dervon]

Also, L4D1 has a Ma15+ rating, and thus can be sold in stores anyhow.

lul wut? So what happened between 1 and 2? Did they up the gore/blood?

*read the link'd page*

LUL WUT?!?! Since when did L4D2 use the "28 Days Later"-version of zombification (which, in my mind, is not zombification)? I thought these were proper undead. You know, person dies, gets back up. "Living persons"? Hasn't anyone told them what zombies ARE?!

[Phht]

Actually, L4D has always been like that. They didn't bother explicitly stating it in L4D1, but why do you think they have all the quarantine stuff and health precautions like you see on posters in safe rooms? And I think a Valve person once stated that it was some sort of virus or the like that caused it. They didn't want people to get hung up on the how, so didn't state outright what happened. Besides, how would you explain the boss infected from "normal" zombie "creation"?

[AntiNaba]

Yeah, L4D Zombies are Super-rabies infectees. Actually, I just like saying that. Super Rabies.

[serbii]

Also, L4D1 has a Ma15+ rating, and thus can be sold in stores anyhow.

lul wut? So what happened between 1 and 2? Did they up the gore/blood?

From what I've heard they added in bludgeoning weapons.
Yes we can prob get it off steam, or ebay. The problem will be there'll be less servers set up .

[AntiNaba]

They added a chainsaw and an axe, too.

What was that FPS? The one where you can kill Zombies with Kung Fu?

[Dervon]

Ugh. Thanks for telling me. I stand by my original position of "rage zombies ARE NOT ZOMBIES". Whatever...

But anywho, as long as you are willing to put up with a higher ping, just get it via steam and play internationally.

[Phht]

Update!

Valve made an edited version that Australia's okay with classifying!

The original version was, however, still denied classification.

[serbii]

*sigh* I wisah the ratings board would hurry up and bring in an R rating.
Most gamers here have realised that buying games to import is cheaper anyway.
You know what the standard price for games is here? As in PS3/360/Wii games?
$109Aus, that's $101US right now.
Disgaea 3 = $109 from EB
Probably ~$70 from JB Hifi
$43 off ebay.
It's disgusting >_>[/rant]

[Darkandus]

But if they lowered prices and created an R rating they would have to admit they were wrong and not only children with rich parents play games. And when has any government ever admitted it was wrong?

[Greybane]

But if they lowered prices and created an R rating they would have to admit they were wrong and not only children with rich parents play games. And when has any government ever admitted it was wrong?

Looks like you are stuck in the EU.

[Dervon]

But if they lowered prices and created an R rating they would have to admit they were wrong and not only children with rich parents play games. And when has any government ever admitted it was wrong?

Looks like you are stuck in the EU.

Wait, what?

[Phht]

L4D2 demo is out for preorder peeps. I think the demo will be out for everyone else the 30th or something.

Now, in a sense of sharing joy, Left 4 Dead 2 Cinematic Trailer, Australian Edition.

And the original version, for those that haven't seen it.

[ANightmareDarkly]

But if they lowered prices and created an R rating they would have to admit they were wrong and not only children with rich parents play games. And when has any government ever admitted it was wrong?

Its slightly more complicated than that..well rating-wise anyway in truth MOST of the AGs are all for discussing a change to allow for an 18+ rating like movies have but one refuses to even talk about maybe possibly changing things so they can't even have an official discussion on the subject . *starts humming the song from the parody video with the occasional 'meep'*

[Greybane]

But if they lowered prices and created an R rating they would have to admit they were wrong and not only children with rich parents play games. And when has any government ever admitted it was wrong?

Looks like you are stuck in the EU.

Wait, what?

Dark has...problems...with Ireland joining the E.U. If a government (Ireland's) refuses to admit it was wrong (in the decision to join the E.U.) then Dark would be stuck with said decision as long as he lives in Ireland.

[SLAMU]

Wait, what? The whole *squeaky* bit annoyed me.

Gotta say, the whole idea of a PG zombie game is somewhat...novel? Is that the nice way to say it?

[Dervon]

*looks up from playing Killing Floor*

Oh, what? Sorry, I was too busy playing this fun zombie-arena shooter. It costs far less then L4D2 and deliver arguably the same amount of fun, if not more. Sure, it may not be as polished as a Valve product, but at least you really feel like you get your money's worth, and more. Heck, both me and Barbarian find the game to be ACE, and more fun (in our humble opinions) to L4D.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have a Patriarch to kill. /viral

:D

[Phht]

Started playing the demo today.

Some changes from L4D:
Lots of variety with the primary weapon slot. I've seen an AK-47, Assault Rifle, Combat Rifle, Uzi, silenced Uzi, 2-3 shotgun types, 2 sniper rifles (the hunting rifle from L4D plus an automatic sniper rifle)...
The melee weapons? You have to pick whether to have them or pistol(s). The two share the same slot so you can't have both.
An alternate to pain pills in that slot is adrenaline.
A third throwable has appeared. In addition to molotov cocktail or pipe bomb, there are now jars of boomer puke that can be tossed.
An alternative in the first aid kit slot is the defibrillator, that can revive dead teammates.
Witches can be in idle mode STANDING UP. Ya know, instead of sitting down until startled.

The demo campaign appears to be the first two maps of the French Quarter locale campaign (of course, there's a good bet that the second map extends further than the demo shows, as they did that with L4D's demo). Definitely a nice looking game.