The Franchise

This story claims that DOA has gotten one of the highest ratings ever by the ESRB. I wonder if this is another BMX:XXX in the making. I guess this game at least looks good although I question whether the gameplay was the first thing on the developers mind.

What do you guys think? Does this give gaming a bad name and will it start the ethical debate about adult material in games all over again? Personally I think there's a place for it, but only if the content is regulated at the vendor a little better. Let's face it, anyone could get a hold of an M rated game if they really wanted to.

I wonder how far this game pushes the envelope though.....

menaz

It doesnt push the envelope. BMX XXX and DOA Volleyball are two totally different games. DOA I believe is rated Teen and it is not a sexual game like BMX. It is basically girls in swimsuits playing volleyball THATS IT dont expect to see them naked or be able to play strip volleyball.

AgtFox

Lots of games have gotten the M rating (both PC and video games), so it really doesn't have "one of the highest ratings ever". It also is not the first US released game to get the "A-Bomb" (AO rating...I believe no game has gotten this as of yet).

Tecmo was shooting for a T rating, but DOA VX got an M.

PixyJunket

From everything I've seen of this game.. it's got the substance to back up the titties. Something BMX XXX supposedly lacked.

dgc

amen to that brother..

Gideon68

I hope the gameplay in DOA is as good as they claim. The girls are just a bonus. As Menaz says, they're just girls playing VB, something you see every summer at the beach.

Whereas, BMX, was trying to push the limit with average gameplay (from the reviews anyway). You don't see naked women doing stunts on bikes.

If DOA lacked gameplay, I don't think I'd waste money on it. I didn't buy BMX or intend to buy it just to see naked girls.

the aftermath

When's the official release date for this game? If it's as good as the hype then I'll definitely be buying it.

Gallant Pig

1/15 is official release date per Flay's thread, EBGames.com has it at 1/21.

The Franchise

I don't know that this game doesn't push the envelope. I mean I may be getting old but there is very little left to the imagination as far as the "characters" in this game go. Plus there's a reason they're all jumping around playing volleyball.

Also I think the "highest rating" descriptor comes from what the M rating was for. More info in this story.

The graphics do look amazing but the, ahem, animation will make or break the game.

Groucho

"One of the highest ratings ever" is pretty misleading. Lots of games have gotten rated "Mature." From what I've seen of the game, it's a pretty soft "M." It's not full-on nudity like BMX XXX nor does it have graphic violence or language. If I can get approval from "she who must be obeyed" I may pick it up (providing that reviews and word-of-mouth are good).

According to the ESRB's website, 553 titles have receive the "M" rating. 15 titles have received the "A" rating (all of which seem to be soft-porn games). I believe Thrill Kill on the PSX was also given an "A" rating before it was cancelled.

Gallant Pig

There's a reason there were slow mo running sequences on Baywatch, yet that show was on tv during the daytime. Pushing the envelope? Maybe in terms of realism, but I consider GTA VC where you can chainsaw a woman in a bikini 100X worse.

Chicks in bikinis = fun for all

V-ism

I wonder if the M rating will hurt sales or boost them.

retihsuhnt

As of yesterday afternoon (1/9/03) the EBGames in the Salem Center (Salem, OR) had copies for sale. They were not advertised as "reserve yours now", but the standard xbox case. I didnt pick one up because I do not yet have an X Box, but for those that are looking for it and are in the mid valley there you have it.

menaz

IMHO, DOA doesnt deserve an M, like Gideon said, girls in swimsuits playing volleyball is something any child can see at any beach. I mean, you can see volleyball tournaments on ESPN, and the girls are jumping around, in swimsuits, playing volleyball. BMX XXX isnt a game I would let a child of mine play (if i had kids) but DOA I really wouldnt mind. Unless, there is some sort of nudity, like in DOA3 for the xbox, the shower scene shows some booty . So far, I havent heard of any nudity on DOA VB. HOWEVER, I did read something about the girls jumping on trampolines in a pool filled w/ jello Still, I think thats clean fun.

vicks

Its not the girls playing volleyball that got the M rating...its the "bonus" stuff you can do with them, like take them places, watch cg of them, etc. (did you see that intro of the blonde wrestler I believe with the shirt that was like taped to herself) and things like that.

And from what Famistu said (very well respected japanese magazine) the game has great gameplay. It got a 37/40 whereas like only 5 games ever have scored a perfect 40/40 from them, so that is saying a lot (games were Soul Calibur, Ocarina of Time, Majoras Mask (I think), Vagrant Story, and I THINK Metroid Prime, Im not too positive, but there arent many)

I dont plan on purchasing it, but it seems to have some good volleyball gameplay, I guess much like how Virtua Tennis was....but in the sand and such...

menaz

Hmmm, nope havent seen that intro. Friend of mine plans on getting it for sure, Ill probably play his first. Im not sure if I want to pay $50 for it though. I'll give my opinion on this again after I actually play the game

V-ism

Just to add, it wasn't Metroid Prime that got a 40 (it's not out in Japan I believe), but it was in fact the new Zelda GC game.

vicks

Yup. That was it. My mistake. Knew it was from Nintendo though.

Thanks for the clarification.

Jackskeleton

The polygon boobs in this are better then in BMX.

jekbrown

unless there is something i havent seen in the game, the M rating is a complete pile of BS. Its chicks in bikinis... ok... like you cant see that ALL over tv/magazines etc that kids see EVERYWHERE. Good grief. In M rated FPS video games u blow peoples arms/legs/head off... blood spraying everywhere... guts hanging all over the room.. and THAT gets the same rating as some chicks in bikinis playing volleyball?!?!?!!? Those ratings guys need to pull their head out.

as far as whether i get the game or not, it really doesnt matter... Im 27... I can buy XXX rated stuff... let alone M rated. Still, I wish the idiots who rate these games would have given it a teen rating so that it would reach the widest audience possible. The game, imo, is definitely teen material.... u can see just as much skin (and its REAL people...) in so many other places its not even funny.

J

Jackskeleton

The M rating is also their because of the said ability to have them topless. Well atleast that was the rumor going around the camp fire. who knows.

Mattalos

That rumor was proven to be false.

The Franchise

Speaking of which, FFX-2 seems to be taking tha T&A approach as well. All the outfits of the girls are way skimpy this time around. I guess sex does sell to a degree, although that's not really something the FF series needs to move units these days.

Maybe the M rating is also due to the situations you can get teh girls in. I mean plenty of games have girls in bikinis (Tekken4, the original DOA etc), but there aren't many where you can have the girls suggestively lick cream off of each others fingers. I think that has something to do with the M rating.

Mattalos

Lick cream off each others fingers? Are you referring to the scene where Lei Fang feeds Hitomi a strawberry? Not exactly the same thing.

The Franchise

No there was one scene (maybe this one) where one of the girls clearly sucks on the other girl's finger or licks it.