Message Edited by krisse on 2005-10-13 07:08 PM

All I will say on the subject is that Sam and Dan Houser the minds behind Rockstar have always believed that Games are a medium that is just as valid of artistic expression as Movies, Art and Music. You only have to look at their games to see that there is genuine talent there that is screaming out to be recongnised just like any Tarantino blockbuster. Midnight Club, Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Revolver and Manhunt have litterally re-defined gaming in the current gen. Compare them to the equivalent Hollywood titles The Fast and the Furious, Heat/Scarface/Boyz n the Hood, The Good the Bad and the Ugly and While Manhunt has no equivalent you can get pieces from The Warriors, The Running Man and many others.

Not one of those Hollywood titles was attacked in the way Rockstar has been and both Sam and Dan have found this immensely frustrating over the years. Hence they have adopted an attitude lately of "Well if you are going to complain about that then HERE look at this!!!". For some reason everyone is comparing Bully to the legendary Brittsh film SCUM and that is just not fair until we see the final verdict. Bully could just be a new version of Grange Hill (starring Tucker of course ) we just dont know and there is no reason to lay judgement on the game till it is finished.

One more thing I will add. With the execption of Midnight Club and Smugglers Run all Rockstars games are aimed at a mature audience. If we can have 18 rated films that children are not allowed to watch like Henry: Portrait of a serial Klller, Pulp Fiction, Romper Stomper and Football Factory along with even cartoons/anime (Try letting your 6 year old watch The Legend of the Overfiend2!!!) then why can't there be Adult games? The gaming industry has matured and the biggest consumers are now in the 18-26 age bracket so why cant they have games aimed at them? Farenheit is a great start a mature game with nothing much in the way of violent or sexual content but that is only one example. Rockstar have led the way in targetting the older audience and should be applauded for it. The people who are really to blame are the governments for making Gaming a scapegoat for their own shortcomings and Parents. Time and time again Mothers approach me with a copy of GTA: SA, I say do you know the content is unsuitable for children and they reply "Whatever".

Interestingly I young woman I knew to talk to came into the shop yesterday and was buying her 8 year old GTA: VC. I took her aside and said you know this is full of stuff not or kids right? She replied "It's only a game", I said that you do realise it has an 18 classification? Then I said would you let your son watch Debbie does Dallas? She was shocked! I didn't sell her the game. There should be less finger pointing and more educating, most parents do not realise the content of games and I bet if they did the problem would dissapear along with Senator Cintons arguements.