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M-Rated Games That Actually Have Mature Themes (kotaku.com)

List of Truly "Mature" Games

Smoke | October 15, 2008 | Top List | PC Playstation 2 Misc

I tend to face-palm at the site of "top x" lists, but this one was genuinely interesting. Instead of listing games based on the gory aspect, this list dwells deeper into the philosophical aspect of some games.

Real world definition of "mature": Showing the mental, emotional, or physical characteristics associated with a fully developed person; involving serious thought.

Videogame definition of "mature":
Shits, tits and gibs.

What is adult? According to ratings boards and hand-wringing politicians, the only qualifications necessary are a bucket of blood, a stream of foul profanity and a parade of naughty lady parts. Ironically, the very things that are included to win over immature teenage boys.

The following games, however, define adult in a different way. They tackle challenging themes, explore intellectual ideas and deal with complex characters in complicated relationships. They add shades of grey to an otherwise black-and-white form of entertainment.

News Story attached to:

Amber: Journeys Beyond [PC]
BioShock [PS3, XBOX360, PC]
Braid [PC, XBOX360]
Final Fantasy Tactics [PSX]
God of War [PS2]
Grand Theft Auto IV [PC, XBOX360, PS3]
Mass Effect [PC, XBOX360]
Shin Megami Tensei (Import) [SNES, PSX, GBA]
Silent Hill 4: The Room [PC]
Silent Hill 4: The Room [Xbox, PS2]

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Comments

0 thumbs!
chautemoc | October 15, 2008

Entire (main) Final Fantasy series pretty much, especially VIII.
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  Final Blade | October 16, 2008
  
  _{True, though not alot of it to warrant that mature rating.
  
  Still, it wouldn't be final fantasy without the girls.}
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Zaek | October 15, 2008

Good article. To me many teen games should be M for ideas advanced beyond youngsters as well as some M games returned to T for certain reasons, but I do not control ratings.
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Daigoji_Gai | October 15, 2008

I hope the Witcher is on the list.
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AznLiquid | October 15, 2008

INDIGO PROPHECY!

Pretty good list overall.
0 thumbs!
tallteen86 | October 16, 2008

Rather good list, TBH. Quite atypical of GamesRadar, isn't it?

Silent Hill 4 sounds interesting, actually. Heard it wasn't popular?

Might be checking out a couple of these games.
- 0 thumbs!
  Gothic Girl | October 18, 2008
  
  SH4 was a great game, tbh. It's just that many die-hard Silent Hill fans didn't like it because it deviates from the rest of the series. All in all, it's a pretty solid game though. One of my favorites in the series.
  
  Though it certainly isn't the most mature in the series. SH2 handles "challenging themes, intellectual ideas and complex characters in complicated relationships" far better than SH4 does. SH2 handles those concepts far better than most games do.
0 thumbs!
StabWound | October 16, 2008

Good to see SMT got the recognition it deserves
1 thumbs!
Miller | October 16, 2008

Where is Fallout 1&2 and Deus Ex?
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  Daigoji_Gai | October 16, 2008
  
  /applause! Completely agree! Maybe even the first NOLF
1 thumbs!
Big Willie | October 16, 2008

I think Beyond Good and Evil could have fit in there as well. But I totally agree with Indigo Prophecy. I loved that game, too bad it took weird turn at the end.
- 0 thumbs!
  Daigoji_Gai | October 16, 2008
  
  /agree with Beyond Good and Evil (thank god those few brave souls at Ubisoft that knew they had a hit kept fighting so that now we have a sequel)
0 thumbs!
Hera | October 16, 2008

Gah. It was inevitable that Final Fantasy would be up there. >>'
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  tallteen86 | October 16, 2008
  
  Well, it is Tactics, which is different from most of the FF games neh?
  
  Never played FFT myself. Would like to (probably get it on the PSP eventually).