ESRB's Ar Tonelico Qoga Rating

[zatrox]

So, it seems AT got a Mature rating this time around.

http://www.examiner.com/video-game-news ... s-and-more

Unlike the first two teen-rated games of the series, Ar Tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel has been given a "Mature" rating by the ESRB. The upcoming RPG got tagged with the following content descriptors: Fantasy Violence, Language, Partial Nudity and Sexual Themes. You can check out the full rating summary below:

This is a role-playing game in which players control a character named Aoto, an apprentice who becomes entangled in a three-way war on the fantastical planet of Ar Ciel. Players roam through towns and use swords and magical attacks to engage monsters and human-like enemies in hand-to-hand combat. Battles are accompanied by punches, kicks, colorful light effects, and loud cries of pain; enemies collapse or disappear in brief flashes of light when defeated. Some power moves cause female characters' clothes to vanish in layers; the characters are often depicted holding (covering) their breasts, wearing only underwear, or standing behind strips of light that obscure their genitals. In one cutscene, male characters encourage a woman to strip (e.g., "Uh . . . do I have to take off even more clothes…?" and "Quit teasing us and do it already!"); another sequence depicts a male character "removing" a magical crystal from a female character—this scene is accompanied by suggestive moans and comments (e.g., "Aoto's putting his hand inside Soma" and "Fumble around every inch inside of her . . . you will find what you're looking for . . . !"). One brief cutscene depicts a female character's exposed buttocks. The words "sh*t," "a*shole," and "b*tch," appear in the dialogue.

Can't say I didn't somewhat expect that.

[shymel94]

Thanks for finding this. Guess this is going to make those people worrying about censorship happy.

[Ar Tonelico]

Thanks for finding this. Guess this is going to make those people worrying about censorship happy.

Well not like there was going to be censorship in it anyways. But you know after playing the game and getting all of the endings in the Japanese version, it just doesn't feel like a Mature rating to me but whatever.

[vampko]

This is for the best. It keeps them from having to pander to all those crazy parents out there, and lets us have the game as it was meant to be. Thank you NISA for letting us have this game without changes, even at the risk of having slightly fewer sales, your company really does care about its fans ^-^

[Netherworld's Light]

Doesn't seem to be any name changes either. From that description Aoto and Soma is the same as the Japanese version. Good signs all around.

[Time-boy]

Yea. I think NISA were right not to censor things in the game. That would have taken the essence of the game and of ar tonelico. We are used to it about innuendo and stuff like that. Thank you NISA to have brought here a japanese masterpiece to us. INFEL YOR !

But sadly, a wonderful trilogy will end. I just hope we will still hear about it in the future (like releasing the mangas XD)

[Kari]

Well, the JP version had a higher rating than the other two games in the series as well (CERO C instead of B), so I'm not surprised that this got bumped up as well. I had a feeling after first seeing the purges and then playing the game that it'd be getting an M rating.

Though don't get all happy about "no name changes" since we've only seen two >> And...I won't comment on the "masterpiece" thing.

[Time-boy]

Its all right. For me it is a masterpiece, the trilogy I mean. Its only personnal lol cuz the first and second one are almost the only games that i like re-starting every time i finish it. And I think Qoga will be the same as well.

[zatrox]

Doesn't seem to be any name changes either. From that description Aoto and Soma is the same as the Japanese version. Good signs all around.

In an interview, they actually mentioned some of the old names we've seen would be kept for this game; and, if I am not wrong, at the end of Ar Tonelico 2 Mir tells Cocona to go "to the tower Tyria manages".

If that is true, then Tilia's name in the US version would be kept as "Tyria". And goddammit, Tilia sounds cuter and more natural than Tyria and all.

But hey, who knows.

Well, the JP version had a higher rating than the other two games in the series as well (CERO C instead of B), so I'm not surprised that this got bumped up as well. I had a feeling after first seeing the purges and then playing the game that it'd be getting an M rating.

Though don't get all happy about "no name changes" since we've only seen two >> And...I won't comment on the "masterpiece" thing.

I don't know about the change to a "Mature" rating, however, as I believe a teenager should be able to see fictional girls stripping and such. Then again, the Persona games didn't really deserve a Mature rating, yet they got it god-knows-why.

But ah, 'tis the ESRB, so whatever. Not like the rating affects many of the AT's fanbase, as well.

About the name changes, I don't know why so many people were upset about then. IMHO, most of the name changes given were for the better. Would you want Mir to be called Mule? Croche instead of Cloche? Misya instead of Misha?

I, for one, thought the english version names were better, as they sounded more natural. Well, excluding the Tyria example I presented above...

This is for the best. It keeps them from having to pander to all those crazy parents out there, and lets us have the game as it was meant to be. Thank you NISA for letting us have this game without changes, even at the risk of having slightly fewer sales, your company really does care about its fans ^-^

It would actually be quite hilarious to see Ar Tonelico featured in Fox News, for one.

"This corrupts our children!"

"Seemingly innocent cutscenes actually contain pretty daring sexual content!"

And you get the idea.

Its all right. For me it is a masterpiece, its only personnal lol cuz the first and second one are almost the only games that i like re-starting every time i finish it

I wouldn't call Ar Tonelico games actual masterpieces, but I can't deny I enjoy them a whole lot and love their charm, as well as the music in these goddamn games.

What can I say? I like laughing at what the game throws at me, love character interaction, and the gameplay's usually quite fun.

Anyways, that aside, wouldn't this be NISA's first Mature rated game?

[shymel94]

Anyways, that aside, wouldn't this be NISA's first Mature rated game?

I believe so. Never forget your first NISA.

[Time-boy]

Doesn't seem to be any name changes either. From that description Aoto and Soma is the same as the Japanese version. Good signs all around.

In an interview, they actually mentioned some of the old names we've seen would be kept for this game; and, if I am not wrong, at the end of Ar Tonelico 2 Mir tells Cocona to go "to the tower Tyria manages".

If that is true, then Tilia's name in the US version would be kept as "Tyria". And goddammit, Tilia sounds cuter and more natural than Tyria and all.

But hey, who knows.

Well, the JP version had a higher rating than the other two games in the series as well (CERO C instead of B), so I'm not surprised that this got bumped up as well. I had a feeling after first seeing the purges and then playing the game that it'd be getting an M rating.

Though don't get all happy about "no name changes" since we've only seen two >> And...I won't comment on the "masterpiece" thing.

I don't know about the change to a "Mature" rating, however, as I believe a teenager should be able to see fictional girls stripping and such. Then again, the Persona games didn't really deserve a Mature rating, yet they got it god-knows-why.

But ah, 'tis the ESRB, so whatever. Not like the rating affects many of the AT's fanbase, as well.

About the name changes, I don't know why so many people were upset about then. IMHO, most of the name changes given were for the better. Would you want Mir to be called Mule? Croche instead of Cloche? Misya instead of Misha?

I, for one, thought the english version names were better, as they sounded more natural. Well, excluding the Tyria example I presented above...

This is for the best. It keeps them from having to pander to all those crazy parents out there, and lets us have the game as it was meant to be. Thank you NISA for letting us have this game without changes, even at the risk of having slightly fewer sales, your company really does care about its fans ^-^

It would actually be quite hilarious to see Ar Tonelico featured in Fox News, for one.

"This corrupts our children!"

"Seemingly innocent cutscenes actually contain pretty daring sexual content!"

And you get the idea.

Its all right. For me it is a masterpiece, its only personnal lol cuz the first and second one are almost the only games that i like re-starting every time i finish it

I wouldn't call Ar Tonelico games actual masterpieces, but I can't deny I enjoy them a whole lot and love their charm, as well as the music in these goddamn games.

What can I say? I like laughing at what the game throws at me, love character interaction, and the gameplay's usually quite fun.

Anyways, that aside, wouldn't this be NISA's first Mature rated game?

Yea I think it is but Im not sure.... And my opinion of Ar tonelico is the same as you lol. I enjoy everything about it (but my favorite one is Metafalica). And as I said, the masterpiece thing is only personnal.

[zatrox]

Anyways, that aside, wouldn't this be NISA's first Mature rated game?

I believe so. Never forget your first NISA.

You know, that post's so fitting in an Ar Tonelico-related thread, I couldn't help but laugh at it.

[shymel94]

Anyways, that aside, wouldn't this be NISA's first Mature rated game?

I believe so. Never forget your first NISA.

You know, that post's so fitting in an Ar Tonelico-related thread, I couldn't help but laugh at it.

So fitting it was on the back of the first game's case.

[Time-boy]

LOL I just figure it out XD

[zatrox]

So fitting it was on the back of the first game's case.

Oh, really?

Zatrox proceeds to check out his copy of the first game, a sea of laughs awaiting him.

Oohh boy! I never actually noticed it. The front they used, too, mixed with Lyner's face...

And now that I look at it, the 2nd one's box says "Always come back for seconds".

Wonder what Qoga will have on the back of its case. IF they keep the joke, that's it.