Dark Sector
Prod Digital Extremes / 2008 / Canada / Official Site
AFA Interactive had this game Refused Classification on February 13th 2008.
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Thanks to Mick for the following report.
Board Report TO8/389
Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995
CLASSIFICATION BOARD
DETAILS OF THE COMPUTER GAME:
FILE No T08/389
Processing Date: 07/02/2008
Title: DARK SECTOR
Version: ORIGINAL
Format: Multi Platform
Duration: VARIABLE
Publisher: D3PUBLISHER
Programmer: DIGITAL EXTREMES
Production Co: D3PUBLISHER
Country or Origin: USA
Language: ENGLISH
Application Type: Comp Game Assessed Level 2
Applicant: AF A INTERACTIVE
PROCEDURE:
The Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995, the
National Classification Code and the Classification Guidelines approved by the
standing Committee of Attorneys-General, are followed when classifying
films.
Item Viewed: YES
Viewing Date: 07/02/2008
Written submissions: NO
Oral submissions: NO
MATERIAL CONSIDERED:
In classifying this item regard was had to the following:
(i) The Application YES
(ii) A written synopsis of the item YES
(iii) The Item YES
(iv) Other NO
DECISION
(1) Classification: RC
(2) Consumer Advice:
(3) Key:
(4) Ratified By: (Senior Classifier)
SYNOPSIS:
The item Dark Sector is a third-person action-shooter computer game. The player
takes on the role of Hayden Tenno, a covert operative sent on a dangerous
mission into Lasria, an Eastern European city on the brink of ruin that hides a
deadly Cold War secret. Hayden is attacked by an unknown enemy and infected by
the Technocyte Virus, a brutal bio-weapon that twists its victims into mindless
killing machines. Surviving this attack, Hayden finds that the Technocyte virus
has granted him powerful, inhuman abilities that he must evolve to
survive.
REASONS FOR THE DECISION:
When making decisions, the Classification Board (the Board) follows the
procedures set out in the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer
Games) Act 1995 (the Act). The Board also applies the National Classification
Code and the Classification Guidelines, while taking into account the matters
set out in section 11 of the Act.
In the Board's view this game warrants an 'RC'
classification in accordance with item 1(d) of the computer games table of the
National Classification Code:
"1. Computer games that:
(d) are unsuitable for a minor to see or play;" will be Refused
Classification.
The game contains violence that is high in impact and the game is therefore unsuitable for persons aged under 18 years to play.
In the report, the game is described as a "violent and sometimes gruesome game with a sinister storyline and ominous outcome. The violence and aggression inflicted upon the protagonist is of a high level, naturalistic and not stylised at all".
The finishing moves and most violent game play includes decapitation, dismembem1ent of limbs accompanied by large blood spurts, neck breaking twists and exploded bodies with post-action twitching body parts. These moves are relatively easy to accomplish and once the player has mastered the moves and is able to get close to his foes, these violent moves can be executed.
The violence takes place in the context of confrontations between the player's character, Hayden and his opponents. Hayden is a special agent sent to Eastern Europe to defeat a scientist that has infected people with a mutant virus.
Hayden's main weapon is a glaive which is a large circular three blade device that can be thrown at the enemy in a boomerang-like manner. Throughout the game the player is able to pick up power-ups to increase the strength of the glaive. By holding the glaive button the player is able to do a super-powered throw that can cut their foe in half, decapitate them dismember limbs or sever torsos. Hayden is also able to throw the glaive into electrical devices, open flames and nitrogen bottles and then inflict this upon the enemy.
Other conventional weapons such as knives, pistols, assault rifles, shotguns, machetes, rocket launches and grenades can be used by both Hayden and the enemy military forces. Once a civilian is infected by the mutation they will attempt to attack Hayden and the military with sledgehammers, pipes etc.
Successfully shooting an opponent results in the depiction of blood spray. When Hayden cuts off his opponent's limb with the glaive, large amounts of blood spray forth from the stump and the injured person screams in agony which increases the impact. The opponent's body remains on screen in a pool of blood until Hayden leaves that particular area.
Violent encounters of the type described above are frequent throughout the game and this contributes to the impact. In the unanimous view of the Board, the impact of the game exceeds strong and as such cannot be accommodated in a MAI5+ classification.
DECISION This game is Refused Classification.
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Dark Sector banned in Australia. 13.02.08 GameSpot AU
Adam Zweck, sales and product manager for AFA Interactive (the local distributors of the game), told GameSpot AU that the OFLC banned Dark Sector due to its high-impact violence, particularly the finishing moves the game's main character can perform on various enemies.
"Obviously we're disappointed in it [the decision]," Zweck said. "We feel there is justification for an appeal. However, we're exploring several avenues at the moment to see what we can do to get the game on Australian shelves."
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Australia Will Get Toned Down Dark Sector, Based On Japanese Build kotaku.com.au 0.1.04.08
When Dark Sector was refused classification in Australia, we decided to chase not only the publisher, D3, but AFA Interactive, the local distributor and developer Digital Extremes.
AFA today got back to us with the following information.
According to the distributor, it's waiting for D3 to send out a new version of the game, based on the Japanese build. AFA says this build features "no decapitation and has toned down the limb severing on humans (only)". It believes this should meet the requirements for an MA15+ rating from the Office of Film and Literature Classification.
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The censored version was finally passed with an MA15+ (Strong Violence) rating
on July 4th 2008.
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Classification Board Annual Report 2007-08
Complaints
Computer games
The Classification Board received 169 complaints in relation to the classification of computer games. ……….seven complaints were received about the RC classification of Dark Sector. These complaints also referred to the absence of an R 18+ classification for computer games.
The Classification Board also received 553 complaints that were specifically in regard to an R 18+ classification for computer games. 550 complaints were concerned about the absence of an R 18+ classification for computer games in Australia and called for its introduction. Three complaints did not support the introduction of this classification category for computer games.
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Thanks to Aidan for this review of the Australian release.
Just an update on the censorship status of the game Dark Sector which was Refused Classification in February of 2008.
The PC version (have any other versions been released here?, I heard that the Xbox360 version failed to materialise at all on our shores) has received a low key release as a freebie with PC Powerplay magazine and the cuts are heavier than initially thought.
It appears to not be "based on the Japanese build... features "no decapitation and has toned down the limb severing on humans (only)" in this version this is definitely no limb severing on humans at all with simply a small blood spurt no matter what hits them where (compared to the high level severing seen here in the IGN review. Similarly there doesn't appear to be much if any dismemberment against infected enemies either. I found the high powered throw could seemingly wither a limb, damaging it, but not visibly removing it (compared to the clearly removed arm seen in this clip) and the enemies head seems to disappear with one of the finishing removes (but appears to simply vanish rather than fly off as seen in this clip). Neither of these are very visible as the infected's bodies disappear almost immediately after death (which appears to be in the global release as well as a lag reducer). Lastly it appears that a decapitation has been edited down to a simply cut throat in one of the games early cutscenes (seen uncut at 1:15 in the above mentioned IGN review) All in all a very disappointing release.
