Piaras Kelly

Just to point out a slight inaccuracy, Irish legislation means that the censors office isn't actually able to rate games as such. We are members of PEGI who rate video games across Europe.

I listened to the censor explain his decision on radio this morning and he was quite articulate and fair. He even corrected the reporter who said that the original title was linked to a murder in the UK, by pointing out that upon investigation the murdered didn't have access to the game.

Spike Lee has actually done this before, with much more critical effect, in his film Clockers, where a young child who plays a similar game for the duration of the film, ends up killing another character in the movie.

I don't think it's necessarily a criticism of video game violence, but more so highlighting the problem that violence is becoming so accepted in our soceity that parents willingly or ignorantly let their children play games that are unsuitable for them.

In the case of Clockers, you'd be more likely to blame the negative influence of the child's peers on the murder than the video game, but as usual those with their own agenda will come out and say how video games are corrupting society, thereby revealing their own ignorance.