ESRB/age rating

Game Talk The Bunker
1

Someone in the IRC channel asked if there is an ESRB rating for the game, which there is not, as far as I know at least. I know that we can not make up an official rating ourselves, but it is possible to say “this game is not suitable for young children”, or something.

Anyways, to get to the point: It made me think. There is actually quite a lot of content which might be problematic for younger audiences. For reference, I will be using the official ESRB content descriptors.

:white_check_mark: - applicable
:question: - not sure
:exclamation: - good thing to have
:x: - not applicable

  • :white_check_mark: Alcohol reference (self-explanatory, especially since we got realistic™ moonshine brewing)
  • :white_check_mark: Animated blood (blood splatters across the ground when you hit monsters with items)
  • :white_check_mark: Blood
  • :white_check_mark: Blood and gore (literal heaps of gore)
  • :white_check_mark: Cartoon violence (probably inherited from gore and graphic violence)
  • :question: Comic mischief
  • :question: Crude humor (I am really bad at getting the subtle stuff, but maybe the condom description alone counts)
  • :white_check_mark: Drug reference (one word: meth)
  • :exclamation: Edutainment (realism! also a good thing to have)
  • :white_check_mark: Fantasy violence (probably inherited from gore and graphic violence)
  • :exclamation: Informational (due to the realism)
  • :white_check_mark: Intense violence
  • :white_check_mark: Language (just watch NPCs obstructing each other lol)
  • :x: Lyrics
  • :question: Mature humor (See crude humor above)
  • :white_check_mark: Mild violence (probably inherited from gore and graphic violence)
  • :x: Nudity
  • :x: Partial nudity
  • :x: Real gambling
  • :x: Sexual content
  • :white_check_mark: Sexual themes (relaxation with alonso)
  • :x: Sexual violence
  • :x: Simulated gambling
  • :white_check_mark: Strong language
  • :x: Strong lyrics
  • :x: Strong sexual content
  • :white_check_mark: Tobacco reference
  • :white_check_mark: Use of drugs (M E T H)
  • :white_check_mark: Use of alcohol (fancy hobo ftw)
  • :white_check_mark: Use of tobacco
  • :white_check_mark: Violence

If I was to rate the game, I would give it M. Plenty of violence, drugs (does mutagen count?), horror and death. In addition, I was really grossed out by the detailed description of mutant bug organs.
So do you think adding a recommendation for the age of the player would be appropriate and useful? Discuss.

2

The most problematic things would be the alcohol and drugs (besides letting people know that anyone can make a bomb in their basement from stuff found at the hardwearstore) and the themas of the game story and lore itself. But there is no sexual violence and the references to sex are all indirect and abstact. The violence, horror and gore are depicted very abstractly and the discriptions might be discusting but aren ´ t anything offensive or particullarly vile. The game also doesn´t depict or allow you to harm children exept for zombie children. The stories and lore that the game tells though definetly aren´t for children.

I would rate it T. This is becease the violence, gore and horror are so abstracted that it can´t be counted as worse than saturday cartoon violence. Now what is more problemetic is the use of drugs (especially hard drugs) and alcohol and the fact that the game gives you some hint as to make these drugs (bombs too) but the drug use is never visually depicted but only shown in very abstact ways such as verious ingame effects and descriptions. What does it more for me is the fact that the game containes themes and stories that simply aren´t mend for children.

1 Like
3

Don’t ask me, I’ve been playing it with my kid since they were six. I’m clearly a terrible parent, and now my child knows how to synthesize low grade meth

That said, Alonso is chock full of innuendo, and Boris speaks at length and in sometimes distressing terms about loss. I’m sure I have added other pretty harsh dialogue and will add more. I’d guess Teen is a reasonable rating.

4

I just did some research on how to get a rating and I remembered the android version is in Google play which makes it mandatory to have a rating (For Developers | IARC)

The google play site even says Mature 17+

Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Use of Drugs, Strong Language

5

South Korea and Australia authorities refused to provide classification for CDDA.

6

Any reason for their refusal?
Is CDDA that bad? /s

7

Dunno about South Korea, but Australia is incredibly anal about drug use being represented as good in ANY way. If the game contains the use of drugs with real names and real benefits, even if there are downsides, they’ll usually refuse to even allow it in country. I can’t imagine they’re happy about CDDA drugs plus the fact we represent drug making with some basic level of accuracy. Doesn’t matter if it wouldn’t work as depicted, they don’t even want anyone trying.