THE AUSSIE SYSTEM for rating games is under fire after censors banned one of the year's most anticipated releases, Fallout 3.
The Classification Board refused to issue it an age rating, claiming that the game promoted drug use. What got the censor's miffed was that players can use drugs to boost their characters' abilities such as stamina, health and intelligence.
Since there is no R18+ classification for games in Oz, those games that don't meet the MA15+ standard are banned from sale.
Gameplayer.com.au points out that there are shedloads of games out there which have a similar or higher level of drug use including Battlefield Bad Company, BioShock, Haze and Grand Theft Auto IV. However the censors have waved these games through.
The Classification Board said computer games may include depictions of drug use but could not provide incentives or rewards to players for doing so.
It was really miffed that using morphine in the game had the positive effect of enabling the character to ignore limb pain.
As hack Ben Mansill, who is the associate publisher at Gameplayer.com.au, points out that morphine was not a street drug but a painkiller portrayed in countless09:09 films and on the telly as a way of easing pain.
It creates a weird message that killing people is acceptable in games, but applying first aid to yourself when hurt was not, he said. ยต
L'Inq
Sydney
Morning Herald
Fallout 3 is looking like a horrible sequel anyway (Oblivion with guns), so the aussies are probably better off without it.
Grand Theft Auto IV! HA! So you can steal cars and kill people but but don't you dare shoot up..
..does anyone thing that the point is that the drug use isn't that bad?

Nobody thinks that the fact that a government is banning any piece of media (whether it be a book, a movie, or a game) for EVERYONE because it's not suitable for SOME people is an outrage in and of itself?!
Thereby forcing people who did actually want to spend their money to obtain it via torrent.
Real smart.
There was morphine use in the original Half-life, you can hear it whenever your injured.
Previous Fallout games made your character addicted to drugs after constant use and makes you go get another fix else you become a slobbering mess. I thought that should, errr..., give the "right" message to the kids?

Of course, you never know with this Oblivion dudes. From the excerpts of the "edgy" dialogue and "dark humor" of Fallout 3, it seems like the game is like a snorting nerd trying act all gangsta.

cheers
So this is what all the fallout was about? Go and figure down under.
Performance enhancers or snake oil, it is still a placebo panacea. Quinine, is an antimalarial sometimes used to treat babesiosis. But I like it in my gin and tonic or perhaps vodka and tonic. This godsend keeps the cramps away. 
These drinks are strictly for sopping a pita, and should not be tried alone at home. But do-gooders are all to ready to schwepp aside its efferfluorescence.