Well well well - where do we even begin?
In the first part of this video list series, you guys were incredibly - vocal, shall we
say - about the role of video game censorship in modern media - and I must say, you were
all pretty much on the money with the majority of these games and the reception that they
had.
But, there’s one very important thing to note - all of the games that make this list,
as well as the first part of this list - are only banned in certain countries.
So let’s not get bogged down in semantics, because some of these may very well surprise
you.
Hello horror fans - and welcome back to the scariest channel on YouTube - Top 5 Scary
Videos.
As always, I’ll be your horror host Jack Finch - as today, we dive back into the tumultuous
and jarring world of video game censorship, and take a look at the Top 5 Games Illegal
To Play - Part 2.
Roll the clip.
As we said previously, the majority of this list may very well surprise you.
Censorship is a hot issue - and it’s definitely not one that I’ll disseminate in this five
point list video, because simply put - there’s too much too it, and even more simply put
- it pisses people off.
And in some cases - rightly so.
But - there are some games, that are otherwise jolly - little unassuming fellows - that got
straight up banned for some very, very bizarre reasons.
Let’s take a look shall we.
Kicking off at Number 5 - Command & Conquer: Generals
Yeah - I’m not even kidding, you heard that correctly.
Command & Conquer: Generals, released way back when in 2003 - and the seventh installment
in the beloved Command & Conquer series, Kane - what’s up my guy - was banned in a certain
part of the world, and is very much still illegal to play to this day.
Which to me is absolutely insane, because come on?
How could you ban an installment of one of the greatest RTS franchises ever made?
Well - you see, it turns out - a portion of the plot wasn’t taken too kindly over in
the Asian market.
Throughout General’s campaign mode, you can either play as the United States, China
- or the Global Liberation Army - a decentralised terrorist force that are waging a guerrilla
war against both nations.
At the beginning of the game - the GLA steal a nuclear warhead and blow up Tiananmen Square,
as well as a large portion of Beijing - and later in the game, the GLA destroy the Three
Gorges Dam.
And well - it pissed off the Chinese government so much, that the entire Generals series is
STILL banned there till this day.
Coming in at Number 4 - Bully
Hands down - Bully is one of the greatest video games of my early teenage years - and
so it was no surprise that following its release in 2006 - it became one of the most controversial
releases of all time, and was dragged through the mud by a multitude of parent and educator
advocacy groups, siting it as glorifying and trivializing bullying - and generally being
the worst thing that could ever happen to the planet.
Of course, Rockstar Games have got broader shoulders than that - and eventually, Bully
became one of the greatest freeform adventure games ever made - but of course, crazily enough
- in some places it became a crime to even sell it.
In 2008 a Brazilian judge in Rio Grande do Sul ruled that, based on alleged psychological
findings that the game would be harmful to teenagers and young adults - out right made
it a crime to carry Bully, that would ensure that anyone caught selling the game would
face a daily fine of 1’000 Brazilian real.
It was a punishable crime to even play Bully in Brazil for a staggering 8 years - when
finally, in July 2016 - the game was officially re released and decriminalized for PC and
PS4 Ports.
I wonder what Jimmy had to say about that one.
Swinging in at Number 3 - Rule of Rose
Uh - this ones a tough one, and if you even want to get your hands on a copy of Rule of
Rose - it may well cost you upwards of 400 bucks.
Simply because, after its release in 2006 - Rule of Rose was the subject of a bizarre
moral panic that swept it’s way across North America and Europe, following Sony’s decision
to back out of publication at the last minute.
Why?
Well - simply because of a rumour, a hell of a lot of hysteria - and untrue allegations
that this game featured children being buried alive, in-game sadomasochism and underage
eroticism.
All of which are untrue.
Rule of Rose is a psychological survival horror game that takes place in 1930s England, revolving
around a 19 year old woman named Jennifer that becomes trapped in a world ruled by young
girls.
And in all likelihood - we’ll never play it, unless you want to foot an arm and a leg
to even purchase it.
All because of one man, Franco Frattini - who was justice minister of the European Union
at the time.
He took one look at the game, saw that it’s storyline involved kids - and decided that
it was his moral obligation to protect the planet from it’s violent content.
That was sarcasm by the way.
Next up at Number 2 - Thrill Kill
Man - look at those cutting edge graphics.
You know it’s a golden-oldie when Virgin Interactive is the publishing studio, which
brought us such incredible classics like Dino Crisis 2 and Carmageddon 64.
I’m getting nostalgic just thinking about them.
But - well, Thrill Kill was a game that was actually, technically never released.
Although - because it was essentially completed before it was cancelled - it has became one
of the most widely available unreleased games ever made.
Yeah - you heard that right, it only really became a success because it was banned.
Let’s not beat around the bush - as far as fighting games go, Thrill Kill is a pretty
crap game - and the only really interesting thing about it is the controversy that surrounds
it.
Essentially, it’s a BDSM beat em up that features several Hell-demons in gimp suits
dismembering each other.
Thrill Kill is notable for being the first EVER video game to get the ESRB - Adults Only
rating for sexual content.
The developers behind it, essentially tried their hardest to get a banned, controversial
game - then bootlegged it across the internet - and it worked.
Thrill Kill - not a lot more to it, really.
Which leads us to our final point - coming in at Number 1 - Pokemon
Yeah.
Again.
You heard that correctly.
In Saudi Arabia, Pokemon - the TCG, Pokemon Go - and it’s wider Nintendo predecessors
- are straight up religiously outlawed.
Originally - both the electronic and physical versions of the game were straight up morally
banned back in 2001 - following an edict that considered the cute, fluffy pocket monsters
a threat to national security.
Allegedly, the symbols used to represent energy in the TCG resembled the Star of David, and
was considered by some as a geopolitical threat that promoted Zionism in the Middle Eastern
country.
After the rise of Pokemon Go in 2016 - some Saudi Arabian clerics renewed the religious
fatwa against Pokemon - this time arguing that the game represented forms of gambling,
which were therefore forbidden in Islam.
Another ban was further initiated after three men in their mid-20s were caught playing Pokemon
Go near the King Abdullah airport and subsequently arrested for illegally using their phones
in a restricted area.
Yeah.
Who knew?
However - despite this, it is also important to note that many Saudi’s ignore this fatwa
- and freely download a bootleg version of Pokemon Go so they can catch them all.
Although - there is a very hefty fine attached if you’re caught playing Pokemon Go while
driving - which is just common sense, really.
Well - there we have it folks, our part 2 submission for this Top 5 Scary List.
Before we depart, let’s read out some of your more creative comments from over the
past few days.
™ GAMING says - Am i an idiot because to me i thought he was Australian.
And the only thing I’d have to say to that is - no, you’re not an idiot buddy - I’m
just not Australian.
Although, that would be nice - Australia is pretty cool.
Allen Hackett says - Hi Jack, will you ever do a monster file on the Thing.
Just asking, anyway love the videos - bye.
Well, thanks for the kind words Allen - and yes, the Thing is very much on my to do list
for the Monster Files.
Keep your eyes peeled for when it’s out - because no one can see it.
Or hear it.
Or feel it.
Well - there we have it horror fans.
If you were a fan of this video, video games - or just Top 5 Scary Videos in general - then
please be a dear and hit that thumbs up button, as well as that subscribe bell and we’ll
be seeing you in the next one.
As always, I’ve been your horror host Jack Finch - you’ve been watching Top 5 Scary
Videos - and until next time, you take it easy.