Mature ESRB rating

[Maccabeus]

First of all, this game looks awesome. I really, really, really, want to give Obsidian my money for this game. It's made me start a new game of Baldur's Gate 2 just to scratch the isometric rpg itch I've been having recently.

 

Now, I'm probably in the minority asking about this, but it's a concern that will determine whether or not I'll buy this game.

 

So: based on the Mature ESRB, how prevalent is the (stronger) profanity in this game?

 

The ESRB summary says:

 

 

The word “f**k” appears in dialogue.

 

 So, is that one instance? Is there only one dialogue where it appears? How often is it used? I guess we won't really know until the full game is out. 

 

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate more "mature" writing and themes. I don't mind "lore based profanity". But I recently bought Shadowrun:Dragonfall, and the (more explicit) profanity occurred so often that it was immersion breaking and annoying, and unfortunately Steam doesn't offer refunds. However, I recently learned that GOG offers refunds, so I can certainly try it out.

[Katarack21]

I saw "****" once in a stream and "****" once. It was a very limited stream though.

[Verenti]

First of all, this game looks awesome. I really, really, really, want to give Obsidian my money for this game. It's made me start a new game of Baldur's Gate 2 just to scratch the isometric rpg itch I've been having recently.

 

Now, I'm probably in the minority asking about this, but it's a concern that will determine whether or not I'll buy this game.

 

So: based on the Mature ESRB, how prevalent is the (stronger) profanity in this game?

 

The ESRB summary says:

 

 

The word “f**k” appears in dialogue.

 

 So, is that one instance? Is there only one dialogue where it appears? How often is it used? I guess we won't really know until the full game is out. 

 

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate more "mature" writing and themes. I don't mind "lore based profanity". But I recently bought Shadowrun:Dragonfall, and the (more explicit) profanity occurred so often that it was immersion breaking and annoying, and unfortunately Steam doesn't offer refunds. However, I recently learned that GOG offers refunds, so I can certainly try it out.

You played a game with "punk" in the title of the genre and you found explicit swearing to be immersion breaking?

Edited March 24, 2015 by Verenti

[MasterPrudent]

There's also at least one coxfither. Tread carefully Maccabeus.

[Jayngo]

I love this topic and completely agree with the OP.

 

IMO, this generation of gaming has been the generation of the "M" rated game. I understand that gaming is a form of art and expression and there are mature themes that can be explored. But to this day I still don't understand why an F-bomb needs to be dropped 100 times in a game (being somewhat sarcastic with that number).

 

More and more games are turning me off with the heavy use of strong and explicit language.

 

With PoE, I did see that line of dialogue you mentioned and I can only assume where there is one strong expletive, there will be more. I hope this isn't the case, especially with the "fantasy" background this game has. Something about F-bombs in fantasy worlds feels totatlly out of place and off-beat.

 

This topic is polarizing and many people have strong opions about it on both sides. This is just my two cents worth...

[Silent Winter]

 However, I recently learned that GOG offers refunds, so I can certainly try it out.

Just to clarify - I thought gog only offered refunds if the game didn't work on your system (after liasing with their tech guys to try to get it to work) - you may want to check if it's a 'no questions asked' money back guarantee or merely a guarantee that it'll work on your system and money back if it doesn't.

[MasterPrudent]

On a more helpful note there are a bunch of youtubers and twitch players who are currently uploading/streaming playthroughs that can go as far as the end of the first act so you might want to watch one of those to get a feel for things.

Edited March 24, 2015 by MasterPrudent

[Bryy]

There's also at least one coxfither. Tread carefully Maccabeus.

Goddamn best line in the game so far.

 

Perfectly executed by the VA, too.

[Katarack21]

I'm guessing there will be regular but not insane usage of foul language; they get the chance to write the dialogue they feel like now without being contrained by WotC or LucasArts.

[Karkarov]

I doubt it is all that prevalent in the game.  I don't recall much or any profanity in the backer beta.  Then again I did once cause a sailor to cry and run in terror with horrendous volumes of profane artistry splurging from my mouth.

[Tamerlane]

Now I'm trying to remember what was so objectionable/distracting in Dragonfall but I'm coming up blank.

[mychal26]

I'll never understand how some people can be okay with killing by chopping, crushing, piercing, burning, electrocuting, and whatnot, but somehow a few swear words represents a threshold that shouldn't be crossed. I'm American, so I see this quite often, but the reasoning always seems asinine. Personally, I prefer realism in that when you or someone around is in a life or death situation then more often then not swearing will probably be taking place.

[Ink Blot]

Now I'm trying to remember what was so objectionable/distracting in Dragonfall but I'm coming up blank.

Might be the context. I agree with the OP in the sense that I don't like a lot of gratuitous swearing in a game, but where it fits the game/setting/lore, I'm fine with it. Perhaps Dragonfall (I haven't yet played it) is like Stick of Truth in that it completely fits (ye gods the f-bombs and other colorful language in that game! But it was totally appropriate for a South Park game).

[Heijoushin]

The writing in BG and IWD was amazing and witty and didn't contain any modern swear words (at least, I don't remember any...) so I doubt PoE will have much. I'm actually really surprised that the F-word appears in the dialogue.

Edited March 24, 2015 by Heijoushin

[Emerwyn]

I'm absolutely in favour of utilising natural language in any RP context. That means both not overdoing the profanity, neither cutting it short with ridiculous euphemisms that nobody would use in any life real or fictious. I don't care for "fark you", "frigging orcs," or "a-holes" or "berks". Those words feel half arsed and lack the impact and emphasis that the real deal has because makes every scene with those words tremendously unbelievable and immersion breaking. If a scene calls for a word, just spell it out, dammit. As long as those words aren't blatantly forcefully and repeatedly utilised just for the sake of it.

 

I commend Obsidian for spelling out the words the way they are.

 

That said, I understand some parents might want their children playing the game, and even if some of those words are present in everyday's noon TV News and repeated at every break in their school, it's not something that they want their children reading and hearing as part of their family life, so a profanity filter option added to the game might be a good idea for those cases.

 

As a side note note though, never stops to amaze me how some people are so sensitive about the "f---" word, but are fine with playing characters that murder dozen of people for whatever goals, profane tombs to get some gold or potions, raise the dead to do their bidding, strike out deals with demons, and a full blown array of things that lack humanity or morality at all. But well, since it's a videogame, it's fine. But dude, don't you spell a "F---" in my videogame. Because that's so terribly wrong.

Edited March 24, 2015 by Emerwyn

[Valsuelm]

I love this topic and completely agree with the OP.

 

IMO, this generation of gaming has been the generation of the "M" rated game. I understand that gaming is a form of art and expression and there are mature themes that can be explored. But to this day I still don't understand why an F-bomb needs to be dropped 100 times in a game (being somewhat sarcastic with that number).

 

More and more games are turning me off with the heavy use of strong and explicit language.

 

With PoE, I did see that line of dialogue you mentioned and I can only assume where there is one strong expletive, there will be more. I hope this isn't the case, especially with the "fantasy" background this game has. Something about F-bombs in fantasy worlds feels totatlly out of place and off-beat.

 

I generally agree.

 

I drop F bombs in the real world all the time. I spent too much time working in bars and truck stops when I was younger. There's a time and a place though. I've no problem with adult themes, or even some cussing in the game. However, the F word generally feels way out of place when I see it in games, especially fantasy games (or fantasy books),  and it's usually bad writing when I see it. I hope it's used well when it's used, and sparingly. Otherwise it's effect is just blah, rather than anything that adds to the experience.

 

A good example of effective writing with profanity was Breaking Bad. They used the F word once per season, and with great effect. I hope the writers of PoE took some lessons from Breaking Bad (all writers should, as it was an amazingly well written show).

 

Another good lesson in writing (in particular fantasy writing) in regards to profanity was the Battlestar Gallactica reboot. Where they made up their own word, Frak, used in place of the F word. It was used to great effect.

Edited March 24, 2015 by Valsuelm

[Tamerlane]

I'm absolutely in favour of utilising natural language in any RP context. That means both not overdoing the profanity, neither cutting it short with ridiculous insults that nobody uses just to avoid taboo words. Those heavily break my immersion and give the narrative a general bad C-rated movie feeling. I don't care for "fark you", "frigging orcs," or "a-holes" or "berks". They feel half arsed and lack the impact and emphasis that the real deal has because makes every scene with those words tremendously unbelievable and immersion breaking. 

 

I commend Obsidian for spelling out the words the way they are wrriten.

I introduced a buddy of mine to Planescape Torment a while back, and the first time he encountered a "berk" in dialogue, he said to me, "Was this game made in England? Because these people talk like my dad."

[Ink Blot]

 

Another good lesson in writing (in particular fantasy writing) in regards to profanity was the Battlestar Gallactica reboot. Where they made up their own word, Frak, used in place of the F word. It was used to great effect.

 

While I agree with pretty much everything else you said, I disagree with this. I loved Battlestar Galactica but every time I heard the word 'frak' it threw me right out of the show. Sounded way too forced and contrived to me. I feel they should have just gone with the real thing and just toned down the amount of times they used it. Obviously, this whole discussion is totally subjective though.

[Thanateros]

But, if the game is going for a medieval fantasy type setting, then the F word is perfectly natural.  Just like the S word, damn, and the C word, they are ancient words, that meant the same thing during the middle ages that they do now. 

[Jotra]

 

 

Another good lesson in writing (in particular fantasy writing) in regards to profanity was the Battlestar Gallactica reboot. Where they made up their own word, Frak, used in place of the F word. It was used to great effect.

 

While I agree with pretty much everything else you said, I disagree with this. I loved Battlestar Galactica but every time I heard the word 'frak' it threw me right out of the show. Sounded way too forced and contrived to me. I feel they should have just gone with the real thing and just toned down the amount of times they used it. Obviously, this whole discussion is totally subjective though.

 

Same. Fake swear words are one of the most immersion breaking thing in the genre for me.

Edited March 24, 2015 by Jotra

[Emerwyn]

 

 

 

Another good lesson in writing (in particular fantasy writing) in regards to profanity was the Battlestar Gallactica reboot. Where they made up their own word, Frak, used in place of the F word. It was used to great effect.

 

While I agree with pretty much everything else you said, I disagree with this. I loved Battlestar Galactica but every time I heard the word 'frak' it threw me right out of the show. Sounded way too forced and contrived to me. I feel they should have just gone with the real thing and just toned down the amount of times they used it. Obviously, this whole discussion is totally subjective though.

 

Same. Fake swear words are one of the most immersion breaking thing in the genre for me.

 

 

Agree with this sentiment. Either make scenes where no swearing is needed, or spell out the proper swearing. Fake insults just make scenes unbelievable and immersion breaking.

[Voss]

I'm absolutely in favour of utilising natural language in any RP context. That means both not overdoing the profanity, neither cutting it short with ridiculous euphemisms that nobody would use in any life real or fictious. I don't care for "fark you", "frigging orcs," or "a-holes" or "berks". 

Berk is a real word, and used regularly in certain places (which given that you're using 'favour' and 'utilising,' you've made me sad).  That said I agree, natural language (even if anachronistic) flows a lot better than a dime-store's worth of purple prose dribbling from the lips of drunk renaissance faire hacks.  

 

But I've seen a fair bit of profanity just in BB vids, to the point that if someone found it immersion breaking and upsetting in gangland Berlin slums, better back away from this game right now. 

[Azzy]

I don't recall the swearing in Dragonfall so I assume I accepted it as totally fair usage. I really don't care about swearing in fact I get annoyed about the use of replacement words cause I don't see how simply replacing the word changes anything. The replacement is used in the same context and assuming the audience are adults they know exactly the word that fits in the spot so whats the difference. I mean in real life the slurred word of the drunk swearing at me probably has less similarity to the swear word they're going for than many of the fake replacement words on TV.

[Valmy]

While I get the concern there is really nothing anybody can say constructive on this topic until we actually play the game. Come back a few days after release and ask about this again.

[Maccabeus]

I appreciate everyone's comments! And yes, I agree that it does seem nit-picky to avoid a game because of language on one hand, while being completely fine with violence/murder/etc. 

 

But like some have already mentioned, gratuitous use of language can be attributed to lazy writing and can be off-putting (in my opinion). If dialogue is a constant, f-this, f-ing that, then I begin to question, "Can the writers not be more imaginative?" From what I've seen so far, that isn't the case, and I appreciate that

 

Thanks for mentioning the streams. I've watched a few already, although most were focused on character creation. I'll definitely check out some more. 

 

I checked GOG's website, and most of the refunds were due to technical issues. I guess I'll have to cross that bridge in the future if I need to return something for reasons other than technical ones.