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Harry Milonas
11 Dec, 2007

PAL No More Heroes censored

Wii News | More like No More Blood.
Notch another one up to pointless PAL political correctness. The eccentric Wii hitman title, No More Heroes, from killer7 developers Grasshopper Interactive, will be seeing a censorship of sorts when it reaches our shores, Games Radar UK reports.

While the US version of the game will contain over the top violence and blood by the bucket loads, the PAL version of No More Heroes will contain nothing of the sort--not even a scrap of haemoglobin going by the video Games Radar has provided. Instead, much like the recently released Japanese version of the game, wanton acts of assassination upon your fellow enemies will bare what looks and sounds like masses of coins flying out of the recently deceased, as their bodies disintegrate into black ashed polygons.

At least such a form of censorship upholds Grasshopper's reputation as an oddball developer.

The reasoning for this latest example of videogame conservatism? Even though Grasshopper Interactive's Goichi Suda (aka Suda51) promised awhile back that the violence in No More Heroes would be gratuitous ("even more violent than Manhunt 2" were his words), this superficiality apparently now only applies to the lucky US version of the game. When asked if the British Board of Film Classification's refusal to rate the apparently mindlessly violent Manhunt 2 had anything to do with the visual change of heart, PAL publishers of No More Heroes, Rising Star Games, gave Games Radar UK a disheartening "maybe" response.

And no, before someone tries to point out that there's still a chance Australia will see the "uncut" version of No More Heroes due to Red Ant Enterprises publishing the game down under, allow us to clear up that misguided unlikely possibility. Unfortunately, Red Ant merely distributes games in Australia, with Rising Star Games being one of their overseas publishing partners. PAL brothers and sisters alike can therefore expect to pick up the same sanitised distribution of No More Heroes tentatively sometime in February 2008.

Related No More Heroes Content

No More Heroes Paradise trailer
13 Mar, 2010 HD graphics = paradise.
No More Heroes heading to PS3 and Xbox 360
20 Nov, 2009 'No More' Heroes for the Wii.
No More Heroes Review
13 Apr, 2008 No more arguments.
31 Comments
2 years ago
Not even a single drop of blood. Only one word for that, Lame. I wish I had a US Wii now.
2 years ago
roflamo hahahah ohhh boy my ntsc wii looks amazing now. Damn people you shouldn't have to put up with this ****. I don't need to mention brawl delay. icon_sad.gif
2 years ago
Another game that I wont buy due to stupidity of publishers and/or politics icon_sad.gif. Looked really good too, maybe there'll be some obscure pal region release that'll be uncut but it's unlikely icon_sad.gif.
2 years ago
Dam, I just saw the trailer for both versions, and I have to say, that is god dam ****. You can't have this game without the gore! Dam non multi region Wii.
2 years ago
Terrible times. Prospect of a US Wii (fingers crossed for a cheaper freeloader alternative) rises, to think I could be playing Fire Emblem right now!
2 years ago
FAIL!

Bloody hell - anyone want to trade a PAL Wii with a bunch of VC titles for a US Wii? Anyone... ? icon_sad.gif
2 years ago
Skiller wrote
Another game that I wont buy due to stupidity of publishers and/or politics icon_sad.gif. Looked really good too, maybe there'll be some obscure pal region release that'll be uncut but it's unlikely icon_sad.gif.
Its not really the publishers fault, blame the various classifications boards that dont seem take game industry seriously enough to offer an R rating.
2 years ago
Was thinking of buying a Wii for this game, might have to hold out a little longer until something else jumps out at me.
2 years ago
bozza wrote
Skiller wrote
Another game that I wont buy due to stupidity of publishers and/or politics icon_sad.gif. Looked really good too, maybe there'll be some obscure pal region release that'll be uncut but it's unlikely icon_sad.gif.
Its not really the publishers fault, blame the various classifications boards that dont seem take game industry seriously enough to offer an R rating.
It's not their fault either, it's the government that wont allow us to have an R rating.
2 years ago
bozza wrote
Skiller wrote
Another game that I wont buy due to stupidity of publishers and/or politics icon_sad.gif. Looked really good too, maybe there'll be some obscure pal region release that'll be uncut but it's unlikely icon_sad.gif.
Its not really the publishers fault, blame the various classifications boards that dont seem take game industry seriously enough to offer an R rating.
That's exactly right. It's not Nintendo's or the publishers fault, it's the goverment. Do you think they will risk getting a ban like Manhunt?
2 years ago
I don't know why they've censored given there might be a chance that the full blooded version might get passed by the OFLC.
2 years ago
werd123 wrote
I don't know why they've censored given there might be a chance that the full blooded version might get passed by the OFLC.
So if you were a publisher, would you gamble trying to get a bloody game past a proven tough OFLC; and if banned have to go back to into development to cut all the gory? Or would you simply create 'safe' content for each region during development?

The answer is simple but it doesn't mean we have to like it.
2 years ago
I'd do exactly what has been done but try my hardest to get the bloody version through. It sounds like the full version wasn't even submitted! Whats worse is that its not even our government that has made this impossible. Its Germany's.

Saddest thing is that Suda 51 is an artist and Rockstar are troublemakers. Thanks to their ill conceived shenanigans I'm going to miss out on a game I actually wanted to play.

Also, is it just the blood that has been edited or violent moves like decapitation and length way slicing too?
2 years ago
This is the biggest load of crap. I was looking forward to this game and how it would show that the wii isnt just "kiddy". Not that it needs over the top blood but turning blood to coins... stupid at best.
2 years ago
It's actually smart for the publisher> do they risk getting a MA15+ rating for a game when most of the console owners are 12yrs old?
2 years ago
While I might be pissed off at this like everyone else, apparently the blood isn't there in the Japanese version either, just the American version.

So, while not liking it, I find it a little more palatable.
2 years ago
Maikii wrote
It's actually smart for the publisher> do they risk getting a MA15+ rating for a game when most of the console owners are 12yrs old?
Well RE4 sold like crazy on the Wii (for an old 3rd party game) and that's got an MA rating so I don't think it's actually so cut and dry age-wise with the Wii. This change is surely about the ban issue and not about selling more copies - which from all reports is already failing in Japan icon_sad.gif. Silly Nintendo fans hating anything non-Nintendo branded! I don't know how this can be possible on one console while on others (360 and PS3) the fans love their 3rd parties.
2 years ago
Maikii wrote
It's actually smart for the publisher> do they risk getting a MA15+ rating for a game when most of the console owners are 12yrs old?
Don't see why they'd bother shooting for a lower rating given that much of the game clearly isn't targeted towards the younger market.
2 years ago
LeonJ wrote
werd123 wrote
I don't know why they've censored given there might be a chance that the full blooded version might get passed by the OFLC.
So if you were a publisher, would you gamble trying to get a bloody game past a proven tough OFLC; and if banned have to go back to into development to cut all the gory? Or would you simply create 'safe' content for each region during development?

The answer is simple but it doesn't mean we have to like it.
But no blood at all, Thats just a little bit to safe.
2 years ago
Cerebral wrote
Maikii wrote
It's actually smart for the publisher> do they risk getting a MA15+ rating for a game when most of the console owners are 12yrs old?
Don't see why they'd bother shooting for a lower rating given that much of the game clearly isn't targeted towards the younger market.
I agree with that so much. Great post imo. Why cut the blood, i know why lets market it for younger people so we make more $$$ who knows really. Just pisses me off. I am so importing. icon_evil.gif
2 years ago
Of course, what Europe gets doesn't necescarilly mean we'll get.

Besides, people are missing the point - this has nothing to do with the OFLC or Australian Ratings. It is purely to get past censors in countries like Germany, who have really strict censorship laws. Anyway, so the blood efffect is replaced with a black particle effect. Does it really matter? Does it change the game or your experience? I think not.

And there you have it. That ends my report from the scene.
2 years ago
Many games in Japan get the blood taken out, but I can't see a reason for doing it in the PAL market unless they want a lower age rating. Remember it's a post Manhunt 2 world, publishers don't want bad press about their game, especially when it's an exclusive on a more kid-friendly console like the Wii.
2 years ago
Quote
wanton acts of assassination upon your fellow enemies will bare what looks and sounds like masses of coins flying out of the recently deceased, as their bodies disintegrate into black ashed polygons..
Does this design choice remind someone of another; slightly older, game? icon_wink.gif




I think the answer should lie in parental control settings. Ie.. having the option to turn blood on or off. Wouldnt that make life hell of a lot easier for both parties involved?
2 years ago
Is there any statement on this, or has the internets gone wild based off the appearance of one trailer? It could have had a blood option turned off or something.
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  Pre-order or buy:
    PALGN recommends: www.Play-Asia.com

Australian Release Date:
  20/03/2008 (Tentative)
Standard Retail Price:
  $99.95 AU
Publisher:
  Red Ant
Genre:
  Shooter
Year Made:
  2007

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