It is rated M over here because America is really anal about sex in video games, and any game that even IMPLIES sex between characters gets a big fat M rating. Really, the ONLY reasons why Mass Effect is rated M over here is because of a very brief sex scene and the fact that you can do it as a woman with a female-looking alien, meaning homosexuality. This stuff would slip through a PG-13 movie no problem, but again, video games are still an unknown to most people and everyone assumes that it is mostly kids that play games, so our ESRB is ungodly strict over stuff, particularly if it involves nudity and/or sex...Because while violence might be frowned upon by American parents, the concept of something natural like sex is about as taboo as it comes...
Hell, I'm 19 and my mom still nags at me when she happens to see an R rated movie in my collection with "nudity" or "sexual content" in the rating description. My point being, the reason why it is rated lower in the UK/Europe is because you guys aren't nearly as anal about sex as Americans are.
Pun totally not intended.[/quote]I love Europe so damned much more than America. And I'm American, which is probably why. I would say that Europe isn't as homophobic as America, but I'd be lying. Some parts in Europe are even more homophobic. What I can and will say though is that sex isn't some horrible taboo subject in Europe. If Clinton was running for office in France, the media wouldn't create any scandal as long as it didn't interfere with his ability to do his job. In fact, the only reason it did interefere with that ability in America was BECAUSE of the scandal. They actually made the issue worse, which seems to be a recurring theme in the media now.
And oh my god, I hate it when people will start laughing stupidly whenever I say anal. IT HAS MORE THAN ONE MEANING YOU STUPID DIPHSITS!/rant