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Australia Refuses Left 4 Dead 2 Classification, Remains Censored

by Tim Turi on Oct 22, 2009 at 05:47 AM



Valve’s strife with getting Left 4 Dead 2 rated in Australia continues. The newest chapter in this saga has the zombie apocalypse game being refused classification by Australia’s Review Board. Read on to find out why the game doesn’t fit into the country’s MA 15+ category.

In a media release regarding L4D2’s refusal of classification, the Board states the game “contains a level of violence which is high in impact, prolonged, repeated frequently and realistic within the context of the game.”

Having played the game, I can definitely say this is true. If gloriously rendered gore is not your thing, this game will likely disappoint.

The Review Board also said, “there was insufficient delineation between the depiction of general zombie figures and the human figures, as opposed to the clearly fictional ‘infected’ characters.”

Here they appear to be referring to the contrast between the common infected and the exaggerated “special infected.” According to Australia’s standards, it’s okay to shoot an puking, obese zombie riddled with goiters and tumors, but it’s not alright to shoot an undead human. Zombified humans that look too human?

Regardless, it looks like Australia’s minors simply aren’t ready to enter Valve’s virtual zombie-slaying training program as it is now. The country will be receiving a version lacking “depictions of decapitation, dismemberment, wound detail or piles of dead bodies lying about the environment.”

How important do you think the generous gibbing of Left 4 Dead 2 is to you folks? Would you miss it?