No one remembers the greatest M-rated games

It is not uncommon for M-rated games to attract controversy for their content. An early title was given that label doomWhich, of course, will never escape the bad rap of exterminating monsters in vigorous, bloody fashion. It's a mind-blowing game, to put it mildly.

Some M-rated games over the years, however, aren't nearly as notorious. In fact, you may never have heard of them. Whether forgotten relics from the early days of the ESRB system or more recent titles, these curiosities have overtaken many adult gamers. Let's have a look.

7

Dual blade

A bloody game boy advance fighter

The Game Boy Advance is probably one of the last systems you'd expect to play host to an M-rated game. It wasn't complete without them, though, as this weapon-based fighting game shows. in double blade, Each strike of the character's weapon caused a dramatic surge of blood, while other moves such as projectile strikes or punches usually did not. In the final defeat of the game (not just the round), opponents can bleed profusely before falling or even cut straight in half, leading to victory quotes such as “sorry if I hurt you young lady”.

Stylistically, it's not a dramatic departure from the likes street fighter, However curious character designs such as a mysterious warrior with an agitated staff mix things up somewhat. There are some odd guest characters in fighting games, but the regular cast here is attractive enough. The format is also slightly different, with arcade mode, versus mode and so on. Still, torso-slicing finishers were brave enough to walk the Game Boy Advance.

6

MadWorld

What a wicked world

When it comes to M-rated games, there are often complaints that all that violence is gratuitous. Not so MadWorldHowever. In this carnage-filled world, brutality is all in the name of a good cause: getting high scores. As a participant in the in-universe gameshow DeathwatchCreative assassinations are key.

There was nothing else like it on the Wii. There hasn't really been a game like this since this period. It's highly stylized, with its monochrome scheme contrasting brilliantly with the bold, bright blood pouring from enemies. The idea of ​​focusing on improvement using different stage hazards also works in its favor, helping to keep the task from repeating itself too quickly. It's not a game to invest hundreds of hours into, but fits the bill well for quick bursts of arcade brawls.

5

Nightmare creatures

Not exactly Resident Evil

19th century London is a scary place. It conjures up images of smoky streets, shady alleys, and Jack the Ripper. A largely forgotten 1997 survival horror adventure Nightmare creatures That's the setting chosen, and needless to say, it's a world of nightmarish creatures created by the conspiracy of Hecate's Brotherhood. As a warrior trying to restore some semblance of safety to the city, the hero sets out to stop them, on a quest that takes them through the sewers under the River Thames to the London Zoo.

There are some unfortunate examples of 'early 3D' problems with the game (flying enemies can be too annoying and combat can be rather janky), but for its time, it was an atmospheric and very scary horror title. It also warranted a sequel, although the cancellation of the third game meant it is largely forgotten today.

4

Bio Freaks

Another brutal brawler

You might think that, when it comes to fighting games with wicked finishing moves, Mortal Kombat The chain connects the market. Other titles have ventured into that territory to earn themselves an M-rating as well, however, and another example is 1998's Bio Freaks The name, short for Biological Flying Robotic Enhanced Armored Killing Synthoids, refers to biological creations of various factions in the United States, but destroyed by nations fighting for war.

As with Dual Blades, the usual generic roster of game modes make up this package, setting itself apart with the option of distortion moves. Characters, by their very nature, have weapons such as blades and saws on their bodies, and can use them to remove various parts of their enemies' bodies in order to achieve the ultimate victory. Not as detailed Mortal KombatFamous deaths of, but certainly serious enough. Character designs have to be seen to be believed, and the creativity is commendable.

3

999: Nine hours, nine people, nine doors

A deadly and interesting game

in seen In the movies, the victims of Jigsaw and his acolytes are forced to play brutal “games” in the hope of survival. They aim to test the will to survive, to determine how far people will go to save their lives. From low-budget beginnings, the series has become one of the biggest names in horror, on the strength of its creative and compelling story. 999: Nine hours, nine people, nine doors A very rare example of a Nintendo DS game with a mature rating, and it achieved this using a similar story.

In this title, a group imprisoned on a ship must cooperate in teams to pass through various numbered doors (the numbers of which correspond to the numbers on their wristbands). It's a so-called Nonary game, and each participant has an explosive in them to ensure that the game progresses as its promoter wants. 999: Nine hours, nine people, nine doors A boasts excellent characterization, dialogue, and puzzling Phoenix Wright or Professor Layton game (and the Nintendo DS certainly has its share of great puzzlers), with a unique premise and shockingly violent scenes that earn it an M-rated with a capital M-.

2

Geist

Unlike anything else you'll see on the GameCube

Nintendo's GameCube was a beloved system with an extensive list of great games, but third-party support was rather poor (as has historically been the case with Nintendo systems) and there were some genres that really seemed reluctant to explore much. One of them was FPS. Many have forgotten GeistAn M-rated shooter for the system — an exclusive, no less — and bold gameplay from developer n-Space.

The concept behind Geist Is that CR-2 unit scientist John Raimi, one of the few survivors of an attempted attack on the dastardly Volks Corporation? In this future world, technology is available to create “ghosts” by extracting souls. Raimi is subjected to this treatment by the Corporation, which is investigating the possibility of creating essentially immortal warriors in this gruesome fashion. There's a key mechanic that sets Geist apart: instead of relying on the traditional system of finding and upgrading an arsenal of guns, Ghostly Raimy has the ability to possess the bodies of different targets. For example, rats are perfect for infiltration, because there aren't many gaps they can't get through. Geist was perhaps a bit too ambitious for the GameCube, and its performance (and therefore its reputation) suffered accordingly. However, it's a diverse and inventive FPS that executes its good ideas well, and deserves more praise than it tends to get.

1

sadness

Find out who Torque really is

sadness is a shooter set in Abbott State Penitentiary, a Maryland prison. A 2004 PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 2 release, it has all the ingredients needed for a mature rating. It tells the tragic story of Tork, who is imprisoned for the death of his family. This is a brutal and bloody shooter, in which Tork and other prisoners are surrounded by evil creatures that can be straight out. Resident Evil. There is also a constant flow of insults. It may be a fairly one-dimensional horror shooter, but Surreal Software gave the experience some narrative depth in the form of player choices.

Torq, through the efforts of NPCs to help or hinder them, can advance in either a good or bad direction. It's not just a token addition, but one that can really impact the experience in ways like changing the ability of HP-restoring items. It also ties in perfectly with the central focus of the story: Torq is haunted by and unable to remember the death of his family. Regarding the possible ending of the game, for which there are good, bad, or in-between options, whether or not he was really responsible for the tragedy. sadness It was innovative in that it explored some of the scariest and most challenging concepts more deeply, not just using a “creepy dark prison” setting as the backdrop for a gratuitous shooter. Here are some very interesting concepts that were further explored in next year's sequel, Suffering: binding bonds.