Nobody would have raised an eyebrow for an M (Mature) rating for the upcoming Kojima game, but it seems Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes also got the “sexual violence” stamp from the US regulatory group. This makes Ground Zeroes the second game in history to get this label, after Animamundi: Dark Alchemist received it as well back in 2006.
Here is the official ESRB statement:
“This is an action game in which players assume the role of an elite soldier through military missions in Cuba. Players infiltrate various bases and use pistols, machine guns, and rocket launchers to kill enemy soldiers. Firefights are highlighted by realistic gunfire, slow-motion effects, and large blood-splatter effects. Players can also employ stealth attacks (e.g., choking, knife stabbing from behind) and have the ability kill non-adversary characters/prisoners. One cutscene includes a depiction of blood and gore (e.g., a character’s intestines exposed during a dramatic procedure to remove an object). The game includes an audio file in which a female character is sexually assaulted by male characters; while there is no visual depiction, sounds of ripped clothing and struggle can be heard. The words ‘f**k’ and ‘sh*t’ are heard in the dialogue.”
Warning: minor Ground Zeroes and Tomb Raider spoilers ahead.
It’s interesting that Ground Zeroes received this rating, while last year’s Tomb Raider did not. If you recall, Lara Croft herself was depicted in a scene that strongly suggested rape, and even without explicit female nudity being present in Tomb Raider, the scenes described now by the ESRB sounds fairly similar.
It’s unknown who the female character in question is, but fan speculation on Reddit would suggest we’re talking about none other than Quiet.
Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes will be released on the 18th of March in North America and Japan and on the 20th of March in Europe, for the Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.