From the 1980s up until 2012, the British Board of Film Classification also rated video games alongside movies. Since they've nuked the Insights on games, I've decided to archive them here.

Fallout 3

Set in a post -apocalyptic North America in the year 2077, FALLOUT 3 is a science fiction fantasy role playing game in which the player becomes a young man or woman on a quest to find their missing father. Playable in either a first or a third person perspective, it was passed ‘18’ for strong bloody violence. The BBFC Guidelines at ‘15’ state that ‘violence may be strong but may not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury’. In FALLOUT 3 however, players are encouraged to use a targeting system that allows them to pause the action and direct their attacks at specific areas of their opponents' bodies. This might be their head, torso or arms and legs. When the action restarts the camera then focuses on the impact of those targeted attacks, with in slow motion, the enemy shown being bloodily killed and dismembered. The game features many weapons with which players can do this, including various rifles and machine guns, as well as a knife, a chain saw and a rocket launcher. This focus on violent bloody injury was therefore considered too strong for ‘15’ and better suited to the adult ‘18’ category where the game's fantastical elements as well as the complexity of the playing experience helped to make it acceptable. Additionally, BBFC Guidelines at ‘15’ state that ‘the strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable’ and with these same combat elements also featuring large explosive blood splats, this emphasis on strong gore was also considered better placed at ‘18’. FALLOUT 3 also contains strong language.

Fallout: New Vegas

FALLOUT: NEW VEGAS is a first-person perspective action game for the XBox 360. The game was classified '18' for strong violence. Strong violence is encouraged throughout the game and a wide array of weapons and upgrades are available. There are a huge number of guns available, from basic rifles and pistols, to laser and pulse guns, to sub-machine guns and mini-guns. There are also flamethrowers, rocket-launchers and zappers, all of which inflict bloody damage upon those who get in the way. In addition, the player can choose from bladed weapons like cleavers, knives, swords and pikes and more run-of-the-mill items like hammers and boxing gloves. As the player progresses, more weapons become available and those obtained remain in the player's arsenal for the duration. As the player progresses through the game, the amount of damage and bloody injury that can be inflicted with the available weapons is also increased. The player can target specific opponents and choose the exact body-parts to hit, with the violence resulting in large blood spurts. As the player moves through the game, heads begin to explode and limbs are removed, with some exaggerated spurting details. Some weapons, accessed in the later levels, will turn an opponent into a hail of body parts and the use of the flame-thrower, for example, has targets running about on fire before collapsing in a pile of ash. It is possible to inflict further damage on felled bodies and it is possible to shoot the limbs off dead characters and cut their heads off. However, the graphics are fairly primitive and the static point of view does not allow for undue focus on injuries. In addition to the strength of the violence, the player-character is rewarded with 'respect' and 'reputation' points for going on murderous rampages and there are various 'perks' the player can spend earned points on that allow more damage to be done, often to specific characters. One of the 'perks' is called 'bloody mess' and this ensures that every target shot explodes in a bloody mess. The level of violence in the game takes this beyond the BBFC's Guidelines at '15', which state that 'Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. Strong sadistic or sexualised violence is also unlikely to be acceptable'. In addition to the violence, the game contains the option for the player-character to become addicted to alcohol or drugs. However, the drug is a fictitious one called 'Jet' and we do not see how it is used. Once addicted, the player can seek treatment from a doctor in order to overcome the dependency. The game also contains a number of sex references, with prostitutes available on the Las Vegas Strip and inside the back rooms of the casinos. However, the screen goes black before any sexual activity takes place and there is no nudity at all. We simply hear references to sex, such as "Best prices around - as long as you don't try putting it somewhere it wasn't intended" and, from an old lady prostitute, "You won't see anything once the lights are out. The places that count are still firm enough". The game also contains frequent use of strong language.

Grand Theft Auto IV

GRAND THEFT AUTO IV is an open world action adventure game in which the player character is an Eastern European immigrant working for organised crime gangs in a fictitious city in the USA. The game has been rated ‘18’ for strong violence, very strong language, very strong sex references and drugs use. Violence is a central theme of the game, with the character able to engage on missions which invariably involving killing in return for money and other in-game rewards. The character can gain use of a variety of weapons including machine guns, Molotov cocktails, a serrated knife and a rocket propelled grenade launcher. Injuries and death are shown with blood including blood projected onto nearby walls, windscreens and the camera lens. The character is able to attack and kill any other character in the game, including ‘innocent’ non player characters, although this carries a strong risk of being pursued by the police providing a negative consequence for such action. The game includes several uses of very strong language and frequent use of strong language. The very strong language occurs within ‘cut scenes’ in which the story and character development take place, in spoof television episodes and during a stand up comedy routine. Sex references also occur during cut scenes, including references to strong sexual behaviour. During gameplay the character can pick up prostitutes and pay for three different levels of service. What follows is an un-detailed portrayal of masturbation, fellatio and intercourse. The character can also visit lap dancing clubs and request a private dance. While the game contains sexualised dancing and the portrayal of sex, there is no sexualised nudity. Reference is made to drugs trafficking and several cut scenes portray cocaine snorting. There is also a satirical reference to the domestic production of a hard drug, but it does not contain the detail necessary to reproduce this in the real world. GRAND THEFT AUTO IV has been classified at ‘18’ and is appropriate for adults aged 18 and above only.

Grand Theft Auto IV: Episodes from Liberty City

EPISODES FROM LIBERTY CITY – GRAND THEFT AUTO THE LOST AND DAMNED – GRAND THEFT AUTO THE BALLAD OF GAY TONY comprises two stand-alone, episodic, expansion missions that take place in the same open world gaming environment of Liberty City that featured in Grand Theft Auto IV (GTA IV). In the first mission the player assumes the role of Johnny Klebitz, a member of Liberty City based motorcycle gang and in the second the player takes on the part of Luis Lopez, a 'gofer' / bodyguard for a character known as 'Gay Tony'. Played from the third person perspective, both missions look, play and feel very similar to the original GTA IV. In addition to playing through the set missions, the player can simply roam freely through the massive gaming environment. The game was passed ‘18’ for very strong language, strong sex and violence and hard drug use. Violence is a central theme of the game, with the featured characters able to carry out missions that invariably involve killing in return for money and other in-game rewards. The characters have access to a variety of weapons, including knives, baseball bats, snooker cues, a variety of handguns and long-barrelled weapons (assault rifles, machine-guns, shotguns and the ubiquitous sniper rifle), explosive charges, pipe bombs and rocket-propelled grenades. The player can also mow down pedestrians whilst driving any of the vast selection of motor vehicles or motor bikes that are available to him or her. There are blood spurts as people are shot and stabbed and pools of blood form on the ground. However, there is never any discernible injury detail and it is not possible to inflict post-mortem injuries, although there is considerable ragdolling as dead bodies are shot. The characters controlled by the player are able to attack and kill any other character in the game, including innocent bystanders. The Guidelines at ’15’ state that there 'may be frequent use of strong language (for example ‘fuck’)' and that 'the strongest terms (for example ‘cunt’) may be acceptable if justified by the context'. Although the frequent use of strong language in the game would have been acceptable at ‘15’, the uses of very strong language that occur in some of the cut scenes are better placed at the adult category. The game includes some sex scenes. The sex is quite strong but always masked and the characters concerned are invariably fully clothed (there is no nudity). In cut scenes, the Luis Lopez character is seen to be on the receiving end of oral sex (slumped on a chair with a woman's head buried in his lap). The same character engages in sexual intercourse on at least two different occasions. For example he stands between a woman's raised legs and thrusts into her and he also bends a woman over a desk and thrusts into her from the rear. The game also contains strong verbal sex references throughout and there is one scene of full frontal male nudity (without a sexual context). EPISODES FROM LIBERTY CITY – GRAND THEFT AUTO THE LOST AND DAMNED – GRAND THEFT AUTO THE BALLAD OF GAY TONY also includes portrayals of cocaine snorting and there are frequent verbal references to drug taking and trafficking throughout the game.

Mass Effect

MASS EFFECT is a role playing game and shooter set in the future in space. The player controls either a male or female American soldier through a long and involved story line, making choices along the way. The game has been classified at '12' for moderate violence and one sex scene. The violence is undetailed and takes place in a futuristic setting. The single sex scene is brief and undetailed, although there is breast nudity in one version of the scene. The sex scene is triggered by the player making a series of choices about becoming more than friends with a colleague. If playing as a male character the scene can take place between him and a human woman or a humanoid female alien. If playing as a female character the scene can take place between her and a male human or a female humanoid alien. The game also contains use of the word 'bastard' and at least one aggressive use of the word 'bitch'. Both of which are acceptable under BBFC Guidelines at '12'.

Mass Effect 2

MASS EFFECT 2 is a role playing game and shooter set in the future in space. The player controls a soldier through a long and involved story-line, making choices along the way. The game was classified '15' for strong language and moderate violence. The game contains multiple uses of strong language. These appear in dynamic conversations with some characters and in 'cut scenes'. At '12', the BBFC's Guidelines state that 'The use of strong language (for example, 'fuck') must be infrequent'. Although Mass Effect 2 is a long game, the nature of gameplay means that strong language may occur frequently at certain points. Sex scenes can be triggered by a sequence of conversation choices. Depending on what characters the player has assumed, sex can take place between humans and humanoid aliens of both sexes. The sex scenes contain no nudity and no detail of sexual activity. The violence is generally undetailed and takes place in a futuristic setting. Guns will elicit blood wounds but there is no emphasis on injuries or blood.

Mass Effect 3

MASS EFFECT 3 is a third person RPG/Shooter set in the future. It follows on from the previous instalments and continues the lead character's quest to prevent a large scale alien attack. The player can choose to play the game as an RPG, with decisions presented during dialogue exchanges, as a mixture of RPG elements and shooting sequences, or as a pure shooter with no dialogue interactions. The game was classified '15' for strong language and infrequent strong violence. The game contains occasional uses of strong language which also appear in the subtitles if that option is enabled. The uses occur during conversation exchanges with the main character. The BBFC's Guidelines at '12A'/'12' state 'The use of strong language (for example, 'fuck') must be infrequent'. The nature of gameplay means that strong language, even if it occurs sporadically in the game, may be heard frequently if the player returns to that point or restarts the level as part of normal play progression. The violence is generally undetailed and takes place in a futuristic setting. Gun shots cause bloody wounds and there are some images of the aftermath of violence with sight of blood on walls and under bodies. Some alien creatures explode into a mass of red chunks when shot with high impact rounds. The player can also view headshots through a sniper rifle scope. As with the two previous editions, love scenes can be triggered by a sequence of conversation choices. Depending on what characters the player has assumed, sex can take place between humans and humanoid aliens of both sexes. The sex scenes contain no nudity and no detail of sexual activity.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

METAL GEAR SOLID 4 is a third person tactical/stealth game. The player takes on the role of an aging soldier, Snake who can be armed with knives, guns and grenades. The game has been classified '15' for strong violence. During battles enemy soldiers die with small puffs of blood. The weaponry includes petrol bombs, however there is no detailed portrayal of injuries. During cut scenes slightly more detailed violence is portrayed, such as enemy creatures spearing friendly soldiers and one protracted fist fight. The violence is generally undetailed. At 15 BBFC Guidelines state that 'Violence may be strong but may not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury'. It is possible for the player to progress stealthily through the game, avoiding violent confrontations where possible. The game also features one use of strong language and references to suicide and an implied child rape.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

METAL GEAR SOLID – PEACE WALKER is an action adventure game viewed in third person released on Sony’s handheld PSP console. Players take on the role of a special agent known as Solid Snake, with the game challenging them to sneak up behind enemies and subdue them as much as it requires becoming involved in gun play. METAL GEAR SOLID – PEACE WALKER was passed ‘15’ for strong violence. The BBFC Guidelines at ‘15’ state that ‘violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury’. In METAL GEAR SOLID – PEACE WALKER there is one scene in which Solid Snake is interrogated and tortured with electric batons. To resist the pain and survive players are required to rapidly tap one of the console buttons. Whilst it is true the scene offers a reasonably prolonged focus on the infliction of pain, it is also depicted in a simple comic book drawing style that provides no detail. This means the scene does not dwell on the infliction of pain and injury in a manner that requires adult classification. Given the interactive nature of games, the fact the player was not responsible for inflicting pain was also a moderating factor. METAL GEAR SOLID – PEACE WALKER also contains a dating game in which the characters meet on a beach and chat each other up before disappearing into a box that bobs up and down a bit with a love heart symbol emerging above it. With the BBFC Guidelines at ‘15’ stating that ‘sexual activity may be portrayed without strong detail’ this is also permitted at the category. Additionally the game contains some mild language and scenes showing cigarette smoking that are neither promotional nor of particular appeal to children.