Current Events > I hit the censored part of South Park: The Stick of Truth

(+) Yeah! (+)

I've been playing South Park: The Stick of Truth on and off recently. I'm not very far, but I've liked what I've played. However, I finished the spaceship segment a few hours ago, and I'm pretty bummed about the censored scenes.

I should mention, I'm not a loud-mouthed flailing "free speech! corrupt government officials decide what content the sheeple get to see!!" type. I'm for free speech, but a lot of arguments regarding free speech and censorship in video games comes across as alarmist and self-important. Take Australian Target banning GTAV, for example - dumb, yes, but critical free speech violation like some alarmists made it out to be? No. Literally every other games retailer in the country provided the game, you could freely purchase the game online and from all other sources. For a more controversial opinion, I didn't give two shits when the Western version of Fire Emblem Echoes removed the touchscreen petting mode - it was kind of unnecessary, and it barely changes the game. I don't think regional differences and one retailer in a sea of many not stocking a game are particularly egregious - honestly, Mortal Kombat 9 was a worse offender than either of them, it was considered contraband and completely illegal to own in Australia before we got our R rating for games - the Coast Guard were on lookout for the game. That was a much more straightforward example of censorship regarding video games, and it's cases that extreme where I sympathise with the anti-censorship crowd and join in.

With that in mind, I want to mention South Park: The Stick of Truth and its censoring of several scenes.

When it comes to censorship in media, as far as bleeps go, I'm not necessarily offended by it. Cutting objectionable content out of TV shows or games and altering the whole package is where my beef lies, but a bit of crafty coverage or a replacement joke? Not always terrible. I was raised on South Park where the swearing was bleeped, so I do find some level of humor in a bleep - because of that, I didn't expect to miss the cut content in the Stick of Truth so much.

But the issue is that it is just a blank screen with a crying koala on it. If they had left the audio in, or Randy improvising a song over it like "do do doo doo~~", I would have had a laugh - it'd be annoying, but hearing Randy Marsh get reamed by an anal probe? That's enough to tickle my funny bone, and I can always look up the scene later if I want to. The censored scenes have some pissy elevator music over them, and when you press the "skip" button to get back into the gameplay, there's no trace of the voice-clips - no tail-end of Randy screaming as he gets his ass blasted by anal probes. It's all cut. And that's disappointing.

I'm currently watching a Vinesauce streamer play FF7, but after I finish that series, I think I'm going to start watching his Stick of Truth streams concurrent to my own gameplay. Being American, his version of the game should still have the cut content, and it's a bonus because I get to hear this dude lose his shit in reaction to said content.
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bump
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I still crack up when they pull out a bigger black probe.
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lol

I hear ya man but your argument is hilarious
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DuranOfForcena posted...

that sucks for you, but like you said you can always just look up the scenes online. that's what i'd do.

or, you know, move to a better country.

Australia trying to protect people's minds :(.
but yes looking up those scenes will catch you up on what you missed.
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Censoring games is 100% wrong. If you don't like content in a game, you don't have to buy that game. Never buy a censored game, you're defending the practice. Import the original version.

kingdrake2 posted...

Australia trying to protect people's minds :(

Y'all should be trying to protect yourselves in general considering how many sketchy freakbeasts and giant insects out of your worst nightmares live there as well. I'm surprised you're not all natural Steve Irwins by the time you're 18.
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Darklit_Minuet posted...

Censoring games is 100% wrong. If you don't like content in a game, you don't have to buy that game. Never buy a censored game, you're defending the practice. Import the original version.

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Second last bump
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One last bump.
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Australia sux with censoring videogames
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Umm the censored scenes are hilarious. The whole point is that they're mocking the Australian Government (with a crying Koala and didgeridoos) as well as describing the joke in graphic detail which makes it okay for some reason.

If they played just the audio they're not mocking the censorship anymore.
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They are approaching it from a funny stand-point considering the descriptions, but it feels like they're copping to it just as much. Not like they have much of a choice, but still - it feels hollow, even with the descriptions.
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MrMallard posted...

I'm currently watching a Vinesauce streamer play FF7, but after I finish that series, I think I'm going to start watching his Stick of Truth streams concurrent to my own gameplay. Being American, his version of the game should still have the cut content, and it's a bonus because I get to hear this dude lose his shit in reaction to said content.

Vinny had a lot of fun with this game, but chat was a little hard on him about the chinpokomon.
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