Cool Top 10

With the explosion of high end graphic cards and extremely powerful personal computers, the users are no longer limited to their word processors. The 21st century brought along with it a revolution in gaming culture that, till a few years ago was just a hobby or a leisure activity. Nowadays, gaming is not only considered to be incredibly, but its has also spawned into a bustling economic vertical and a major profession.

The introduction of incredible gaming consoles, such as the Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3 etc. have created new worlds of realism and innovation, where players find themselves immersed in combat situation, saving the damsel in distress or the entire world. However, such games carry with them very high levels of violence, blood and gore and some countries just don’t like it. Hence, we are setting our sights on some the best gaming titles in the world, that have unfortunately been banned in various countries.

• 50 Cent: Bulletproof: Developed by Genuine Games, 50 Cent: Bulletproof picks up from where Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas left off. The games characters are played by real life R&B and Hip Hop big hitters, 50 Cent, Dr.Dre and Eminem and the games revolves around 50 Cent’s thirst fro revenge against the hitmen sent to terminate him. The game received quite poor reviews and because of the high level of violence, the game was initially banned in Australia, but was later released, after a censored version was introduced.

• Shellshock 2: Blood Trails: Set during the Vietnam war era, Shellshock 2: Blood Trails is a first person shootout game. The title revolves around the combat life of Sergeant Caleb “Cal” Walker, a special operations warrior gone rouge and is supposed to be captured by his younger brother. The game has been banned in Australia, due to the extreme level of violence and war situations. Although the game did not do well with critics, but the gamers have been praising the game nonetheless.

• Requiem: Avenging Angel: One of the most beloved gaming titles to hit the market before the new millennium, Requiem: Avenging Angel is a FPS game and is heavily titled towards, God, Angels, The Fallen and Armageddon. This game was the ever title to incorporate the legendary ‘Bullet Time’. Requiem: Avenging Angel was banned in Brazil, due to high level of violence depicted in the game. Yet, the game received great reviews from gamers and critics and was considered to be a big success.

• Postal: Another first person shootout game, Postal saw itself reach great heights of success and an immense fan following. As against the conventional FPS games, where players are expected to stay alive complete objectives, players in Postal are required to blast away with their guns and kill a designated number of enemies. Soon after launch, Postal faced a permanent ban in Brazil, again due to the high level of violence in the game.

• Command & Conquer Generals: A real time strategy game, C&C Generals is one of the most renowned titles in the RTS genre and puts the player right in the middle of combat triangle, where the player’s strategy and presence of mind is the sole toll to win the war. The game portrays China and the U.S as allies against a common terror threat posed by a fictional Global Liberation Army (GLA). Even while portraying China as one of the major protagonists, the game itself was banned in China, mainly due to depicted destruction of the Three Gorges Dam and the use of tactical nuclear weapons by Chinese forces.

• I.G.I.-2: Covert Strike: Released by Codemasters in the year 2003, I.G.I.-2: Covert Strike is yet another FPS that is heavily based entirely on stealth. The players assumes the role the game’s protagonist, a covert operative tasked with stopping rouge Chinese general from launching a EMP weapon off a space rocket. The game provides a immersing storyline and exciting gameplay and has earned great reviews. Still, the games has been banned in China, because of the depiction of the PRC forces in a negative role.

• Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines: Released by Eidos Interactive in the year 1998,  Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines is a single player strategy game and puts the player in command of an elite special ops unit conducting operation in Europe and Africa. The games is set in World War II and the player has to use strategies in combination with each of commando’s strengths and skills to achieve objectives. Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines was highly appreciated in the gaming circles, but was banned in Germany, mainly because of various references to the notorious Nazi regime.

• Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction: Set in the reclusive state of North Korea, the players assumes the role of a mercenary and completes contracted missions. The game came out in the year 2005 and was instantly applauded for it’s a high paced action and impressive visuals. Even with rave reviews from the critics and impressive gameplay, Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction found itself banned in South Korea, as the country deemed that, such a game could in fact become a hurdle for the diplomatic efforts with North Korea. However, the ban was later lifted and the game finally got into the South Korean markets.

• Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare: Published by Activision, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare has been one of the most cherished FPS games. The games is staged in various theatre around the globe including the Middle East, Azerbaijan,  Russia, and Ukraine. The players are able to assume the roles of U.S Marines or British SAS special forces units and fend off the Ultranationalists as well as terror elements. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare since its release in the year 2007, ha already several acclaims from critics and gaming websites, at the same edging out various high end FPS games. However, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is banned from sale in Saudi Arabia, because of extremely strong violence and mainly due to the operations conducted against Islamic soldiers.

• Mass Effect: On an interstellar starship, SSV Normandy, a human soldier sets to explore the deep reaches of the outer space thus creating the stage for one of the most awesome sci-fi action role-playing games, Mass Effect. This incredible gaming title has been provides the players with an opportunity of altering their character’s sex, abilities and even military background. Mass Effect is the perfect culmination of exciting game play and very captivating story line. However, the games has been banned in Singapore, because of sexual cut scene, where an alien engages in a lesbian act with a human female. But, with the ever increasing popularity of the game compelled the authorities to later lift off the ban.