No Homecoming Down Under: New Silent Hill Gets Dissed by Outback

Australia, I used to think you were cool. Kangaroos, Aborigines, didgeridoos, Mad Max…I used to dream of visiting you, and us being so happy together. That was before I learned about your most recent abhorrence. It took a lot out of me to forgive you for Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles, so when you banned Silent Hill: Homecoming, there was nothing left for me to give. I’m sorry, Australia, but it’s over.

In my eyes, four strikes, and you’re out. Dark Sector, Shellshock 2: Blood Trails, and Fallout 3 have already felt the sting of Aussie censorship this year, and now Homecoming has joined their ranks. The few and the proud; the blood and the gore. Australia’s Classification Board knows not a gem when they see it. Fallout 3 was welcomed into Koala-ville with open arms after removing some drug-related content, but no such luck for its blood-riddled brethren. The others are still reproached by Australia as much as Mel Gibson was after his DUI.

From what I’ve gathered, Australia’s rating system is a little wonky. For games, the “best of the worst” get an MA15+ rating, while films receive an R18+ rating. Huh? So…any game that is only suitable for people over 15 years old is banned? 18-year-olds can watch a film with adult content, but still can’t play a game with adult content, even though films can be as “bad,” if not “worse,” than games. Thanks, Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC), for confusing the heck out of everyone! Double standards abound!

An Atari spokesman stated that if Konami agrees to alter Homecoming’s content (Silent Hill Lite?), they would like to resubmit the title to the ratings board early next year. This multiplatform survival horror game—the sixth in its series—was expected out in November down under before this little “snafu,” but is already available for those of us in the States to play in all its gory glory.

In protest of these blasphemous bans, I vow to never eat at an Outback Steakhouse again, unless the OFLC changes their rating system (or at the very least, Outback changes the name of their Wallaby Darned so I feel less stupid ordering it). Yes, I am fully aware of the fact that this restaurant chain is actually American, but it’ll still make me feel better about this travesty if I refrain from any Bloomin’ Onions in the near future.