ESRB outs Mass Effect 2 mature content

By Tom Bramwell Published 17 December, 2009

Colourful summary of sex, drugs and so on.

The American Entertainment Software Rating Board has published its summary for Mass Effect 2, outlining the various themes that earned the game a Mature rating.

It's all broadly in line with the first game. You can still get it on with alien and human team-mates, for instance. "Clothed alien/human characters may prop a partner on top of a space console, clear away the clutter from a bed-slab, unzip a future-blouse, or just talk it out," according to the ESRB note.

"Though an alien/human may gyrate her hips while on top (fleeting - one-to-two seconds), actual sex is never depicted - the camera cuts away to space furniture and ceilings."

The violence is as you will have seen in the numerous trailers - freezing and shattering enemies, setting robots on fire, levitating enemies and of course shooting them a lot. We're also told to expect pools of blood. Love those pools of blood.

Elsewhere, there's some stuff about drugs, pole dancing and suggestive comments. Check out the full summary if you want to make a call on whether you're safe, but beware that the first line is a bit more illuminating about the central disappearing-human-colonies story thread than some would perhaps like.

Mass Effect 2 is due out for PC and Xbox 360 on 29th January.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (26) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • frostcircus #1 2 years ago

    "Space Furniture and Ceilings" is a great title

  • jack_klugman #2 2 years ago

    But does it beat "future blouse"?

  • Miths #3 2 years ago

    I can't wait for my female Shephard to prop Yvonne Strahovski... I mean Miranda Lawson, on top of a space console.

    No, I don't know if lesbian romances have been confirmed and if so for which characters, so I'm just using my overactive imagination :p.

  • wizlon #4 2 years ago

    Sex Drugs and so on... sounds like my usual weekend... actually, not really

  • davisorle #5 2 years ago

    I seriously dont care in such a great freaking game who will bang whom. I just want the damn game. Drugs, strong language, nudity, violence and so on are just all welcome in my book. Only violence consornes me and my gameplay experience though effectivly. Im way too comfortable with real nudity. Pixels turning into a subject is just a joke to me.. 2 more freakin months for the game. Time goes so slow some times..

  • swissorc #6 2 years ago

    Mind you the original was an M in the States but a 12 here makes you wonder if its just American prude values at their old tricks.

  • Hydrogene #7 2 years ago

    So that's our daily Mass Effect 2 press release ?
    I'm starting to think EA is actually over-communicating about this title... I'm sure I'll buy the game, but this is getting a bit tiring.
    /yawn

  • RobotRocker #8 2 years ago

    No conformation of hot Shepard on Krogan action? You are killing me BioWare.
    Edited by 2 at 17/12/09 @ 09:48

  • dr_zoidthrob #9 2 years ago

    Furniture... Iiiin... Spaaaace...

  • xentar #10 2 years ago

    ok, so still a full frontal violence depiction and obscurded sex scenes? Its pathetic how the rating systems are hypocoristic. I would take nudity over pools of blood for less damaging to adult humans any day

  • The-Bodybuilder #11 2 years ago

    "Clothed alien/human characters may prop a partner on top of a space console, clear away the clutter from a bed-slab, unzip a future-blouse, or just wank it out."

    Fixed. :)

  • hiddenranbir #12 2 years ago

    Ooooh gritty and dark ME! Will it be as gritty and dark(comically) as DA!

    Don't Krogans have four balls? I forgot if that was truth or something made up for a joke.

  • Wolverfrog #13 2 years ago

    Who's rating it over here? BBFC or PEGI? If it's the former, it might get away with a 12 or 15. If the latter, then an 18 is likely.

  • TeaFiend #14 2 years ago

    Is space furniture avaliable from Ikea? And where can I purchase a future blouse, I think it would be a good christmas present for mother.

  • JamieR #15 2 years ago

    I hope i can use my mass effect save game on the 2nd game but also remake the character as i have a girl one and want a male for the next game.

  • Mox #16 2 years ago

    @hiddenranbir:

    "Ten thousand per testicle, that's forty thousand for a whole set ... (considers) ... someone's making a killing out there."

  • RexRunti #17 2 years ago

    Mind you the original was an M in the States but a 12 here makes you wonder if its just American prude values at their old tricks.

    PEGI also rated it an 18. Isn't everyone so glad we started taking European ratings?

  • Razorus #18 2 years ago

    ^Yeah, the ratings are a mess lol.
    When the BBFC rated the original release, they gave it a 12 because they were looking at it with a film mentality, in which case the "nude scenes" and violence are quite tame by movie standards. PEGI on the other hand, is a dedicated games certification board who take into consideration the interactivity of the game and it's resulting scenes.
    American censors are usually more strict when it comes to sex but are more open to violence, while the UK censors take the opposite stance.
    Edited by 1 at 17/12/09 @ 13:54

  • metalangel #19 2 years ago

    Dammit. I want a close-up of female Shephard's magic button (fully light-sourced and physics enabled) frotting happily against Liara's own blue devil's doorbell; or I'm not getting this.

  • TravisTouchdown #20 2 years ago

    1) Future Blouse
    2) Devil's Doorbell
    3) Magic Button
    4) Space Furniture
    5) Im [sic] way too comfortable with real nudity

    This can be considered a truly magificent story and comments thread. Top ten of the year, surely.

  • dudefella #21 2 years ago

    Man I want a future blouse and space furniture

    edit: actually I changed my mind, I want a space blouse and future furniture
    Edited by 1 at 17/12/09 @ 16:43

  • Scimarad #22 2 years ago

    Love the phrase "SPACE furniture and ceilings":)

  • VMerken #23 2 years ago

    There had better be a persistent gore option.

    Because it might be fun to see it combined with some hot space action.

  • Quixz #24 2 years ago

    I need to go on a media blackout, i don't want to hear anything about ME2 till it's on shelves. :(
    Edited by 1 at 19/12/09 @ 02:59

  • Bluetooth #25 2 years ago

    From the rating sumary:

    ""krogan sexual deviants enjoy salarian flexibility" and "if this is just about sex, maybe you should just f**king say so.""

    I am SO turned on right now

  • InsaneBeast #26 2 years ago

    @Wolverfrog

    It's been rated a BBFC 15 over here. (On The BBFC Web Site)

    Classified 10 December, 2009
    Consumer Advice: Contains strong language and moderate violence
    This work was passed with no cuts made.