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The original Bad Company spinoff in the Battlefield series kept the franchise's setting firmly in modern times, but if the Bad Company 2 ESRB description is true, you'll be seeing a return to WWII in the sequel. At the very least, the game's opening will bring players back to the Pacific side of the war, with the ESRB description saying, "In single-player mode, players conduct missions on an unnamed Japanese island during World War II and then move into the modern day through jungles, deserts, and snowy terrain."

Just like we've discovered in our way too many hours with the game's multiplayer demo, the description details the inclusion of "melee attacks with a power drill" (yes, seriously) and the characters use of profanity "during cutscenes and in the heat of battle." And yes, we're just as excited by the former as you might imagine.
[Via BigDownload]

You're welcome to enjoy your own private paradise in the palm of your hand with Tecmo's Dead or Alive Paradise. Just be aware that some people find the game's content a bit creepy. Including the person who wrote the content description for the ESRB.

"This is a video game in which users watch grown women dressed in G-string bikinis jiggle their breasts while on a two-week vacation," the ESRB description reads. "Women's breasts and butts will sway while playing volleyball, while hopping across cushions, while pole dancing, while posing on the ground, by the pool, on the beach, in front of the camera."

We could quote this whole thing (and we will, after the break), but we really wanted to call your attention to this part: "Parents and consumers should know that the game contains a fair amount of "cheesy," and at times, creepy voyeurism," the ESRB notes with the most open disapproval we've ever seen in one of these things. It continues, "but the game also contains bizarre, misguided notions of what women really want (if given two weeks, paid vacation, island resort)-Paradise cannot mean straddling felled tree trunks in dental-floss thongs." This is the most entertaining ESRB rating ever. Why isn't whoever writes these things ever this upset about graphic violence?

[Update: The ESRB has informed us that a new version, without the "subjective language," has been uploaded to the ratings board's site.]

Last week it was rumored that Microsoft's Xbox 360 and PC Game Room would "never feature" titles with an ESRB rating higher than E10+; today Microsoft confirmed to Joystiq the current plan is to only add titles that correspond to the application's ESRB rating. Rather than submit each individual title for review, Microsoft has opted to submit the Game Room application to the ESRB, netting it an E10+ rating, ensuring higher-rated titles would not see life in the virtual arcade.

In a statement to Joystiq, a Microsoft representative said, "the 30 titles available for download at launch will carry either E or E10+ ratings; beyond launch we have no additional details to share at this time." Based on its statements, Microsoft's Game Room can only include titles that have been submitted to the ESRB in other forms (compilation discs, or through downloadable platforms). While it's possible for Microsoft to submit classic titles that have yet-to-be rated by the ESRB (such as titles released prior to the group's 1994 inception that have yet to receive a rating), the plan appears to focus solely on games already available in some capacity.

Microsoft said that because titles featured in the Game Room are "classic arcade and console titles" the company will be able to add any individual titles to the Game Room without submitting new releases to the ESRB for review -- provided they are currently rated E10+ or lower. While Microsoft says it currently has "no plans" to feature arcade titles rated Teen or Mature, the company confirmed it would be able to resubmit the Game Room application itself to the ESRB for a new rating, if higher-rated titles are considered for future release.

Hey, you remember this morning, right? When we told you that the ESRB had rated After Burner Climax for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network? Wasn't that just the tops? Well if that did it for you, here's something that'll positively tickle you pink: Sega has officially confirmed the game for a "Spring 2010" release on the aforementioned digital distribution platforms! The Sega of America blog spilled the deets this afternoon, even handing over a handful of new screens via its Flickr account. We've dropped them below into a convenient little gallery, because we just like you that much.

An ESRB rating has enlightened us about the existence of a Ubisoft title called 20 All-Time Favorites; a "collection of 20 card and board games that include Chinese Checkers, Backgammon, Chess, Go, Solitaire, and Mancala." According to the rating, players will also be able to "wager virtual money on their card hands" while playing Blackjack and Poker. Despite the appearance of gambling, the game retained an E rating -- provided that players do not splash ze pot. (Link NSFW, and totally awesome.)

A PS3 adaptation of "The Settlers of Catan" board game may be coming to America. The ESRB has added a brand new listing for the game, donning the title an E rating. Most likely, this version of Catan is the one released in Japan in 2008, developed by longtime Sony partner Game Republic.

No other details can be garnered from the brief ratings listing. The original Japanese version released exclusively on PlayStation Network for 1200 yen (about $13). It seems safe to assume the US release will be similar.

That woman buying her 12-year-old a copy of Modern Warfare 2 at Gamestop right now may not know about it, but Activision says a recent survey concluded that 82% of gamer parents are well aware of the ESRB rating guidelines and what they mean. The survey also found that 75% of children who play games understand the rating system, and that 70% of parents actually pay close attention to the ratings when buying a game either for themselves or for their families. Note that it doesn't say they follow the ratings, only that they are aware of the system and pay attention to how games are rated.

Gaming families spend a lot of time playing games, too: 76% of parents agree that video games are a big part of their family activities, and among gamer parents, a majority (52%) of their gaming time is spent playing with their children. Finally, a full 59% of kids polled say that "it's a little creepy" when Jane Lynch shows up to play games with you for a Microsoft commercial. Okay, you got us, we lied about that last stat. When anyone from Glee shows up, it's 100% fun.

Move over, Modern Warfare Reflex! Soon, Wii players will have a choice of "modern" FPS. In assigning an M-rating, the ESRB has revealed a game called SABRE Team, an FPS that takes place "'behind enemy lines' in a number of Middle Eastern-style locations." The game lets players "navigate tight alleyways and corridors, secure buildings, and kill enemy forces."

The publisher is listed as Collision Studios, developer of Jumper: Griffin's Story on Wii and PS2, as well as both Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 and Daisy Fuentes Pilates. Maybe, to save money, Collision will reuse some celebrity character models, and we'll see a couple of Daisy Fuenteses providing cover fire. At the very least, all the soldiers should be limber. The dev is also responsible for 300: March to Glory on PSP.

The name SABRE Team was also used by a 1992 Amiga game. This could be a refresh of that series, but since the original was a strategy game and this is an FPS, even if it is based on the same source material, it'll bear little resemblance.

Using its cost-effective ESRB method of announcing new games, Atlus revealed a new DSi program called PhotoWorld. As you may expect from a game with that title, it involves taking pictures with the DSi camera. Players shoot a self-portrait and then "customize the pictures with a variety of stamps, photo effects, and text boxes."

As Siliconera notes, Atlus already sort of has a program like this on DSiWare. Nintendo's Sparkle Snapshots is based on Atlus's popular Print Club (Purikura) booths. We look forward to finding out how this one differs -- there's absolutely no way it could be any more sparkly, that's for sure. Of course, we aren't even sure this is DSiWare -- while this sounds like the kind of thing you would sell as a download, all we know is that it's for the DSi.

The Federal Trade Commission recently published a report which should simultaneously flatter the video game industry and stymie adversaries of the medium's terribly corruptive properties. In the report, the FTC says the gaming industry "outpaces" all other channels of entertainment in regards to its self-regulatory policies on marketing and advertising products which feature mature content.

The report praises the ESRB's ratings system, stating that 80 percent of M-rated games sales to minors are prevented by retailers. In addition, the report found that no ads for mature games were being run before 10 p.m., adding that the Commission found little evidence of M-rated game advertisements being targeted towards minors. The only exception? That episode of Hannah Montana where Hannah traveled back in time to 15th century Italy to become a professional assassin. Admittedly, that was kind of ethically dubious.

It looks like Zorro, that totally modern and vital character who is absolutely still relevant in 2009, will be appearing in a new DS game published by 505 Games. Zorro: Quest for Justice, released in Europe this September, was just rated by the ESRB for release in North America. This follows the May release of Destiny of Zorro on Wii -- a game first announced in early 2007, and delayed about two years.

According to the content description, "Players can roam across rooftops, use a whip to swing across open gaps, and engage in sword combat with the henchmen of Luis Ramon." The rooftop business sounds Assassin's Creed-esque, possibly the same kind of 2.5D used for the DS games. In case you were wondering what the enemies in this game sound like when they die, the ESRB addressed your concerns: "their cries of pain during battle represent the most pertinent content (e.g., 'Ahhhh!' and 'Uggggh!').

Atlus revealed a password system for its upcoming Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, through which players will be able to trade copies of their customized, leveled-up, fused demons. In addition to being able to generate your own passwords to share your awesome demons with others, Atlus will release passwords for some rare creatures.

In addition, the updated box art image shows an M rating. Clearly, demon hunting is serious business, to be left to the big kids! As Siliconera notes, there are only ten DS games with M ratings, out of 1,366 total releases.

In its continuing battle against apathetic parents, the ESRB is launching a brand new ad campaign promoting its mobile ratings guide (viewable after the break). Both the iPhone app and mobile website will allow searchers to get disturbing and/or hilarious descriptions of all rated games. In addition to promoting the search program, the campaign should also raise awareness of the ESRB's existence.

"I'm always choosing between what my kids want and what I think is best for them," the commercial's faux parent states. While the mobile tools should help parents make better decisions, we still think there's an even more valuable asset for parents to use: common sense. For example, you may want to ignore Timmy's suggestion to get Assassin's Creed or Modern Warfare. The titles alone should make it pretty clear these are games about killing people.