Even though it falls squarely in the M-for-Mature sector, Epic Games' smash hit Gears of War for the Xbox 360 found its way into the hands of more than a few underage gamers, a fact evidenced every day by the prepubescent, expletive-laden shouts of glee that blight online matches.
Fully aware that Gears of War 2 will again find its way to impressionable audiences when it is released for Microsoft's console on November 7, Epic is taking a few steps to shield underage gamers from some of the more graphic elements of the game. Speaking to family-oriented blog What They Play, Microsoft confirmed that Gears of War 2 will feature violence and language filters that can be toggled.
According to the report, when activated, the violence filter "turns blood into sparks," whereas the language censor "takes out all the swear words." Although the gore will be removed, the report indicates that players will still be able to rend aliens in two as well as partake in other acts of brutality.
For more on Gears of War 2, check out GameSpot's extensive coverage.