My son was trying his best to convince me to let him play Halo 2 this morning when it dawned on me that I wasn t really sure what the games he played were rated.

So I quickly flipped through my stack of the two dozen or so games I keep around and organized them in piles by rating. Then I flipped them over and read why they got the ratings they did.

Besides the fact that violence appeared on the back of both Teen and Mature titles, the most perplexing thing I discovered was that Tom Clancy games seem to defy consistent ratings.

Rainbow Six Three: Black Arrow received a Mature rating for violence and blood.
Ghost Recon: Island Thunder received a Mature rating for violence and blood.
Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow received a Teen rating for violence, blood and drug reference.

What the hell? Does adding drug references to a game somehow make it more acceptable for kids to play? What about sex? If you put sex, drugs and violence in the same game does it get an Everyone rating?

I ve played all of these games a lot and if anything, Splinter Cell is probably more violent than either Ghost Recon or Rainbow Six Three. At least in Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon you re shooting up people from a distance. In Pandora Tomorrow you can break necks, torture and shoot people from a distance.

I realize these are some major hardcore anecdotal facts, but what exactly is the Entertainment Software Rating Board smoking these days. They really need to get their act together if they want to fend off some serious government intervention.

What s the deal with the reasoning for the ratings? Violence is way too broad a description, especially when it applies to both Teen and Mature titles.

It also doesn t help that the ESRB s ratings and content descriptors seem to keep shifting or at least aren't fully utilized. How else can you explain the fact that Everyone games are actually not appropriate for everyone? Instead they are only appropriate for children six and older. And certainly Grand Theft Auto, which is rated mature for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content and Use of Drugs, should actually be an Adults Only title. Or are they waiting for a playable version of Deepthroat to slap that rating on?

I m the last person who wants a rating system that has been taken over by a confused bunch of government officials, but what else can we expect if we don t police our own? It s time for the ESRB to solidify their ratings system and enforce it in a meaningful way. That doesn t mean making sure only teens buy Teen titles, it means making sure the appropriate rating is slapped on to the games coming out.

Look, it's up to parents, not the government, not the ESRB, to raise children. But I think that a ratings system gives a perception that relying solely on it is OK. And the fact is, if I had, if any parent did, they would likely be led astray.

If you are going to label a game appropriate for Teens, then shouldn't it be appropriate for teens? I understand that that big, slanty T doesn't replace parental responsibility, but it should be a useful tool for responsible parenting and right now I just don't think it is.

Just remember: Consistency, consistency, consistency.

ESRB Ratings
Early Childhood: have content that may be suitable for ages 3 and older. Contains no material that parents would find inappropriate.
Everyone: have content that may be suitable for persons ages 6 and older. Titles in this category may contain minimal violence, some comic mischief and/or mild language.
Teen: have content that may be suitable for persons ages 13 and older. May contain violent content, mild or strong language, and/or suggestive themes.
Mature: have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain mature sexual themes, more intense violence and/or strong language.
Adults Only: have content suitable only for adults. Titles in this category may include graphic depictions of sex and/or violence. Adult Only products are not intended for persons under the age of 18.
Rating Pending: have been submitted to the ESRB and are awaiting final rating.

The Official Site [ESRB]

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