On paper, Soldier Of Fortune looks too gory with its Ghoul engine's dismemberment and flying limps; but most players would argue that it was not all that gruesome when implemented.

According to Australian website, The Age, Australia's Office of Film & Literature Classification (OFLC) refused to grant Soldier Of Fortune: Payback an age rating and, effectively, banned it.

According to the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia, "Australia is the only developed democracy in the world without a R18+ classification for games, ensuring titles which exceed the limits of the MA15+ category are refused classification and banned from sale". IEAA is currently campaigning for the introduction of an R18+ classification.

"(The decision was based on) the different ways a player could maim and injure (other characters)," an OFLC spokeswoman said. "The violence is seen to exceed the MA classification."

OFLC's report stated that in Payback "the limbs may be shot off, resulting in large amounts of blood spray and the depiction of torn flesh and protruding bone from the dismembered limb."