Canis Canem Edit (PS2)

The lowdown:
Although this bares comparison to both Grand Theft Auto (in terms of the large freeform world and highly interactive environments) and The Warriors (the combat system is nearly identical) this is very different to Rockstar's other games. Although you are supposed to attended lessons each day (doing well gives you new abilities and items) you're free to explore Bulworth Academy at leisure with a wide range of missions from raiding the girl's dormitory and fetching transistors for the local tramp to protecting nerds from bullies. In fact that the whole game is about surviving the school experience and making friends and ironically has a far more moral point to make than any of Rockstar's previous titles.

Most exciting moment:
Although you can get into fist fights with other students there's never any blood shed, just the odd pulled ear or Chinese burn. There are plenty of other school yard pranks you can pull of though with the judicious use of catapults, stink bombs and cherry bombs. You can also make out with girls (or boys if you so desire) if you can find a way to get on their good side.

Since you ask:
There have been numerous calls for the game to be banned in both the U.S. and UK, although tellingly all such calls were made long before the game was even previewed and were based solely on the name. The final product is only rated 15+ and features only mild amounts of violence.

The bottom line:
One of the most original games for years and far more wholesome than its reputation suggests.-HARRISON DENT