A recent study has been filtering through the Blogocube which suggests that violent games dramatically affect the heart rate and sleep patterns of children. The study charges kids -- aged between 12 and 15 -- with playing a non-violent game and a violent game. They are the studied using science, which provides bounty.

The violent game is said to increase heart rate significantly when compared to the non-violent one. I would consider this a no-brainer, since violent games tend to be a bit more exciting. Slightly more interesting is the suggestion that it's harder to go to bed and wake up in the morning after playing a violent game.

The part that really gets me, however, is the fact that the kids are reported to have been playing Animaniacs and ... Manhunt, an 18-rated game which is not suitable in the least for the children who took part in this study. It has been suggested that studies into the effects of adult games on minors are mostly unethical because of this very fact.

Should we really be allowing children to play these videogames in the name of science? I would warn anybody that wishes to misinterpret and twist this study to "prove" that violent games are bad might want to think about the source material, lest they find themselves indirectly endorsing minors playing adult-rated titles.