I haven’t downloaded or played this free game, but based on reviews it seems pretty hot. Has anyone played this game? Is it suitable for a 12 year old that plays Diablo II and Starcraft?
I haven’t gotten very far playing the game, but I’d say there isin’t anything graphic in it. After all it is supposed to be an idealized version of war.
I didn’t play it because I couldn’t dance around and shout “ALLU AKBAR” after winning as a terrorist. Well that and the fact that my older videocard would make it crash 5 seconds after playing.
No. It’s not at all suitable for a 12 year old. It sucks too much!
Get your kid Counter-Strike. It’s not too gorey, and teaches the value of teamplay. Best of all, it can be had for under $10 at any software store. Your child will learn valuable life skills, such as how to plant and defuse bombs, rescue hostages, and asassinate or protect VIPs. The child will also learn how to recognize and avoid shooting teammates, hostages, or VIPs. Learning when and how kevlar protects you from bullets, as well as proper burst firing and stealth movement techniques, will prepare them for the real world.
The one downside is that your kid will develop an irresistable urge to jump up and crouch on top of any crates he may encounter, but I’ve learned to live with it. A slight fear of exposed open spaces might also result, as well as a tendency to crouch and look in the direction of any footsteps, but overall it is worth it. Just monitor your child to ensure that they don’t cheat. If you catch them cheating, immediate therapy will be needed.:mad:
America’s Army is a first person shooter. The object is to kill the bad guys with a gun. Don’t think that that just because it’s been released by the US Army or that your son will always play as an American makes it any less violent. The gore is not gratuitious but your killing people nonetheless.
IMHO, there’s a big difference between “bang bang, small sprays of blood, person falls down” and “BLAM, limbs and internal organs flying about.” I haven’t played America’s Army enough to know what happens if you sit directly on a grenade when it goes off, but at least in Counter-Strike, corpses are always intact. I don’t personally see anything disturbing or terrible about violent videogames, and I would let any hypothetical children of mine play them, if I felt they were mature enough to handle it.
Really, none of us can make judgements for you in regards to what is suitable for your son. You obviously know him better than we do. I’d suggest you download and play America’s Army for yourself, or pick up Counter-Strike at a local store. Worst case, you pick up CS, decide it’s not suitable, and you’re out $10 and a couple hours of your time.
I’m not sure if the “Always the good guy” aspect of America’s Army appeals to you, but IMHO the ability to have an opposing side that you can empathise with is very important. I think it’s fun and interesting to “get into the role” when playing a game. But, this is really more of a gameplay issue than a suitability one.