Violent, yes, but it's "Nerf" Violence if player is appropriate age
Game reviews geared towards parents often include objective
descriptions of a game's most violent aspects out of context, but fail
to capture how violent a game subjectively feels.
Halo games may sound technically violent, but I find them to be surprisingly tame compared to other popular shooters. Yes, there is blood, but consider that there are no dismemberments, no visible wounds, and no gibs. Most of the weapons are fantasy weapons you can't buy. Your avatar and your enemies always stay in one piece, and in online games, when everyone is completely encased in brightly colored, face obscuring armor, it all feels more like a glorified game of Nerf tag where nobody really gets hurt. (In Reach, the new assassination animations are, IMHO, as violent as it gets and the only time I feel remotely like I might be hurting someone - emotionally more than anything!)
More important for parents to consider, I think, is the question of whether cartoon violence sends the undesirable message that violence isn't really that bad. As adults, we have to walk the tightrope of reminding kids that violence and war are incredibly hurtful, horrifying, and serious. On the other hand, we don't want to desensitize them to gore. Having this discussion with young people would, I think, be more productive than simply concluding that a game is too violent without considering the nature and context of the violence.
Context and real life experience: I'm in my late 20's and have not yet felt comfortable with playing Gears of War or Call of Duty, which have much more "realistic" violence and context.
I have allowed a 13 year-old friend to play Halo: Reach with me (with parental permission).
Observations: the realization that one is playing against actual human beings online may be a source of anxiety to a child and may heighten the experience of violence. Children may also take getting "owned" by an online opponent more personally. The game may be overly exciting for some ages, as there is necessarily some tension when opponents are shooting and one is under pressure to make quick decisions. The presence of an adult co-player and role model is helpful for younger teens. These issues, rather than violence per se, were the ones that I was most concerned about with my 13-year-old player, and ones that I feel an older player would be better equipped to deal with and even enjoy.
Here is the link for more:
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/halo-reach/user-reviews/adult
Halo games may sound technically violent, but I find them to be surprisingly tame compared to other popular shooters. Yes, there is blood, but consider that there are no dismemberments, no visible wounds, and no gibs. Most of the weapons are fantasy weapons you can't buy. Your avatar and your enemies always stay in one piece, and in online games, when everyone is completely encased in brightly colored, face obscuring armor, it all feels more like a glorified game of Nerf tag where nobody really gets hurt. (In Reach, the new assassination animations are, IMHO, as violent as it gets and the only time I feel remotely like I might be hurting someone - emotionally more than anything!)
More important for parents to consider, I think, is the question of whether cartoon violence sends the undesirable message that violence isn't really that bad. As adults, we have to walk the tightrope of reminding kids that violence and war are incredibly hurtful, horrifying, and serious. On the other hand, we don't want to desensitize them to gore. Having this discussion with young people would, I think, be more productive than simply concluding that a game is too violent without considering the nature and context of the violence.
Context and real life experience: I'm in my late 20's and have not yet felt comfortable with playing Gears of War or Call of Duty, which have much more "realistic" violence and context.
I have allowed a 13 year-old friend to play Halo: Reach with me (with parental permission).
Observations: the realization that one is playing against actual human beings online may be a source of anxiety to a child and may heighten the experience of violence. Children may also take getting "owned" by an online opponent more personally. The game may be overly exciting for some ages, as there is necessarily some tension when opponents are shooting and one is under pressure to make quick decisions. The presence of an adult co-player and role model is helpful for younger teens. These issues, rather than violence per se, were the ones that I was most concerned about with my 13-year-old player, and ones that I feel an older player would be better equipped to deal with and even enjoy.
Here is the link for more:
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/halo-reach/user-reviews/adult
No comments:
Post a Comment