Black Ops 2 and 13 year old

iwb

Hi All,

I know this isn't a fair question as it is something that is specific to the player but my 13 year old wants Black Ops 2 for Christmas and we both feel that if it is rated 18, there's a reason for it. I have seen some footage and it is fairly gruesome and brutal looking. I have a few questions if you guys could answer please;

1. He says there is a way to switch off language and tone down the violence. Is this the case and if so, does it make a significant difference?

2. Can you give me any idea how it compares to other games that are suitable for younger kids, say those rated for 15's

3. Similarly, can you recommend any games that are rated 15's which are similar?

I know the reason he wants this one so badly is that he wants to play his friends online, which means that most of them probably have it or are getting it. For us though, 'all my friends have it' isn't a good reason to allow him to have it also. Rather than us being unreasonably strict, I think the parents of the other kids are unreasonably lax.

Thanks.

locustfurnace

iwb wrote: »

Hi All,

I know this isn't a fair question as it is something that is specific to the player but my 13 year old wants Black Ops 2 for Christmas and we both feel that if it is rated 18, there's a reason for it. I have seen some footage and it is fairly gruesome and brutal looking. I have a few questions if you guys could answer please;

1. He says there is a way to switch off language and tone down the violence. Is this the case and if so, does it make a significant difference?

2. Can you give me any idea how it compares to other games that are suitable for younger kids, say those rated for 15's

3. Similarly, can you recommend any games that are rated 15's which are similar?

I know the reason he wants this one so badly is that he wants to play his friends online, which means that most of them probably have it or are getting it. For us though, 'all my friends have it' isn't a good reason to allow him to have it also. Rather than us being unreasonably strict, I think the parents of the other kids are unreasonably lax.

Thanks.

I'm pretty sure when I lobbed in the disc for the first time it gave me some option to turn off certain levels like in MW3 which may cause offense to people or something along those lines but I'd say as for the game it's a war game more or less so in between chapters you have some chap telling you to get your s**t together and in the game you get to shoot and blow stuff up, that's it in a nut shell...

The problem I'd have with kids is playing it online, here's where you need a thick skin...you'll have english lads shouting "potatoe" at ye, you'll have french lads saying they slept with your mum and the dubs will be roaring "f**king camper" at ye as you run at them shooting...as for me I'll be screaming how I'm gonna kill your family and pets...

So if it was my young fella I'd let him play the game solo on his xbox as for online with his friends, well that's up to you.

krudler

Its very much an 18's rated game, there's some pretty brutal stuff in it including (am going to spoiler this for those who haven't played the campaign yet)

a child being almost burnt alive and a section where you run around with a machete lamping it into people's necks

there's tons of swearing in it as well. The multiplayer isnt as violent but the single player mode is definitely deserving of its 18's rating.

Chavways

Battlefield 3 is rated 16's and its much the same as COD as its also a first person shooter but in my opinion it is 10 times better. He can fly jets and helicopters and drives tanks and Hummers aswell or he can just run around with a gun like he would in a COD game. The people playing it seem to be better behaved aswell and he wouldn't get as much abuse online.

I'd definitely recommend it.

Mickeroo

The multiplayer is no more violent than any other shooter IMO. The single player fairly earns its 18 cert though.

Halo 4(xbox only) and Battlefield 3 are decent alternatives.

Randall Floyd

The 18 is on the box for a reason.

KERSPLAT!

I'm not a parent but I don't think I'd be giving it to a 13 year old

iMuse

I was 12 when my parents bought me GTA III because I wanted it. If thats what your son wants and your ok with him playing it I don't see a problem. If you don't want him to be exposed to the violence then don't get it. Simple as that.

He'll be fine.

areyawell

He'll be grand, probably watching youtube videos of it the whole time. Once there in secondary school they'll be grand.

theteal

I gave up buying new COD games a couple of years for several reasons. Possibly the main one is that there are too many 12 year olds online spouting drivel/being annoying which ruins the experience for all other, of age, users. By all means, let him get it if that's what you decide but please keep an eye on his online behaviour.

areyawell

Why not set up the headset so that you can only hear friends?

Randall Floyd

theteal wrote: »

I gave up buying new COD games a couple of years for several reasons. Possibly the main one is that there are too many 12 year olds online spouting drivel/being annoying which ruins the experience for all other, of age, users. By all means, let him get it if that's what you decide but please keep an eye on his online behaviour.

+1

KERSPLAT!

theteal wrote: »

I gave up buying new COD games a couple of years for several reasons. Possibly the main one is that there are too many 12 year olds online spouting drivel/being annoying which ruins the experience for all other, of age, users. By all means, let him get it if that's what you decide but please keep an eye on his online behaviour.

Seems a bit over the top considering there are settings to mute all players or you could easily make an Xbox party so as not to hear anyone else...

There are plenty of young shîtheads online but plenty of older ones too

Luap

Does he play online already in different games? If yes I don't see the problem.

Haven't played the campaign so couldn't give an input.

iwb

thanks for all the input. I'm glad I asked here. I wasn't making any distinction between online and single player and didn't know there was such a difference. He has Battlefield 3 and and Halo Reach, so I think that I will suggest that he can get either Halo 4 or a Battlefield 3 disk. Neither seems nearly as harsh as Black Ops 2.

I think I will also have to sit in and watch him play online a few times to see what the chat is like.

Thanks again for all your input. Much appreciated.

PizzamanIRL

I hope he's not one of those squeaky kids who acts hard on xbox. If so, don't get it for him

When I was 13 I was on Xbox Live and had Call Of Duty 4 and that was fine..was rated 16's

I honestly don't think you should let him get it straight away. maybe rent it for a week or something first.
Promise him that you'll buy the next Call of Duty on release day (November 2013) for him or something....since he'll be a year older.

He only wants the game for the multiplayer...that's what his friends can play with him online. You can also mute people who aren't his friends when he's playing online.

Battlefield and Halo 4 are great online btw.....i never play more than Battlefield or Uncharted on PS3 anymore

It really depends on the person....if he's anyway sensible he'll play it and it'll have no effect on him. But then there are so many other possible reactions

minidazzler

iwb wrote: »

thanks for all the input. I'm glad I asked here. I wasn't making any distinction between online and single player and didn't know there was such a difference. He has Battlefield 3 and and Halo Reach, so I think that I will suggest that he can get either Halo 4 or a Battlefield 3 disk. Neither seems nearly as harsh as Black Ops 2.

I think I will also have to sit in and watch him play online a few times to see what the chat is like.

Thanks again for all your input. Much appreciated.

Just get him the one he wants, his friends won't have BF3. Online play is very cartooney, you can disable chat in parental controls but make an exception for people on his friends list.

riclad

OR get medal of honor warfighter rated 16 And battlefield 3,both .IT,S possible to play black ops just using
tv sound, ie no headset ,if you are worried about him
hearing bad language on xbox live .
IN battlefield 3 ,there,s support roles ,engineer ,medic,
online play is just as good ,with ,tank, jeep driving options.Many people say its online play is better than black ops 2,more level up,weapon options,It looks as good as black ops 2.Modern warfare 4 360, is a great game with good online play,still popular on xbox live.
i think its ok, for a 13 year old.
Even when i was growing up, there was gta on ps2.
if his friends have black ops ,he ,ll probably play it at their
house.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/nov/11/medal-of-honor-warfighter-review
rated 16 .

I haven,t played black ops 2, so i don,t know whats in it that put it in to 18 rating, other than a bit of bad language.

IT,s perfectly possible to play online black ops without using a headset ,,its mainly used by clans in team deathmatch mode,theres no rule that says you have to use a headset .
sound comes thru tv speaker, obviously no headset means you
can,t talk to your friends if you are playing a team type map,
eg ctf .
look on youtube.ie blackops
IF