My son wants a copy of the original Assassin's Creed to play on his PS2. We don't generally let him play M-rated games, although many of his friends' parents don't seem to have a problem with it. The peer pressure makes discussions difficult.
I want to know exactly what the M rating is for. All the game descriptions I've read give me a great plot summary, but only one actually used the word "gruesome" to describe the midieval warfare.
My son has a pretty good handle on fiction, and does well with movies involving knights, but even used copies of this game are expensive, and I'd rather not have to go through the trouble of returning it.
Thanks!
I am a big believer in the ratings on the games and I wouldn't personally be comfortable with my son playing something like Assasin's Creed at age 11. I believe the M rating is for 17 and up.
My husband is an avid gamer and has that game, having seen it myself, i would not consider it appropriate for an 11 year old and he said he wouldn't either.
My husband is an avid gamer. He said he would not even consider letting our "possible son" (pregnant) play this game until he turned 15.
He said in the game you go back and forth in time. When you are in present day, there is a fair amount of language.
And when you are an assasin of course you are killing ppl. He said it is very gory.
He said he might allow an 11 year old to play T rated games, but that there are plenty of good E rated games out there.
I can say that I have watched some of these M rated games being played and they DEFINITELY earn thier rating.
Honestly, I don't even like my husband to play some of them.
He also said that the gaming systems themselves have websites w/ tons of game info on them.
I hope that helps.
The name alone is enough for me to say "no way" to my 12 yr. old if he wanted this. He recently played one of the war games (friends were visiting and brought it) and it was gory, but also contained the F-bomb among other profanities. I let him play while they were here, but he knows to not even ask for it and I did not let my younger children (10 and 6) play it at all or even be in the room when my oldest was playing.
As for peer pressure, you are going to have a lot of discussion about why your children can't do something when it appears many other kids are. Our solution to that is the "we are not the other kids parents" theme and reiterate that we set the rules for our family and we base that on what is right for our family, not on what other families are doing.
How about just sticking to your family policy of no M-rated games and be done with it...no more discussions. Set an age at which M-rated games will become acceptable and that's it.
I always told my children, "Your friends' parents are not your parents, and I don't care what 'everyone else' is doing, that is not going to happen in this house!"
If you capitulate now, another M-rated decision will be sure to follow.
Some games have a setting to turn the blood off, which makes it less gruesome. I don't know if this game has that setting or not. You could google it. There is killing and stabbing with knives and it is gruesome. It may be ok for an 11 year old as long as he knows it's not real. I don't know if there is any swearing either. M means MATURE (17+).
How old is your son?
Could you rent it from somewhere(or borrow it from one of your sons friends) and play it without your son knowing and judge for yourself.
I have never let my kids play games above their level. I won't even let my 15-1/2 yo play that kind of game. Stick with the fun stuff. If you want, ask a friend who has Assassin's Creed if you can play it for a while and then decide if it's right for your son. I won't go there with mine.
I beleive m is for mature ages 14 and up. Most likely has shows more blood etc
