Star Wars Battlefront Age Suitability?

[foragogo]

Has anyone played this yet and can comment on suitability? I believe it is rated 16 which seems like an unusual rating. My ds wants it for his 11th birthday. He has recently started watching 12/13 films and we are fine with that level, but I wouldn't want him to be playing much beyond that.

So far he has only really played FIFA on his PS4 other than more cartoony feel games like the Lego and Nintendo ones on the Wii U. I don't mind him starting to play live action / shooting / coop etc games with his friends (a few have it already) and he's fine with mild violence, danger etc but don't want anything too violent and wouldn't let him anywhere near an 18 like Call of Duty, GTA etc.

We have been very much family gaming on the wii U, Lego games etc in recent years so I am a bit out of touch with realistic looking gaming and what a 16 would actually mean? He loves Star wars and has seen all the films.

[MetalMidget]

He'll be fine with it - games ratings are usually a lot harsher than film ratings for the same sort of violence. SW Battlefront is very similar to the battle scenes in the Star Wars films (think of the battle of Hoth in Empire Strikes Back, or the battle of Endor in Return if the Jedi). In fact, it raised a few eyebrows that it got a 16 rating given how closely it follows the style of the movies - the ratings board even issues a statement about it, which gives you an idea what to expect:

mobile.twitter.com/gamesratinguk/status/666236175615729664

However, please be aware that it's primarily a multiplayer online game, so the biggest worry is probably him hearing a lot of unsavoury language.

[foragogo]

Thank you thats really helpful. I thought 16 was a bit of a weird in betweeny age rating.

Another dumb question - does he have to play multiplayer with sweary randoms? There are 5/6 kids in his class that have PS4s, PSN and tbe game. Can you restrict the MP aspect to just people who he knows via their PSN name? This is what they currently do with FIFA as i think they don't realise yet that you can search for players on the internet. Id rather keep this going a bit longer as at least they'll be at the same level of rudeness and i know that the kids are playing in earshot of their parents who will have a go if they start effing and blinding.

[MetalMidget]

I'm not entirely sure, to be honest - I'd have to take a closer look at the online options. I know that before the release there was a lot of outcry because EA said the online multiplayer would be purely through matchmaking and no player selected servers, which would make it harder for groups of friends to play together (on the beta you could only play with one other person).

Looks like voice chat isn't an issue though - turns out the game doesn't support it unless you use the console's own party chat (I thought it was off by default!) - he'd be able to chat with Psn friends, but not strangers.

www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-10-14-star-wars-battlefront-wont-have-dedicated-voice-chat

I think that developers have realised that not everyone enjoys having obscenities screamed at them by dudes halfway across the world, heh heh.

[foragogo]

Yep! I think most people get enough grief in real life. And the 10/11y olds who, lets face it, are their next game playing, disposable income, software buying market still get upset and freaked out by it at this age - god the great clash of clans chat incident of Summer 2015 was bad enough ("have you got boobs yet?")

[gamingmum]

you can play with friends but the chat isnt set up so no random sweary people. You get to just run around shooting people. no blood etc and not overly violent at all.

Like above, if he can watch the film he can play the game.

[foragogo]

Thanks that sounds ideal for him and his mates. Theyve been pretty good about sticking to fifa and Minecraft but they are getting older and seem to be ready for some coop shooting play which i am ok with as long as not overly gorey or sweary. They do it with nerf guns now anyway. I fondly remember how much fun i had playing Doom, though i was a bit older. Ive ordeted it. Its bloody expensive though!