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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To consider allowing DS (12) to have Halo (a 16+ Xbox game)?

20 replies

WhereYouLeftIt · 05/01/2011 23:26

DS, aged 12, is desperate to have Halo, which has a PEGI rating of 16+, rated for violence. I know some of his friends have the game (friends whose parents I trust). He asked if he could show me the game, borrowed "Halo Wars" from one friend and I watched as he played it. I didn't see anything to concern me, broadly similar to the Lord of the Rings games he has which are 12-rated.

So, is anyone out there experienced in Halo? Has he been able to pull the wool over my eyes by playing the game in a particular way to steer away from the sections that earned it its 16+ rating? Or am I completely desensitised to videogame violence? Grin

Serious question, I'm inclined to give the PEGI ratings credence but from what I saw, if it had a 12-rating I'd be happy to let him have the game.

OP posts:
IloveJudgeJudy · 05/01/2011 23:36

Yes, I'd let him I'm sure that lots of his friends have it. Also, if he plays it online it can be a lot of fun. GFI.

huddspur · 05/01/2011 23:37

YANBU I let my 11yo brother play it when he comes over

charliesmommy · 05/01/2011 23:40

At 12, you wont be able to monitor his every movement, and he will be seeing it at his friends houses... so let him play it.

Only you know how sensible or sensitive your son is and if he is mature enough to understand that it is a game... (which at 12 I am sure he is)...

FabbyChic · 05/01/2011 23:48

I would let him too. It is not gory there is no blood, it is just a shoot em up game, go for it.

I love watching my kids on it.

mutznutz · 05/01/2011 23:52

Having seen the game you'd be happy to let him have it if it had a 12 rating?

If that is true then let him have it. Ratings are only the opinions of a panel of people...a guide if you like. You know your own child so therefore 12 or 16 shouldn't matter.

Original poster
WhereYouLeftIt · 05/01/2011 23:54

Whoo, thanks all, felt sure I'd be flamed!

I'll let him get Halo Wars, does anyone know anything about the new one, Halo Reach? Is it in the same style, or is it a bit more graphic?

OP posts:
Imarriedafrog · 05/01/2011 23:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Imarriedafrog · 06/01/2011 00:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

belledechocchipcookie · 06/01/2011 00:06

My son has it. It's a shoot em up. Reach is the same style, they all battle against the 'swarm' (or something like this) who infect people and turn them into a mosquito (or something). There is blood but it's red spots on the floor rather then an arterial bleed/chop of limbs. There's a bit of swearing in it though, just to warn you. It won't be anything he's not heard at school though.

My son's a bit of an expert (he's not played on it a lot, he's one of those kids which picks things up rather quickly), I can ask him to tell you about it tomorrow if you want?

maryz · 06/01/2011 00:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

belledechocchipcookie · 06/01/2011 00:10

Ds's teacher asked him if he had black ops and call of duty (??) ds thinks these are too violent so would never ask or play these. He's happy with Halo though.

Original poster
WhereYouLeftIt · 06/01/2011 00:20

OK, looks like Halo Wars is a "go" for DS. I'll reserve judgement on Halo Reach - just anticipating him asking for that sometime in the not too distant future IYSWIM ...

Thanks, all! :)

OP posts:
GoodDaysBadDays · 06/01/2011 00:46

It's interesting you mentioned Black ops, my ds's are 14 and 13 and I've always been very strict on films / games and not having any above their rating.

My initial response 6 months ago to your op would be no, don't let him have it but....

This year I've let them play/watch 15's

but my dilema is do I let them have Black op's which is an 18? Their friends have it and they really want the game

The 13 yo is v mature - he's more like a boring 30 yo Grin He never plays the violent games, which I am very happy about as I really dislike them. Usually football or driving games but he really wants this. Tbh I wouldn't have much of a problem with him playing it but the 14yo is very immature, easily influenced, has behavioural issues and does enjoy these games regularly (most often only up to 12 rated, a few 15's have crept but I have issues with the amount of time is spent on this type of game.

Should I stick to my principles or bow to the pressure and at least have it monitored at home?

Sorry for the hijak........

Original poster
WhereYouLeftIt · 06/01/2011 00:59

No, no hijack at all GoodDaysBadDays, once I give him one 16+ game I fully expect him to start asking for others. After all, he gets to the end of a game, he's going to look for something new, and if friends have it he's going to have access to it and want it too.

TBH, I've already veto'ed 18 rated, and I think he knows better than to ask. But then, none of his friends have 18 games, so not really a problem for me. Sympathies.

OP posts:
breathtakingben · 06/01/2011 01:08

Halo wars is a very different game to the other halo videogames, it is more like say age of empires than the other halo games, which are shooting games like call of duty.

That said, any halo game is okay for a 12 year old IMO, although you might want to stop him going on xbox live with it - it's rather crazy on there.

sims2fan · 06/01/2011 01:57

Did anyone see that parenting programme with Jo Frost? She (and a couple of experts) did an experiment on boys aged about 11 or 12 I think, to see how violent video games affect them. Half the boys were given a football game to play, and half a violent type game (think the boys must have been 12 as if I remember it correctly the game was also only 12+). Their heart rates were monitored to see the effects, and unsurprisingly the ones playing the violent game had higher heart rates. After about 30 minutes (plus a bit of a rest I think so their heart rates returned to normal) they were all shown some violent news footage. The experts said that the children's heart rates should increase, as this is normal when we are exposed to violence. The boys who had played the football game experienced increased heart rates, the boys who had played the violent game did not, perhaps suggesting that the previous violent exposure had desensitised them. Then, they were all taken into a room and interviewed, during which time the interviewer 'accidentally' knocked a pot of pens on the floor. The experts were saying that children exposed to violent video games also empathise less with people, and during the experiment the majority of the football game boys picked up the pens unasked, while the majority of the violent game boys stayed just sitting there. Jo0 Frost said she thought it all might be coincidence, but the experts said they had done the experiment several times in several countries, and the results were always the same. It was interesting viewing.

maryz · 06/01/2011 10:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

belledechocchipcookie · 06/01/2011 12:32

Ds says halo wars isn't violent. It's 'top down view' so not like normal Halo/COD and there's not a lot of blood. He said it's also really good. Smile

ladydeedy · 06/01/2011 13:18

Ratings are there for a reason. personally I would not allow it. Same with films, they are rated for a reason.

belledechocchipcookie · 06/01/2011 13:38

Sometimes it's because of the language lady. Some children would have heard far worse at school Sad It's down to parent judgment and how mature a child is. I'd never allow a child under 10 to play these games though.

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