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Original poster

Opinions please on whether Call of Duty Black Ops is suitable for a 13 yo boy

43 replies

WideWebWitch · 24/01/2011 20:38

Thanks

OP posts:
PaisleyLeaf · 24/01/2011 20:38

Does it have a certificate rating?

pinguwings · 24/01/2011 20:42

No

AnyFucker · 24/01/2011 20:43

I would say yes

but I will get shot down in flames for it

make your own decision for your own child, it doesn't matter what anyone else says

PL...I think it is an 18. There is some swearing and lots of killing.

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liquiditytrap · 24/01/2011 20:43

No.

exexpat · 24/01/2011 20:45

It's an 18, and from reviews I have read, on the gory and gratuitously violent side for an 18. I said no to DS (12) when he asked for it, even though 'all his friends' had it.

shinyshoes · 24/01/2011 20:51

my 13 yo plays it

jezebelle · 24/01/2011 20:53

I would say yes, there is swearing but no worse than they hear at school, though there's obviously lots of killing, or getting killed if they're not good at it :)

frogs · 24/01/2011 20:54

It's an 18 certificate. That'd be a no, then.

Pootles2010 · 24/01/2011 20:56

dp burst out laughing and said absolutely, unequivocally, no no no.

Its based around torture he said.

Original poster
WideWebWitch · 24/01/2011 21:00

Just to say where I am on this, ds is 13 and says ALL his friends have it and to be fair a lot of them DO!

I've said no but he is going on and on and on (not that it will work) but I am interested in views, surely some people here must say yes to it in the same way that so many of ds's friends parents have?

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 24/01/2011 21:02

here is no "torture" in Black Ops ! [bhmm]

lots of shooting bad guys and zombies, but no torture

ILoveItWhenYouCallMeBoo · 24/01/2011 21:02

if you do a search, there was a thread about exactly this last week. long thread but you may get your answer.

for me it's a no.

Original poster
WideWebWitch · 24/01/2011 21:06

Oh thanks, will look for that boo

OP posts:
Magicmayhem · 24/01/2011 21:07

my DS is in year 8 and most of his friends also have it. I would limit the time he spends on it as it can take over their lives and if they go 'live' they can all have their little army groups and talk via the head phones...

orienteerer · 24/01/2011 21:08

NO

Tortoise · 24/01/2011 21:09

No from me too. DS2 is 11 and asked for it because a lot of his friends do have it. Wouldn't let 13yr old DS1 have a different COD game either!

activate · 24/01/2011 21:16

13 years old

18 certificate

hell no

my 16 year old who has a surprising level of maturity can

I think idiot parents (yes you if you do it) who allow young children to play inappropriate games are scared to be proper parents

unknownrebelbang · 24/01/2011 21:17

No.

DS1 - 16 - hasn't got it (although I know he has probably played it at his mates' houses).

pointydug · 24/01/2011 21:25

No. Based on rating alone.

And it's all the parents buying it that produces a lot of fairly unpleasant social exclusions. Which, of course, is why they get pestered so much.

So people then weigh up - what do I value more? My child's happiness and friendships over this issue or a pretty rigorous rating system.

pozzled · 24/01/2011 21:30

"dp burst out laughing and said absolutely, unequivocally, no no no.

Its based around torture he said."

DH reacted in much the same way.

AF DH just described to me a bit where you torture someone by putting shards of glass in their mouth and then punching them repeatedly.

AnyFucker · 24/01/2011 21:34

My DH plays this, pozz

He hasn't described any of that

I might have to check it out again ! My 15 yo uses it ...

Original poster
WideWebWitch · 24/01/2011 21:37

I found the old thread, thanks
hmm, that's the majority going with no.
So where are the parents who say yes to this?

Not on the Internet maybe...

OP posts:
maryz · 24/01/2011 21:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

frogs · 24/01/2011 21:41

Yeah, lots of ds's Y7 friend have it as well. One of his friends had the other CoD that is an 18 certificate when he was in Y5. That child had GTA as well.

So what? Ds knows he's not playing it in my house, and that's the end of it. When he gets his own flat and pays his own rent, then he can watch/play what he wants. Obviously I can't prevent him from playing it at friends' houses, but he knows why I don't approve. Once something's inside your head, you can't get it back out again. I really don't think young teen or preteen boys need to see that level of realistic violence.

I'm much more relaxed about videos, cos I can watch them myself and see why the rating was given (The Magdalene Sisters is an 18, for eg, as is This is Spinal Tap. Most of the Monty Pythons are 15). But computer games are much more opaque than that, cos so much stuff is hidden in the different levels. I don't like the graphic violence, and I don't like the way they engage the player on a first person level, making them the agent. If he wants to shoot things that much he can join the CCF in Y9 and learn how to shoot properly, y'know, in real life.

ILoveItWhenYouCallMeBoo · 24/01/2011 21:43

maryz what does the first person killing mean? i have never heard of that.