Gamers help me out with age ratings

[Runnermumof2]

Sorry I'm not a gamer so I don't know much about them. I'm in hospital at the moment and partner brought in our 6.5 year old to visit. They said they've set up the Playstation for co-op playing together. That they tried POE (Path of Exile) but that she found it too hard, they tried another that she didn't like, I can't remember the name, so then they settled on Diablo and she is playing a character that is magic and 'brings people back from the dead' ??
These games sound totally unsuitable to me, but not being a gamer I've never been on them. I'm not happy. She has the Bluey game for the PlayStation and Mario kart for the switch , so I don't know why they have added in these other games. I suspect it's because my partner wants to get her playing games that he likes. But I don't think these games are age appropriate. What do the gamers on here think ? Are they ok ? Or should I be quickly shutting this down ? I'm worried she will have nightmares .
This is the first day they've set this up and I'm hoping to be home very soon.

Never heard of these games. I’m not a gamer but my kids are. I usually check the PEGI ratings and stick to what’s appropriate. I’ve just looked up path of exile and I absolutely would not allow my 6.5 yo
to play it. It’s a mature, 17+ game and a description I’ve just seen is “Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Nudity, Language”

Diablo is a similar rating with lots of gore looking at the ratings. I wouldn’t let my 12 year old on either of these.

Bluey and Mario cart are far more suitable!

Sorry OP but these games are not ok. I have teenage boys; neither play these games and, after having checked the PEGI age rating, neither would be allowed to play them. They are 18+ games. I think your suspicion is correct.

Just put the game title into YouTube and have. Look. You will find videos of people playing through the game and you'll quickly be able to see if it is suitable or not

I actually play Diablo, it’s a top down looter where you have lots of abilities and need to build quite complex characters using lots of statistics. It is not appropriate for such a young child. The top boss to kill is a demon called Lilith, the actual game doesn’t look exactly like the cut scenes in the game but they are very intense horror. Its a very decent fantasy horror game.

He wants to play the game and is being an absolute prick letting such a young child play it. She should not be playing this game.

I would also have a chat with your partner and agree on what types of things you both don't find appropriate.

E.g. is violence/fighting in games appropriate? Sexual themes? Battles? Gothic/fantasy content? Blood/gore? Online play with strangers? In game gambling mechanics? Swearing? Guns? Etc.

Ratings are good but they aren't specific to what you personally deem appropriate.

E.g. I would never give my little boy fortnite. It's rated 12, but full of addictive, violent, online interactivity etc.

Yet I would absolutely let him play a total war game, even though many have ratings of 16.. they are big strategy games where you control armies and grow a nation, etc. yes technically they have battles and they touch upon worldly issues when you are managing your nation, but they aren't designed to be addictive, don't need to be online, encourage critical thinking and strategy, and learning about history (many are set in historical settings, rome, Napoleon etc.

My point is, by the letter of the ratings the grand strategy games are worse.. but personally I feel far more comfortable with them than the more "suitable" games that hide a lot of risky and adult things behind cartoonised visuals.

In your examples, personally I wouldn't be bothered by the fantasy parts of what you mention. A necromancer that brings people back from the dead is fairly common fantasy, they have been in books, comics and board games that my son has played... But I don't like the level of blood/gore in those games, and the demonic themes go a bit too far for me. (Although id still prefer my son plays that co-op with his father than sits getting addicted to Roblox or something similar)

Jesus! This is what I feared when I googled the names and I got a shock. I was hoping they had like a kid mode or something. I'll speak to him today when he's in.

Thank you this is super helpful. I think this is his reasoning too. He wants to play coop with her where he monitors what she is playing. We don't allow online gameplay and she has a switch (Mario cart and animal crossing) but no internet access on it.

Thank you

Yeah he just wants to play those games himself but is making out he's "spending time" with her. Completely inappropriate.

There’s loads of good games for kids. These are not them. They’re also far too difficult for young kids as well as being inappropriate thematically and visually. We are a big gaming household but my 7yo wouldn’t be allowed to play either of those even though DH and I do.

It’s not just that they are gory etc it’s that the gameplay will be totally insuitable.

I never let my kids play any first person shooter game or anything not rated for their age ( roughly!)

There are loads of amazing games out there and no need to play unsuitable ones. If you have a switch then you have hundreds of great games to choose from.
Is your partner your kids Dad? He sounds a bit stupid tbh. What type of tv does he let her watch?