tell me about Skyrim please. DS wants to play it.

[Clumsymum]

DS is just 13. Has been addicted to Minecraft for the past year or so, and I don't mind Minecraft (except that I can't get him off the computer without shouting).

DS tells us that "All his friends" have skyrim (yes, and xboxes and PS3s and Iphones and ...) and he wants to buy/play it.

I want to say 'no', cos its a 15 rated game, and I don't generally allow anything that is above his age range.
But he says he has played it at friends houses, and there is nothing to justify the certificate. His best mate plays it, said mate has just emigrated to australia. DS says it will help them to keep in touch if he can play it too.

So can you tell me about it please ? I warn you, I will take some convincing.

The back of the box says contains strong violence
There is fighting and killing in a medieval/fantasy style

It's a fantasy role-play game in the style of 'dungeons and dragons'. DH is addicted. He advises DS 13.5 about it. IMO it's not as bad as other 15s, but it won't help him stay in touch with his friend.
"It's a big game with ocassional fantasy violence and would be a 12 were it not for a few wee bits", says DS. (Slightly paraphrased but not much).

There is a lot of blood. There are slowed shots of your character running animals and people through with swords if it's a lethal move. also arrow shots.

Occasional violence? There is a guild called the dark brotherhood who are assassins.

It's not a game that you can play with anyone else so I would doubt it would help him keep in touch with his friend that way.

It is a very addictive game. I have to ration myself, as I find myself getting lost in the scenery and secondary quests.

It is a brilliant game. It is truly epic - I do think it is incredible what they have managed to do with it - it is absolutely enormous, and beautiful.

Yes, there is a lot of killing, but I can't think of anything other than that which would be an issue. I don't think the language etc is bad, and there's nothing sexual there. So yes, lots of blood and killing but nothing else.

If you want to have a look at the gameplay then just look on youtube - there will be plenty you can watch to get an idea of it.

But I think that the keeping in touch with his friend line sounds like an excuse! It is a single player game, so I can't think how it would help them stay in touch. There is the messaging service on Steam, but you can use that regardless of which game you're playing.

No, none at all, it is a single player game.

I played this in the last month of my pregnancy. It's pretty dark. Some of the other games e.g. Fable 3, at least have some lightness and humour (although Fable has some adult stuff albeit tongue in cheek). Skyrim shows blood, there's a lot of weapon fighting, it's very bleak and I felt a bit depressed playing it.

By keeping in touch, he may mean they'll be able to talk about it? It's a single player game. So you could suggest he find a game you approve, that they can play.

My Dh is addicted to it. He get lost playing it for hours.

Does have blood like others say.

thanks people, that is helpful, I think DS was trying to imply it was a multi-player game (he's sly as a cartful of monkeys when it comes to getting his own way).

He still has Minecraft of course, and used his birthday money to buy Guild Wars 2 last weekend, so I think he has enough for now.
Esp. as his computer & games is more important to him than anything else in his life - to the detriment of family relationships ATM.

He could play Minecraft online with his friend and talk to him via Skype.