Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

DS wants me to ask you this question re Grand Theft Auto IV

29 replies

lilolilmanchester · 13/05/2008 19:18

He's standing over me as I write this!
DS has saved up for an XBox 360, which we have agreed to. He is wanting Grand Theft Auto which has an 18 certificate. I have said no, as he is just 15. He is trying to convince me that the only reason that it is 18 not 15 is because of coarse language - which he tells me he will mute (!)He has asked me to post this a) to ask anyone who has got it what they think and b) whether anyone else would let their 15 year old purchase it.

OP posts:
Janni · 13/05/2008 19:19

No No No No NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NNNOOO!!!

Original poster
lilolilmanchester · 13/05/2008 19:21

thanks Janni!! Anyone else?

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 13/05/2008 19:22

i don't have it, but in the last GTA it was a LOT more than just language.

you have to get prostitutes which you take to a quiet area to shag, you then beat them up and take your money back.

there was a bit where you had to dress as a gimp and kill someone with a massive dildo etc etc

aside from that it is also VERY violent.
so no.
I definitely wouldn't allow it

Ecmo · 13/05/2008 19:23

my ds(12) has begged and begged for it. All his friends have it etc etc but I will not give in. It is very violent. I was conned into Driver for the PS at a carboot and I thought it would be like the Gameboy version we had ages ago but its nearly as bad.
Luckily he doesnt play on it much and isnt allowed to play on it in front of his brother(6)

Saturn74 · 13/05/2008 19:23

I wouldn't let him.
But then I am annoyingly strict on these matters.
As my sons will attest.

TurkeyLurkey · 13/05/2008 19:27

This game was reviewed not so long ago on Radio One and they said it deserves its 18 certificate in every way. They were going on and on about how it depicted scenes of graphic sex and violence as well as the bad language.

Are you able to borrow it off anyone and have a look for yourself to see how bad it is?

nickytwotimes · 13/05/2008 19:28

No! I'm a bit strict about these things too....

YerMaw · 13/05/2008 19:28

My fiance's a game reviewer, he's played the game start to finish - he says that the 18 is not solely due to language. The game contains depictions of sexual acts, extreme violence and constant references to drug taking. These aren't glamourised, rather are portrayed in a negative light. Which is why he says if he had a mature and sensible 15 year old he would let him play it.

He adds - the game's a fantastic experience that doesn't merit the negative press it often gets.

Original poster
lilolilmanchester · 13/05/2008 19:29

you wonderful people. Thank you. Have just let him read all your responses, thisisyesterday's post made him realise that he is fighting a losing battle even trying to argue. Thanks also for NOT posting anything which would make him think he was right. I am also strict about these things, the answer was always going to be "No" but he asked me to ask you and just to prove that I am a reasonable Mum, I did as he asked (with everything crossed that you'd come up trumps, and you did!)

OP posts:
dittany · 13/05/2008 19:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

thisisyesterday · 13/05/2008 19:31

i don't think that the acts of violence and sex are portrayed in a negative light at all!

in the last one there were gang wars and your gang had to go out looking for the other gangs and killing them,

it's pretty much the whole point of the game!!! and I do think it was glamourised.
the drug taking wasn't, I agrewe with that, but everything else is

Original poster
lilolilmanchester · 13/05/2008 19:31

Just seen YerMaw's post. I can see where your fiance is coming from, but afraid the answer is still no. I'm not going to borrow it, you've all told me enough! Thanks all

OP posts:
Pippo · 13/05/2008 19:33

Hi. This is Pippo's DH. I have this game and it's great. It really is your decision whether he should have the game but I can let you know why it is an 18. The language is extremely coarse in all aspects of the game and if your son were to mute it then he would not be able to follow the story. Secondly there is the moral question regarding the role of the main character who robs, steals, murders etc.
Thirdly there are sexual elements in the game where your character goes to strip clubs and visits prostitutes who offer all manner of services. This is not just suggested but the player is able to see the act they are performing . It is quite misogynist really.
I guess you know the maturity level of your son and whether he is already knowledgeable about such subjects and can enjoy the game for what it is, a series of pixals and not reality. Good luck

YerMaw · 13/05/2008 19:35

thisisyesterday - GTA: San Andreas is a very different game, and your point with regard to it is fair enough. I was talking about GTA IV specifically.

Sorry lilo, didn't mean to be unhelpful.

Original poster
lilolilmanchester · 13/05/2008 19:38

Thanks Pippo's DH, appreciate a male point of view. DS is only just 15 but regardless, I don't want to condone content like that. I know he has friends who have the game, so I have no doubt he will get to play it, and no doubt that he knows exactly what is in it. And like I was ever going to fall for the "I'll play it on mute BS" !!

OP posts:
eandz · 13/05/2008 19:39

my husband plays this game (soo excited he was allowed to buy it as i can't handle watching things with violence)... sadly i was not happy about him beating up police officers, the foul language or the stealing of cars.

also, the previous versions did have prostitutes that you could beat up after you were done with them and take back your money...i didn't know this till after my husband bought this game....and i looked it up. it scares me a little since i'm having a son and i'd like him to respect women and authority figures.

but i'm a huge wimp.

Original poster
lilolilmanchester · 13/05/2008 19:41

no, you weren't being unhelpful YerMaw, appreciate your taking the time to post and giving an informed other opinion. Luckily DS stopped reading after the first few posts made him see he was on a hiding to nothing so he didn't see yours. But should he come on here later and search YOU ARE STILL NOT GETTING IT!! END OF!

OP posts:
Original poster
lilolilmanchester · 13/05/2008 19:42

eandz - i wouldn't be happy about DH playing it either. But then he would be the first one to say it wasn't coming in to the house.

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 13/05/2008 19:42

well yermaw, others have backed me up on this one!
I know I don't have this version but I have read about it and seen clips on youtube and a good friend has played it, so I do know what I'm on about.
the entire point of the game is killing people, stealing, and shagging prostitutes.
it is not portrayed in a negative light at all

YerMaw · 13/05/2008 20:10

thisisyesterday - the narrative of San Andreas was about gang culture, the narrative of IV has a different tone - it's about a man whose life has been ruined by war. If I've read about a film and seen the trailer and my mate has told me about the plot, I don't think I'd consider that I knew all about it, but each to their own. (And yes, I have played it, just not all of it, which is why I posted the viewpoint of someone who had) Context is relevant, and is taken into account by the BBFC when they classify.

It's a moot point anyway. The OP isn't happy with the content, which we all agreed is deserving of its 18 certificate.

sunnydelight · 14/05/2008 07:42

My nearly 15 year old has it, but apparantly the version here (Australia) is different to the UK version as there isn't an 18 game classification here (it's rated 15+) so in order to sell it they had to tone it down.

From the endless hours we have spent discussing the suitability or otherwise of various games I will try and briefly sum up his arguments! He feels that adults don't get the fact that it's heavily ironic, it's not real life - DOH - and after a day being good at his Christian school it is quite nice to drive around, knocking a few people over, smashing a few windows and generally being a bad boy in a virtual environment where there are no consequences - his school is big on "consequences". He reckons it's better than doing it for real

cory · 14/05/2008 08:25

Afraid I'd get annoyed with a son who tried to suggest to me that it was a choice between doing it in the virtual world or doing it for real- sorry, my lad, but there is a third option of not doing it at all.

I would look out very carefully for any misogynist sub-messages as teenagers can be more easily influenced by those than they themselves imagine.

Bridie3 · 14/05/2008 08:27

No way would I have this in the house.

MoreSpamThanGlam · 14/05/2008 08:29

I think the whole game is outrageous. Sends wrong signals to males everywhere, regardless of age.

My dh was loaned it and even he said it was a bit much.

mumonthenet · 14/05/2008 08:44

for the British board of censors' description - go here