Age for GTA V

[chantico]

I'm asking in this topic, because I'm hoping for opinions from people who actually play this.

I have two main questions:

a) how different is the online play from the single player version?

b) roughly what age to play (online version)?

I ask because the question has just come up for a teen who is below the PEGI rating age, but over the age rec of commonsensemedia (my usual go-to site for info on games I don't play).

The DC in question has been really sensible, btw, and is seeking permission to play (even though I know full well he could get hold of it and hide it from me on his PC and/or play it elsewhere). He is only interested in the car chases and shooting (no interest in the missions involving prostitutes, drugs or torture, and I believe him).

I play the online version and it's fine - have never seen the rape/prostitute elements mentioned in that other thread. Am very squeamish too, so despite the "shoot em up" bits its fine. Lots of car races etc.

However it probably all depends on the individual involved - I'd suggest sitting with him and watching him play the first few times, or giving it a go and gauging it yourself?

It's really not my sort of thing to play

He always has his door open when he games, and DH sits with him quite often. So, yes we will be keeping an eye on it, if we let him get it.

18. Says so right on the box, and for very good reason.

I would say a mature 14+ could play it, not any younger. Dp was playing it last night (got it for christmas) and the language is really strong. The usual swear words plus stuff like "you pussy". Obviously quite graphic, lot's of blood splatters, realistic bullet wounds and car crashes etc, and drug use (dp said something about being able to go to a guys house and smoke weed) prostitutes and fighting police. Dp not that far into the game so not sure how much worse it gets.

Thanks, TheSecondViola

Can you expand a bit more about what the reasons are, and whether they apply to the online as well as the single player version? IMDB (and others) describe significant differences, and it would really help to find out more about those differences.

Should have said proper thanks to you Kacie123 as well, in my previous post.

And thanks wickedlady

The language in the single player version (which DS is not planning to play) isn't in the online version, where it's all between the players. Assuming of course I've understood that correctly!

I know who he'd be playing with (they are all similar aged older teens, but none yet 18, all known in RL).

Dp was playing in single player mode I think. You get phone calls from characters in the game to notify you about challenges and can interact with characters in the game that speak to you. And the character you play occasionally speaks. Think you could youtube uploads of some of the dialogue to judge yourself.

In case he does venture into single player mode.

I have played through GTAV a few times, I would say age 16 as a minimum. Prostitution/rape play no part in the main story like others would have you believe, there's are prostitutes in the open world, but no rape in the game at all. Language is pretty bad, one of the main characters is a psychopath, references to drug use, crime, guns/weapons, bad language and general adult themes, there are elements of torture during the main story which I found a bit gruesome. All of which I don't think is appropriate for young kids/teens.

I'd forgotten I'd started this thread!

Yes, we've made our decision on this. The DC in question is 16. And bad language is not a central concern for me.