My 13 year old son is desperate for this game. I have a real aversion to any kind of violent games but concede that as a mother I may not always understand teenage boys very well!! He says that lots of his friends have this game and I have good reason to believe him. I wouldn't want to get it for him just based on that kind of pressure but just want to check out if I am overreacting to something based on ignorance. Interested in other people's views.

everyone has got cod come on he wants it :)

There is a system with which you can "adapt" the game contents to his age, I believe (some sort of parental setup on xbox 360, the first time the game is run, which disables the game content not suitable for under-18s).

everyone has got cod come on he wants it :)

Your name "cod2gamer" is a bit of a clue:hihi: Thanks for replying.
I am very prepared to be persuaded, it would certainly make my life easier, but I would really like a range of opinions with supporting info to help me decide. What do people think about the level of violence - as I haven't seen it I can't comment myself. I've been online to look at reviews but haven't found any useful ones yet - any suggested sites?

Well my husband has it and basically it is shooting and blood - probably what you expected.

I don't think that video games can sway someone who is perfectly sane in mind to go out and shoot someone. I think he should be fine (although my boy isn't 2 yet!!!! :hihi:)

I think your main concern is him getting addicted to the damn game!!!!! :hihi:

I hate this bloomin' game, I've been like a mum to my younger brother for 5 years now, I stepped into place when our mum moved out :( so i'm going to voice my view on the game lol. But yeah; all he does is play on the x-box and I believe the game he's bothered about at the moment is this call of duty thing, he is not socialised one little bit, all he does is come in from school, straight to the x-box, he'll come off to eat but then back on before bed. Grrrrrr, I have considered chucking the x-box in the skip but its what floats his boat; he's doing great in school; like I.T, computing and so on but this game has resorted in bad language, posture etc :( I'm hoping he grows out of it soon!!!

I am very prepared to be persuaded, it would certainly make my life easier, but I would really like a range of opinions with supporting info to help me decide. What do people think about the level of violence - as I haven't seen it I can't comment myself. I've been online to look at reviews but haven't found any useful ones yet - any suggested sites?Don't bother with "reviews".

Go on Youtube, type in the name of the game along with 'gameplay' or 'ingame', which should give you clips/footage of the game as it is being played.

This will give you a better idea of what your kid will be exposed to (this meant in a non-partisan/non-biased way).

I'm an adult and a parent, I have been playing videogames for nearly 30 years, I have played the latest CoD, and I'm not sure I would let a 13 year-old near it. Maybe OK if the blood is turned off through the parental option I mentioned earlier. I known that I advised my brother-in-law not to get for his 12 year-old at Xmas, who was pining for it just the same. But then I know them both very well, and I don't know you ;)

Certainly, I wouldn't let a 13 year-old play it online, because of the language.

We're a long way from the days of the blocky Megadrive games, really makes you wonder what all the fuss was about Mortal Kombat back in the day :hihi:

Don't bother with "reviews".

Go on Youtube, type in the name of the game along with 'gameplay' or 'ingame', which should give you clips/footage of the game as it is being played.


Certainly, I wouldn't let a 13 year-old play it online, because of the language.

We're a long way from the days of the blocky Megadrive games, really makes you wonder what all the fuss was about Mortal Kombat back in the day :hihi:

Thanks for the youtube tip I will certainly do that. I imagine he would want to play online as that way he links up with friends - how does that affect the language? can you clue me in please. Yes, I remember the noise about Mortal Kombat - funny isn't it:)

I imagine he would want to play online as that way he links up with friends - how does that affect the language? can you clue me in please.I'm not talking about the game voice acting/language, and the issue isn't your kid's language (or -hopefully- that of his friends).

The issue is the language other players use online while playing with or against your kid/his friends, e.g. to taunt or mock (and which you kid and his friends may be able to hear through the in-game communication system).

Very often swearing of the vilest variety (f word, c word and more), puerile in the extreme. Not wanting to stereotype (too much :D), but quite bad with young US players in particular.

One of the main reasons why many "older" or "more mature" players such as myself, stay away from these 'must-have' games, where this issue arises most. It's a perennial problem of online gaming, mind you, not specific to CoD. Although the advent of online gaming consoles (xbox 360/PS3) has made the problem much MUCH worse than it ever used to be :(

The issue is the language other players use online while playing with or against your kid/his friends, e.g. to taunt or mock (and which you kid and his friends may be able to hear through the in-game communication system).(

Can I get round this problem by only letting him play against his friends from school - this seems to be possible with other games he has (PS3). Can I monitor the language in any way - the console is in our kitchen-diner, so he can't play it where no one else is there, so would I be able to hear it too?
BTW thanks for all the help.

its not that violent when you buy the game and put it in your xbox for the 1st time it will come up with an option do you want to skip the violent missions etc just click yes ;) sorted!

Don't most games have an age rating on them these days? I would imagine COD etc are at least 15 rated, if not 18. If you have checked the content thoroughly yourself and are happy for you kid to play it then go for it but I would stick to the age rating system personally.

My 13 year old son is desperate for this game...

...Interested in other people's views.

I've got the game (if we're talking about CoD:MW2), and played it through...

...but I wouldn't recommend it for any under 18 (that's its certificate/rating).

Would you let him watch an 18 film?

The cert's work the same so...

...don't get pulled into the "it's only a game" argument, they're very realistic now...

...and it's an 18 for a reason.

Just my 2p ( from someone who's a fair bit older than 18 ).

I've got to agree with some of the comments here. I am an avid game player, but my experiences as a kid were of harmless fantasy games and nothing with visceral graphics of today's games.

I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with my kids playing Resident Evil 5 or CoD until they were of a sufficient age to cope with them.

The parents next door don't care what their 10 year old plays and he's always asking to borrow my 18 games (to which I always so NO). I just think it's not a good thing to expose kids to such high levels of graphic violence.

But then again, saying no will make you the devil!

I play on the xbox loads and I have a two year old...but I will always wait until he is in bed to play