Common Sense Media Lists "10 Uncool Games" for the Holidays

[Andy Chalk]

Common Sense Media Lists "10 Uncool Games" for the Holidays

Common Sense Media has published its list of "Ten Cool Games That Are Uncool For Kids [http://www.commonsensemedia.org/10-cool-games-are-uncool-kids-and-10-alternatives#article_content_0]," a surprisingly sensible list of games that probably shouldn't be played by kids along with alternatives that will help keep their complain-holes shut over the holidays.

It's a common problem for parents with young teenage kids: They won't stop yapping about the latest murderrific videogames that all the cool kids are playing but you, as someone who actually takes an interest in child-rearing, aren't quite as enthusiastic. Short of hitting them until they stop making noise, what's a beleaguered parent to do?

Fortunately for all involved, Common Sense Media is here to help. Its list of ten hot games your kids might be bugging you for (and probably shouldn't play) and ten alternatives more suited to younger gamers is surprisingly comprehensive and has obviously been put together by someone in the know. If you're expecting yet another overwrought effort to keep the kiddies from playing anything harsher than Freecell, you're in for a surprise. The list in full, with alternate suggestions in parentheses:


Assassin's Creed 2 (Mirror's Edge)
Borderlands (Infamous)
Brutal Legend (Ghostbusters: The Video Game)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Battlefield: Bad Company)
Dead Space: Extraction (Deadly Creatures)
Dragon Age: Origins (Braid)
GTA IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony (Batman: Arkham Asylum)
Demon's Souls (Uncharted 2: Among Thieves)
Left 4 Dead 2 (Overlord II)
GTA: Chinatown Wars (C.O.P.: The Recruit)


Interestingly, the list doesn't go out of its way to criticize the "uncool" games; most, in fact, are praised for what they offer to mature gamers. The alternatives are hardly a collection of warm-and-fuzzy Care Bear games suitable for players of all ages, either. The group said it stuck with "T-rated titles geared for ages 12-15 [with] matched gaming systems - so if you nix an M-rated PS3 game, you can replace it with a similar T-rated PS3 game."

"Similar" is in the eye of the beholder and a kid who's spent a month begging for Dragon Age isn't going to be too thrilled to get Braid in its place. Many of the substitute games, meanwhile, despite being toned down in comparison to the others still include content that some parents will find objectionable. Overall, though, for parents who want to keep the kids happy while avoiding the worst excesses of the M-rating, this list isn't a bad place to start.


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[Baby Tea]

The Dragon Age - Braid combo was the only confusing bit on there.
Emphasis on story, I guess?

But otherwise, what a smart list! A good idea, implemented well!
I hope a few parents actually take heed of this! It's a great idea.

 

[zBeeble]

I'm not completely familiar with the safe list, but it strikes me that the unsafe list contains at least three stellar cooperative online games (l4d2, borderlands, CoD) and the safe list contains one (? --- battlefield: bad company is probably multiplayer).

I suppose it's impossible to really substitute one game for another ... but this is simply a broad impression.

 

[hansari]

Too bad more parents don't visit that site

 

[Slycne]

The Dragon Age - Braid combo was the only confusing bit on there.
Emphasis on story, I guess?

But otherwise, what a smart list! A good idea, implemented well!
I hope a few parents actually take heed of this! It's a great idea.

Have you ever played Dragon Age? The game in which you can drive a Mace through someone's jaw? You're honestly surprised it made the list?

He is making a comment about Dragon Age being matched with Braid, not about Dragon Age being on the list. The other suggestions tried to offer something similar as a replacement for the former.

 

[300lb. Samoan]

"Similar" is in the eye of the beholder and a kid who's spent a month begging for Dragon Age isn't going to be too thrilled to get Braid in its place.

I thought exactly the same thing when I saw that. In fact I would be PISSED... not that Braid is a bad game, it just happens to be COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. Other than that (and a couple suggestions I don't recognize - C.O.P. for example) this seems like a really good list! I personally don't think Brutal Legend is a horrible choice for a teenager as long as the parents take the time to disable and lock the gore and language... can you lock those settings? Maybe not, so maybe that's not a good idea... Borderlands is for sure not a good game for young kids to be playing, every time I take it to a new friend's house no matter how long he's been gaming, 10 years or 15, they find the gore is surprisingly strong. They also think it kicks ass, just like the rest of the game!

 

[Zomni42]

Um.. L4D2 and Overlord 2? Uh.... no... Just um... no.

 

[zBeeble]

On the DA:O vs. Braid comparison, I think many of the line items don't compare well. Speaking only to the lines where I've played both games (sort of), Comparing Assassin's Creed (2) (I've played the first) against Mirrors edge --- they're both jumpy, but Mirrors edge is more of a "race" game (also 1st vs. 3rd person). I really don't fathom the comparison of L4D2 vs. Overlord II. Cooperative online zombie apocolypse vs. non-cooperative non-online fantasy and strategy.

 

[Escapefromwhatever]

Nice list. The only 2 problems I have with it is that I think they mean Modern Warfare 2, and yet the 2 is suspiciously missing from the title, and that I actually find Call of Duty may be a tad more appropriate concerning war than Battlefield: Bad Company. Which one is more likely to mess the kids up- a game that may glorify war a bit much but overall takes an anti-war message and shows it as the bloody and violent thing it is, or a game that tries to make war humorous (which is alright if done properly, nothing is inherently wrong with dark humor), but ends up with unfunny and disrespectful jokes about something that should be taken far more seriously? This is just more of a personal opinion though- I do suppose Call of Duty is more violent than Battlefield. I really do like the idea they had of offering alternative games rather than just saying games you shouldn't buy, as it gives the parents a sense of direction instead of confusing them and possibly preventing them from buying any games for their kids, as well as suggesting some really nice substitutes. Demon's Souls is great, but what kid lucky enough to have a PS3 is going to complain when he or she is surprised with Nathan Drake under the tree?

 

[RikSharp]

ahh the benefit of being a gamer and a parent. you dont have to rely on this sort of thing.
>'
good idea for those not in the same position tho.

 

[MR T3D]

Nice list. The only 2 problems I have with it is that I think they mean Modern Warfare 2, and yet the 2 is suspiciously missing from the title, and that I actually find Call of Duty may be a tad more appropriate concerning war than Battlefield: Bad Company. Which one is more likely to mess the kids up- a game that may glorify war a bit much but overall takes an anti-war message and shows it as the bloody and violent thing it is, or a game that tries to make war humorous (which is alright if done properly, nothing is inherently wrong with dark humor), but ends up with unfunny and disrespectful jokes about something that should be taken far more seriously? This is just more of a personal opinion though- I do suppose Call of Duty is more violent than Battlefield. I really do like the idea they had of offering alternative games rather than just saying games you shouldn't buy, as it gives the parents a sense of direction instead of confusing them and possibly preventing them from buying any games for their kids, as well as suggesting some really nice substitutes. Demon's Souls is great, but what kid lucky enough to have a PS3 is going to complain when he or she is surprised with Nathan Drake under the tree?

i think if your child were impressionable enough, I'd much rather he imitate haggard than, say, capt. price.

 

[zBeeble]

I didn't find the gore in Borderlands to be surprisingly strong. The cartoony nature of the whole thing really blunts it. I've found the L4D2 gore more "in your face" ... ie: pipe bomb a mob 15 yards away and some of the intestines fly into your immediate vicinity.

Although I suppose the gore of one of the little psyco shotgunners still running around with no head is comparable to the wonderful choreography of valve zombies dying --- they did a good job there.

But then I've killed chickens on the farm --- so the death of things doesn't entirely surprise me.

 

[Gigaguy64]

huh, this is great.
Im happy to see a site that understands that games are not just for children, and dosent judge them that way.
And many of the alternatives fit.

 

[AkJay]

Those are pretty much the best games of '09... yea, totally "uncool" because Common Sense media knows so much about vidya games.

 

[Ham Blitz]

I honestly don't see Braid being much of a trade off for Dragon Age: Origins, nor Overlord II for Left 4 Dead 2, but at least the rest of the games I can kind of see a connection (Or atleast between the ones I've played).

 

[Quad08]

Glad to see there are some parental help sites that know what they're talking about, for the most part at least

 

[Captain Pancake]

Wait, Braid in place of Dragon Age? That's like comparing a Dog to a Lobster!

 

[Sandwich Man]

Looking a bit more into this, I don't understand the Borderlands - Infamous and L4D2- Overlord II comparisons either. The gore in Borderlands is pretty tame, whereas Infamous allows you to electrocute innocent civilians. Not to mention the moral choice near the end that allows you to

Spoiler

murder thousands of people in cold blood for entirely selfish reasons

. As for L4D2 and Overlord, they are as different as Dragon Age and Braid. Plus, I know L4D2 is incredibly violent, but Overlord encourages and glorifies the murder and enslaving of an entire world. Is that really a better message to give your kids?