you decide…

This installment of the Call of Duty franchise is set during the cold war era, and offers the player a glimpse into this tense and frightening time. I do appreciate new material in video games (there are plenty of WWII games) and the fact that the franchise is branching out and informing kids who previously thought the cold war was fought with a warm blanket and chicken soup. However, this game is just too violent for this age group. Violent enough to make a fan like me cringe at times. Violence and language is prevalent. I believe the first line in the campaign is, “What the *$#%“. It is a gritty, violence that is non stop. Scenes of torture are ongoing, as the protagonist is being tortured for information the entire game. There are numerous scenes of close death, including axes, knives, bullets to the head, and pulling a grenade on an enemy in a trench. There is dismemberment prevalent when you shoot an enemy with a shotgun. Bodies burn when you roast them with a flamethrower. Screaming and sounds of pain ring out when enemies are shot. There is eye gouging with knives, mass executions, hanging bodies, soldiers gassed, human shields used on numerous occasions, throat slitting with gore, beating heads with pipes, dripping bullet wounds to the head, dead bodies floating in a river, and choking. The element I don’t appreciate in this installment is the fact that the game has you actively participate in this torture. At one point, you have to press a button sequence to break glass, put it in an enemies mouth, and then repeatedly push a button to punch him in the face. Also, you choke an enemy underwater by repeatedly tapping the control sticks. This game is over the top violent. The redeeming quality of this game is its multiplayer element, which is not as bloody or violent. The ranking system is very fun and rewarding. Also, as in World at War, zombies returns to this game. If you don’t want your kid shooting zombies, skip out on this game. It’s a little creepy, too. All in all, this is by far the most violent game of the franchise and one to pass up if your kid is in this age range. Be prepared for some discussions about the brutality of warfare if you decide to let your kid play this one.

Review by Jason Peevyhouse  Educator @ www.commonsense.org

Read more reviews about other games you child might ask for at:

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/user/jason-peevyhouse