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Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures

(2008, Video Games - Massively Multi-player Online Game (MMOG), Rated M, Play it on: Windows)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 17, age appropriate for kids over 17; suggested age 17.
  • Is it any good?

    2.0
  • Common Sense says

    A savage and dark world of sword and sorcery

Why We Rated This not for kids

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    Players will learn teamwork and quick decision making skills
 

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Teamwork is emphasized but most quests require the player to kill others to rescue someone or for revenge.
  • Violence:

    Age of Conan is billed as a mature and violent game. Most quests require the player to kill others and this violence is graphic. Blood spray from wounds and heads can be lopped off.
  • Sex:

    Mature content, upper body nudity for both male and females.
  • Language:

    A language filter is available, but "rude" animations are provided for players to express themselves outside of text.
  • Consumerism:

    A monthly fee of $14.99 is required to play this game.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Players can buy drink and their in-game avatars will stagger around and be unable to fight when drunk.
 

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures was written by Carolyn Koh

Parents need to know that this is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game in which the developers have this game have no qualms about including violence and sexual content in this game. Females are shown topless. And most quests require the player to kill others. Blood will spray from wounds and heads can be lopped off. This world is a dark savage place where society is so primitive that despots perform human sacrifice as a form of religious piety. Human life is cheap and slaves used in arena sporting events. Magic in this world is linked to demons and inhuman gods. In addition to the initial cost, players must invest $14.99 per month to explore this online world. As with all MMORPGs, players can get sucked into this world and end up spending a tremendous amount of time playing.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about historical facts of human sacrifice and slavery. Which nations participated in human sacrifice? Which nations used slaves in sporting events where they killed each other? When was slavery abolished? Did demon worship actually exist? How important is cooperation in this game?
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More on Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures

What’s the Story?

AGE OF CONAN: HYBORIAN ADVENTURES is based on the world of Hyboria, created by Robert E. Howard, a classic American pulp fiction writer who created Conan the Cimmerian in the pages of the Depression Era magazine, Weird Tales. In a departure from the light hearted fantasy of many MMORPGs, this is a dark violent world full of beefy warriors, evil sorcerers, demons, and half-naked women.

Like many MMORPGs, the world is vast, filled with enemies for you to kill and quests will take you around this world. The landscape is beautiful and models are well animated and detailed, if gruesome and savage with graphic depictions of corpses with missing limbs, gaping wounds, and blood trails. In this brutal world, your life depends on your ability with sword or magic. Close

Is It Any Good?

In a departure from many MMORPGs, combat is not automatic, but requires the player to choose his swing and angle of attack, providing an almost realistic and engaging feel for the combat. The same is true for ranged attacks, magic spells, and mounted combat as the game is designed to engage the player in the action. Players are required to quickly seize the situation and make decisions for each movement and combination thereof, for attacks as well as defense.

Close communication will be required for groups to work together effectively to coordinate their efforts and use of their minions (pets) which assist them in combat. The end game promises greater depth and complexity as groups of players known as guilds will be able to build player cities which are beneficial to all, and battlekeeps which can be invaded and taken from other guilds. Close

Publisher’s Details

Released on 05/20/2008, price $49.99, not online enabled
ESRB rating: M

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title off for age 16 and give it 1.0

    SO BAD (GOD)

    OW My GOD SO BAD

  2. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 1.0

    SO BAD (GOD)

    OW ME GOD SO BAD

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