The Golden Compass Game could be summarized in two words: Very Bad The Books were amazing and the film.... erm ...... it was okay... ..... .... ..., but the videogame was a waste of money!
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The Golden Compass
(2007, Video Games - Action/Adventure, Rated E10+, Play it on: Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PSP, Windows, Xbox 360)
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Is it age appropriate?
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Not age appropriate for kids under 10, age appropriate for kids over 13; suggested age 10. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Game falls short of both the film and the book.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 10–13
The good stuff
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Educational value:
What to watch out for
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What Parents Need to Know
This review of The Golden Compass was written by Erin Bell
Parents need to know that Lyra, the main character, frequently deceives people -- often by lying -- to get what she wants. For example, she tricks a servant into letting her into her uncle's quarters, and tells her uncle that she's been behaving -- when she'd been throwing plum pits at a teacher. Iorek the armored bear kills lots of wolves and human hunters. There's no blood, but he growls and bares his teeth, and in one cut scene, he's shown biting a wolf through the middle and tossing it around.
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 how lying is portrayed. When Lyra lies, was it her only choice, or could she have found other ways to get characters to help her? Did you play this game because you liked the movie or book (or both)? Do you think the game did a good job creating an interactive world based on the movie?
More on The Golden Compass
What’s the Story?
The story takes place in a world in which humans have special "daemon" companions who appear in animal form. A 12-year-old girl named Lyra and her daemon, Pantalaimon, embark on a journey to save Lyra's friend after he's kidnapped by shadowy figures known as the Gobblers. Lyra's journey takes her to several wondrous locations, including a winter wasteland inhabited by talking, armored polar bears. She also finds herself in danger, since she seems to be the only one who can control the mysterious Golden Compass.
As Lyra, players can run and jump to explore their surroundings, using Pantalaimon's different forms to access new areas. With the Golden Compass, Lyra can answer questions by deciphering a riddle that involves matching keywords with symbols around the compass. Players can also take on the role of Iorek the armored bear, who is primarily used for fighting off wolves.
CloseIs It Any Good?
While there are some good ideas here, The Golden Compass suffers from extremely subpar production values, clunky controls, and repetitive gameplay. Lyra's conversations with other characters can take forever since players have to win a short Mini game before she can speak.
Gameplay is intercut with live-action scenes from the movie, which is a nice touch. But these scenes also serve to make the transition back to the game's primitive graphics that much more jarring. Die-hard fans of the movie might be able to appreciate this game on some level, but overall it has the aura of a rushed and mediocre movie tie-in.
ClosePublisher’s Details
Released on 12/04/2007, price $49.99, not online enabled
ESRB rating: E10+ (for Mild Language, Violence)
ESRB rating: E10+ (for Mild Language, Violence)
Our Members Say
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Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
Ugh........ not another bad game
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
In reply to walnutman4...
IT DOES NOT TEACH KIDS TO BE ATHEISTS! IT IS A GREAT BOOK TRILOGY! but the game isn't that good.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
I lost six brain cells playing this!
This is the Worst game ever!
- I rate this title off for age 2 and give it
BEWARE
this is a tereble book, game, movie its teaching kids to be athiest dont have anything to do with golden compass
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