Medal of Honor: Rising Sun - T
 |
 |
 | |
Not for the faint of heart (or young of age), this historically-based first-person shooter is very violent.
Common Sense Note
This is a very violent game. It's also a first person shooter, which means your kid has the gun in his or her hand. But it also contains archival film from WWI and fictionalized "letters from home", which create an authenticity that keeps the carnage from feeling gratuitous. You might ask your kids how they feel about the concept of courage and honor and how those relate to brutality and wartime violence and how they feel those ideas fit together. The game might also raise discussion about how fictional depictions of historical events influence understanding of our past.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Kate Pavao and Aaron Lazenby
The latest entry in the best-selling Medal of Honor series, MEDAL OF HONOR: RISING SUN starts on the fateful morning of Pearl Harbor and follows the US military's conflict with Japan. The game depicts major battles of the Pacific, from the Philippines to Burma, through the eyes -- literally -- of a GI as he matures from rookie grunt to battle-hardened member of special forces.
There's also a personal story here: Your brother, a fellow soldier, is taken captive while fighting by your side. Clues along the way hint at his fate -- and point to the game's next installment.
Archival film from WWII provides some powerful history (and fictionalized "letters from home" give players a sense of the era). The graphics are stunningly rendered: carefully textured grass and shadows provide cover for stealthy advances. The sound is equally impressive; THX sound tips players off to the slightest of enemy's moves.
While beautiful, this game is also very violent. There's no blood or gore, but players kill sometimes hundreds of enemy soldiers on each level. A counter at the end of each level tracks how gruesomely you kill (by shooting enemies in the head, torso, legs, etc.). You earn medals that unlock secrets by accurately shooting your enemies.
Ultimately, the game ends abruptly after too few missions. You can return for two-person games (against each other or collaboratively); story details disappear in this mode and gameplay gets glitchy. You can also log on to play a multiplayer battle on the Internet.
Rate It!
| Content | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CS | adults | kids | ||
Sexual Content |
 |
|
|
|
ViolenceNon-stop blasting of Axis forces. Suspense, depictions of violence and dramatic sound combine for a tense and harrowing experience. |
 |
 |
|
|
LanguageThe occasional offensive -- though historically accurate -- racial slur. |
|
|
|
|
Message |
|
|
|
|
Social BehaviorMedal of Honor: Rising Sun trades on the courage and honor of military service. But it doesn't punish even the most brutal of wartime violence. Goes to great lengths not to trivialize the brutality of war. |
 |
 |
|
|
Commercialism |
|
|
|
|
Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco |
|
|
|
|
Educational ValueLots of history to be learned between each violent mission. |
|
|
|
|
