| ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. | |
| OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Parents need to know that this action/adventure game let's kids assume the role of a young Native American warrior who is on a heroic quest to save his village. There is some fantasy violence in the game as you defeat enemies using bow and arrows and other weapons. Some enemies, like giant insects, will bleed. Unfortunately, most kids will be frustrated that camera angles block your vision of the environment in which you play.
Native Americans are rarely represented in video games. But in BRAVE: A WARRIOR’S TALE, you assume the role of a Native American hero. It’s a game loosely based on Native American myth about a vicious Wendigo beast that tries to wreak havoc through a peaceful village. Throughout the stories of Brave, the elder, a young boy named Courage uses sticks, a longbow, and a tomahawk to vanuish his foes, everything from bears to ghosts to giant bees. You can even shape shift into an animal if you need that animal’s power and cast spells.
While exploring Native American culture is admirable, and the game's music and graphics are good, there’s nothing more to admire here. The game feels unfinished. For example, when you first see a waterfall, it has no sound effects. Then, mysteriously, it does. When you’re stuck in a corner, the game jitters and shakes like there’s an earthquake. But there’s no quake: it’s bad software coding that makes you utterly dizzy. Once, the camera got stuck on a Native American blanket and you couldn't see anything at all even though you’re moving forward. And the camera frequently blocks your view with everything from rocks to blankets. Parts of the game are so dark, that you can’t see where you’re going. Another gripe is that the story needs editing. At one moment, Courage says he wants to listen to Brave’s stories; but within 30 seconds, he's distracted by picking at his toes. It is too bad that the publisher didn't take another six months to make this into a creditable platformer.
Families can talk about what it would be like to be a Native American back in time.
What does the story of the ghostly Wendigo beast remind you of? Would you like to see a Wendigo in real life?
Do you find the camera angles to be intrusive to game play?
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| Platforms: | Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Developer: | Southpeak Interactive |
| Release date: | August 4, 2009 |
| Price: | $29.99 |
| ESRB rating: | E10+ for Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence |
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