 | 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. |
Driver: San Francisco
- Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows
- Price: $59.99
- Genre: Racing
Common Sense Media says
Open world racer with mild adult themes and a novel twist.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Driver: San Francisco is an open world action racing game that puts players in the shoes of a police officer hunting down an escaped criminal maniac. While the majority of the game is presented as fantasy -- the action occurs inside a coma patient’s dream -- car accidents happen frequently and rarely show the sort of consequences typically involved in high speed chases. Adult narrative content, including profanity and references to sexuality and drugs, is mild and infrequent. Parents should note that this game supports online play with open voice communication, a feature that Common Sense Media does not recommend for pre-teens.
What's it about?
The latest entry in Ubisoft’s long-running action racing series, DRIVER: SAN FRANCISCO’s story heads in an original direction right off the bat by placing the majority of the game inside a coma patient’s dream. The franchise’s hero, undercover cop John Tanner, gets into a major accident while chasing an escaped criminal maniac and suddenly finds himself in a realistic dream in which he’s still chasing after his suspect. But there’s a twist: He can instantly "shift" to the bodies of other drivers on the road, taking control of their vehicles at will. This new ability comes in handy not just in story missions, but also in side challenges that allow players to do everything from moving between police cars involved in high speed chases to taking control of criminals' cars. The action extends beyond the single-player story to 11 online multiplayer modes that accommodate up to eight players each.
Is it any good?
It’s hard to stand out in the crowded genre of open world driving games, but Driver: San Francisco does just that with its undeniably original "shift" ability, which promotes fast-paced play and creates some very unusual play scenarios, such as using multiple cars in a single chase. It also keeps players from wasting time finding new missions by allowing them to hover above the city to easily find cars with icons denoting a new activity. Gorgeous graphics -- particularly during in-game cinematic sequences -- are just the icing on top.
However, hardcore racing fans might find the action and driving physics to be a little too arcade-like, or unrealistic. Cars quickly recover from devastating crashes and can take turns at wildly high speeds. Plus, most of the city roads are a lot wider than they would be in reality, likely to help keep rookie players on the road rather than smashing into the buildings that line the streets. Still, anyone looking for some easily digestible racing action with a fun, novel twist probably won’t be disappointed.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about online safety. What precautions do you take when playing games with strangers over the Internet? How can you tell if they mean you harm? Have you considered playing online with voice communication disabled?
Parents who have teens learning to drive may want to consider a study that suggests playing some racing games can lead to taking more driving risks in real life and share it with their children.
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Kid, 10 years old
October 2, 2011
AGE
Great game, CONSTANT cussing
Driver San Fran is a Great game. You play the role of a guy named Tanner. He slipped into a coma because he was in a car accident , and while he is in his coma, he has the ability to shift into people's minds(control there body). The only thing parents need to be concerned about is the CUSSING. There is nonstop swearing from the beginning. Words such as h--l, d--n, a--, b---h, b----d, a--hole, jack--s, crap,god---mit, s--t and p---k are said constant from the beginning and seem like they never stop saying it. There is some references about threatening to kill somebody, and "drug trafficking". Minus the cussing, this is the best game I've ever played!
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Kid, 11 years old
October 21, 2011
AGE
Great game, hardly any bad content.
I've had this game for about a day and i'll tell u what i think: The game is great; it goes through San Francisco in every turn in every place. The cursing is kept to a minimum: d*mn, sh*t, a*s, a*shole, cr*p and godd*mmit. Luckily this game will never drop the F-bomb. The graphics are amazing. First I thought the game was going to be something like Free Running; an old game with bad graphics. They set the resolution to 800 x 600 but you can change that. Here is some stuff about violence: You would be expected to go into people and blood everywhere. But no. You can't run over people; they simply move away from your car. You play as someone named Tanner: After in a bad car crash trying to catch an escaping prisoner, his car gets beat up and there is a scene when he is in a hospital. After that you have the ability to 'shift' cars (move to different cars) and control the person's body. Over all, this game is great and anyone above 9 years of age can handle it. However, it may be hard for young kids to understand the story and handle the chaos driving cars. So why have I rated this educational? Well, the game let's you drive cars, so young kids can learn that in the future, while looking at life in San Francisco.
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AGE
No No
I would not buy not buy this ever again. I took it back the first week my sons played it. First of all the cussing is kind of annoying and unnaccaptable! I do not reccomend any of this to any body under the age of 13.
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| Platforms: | Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Racing |
| Developer: | UbiSoft |
| Release date: | September 6, 2011 |
| Price: | $59.99 |
| ESRB rating: | T for Drug Reference, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence |
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