 | 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. |
Half-Life 2
- Windows
- Price: $54.99
- Genre: First Person Shooter
Common Sense Media says
A game filled with unnerving gore and violence.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this well-produced adult game is not for kids under any circumstances -- hence the "Off" rating. This story turns on the struggle between an alien-installed fascist government and a group of scrappy scientists trying to liberate the human race. It's non-stop gore and violence. From the first scenes, it graphically depicts the oppressive regime and drips with dark dread -- innocent travelers are brutalized by faceless police, citizens cower as their neighbor's homes are searched, and remnants of happier times -- such as a teddy bear abandoned near a swing set -- litter the environment. It's simply too graphic, too intense, and too scary for kids.
What's it about?
HALF-LIFE 2 again finds heroic scientist Gordon Freeman battling interdimensional aliens, accidentally brought to Earth through an experiment Freeman and his colleagues were working on at the Black Mesa research facility, the setting for the original Half-Life. But this time, the aliens have found a way to take over the world and have installed Freeman's old boss as the leader of a brutal fascist government designed to suppress human resistance to the alien invasion. Mysteriously transported to City 17, headquarters for this government, Freeman finds himself swept up in a resistance movement headed by fellow scientists and sympathetic aliens. And as he leads successful attacks against brutal government troops and ghastly human/alien hybrids, the humans in City 17 begin to hope for a different future -- and look to Freeman as the hero who will bring it to them.
Is it any good?
The game features regular breaks in the action to allow for exposition and puzzles that require players to use their brainpower. And the game's tone is darker than many of its counterparts and is executed so well that the impact of the battles is intense and visceral. Some of the game imagery is so disturbing (think mutilated bodies, immolation, and torture) that it lingers long after you shut off your computer.
That lasting impression is largely due to Half-Life 2's impressive presentation. Graphics are truly mind-boggling, physics are surprisingly realistic, and sound effects are amazing. However, the very things that make Half-Life 2 remarkable are the same things that make it impossible to recommend to kids. It's a game that will conjure up feelings of anxiety and dread, and it's simply too graphic, too intense and too scary for anyone under 17.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about why this story of human suppression by alien forces is compelling. Is human suppression (albeit not by alien forces) a theme that reverberates throughout history? Does violence against aliens play differently than violence against humans?
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Teen, 14 years old
September 17, 2009
AGE
Excellent, in-depth game. Just don't buy it for your 8 year-old.
First off: If you don't think your child is mature enough to virtually beat a cop to death with a crowbar, this most likely isn't the game for them. (Or, to be more accurate, for you.) I know that I probably just scared you away from this game, but I'll continue anyway.
This is one of my favorite games of all time, if not my absolute favorite. The game is awesome. (If you're mature enough to play it.) It's just as simple as that.
Now as for the violence, I believe another review already pointed out that their is an option to turn the blood off during gameplay. (You should know that this is only available in the PC version, not the consoles.) Even when the blood is on, it's not really that bad compared to other FPS's. When an enemy is shot/hit, a very small amount of blood actually come from the actual character. Most of the blood you will see will be on walls and floors. It sounds worse than it actually is. If you're wondering, the blood does look realistic. It's a realistic game. That's the whole point. Weapons you use are: A crowbar, a pistol, Magnum revolver (Dirty Harry gun), crossbow, grenades, sub-machine guns, shotgun, rocket launcher. The enemies use sniper rifles, as well as some of the above. Citizens are beaten with stun batons by cops. Enemies are always either trans-human cops/soldiers bearing gas masks and Nazi-like uniforms, zombies, or monster-like alien creatures, including "headcrabs" that latch onto people's heads, turning them into zombies. (Which you then have to kill.) Zombies and blood are usually working together in this game, as they (the zombies) can be found lying down in a puddle of it (a result of the headcrab attack) before getting up and trying to claw at your face. One of the levels is entirely zombie-oriented, as is by far the bloodiest. That level is not for the faint of heart. If your child is easily scared, make sure to tell them not to go to Ravenholm.
Moving on, I'll explain each of the concerns/highlights that I labeled at the top of this review:
Bad messages: Might teach kids that all problems have a simple answer: Hit it with a crowbar.
Good role models: The character you play as is Dr. Gordon Freeman. He is well known for being resourceful in times of extreme pessimism, as well as being a good leader. (Earning nicknames like "the One Free Man") He's also a mute and has a PHD from MIT. This makes him unique from the classic soldier kind of video game hero, and because of this he's a bit of an icon in the video game community. After all, just look at my profile picture.
Educational/Safety Issues: Though these wouldn't normally go together, I'd just like to point out that I know a lot about weapons, and I didn't before playing this game. However, this probably has less to do with the game itself than the fact that this was the first FPS i ever played. (And the first 'mature' game.) If their is any risk of your child (presumably younger) screwing around with guns, (i.e. you keep a handgun in your basement 'just in case') they shouldn't be playing video games in the first place. More importantly, if you have a kid, you shouldn't have a gun at all. But I won't get into that...
As a final note, I would like to discuss the general atmosphere of the game. From the moment you arrive in City 17, you have this feeling that something has changed; something is wrong.
The game takes place in a near-future earth that has been forcefully taken over by an inter-galactic empire known as the Combine. To citizens they are represented by the metro-cops that walk the streets, terrorizing anyone and everyone. Humanity has been completely enslaved, except for Dr. Breen, the (human) figure-head leader of Combine earth, and the One Free Man. Dr. Breen records "Breencasts" which are displayed throughout the city one huge monitors, spewing propaganda in an attempt to shape the minds of the people below. Due to Combine technology, humans can no longer reproduce, ensuring that the current generation will also be the last.
There ain't no rainbows in this game. Just the mood might be too much for some younger players.
Final assessment: Iffy for 12+, Probably fine for anyone 14+, -- Definitely OK for anyone older than that.
What other families should know:
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Teen, 15 years old
June 16, 2011
AGE
One of the best video games ever made
Half-Life 2 is one of the best video games ever made. It's stunning narrative feels like that of a great movie, albeit much more engaging as you are actually part of the action, instead of being just a passive observer. The violence is really not that bad, and should be fine for anyone over 11 or 12. The only people you kill are the evil soldiers working for the Combine regime. They are pretty much completely dehumanized, with stormtrooper-esque uniforms and voice filters that make them sound like robots.You also kill zombies controlled by alien parasites, which aren't really human at all. The only real reason to not let your kid play this would be because of the off-screen violence. As you explore Combine forts and buildings, you occasionally find torture victims and dead rebels, which can be kind of disturbing. These images, however, play a distinct role to show how evil the Combine are, and enforce the idea that you, the heroic freedom-fighter, must stop them. In the end, the game portrays a great message about standing up for the rights and good of humanity, however great the cost may be.
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Kid, 10 years old
October 17, 2009
AGE
Personally I think this game is fine for boys 10 and up. There are some levels that are a bit disturbing. But I handled it. Believe me,this game really didn't make me want to act violently torwards anyone.
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Kid, 12 years old
August 19, 2011
AGE
Should have been Teen
(Please, if you are a parent wondering about this game, do not dismiss my opinion simply because I am a child.)
This Game has nearly any problems that would send any Parent over the edge. Profanity is used extremely sparingly compared to other FPS's such as Call of Duty.
The only possible thing holding younger kids back from playing this game is the "zombies" in the "Ravenholm" Section of the game, which replaces the "sci-fi shooter" genre of the rest of the game with gory Resident-Evil esque "survival horror", mixed with some puzzles. The gore in that section is used frequently, but a kid who understands it's fake should be okay.
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Teen, 14 years old
September 11, 2011
AGE
Fascinating game for mature teens
This is a very impressive game that sucks players in almost instantly. There are many excellent role models in the game, despite the violence. Gordon Freeman (the player character) is an M.I.T. graduate who fights for what is right instead of just fighting for the sake of killing people. The deuteragonist is a young woman who uses her head, respects her father (though admittedly not some of the other characters), and doesn't wear revealing clothing in an attempt to get the guys. Even though the two main characters are of opposite gender, they aren't in a relationship (although there are a few teasing comments) and they don't go to bed together or do anything of that nature. Other reviewers have gone over the violence, so I'm not going to go too in-depth with that. Ravenholm can be very frightening if you go into it without knowing what to expect, but a no-blood mod makes it much less scary. As for language, there is one use of "f--k" covered up by a crash, as well as several uses of "h--l" and "d--n." The Lord's name is also taken in vain a few times. If your teen is the kind of gamer who will play for ten hours at a time, this is not the game for them. If your teen is sensitive and they can't tell when it's time to shut the game off because it's freaking them out, this is not the game for them. The mood is eerie and it's easy to keep playing longer than you know you should be because you want to find out what happens next, so this is best for mature teens. This game is not appropriate for anyone under the age of thirteen, and I'd say after that point it really depends on the teen whether or not the game is appropriate.
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Kid, 12 years old
July 20, 2010
AGE
Teans Only
I played a bit if it. It was ok, but the story line is a bit grusome. There is also a lot of fighting going on, this is a game for teens. Not for Kids.
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Teen, 13 years old
July 17, 2010
AGE
not for kids, but teens? gimme a break.
unless your teen still wears choo-choo PJs, he can play HL2
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Kid, 11 years old
July 31, 2010
AGE
I think if you like scary fighting games then you should play this.
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Teen, 14 years old
April 9, 2010
AGE
Well,I think not all the games must to be educatoinal.But this is.When you play it you want to chande somethig and write some plugins for it )
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Parent of 9 year old
March 15, 2011
AGE
Prior to the player getting the crowbar and pistol are not a good example of gameplay:
...but after the first weapons are obtained and enemy soldier encounters begin, one may begin to judge if the player is capable of handling the game. My 9 year old loves the story of the Half Life series. He knows the violence is not real, but that real violence has consequences. The only trouble younger players might have is some of the puzzles can be a bit tricky. Enemy health and skill can be lowered using the game difficulty settings, but the puzzles are consistent. It is somtimes hard to find where the player needs to go next due to some large open space areas of certain maps, and maze-like buildings and structures. Though it is mostly straight-forward, "point A to point B" navigation. As mentioned in other reviews, "Ravenholm" leans more toward the horror genre than the rest of the games science fiction theme. The town has been intentionally overrun with "zombies" by the main enemy. The single surviving townperson is the priest "Father Gregory" who leads you along with words of encouragement. All-in-all, if the player is mature enough to handle fictional gun-violence, some forboding scenarios, and alien invasion themes, then this game is perfectly acceptable.
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| Platforms: | Windows |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | First Person Shooter |
| Developer: | Valve |
| Release date: | November 23, 2004 |
| Price: | $54.99 |
| ESRB rating: | M for (Windows) |
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