Game Details
Price
  • $45.95
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Genre
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Mercenaries (PlayStation 2)

common sense media says

Killing-for-profit game definitely isn't for kids.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that death and destruction are constant in this game. The violence is very real and bodies go flying, although there's little blood. Playing as killers for hire, players jack cars, take hostages, and mow down enemies for profit, not any noble cause.

Educational value: The game plays off several real-life military tactics that parents should discuss with their kids.
Positive messages: One of the mercenaries is a woman and another is African American, but they are still fighting --- and killing -- for money.
Violence: Not a lot of blood, but constant death and destruction.
Sex: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on Mercenaries

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about the plot points and themes, especially those that are grounded in the real world. For example: Why are the North Koreans the enemy in this game? Why are mercenaries used in war? Is it ever ethical to be a mercenary -- or to hire one?

What's the story?

What's the story?

MERCENARIES follows the ExOps, a group of mercenaries looking to capitalize financially on a Korean conflict. You must guide the mercenary you have chosen to stop the new North Korean leaders before they amass a nuclear arsenal. Each enemy has been paired with a playing card to designate his importance. The mercenary goes through a deck of 52 enemies; the goal is to get to the Ace of Spades, Gen. Choi Song.

While hunting for the Ace of Spades, the mercenary has the option of running missions for the other factions located in the demilitarized zone. These missions can be for cash to purchase other useful items, such as cars and weapons, from the black market, or to keep interested groups in the area satisfied. Winning the favor of the Russian Mafia, the Chinese government, the North Koreans, and the Allied Forces, all of whom occupy some space in the DMZ, is of utmost importance to succeed.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

The strength of this game comes from the realism of its battle scenes. Whether sneaking through a North Korean camp to take out a signal jamming device, or using C4 explosives to take out a whole building, players will find their adrenaline pumping. These realistic battle scenes can become a little too real for younger players. While the amount of blood and guts in the game is a minimum, the death and destruction is constant, and there is enough authentic violence to warrant a 17+ rating.

Even for older players, the destruction of the game eventually grows stale. There's hardly any character development and the storyline doesn't even rip off a war movie, which would at least give it a little depth. The soundtrack is boring, and it takes a ridiculously long time to get to missions. Overall, mature players will find the realistic battle scenes and complicated missions entertaining enough, but younger players should stay far, far away.

Game themes & details

Game Details
Available on: PlayStation 2
Not available online
Genre: Action/Adventure
Developer: LucasArts
Released on: January 12, 2005
Price: 45.95
ESRB Rating: T

This review was written by Matthew Pavao
 
 

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What parents & educators say

12

Most useful reviews by all members

hawk80
teen, 17 years old
 
This game was misjudged...
As unbiased as I try to be, I have to say: No Kids?! Seriously?! With all due respect, I believe this game was seriously misjudged. This is coming from someone that understands the importance of keeping certain games from kids as I'm not allowed to play M games. I agree with Goldendrummer's review below. This game is like Grand Theft Auto without the drugs, sex, and whatever makes that game M. This is an average rated "T" shooter.

J C
parent of 12 year old
 

 
its ok!
its all right parents if your kids are teens or almost let them have the game. The voilence is kind of bad, but besides that nothing seems to wrong

igamer
adult
 
Fun open world to play in, just a little iffy.
Okay, well i'm gonna start by saying, you are a mercenary. You will do anything anyone will tell you for the right price. So, that pretty much says it all. You go around helping out well.. whoever! Pays you enough money to get the job done. blow up buildings kill or capture enemies, probably the most open world for ps2! You can kill anyone as you please, but you could get introuble for it. Say for example, you kill a random civilian, you will have to pay a fine. However I have realized that you can kill anyone with this melee attack. lock 'em up, and leave them handcuffed to the ground. Some unwanted language flying around like H*** and one of the guys will yell out a frustrated D*** if something doesn't go the way he wants. Like it says on the case, "Playground of Destruction." Great fun, but might want to be a little careful.

goldendrummer
teen, 17 years old
 
Key Word: CHOICE
For those of you parents out there, this game isn't what you'd think. CSM rates the violence and message at the red level. Also, on extremely bloody and terrible games, they have given them the red. There is a reason this game was rated T. There is no blood, just constant shooting. The events result because of your actions. You must choose between different factions. Sometimes you must do dirty work for them against other friendly factions. You have the choice to become friends with other factions, but you must stay friendly to the Americans. Yes, you are paid for the things you destroy and the people you kill or take into custody. You can hijack cars from just about anyone. You can destroy anything and kill anything. The thing is, if you kill a friendly or civilian, you lose your cash. To sum up, this game is rated T and should still be treated that way. The whole game basically revolves around choice and what actions you take. Don't shut this game out. There are plenty of games that are worse than this.

I_Slay_Covenant
teen, 18 years old
 
What r u guys talking about?
How in the world did this get a CSM 17+ ? okay, there is some violence but its like rated teen. Granted, its a bit chaotic at times but what PG-13 film these days doesn't contain that? its definatly fine 4 your teens (12-17)

Ghost Rider Sky
kid, 12 years old
 

prince of ...
kid, 12 years old
 
not for kids its a t game

mralllstar2
kid, 11 years old
 

iamJMAN00793
teen, 18 years old
 
A fun game for older tweens and younger teens
In Mercenaries you work for the UN and try to kill or capture high ranking military officials for cash. While there is killing through out the game there is no blood or gore and you are also encouraged to capture your targets instead of kill them because you twice as much money for a capture. You can kill civilians but you are charged a heavy fine every time you do. There is little language in the game only a very rare d or h-word. Over all a fun game for older tweens and young teens.

mrmom
parent of 10 year old
 
This game is great. Although you kill many people, not for a cause just to get a quick buck,the game isnt exactly violent, you dont realy get close up to kill, and your enemys dont scream unless you shoot them in a non-leatal area, like the leg.

erik252
teen, 15 years old
 
wow there is somthing that is not right if this is no kids i thought iy was e the first time i played it

Pirate fan
parent of 18 year old
 
Perfect for 8+
I lke this game but first of all i played the ps2 version which is the same story. I think the game has some voilence in but the way people look at this game makes me angry. I cant people say this is not for kids when kids are playing shooter games just like this but a lot more voilent. First it is no where near Grand Thef Auto. Second all you do is run around making contracts with people saying you wont kill them and there is no blood. This game is perfect for kids who understand killing is bad.

skatetop
teen, 14 years old
 
This Game Is Fantastic And Fun Like Crazy!
How did this get 17+???? Just look at mercenaires 2 review! ITS 14+!!! And the second one is even worse than the first one. In the second one you can throw a gennade in a tank hole and a guy will scream in pain when in explodes but that doesnt happen in the first one!

 
A grate game for kids over the age of 16
a strong game with alot of violance for profit an sweet game when you get passed the anomated violance. its fun to pass time and an easey one to play.

hesser999
teen, 15 years old
 
Great, ever-lasting fun loaded game but not for young kids...
This game you might have to kill or destroy for money. The whole point of th game is money so you have to do these destructive missions. It isnt very graphic and includes no blood what so ever. But there is lots of killing and destruction. The player controls the amount of death though by picking certain missions ut eventually they will have to complete every one.

pacustary
teen, 16 years old
 
Awsome game not very bad for the "kiddies"
The violence is only shooting your enemies in an international war. there is no blood, the enemies die then the blood is replaced with yellow dust. the language isn't horrible. you don't kill for money, you lose money for damaging things and killing civilians and the factions mood towards you is changed so they dislike you a little less, so that goes for education. your main enemy is north korea. there are cheat that you unlock to change to people like han solo and indiana jones. yes you do deystroy things and kill but it is war so it is like what really happens in life. OK, i know your thinking "he's just a kid he doesn't know what he's talking about." your wrong i have the game and i wouldn't lie online. This is not as bad as the site says.

koslegoman
teen, 15 years old
 
I just don't find it that enjoyable. but are they carzy, "Not for kids" its rated t????

 
pretty bad for T ....
Well the first is a little worst than the #2 but its a pretty bad teen game becase its a free lace game just like grand theft auto but your in north korea and just like grand theft auto you can hijack cars helicopters and any thing you want, and you can kill anyone you want any civilians,gangsters,mobsters,soldiers or you can blow up any buildings you want. you can also work for the russian mob,or china,south korea or americans just like grand theft working for differnt gangs, also there is very little blood but constant explosions and killing pepole you probobly kill over 200k pepole plus throw the game and the language is pretty mild the worst it gets is s--t i think but for sex theres no problem drugs nope but the main thing is your getting payed to kill pepole..

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ON: Content is 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