 | 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. |
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
- Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows, PlayStation 2
- Price: $59.99
- Genre: Third-person shooter
Common Sense Media says
An exciting and explosive open-world shooter.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this game is chock full of violence, and it encourages players to pull off outlandish stunts to take out enemies. Hundreds of weapons are at your disposal, as well as air strikes, tanks, and other items. The main character's motives aren't heroic either, as his main goal is to pad his bank accounts. However, the violence is neither bloody or gory. While players can kill civilians, they are penalized for the casualties. Players can also take the action online, a feature Common Sense Media doesn't recommend for kids under age 12.
What's it about?
MERCENARIES 2: WORLD IN FLAMES is the equivalent of a summer action flick, with over-the-top explosions and outrageous stunts. The sequel to the original Mercenaries shifts from one hotspot, Korea, to another: Venezuela. Your main goal is to thwart the country's dictator who recently seized control in a government coup. To find this dictator, you must establish relationships with different factions and complete contract jobs to gather more information. You'll also earn cash to bolster your private military company.
To assist in this quest, you'll recruit a support staff to help you hone your shooting skills, drop off supplies, and transport you from dangerous spots. You can also purchase items from the myriad of groups, including an oil firm and a Venezuelan rebel faction. If the action proves too tough alone, you can engage in missions through online cooperative play, a first for the franchise. Not only is the environment open-world, but fully destructible. Let's say you need to take out a sniper perched in a tower. You can pull out an assault rifle and kill your foe, or grab C-4 explosives and blow the tower to bits.
Is it any good?
The visuals of a building crumbling to the ground as smoke seeps through the wreckage are incredible. The vibrant explosions pack a ton of punch. And managing the bevy of options and weapons is easily handled through your PDA. Here, you can choose your missions, navigate the landscape with GPS, and sort out your stockpile of support options. These vary from bombing runs to tank and supply drops. Beyond the main missions, you can partake in a series of side quests. These fall under two main categories: Destroy a specific target or capture a high-value official.
As exhilarating as the action is, the game exhibits some unusual quirks. Enemies don't act aggressive enough when in small groups. They will shoot for a couple seconds, then stop long enough for you to recover and finish them off. Your character seems to have a rough time moving between trees or other foliage, as if you're in quicksand. While lacking a bit of technical polish, Mercenaries 2 compensates by creating an invigorating battle environment.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about the game's open-world style. Is this type of games more entertaining than ones with a specific, linear storyline? Do you like playing this game online better than alone?
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Kid, 11 years old
September 26, 2009
AGE
Perfect for any kid who understands war.
I think this game is one of the best i've ever played, and should not be thought of as a bad game, just because it's called Mercenaries. VERY FUN!
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Teen, 13 years old
July 5, 2009
AGE
Fine for kids over 11
Great game for kids about 11+. Yeah, you hear a few swear words every once in a while, but where do kids 11+ not hear swearing? School, TV, and video games are associated with "bad words", so just face it. Being a teen gamer myself, I would be comfortable having my mom watching me play the game, and my mom is VERY VERY strict. Overall, good game.
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Teen, 13 years old
July 30, 2009
AGE
it think that this game is too violent but not for kids under 13
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Teen, 15 years old
July 3, 2009
AGE
4 stars
its good i really dont think its that bad compared a lot of other games
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Kid, 11 years old
April 24, 2011
AGE
ok the game is fun to play but parents wont let kids play. when i was ten i played it you can turn the blood off but not the language. if you dont like the language turn the sound off its not that hard
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Teen, 13 years old
July 2, 2010
AGE
Really fun and it never gets old. Is very violent though.
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Teen, 13 years old
April 15, 2010
AGE
like a military toned down version of grand theif auto
first of all this game is a grand theif auto style game and whene i say that i meen its a sandbox game not a game with sex swearing and all that stuff.the game has plenty of violence but no blood and gore. you can hijack cars helicopters and boats and your charector does it in a violent way,like reepydetly smashing a door on a guys head but it is just a game.the swearings not that bad,you will still here a couple of uses of a$$ and hell or damb. one character carrys a cigar around in his mouth.over all its like a military toned down version of grand theif auto
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Adult
August 20, 2011
AGE
Hidden Depth
I've been a mercs fan for awhile. Most reviews I've read are spot on, my favorite calling it the Military Grand Theft Auto. There are parental concerns, most of them covered by the title. However I've found that the game explores a lot of Sociological themes, ecspecially in places where war is an issue. You have the Oil Company Mercenaries that are a major faction, that its self dares to say a lot more than most people dare to do about a serious issue going on right now. There are the native forces that are trying to over throw the new, dicatorship that has formed in Venezula. Later the game introduces the Allies, a not so subtle parody of UN troops, who are antagonized by the Chinese. To me that's a prediction of something most people haven't thought about until recently. Not to mention this game is a few years old. While I'm not saying it's a text book, I do believe that this game has deeper themes than most people give it credit for.
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Teen, 14 years old
May 23, 2010
AGE
Fine for any one 10 and up.
the game was fun but it did have some bad parts, like smoking.
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Teen, 14 years old
December 19, 2009
AGE
Anbody over 11.
Good game.
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| Platforms: | Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows, PlayStation 2 |
| Available online? | Available online |
| Genre: | Third-person shooter |
| Developer: | Electronic Arts |
| Release date: | August 31, 2008 |
| Price: | $59.99 |
| ESRB rating: | T for Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence (PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360) |
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