Common Sense Media Review
By Chad Sapieha
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Extremely violent military shooter starring real Navy SEAL.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 18+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Rogue Warrior
What's It About?
Starring a virtual recreation of real-life war hero and famed U.S. Navy SEAL Richard “Demo Dick” Marcinko, ROGUE WARRIOR is a first-person shooter that tells the story of an American operative behind enemy lines in North Korea and the U.S.S.R. We aren’t told that this was one of Mr. Marcinko’s real experiences, but players are clearly intended to believe that his missions were at least vaguely akin to what we see on screen. This protangonist is an extraordinarily foul-mouthed, vengeance-hungry soldier who clearly takes pleasure in killing his enemies -- especially when gets up close and personal with his knife.
Is It Any Good?
The best part of this thoroughly average shooter is Mickey Rourke, the gravelly-voiced actor who plays our protagonist. He’s given a very limited script with which to work (it seems composed of little more than a string of imaginative obscenities), but he delivers these lines convincingly; it’s easy to believe that we’re listening to a grizzled old soldier. Had he been provided something a bit meatier he might even have managed to give our hero some dimension. Sadly, as is he comes off as little more than an old-school, kill-crazy military guy.
And that might even have been okay had the action proven just a bit more compelling. Unfortunately, the weapons we wield are boring and difficult to aim, level design is bland and repetitive, and our enemies are slow-moving and at times extremely dense. There are plenty of terrific shooters lining store shelves right now. This one just doesn’t measure up.
Online interaction: This game features open voice chat without any form of moderation. Common Sense Media does not recommend open online communication for players under 12 years of age.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Richard “Demo Dick” Marcinko. As the famed founder of real-life Navy SEAL Team Six, he is a real-life war hero, and someone many soldiers admire and respect. Do you think he is realistically portrayed in the game? What sort of an example does he set for players?
Families can also discuss the game’s intense kill moves. Why do some players enjoy seeing such visceral violence? What sort of psychological effect do you think it might have on players who are below the game’s age rating?
Game Details
- Platforms : PlayStation 3 , Windows , Xbox 360
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : Bethesda Softworks
- Release date : December 1, 2009
- Genre : First-Person Shooter
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : August 31, 2016
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