Common Sense Media Review
By Marc Saltzman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Intense military shooter rewards shots to the head.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Unit 13
What's It About?
Created specifically for Sony's PlayStation Vita portable gaming system, UNIT 13 is a modern-day military shooter played from a third-person perspective. You play as one of six members of a covert military and intelligence group known as \"Unit 13,\" who must complete 45 action- and tactical-heavy missions in a number of indoor and outdoor environments.
Along with the solo campaign, the game supports a two-player cooperative mode over Wi-Fi, which includes full voice chat support via the PSVita's built-in microphone. Unit 13 also features an in-game scoring and rating system, which can be used to compete with others, plus there are daily missions to keep things fresh, as well as rare HVT (\"High Value Target\") challenges.
Is It Any Good?
Unit 13 is a thrilling third-person military shooter that plays like a cross between Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and more "stop and pop" shooting games (like Gears of War 3) that has you hide behind objects, such as walls and crates, and pick the right time to return fire with enemies. While some of the enemy A.I. is questionable, the tense solo missions are varied -- falling into categories like "covert," "deadline," "direct action," and the very tough "elite" -- while the online multiplayer mode, clever scoring system, and leaderboards expands the game's playability and longevity even further.
While not quite as good as Sony's Uncharted: Golden Abyss, this B+ grade PlayStation Vita shooter is fun and frantic. Along with the aforementioned shortcomings, the $40 price tag for this game is also an issue; a mobile game that costs almost as much as a home-based console game is outrageous, so players might want to pick it up as a weekend rental.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why a game like UNIT 13 was rated "Teen" instead of rated "Mature" (for players 17 years of age or older)? Is it because there's no gore or strong profanity in this game? Or should performing headshots and seeing blood warrant an "M" rating, anyway?
What is the impact of violence in video games? Does it matter that you are shooting terrorists versus innocent bystanders?
Game Details
- Platform : PlayStation Vita
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Sony Computer Entertainment
- Release date : March 6, 2012
- Genre : Third-Person Shooter
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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