Yes and no. As with the million unit-selling Resident Evil: TheUmbrella Chronicles, this arcade shooter is on "rails" -- therefore the player only controls the gun and not the player ...
Common Sense Reviewer
- Marc Saltzman
- 3 kids: ages 5, 7, 7
About Me
What My Kids Love Now
My boys like collecting and playing Bakugan and Pokemon. For games, my eldest finished Monsters vs. Aliens and is close to defeating ExciteBots: Trick Racing. My three kids also like Club Penguin.
House Rules
My wife and I either play the games or watch the DVDs before we let our kids have access to them, but we've had luck with ratings systems as a guide, too. In many cases we do it with them at first.
When the Kids Are Asleep…
Titles You’ve Reviewed
Game: Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles
I rate this titlenokidsand give itDecent but extremely violent horror/first-person shooter.
Game: Assassin's Creed II
I rate this titlenokidsand give itViolence, sex, & revenge make this epic game not for kids.
Yes, indeed, but as the name of the game suggests, parents need to be aware of the strong violence in Assassin's Creed II, as well as its sexual references and profanity (please read our ...
Game: New Super Mario Bros. Wii
I rate this titleonand give itFab, ingenious remake is a classic for both old, new fans.
This game is absolutely fabulous. If any game this year can bring together family or friends in front of the same television, it's this "Everyone"-rated title that's easy to pick up but ...
Game: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
I rate this titlenokidsand give itMature shooter with controversial terrorist mission.
Yes, it is a very good game, but it's realistic portrayal of violence means parents need to take heed to the "Mature" rating (for players 17 years and older). The game's intriguing ...
Game: Dragon Age: Origins
I rate this titlenokidsand give itDeep but very violent fantasy role-playing game.
Yes! But this third-person epic isn't flawless. Five years in the making, this RPG shows its age. Compared to many other video games today, the characters, animation and special effects look dated ...
Game: Band Hero
I rate this titleonand give itGreat party game for music-loving families.
Yes, but it’s no secret the market is saturated with these rhythm games -- not to mention family rooms piled high with plastic peripherals. But Band Hero attempts to stand out in its ...
Game: Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony
I rate this titlenokidsand give itHighly provocative expansion with drugs, sex, and killing.
If you liked Grand Theft Auto IV, then you’ll love The Ballad of Gay Tony. It offers more memorable characters, ...
Game: DJ Hero
I rate this titleonand give itFun, tricky music mash-up game with turntable controller.
DJ Hero is very good, but it's not a cakewalk. Patience and practice -- and choosing the right difficulty level for you (out of a total of five) -- will ensure you'll have a good time with ...
Game: Forza Motorsport 3
I rate this titleiffyand give itExtraordinarily good racing game -- but has open chat.
Easily the finest racing game of the year. Racing fans waiting for a thrilling racing sim with all the trimmings won't be disappointed with this deep driving simulator. In addition to multiple ...
Game: Brutal Legend
I rate this titlenokidsand give itJack Black as funny rocker roadie, but expect gory violence.
Yes, BRUTAL LEGEND is a blast, not just because it delivers a fresh balance of fantasy adventure, humor, and great music (er, if you're into hard rock, that is), but it also successfully borrows ...
Game: Saw
I rate this titlenokidsand give itAtmospheric horror game with gory, sadistic gameplay.
Sounds like the ingredients of a bone-chilling interactive entertainment experience, right? Not quite. The good news is the atmosphere is terrific (including incredible voice acting), some of ...
Game: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
I rate this titleonand give itExtraordinarily fun, cinematic, Indy Jones-type adventure.
Absolutely. On par with any Hollywood action film -- and perhaps even superior to many of them -- this video game delivers terrific dialogue (with some of the best lip-synching in a game to date), ...
