Trenches

Common Sense Media says

Fun WWI strategy game, but multiplayer raises concerns.

Age(i)

2
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Quality(i)

 
(i)
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What parents need to know

Ease of play

There's a lot going on in a small space here and it can get confusing. The game has a thorough tutorial, but many of the words are compressed and illegible, which will leave newcomers to this sort of game baffled.

Violence

The game is set during World War I and you're tasked with fighting in the trenches of Western Europe. Weapons include guns, bombs, and poison gas. Characters die frequently on screen, but there is no blood or screams.

Sex
Not applicable
Language
Not applicable
Consumerism

Some links within the app take you out of the game and into the app store where the publisher's other products are offered for sale.

Drinking, drugs, & smoking
Not applicable
Privacy & safety

Minor privacy concerns. The game can connect to Apple's Game Center so that players can post achievements to leaderboards and play against others.

The game connects to Apple's Game Center for multiplayer matches, letting you play with friends or strangers, but no personal information is exchanged. The game supports voice chat, though, so children could potentially be exposed to inappropriate language or suggestions.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Trenches is an action/strategy game set in World War I that casts the player as British forces pitted against the Germans. There are several gameplay modes: campaign, which features three levels of difficulty; skirmish, which lets you set up battles; and multiplayer, which pits you against friends and strangers. This last mode raises some alarms, as children could voice chat with strangers. Weapons in the game are pretty standard for a war game: Guns, bombs, and poison gas. It might sound bad, but the game is presented with cartoon soldiers and does not feature any blood or screams. The action, though, can get intense and is not appropriate for young children. 

 

 

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Kids say

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AGE
12
QUALITY
 
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Is it any good?

QUALITY
 

Trenches is a wonderfully designed game that can be a heck of a lot of fun to play. There's a lot happening on screen, but the developers do a fairly good job of making it accessible to players. The game doesn't take long to finish on its easy and moderate modes, but does have some replayability -- and rewards a player's victory by unlocking a zombie horde mode,
which pits players against a never-ending wave of comedically undead German
soldiers. The inclusion of multiplayer is a great addition for adults, giving them a chance to pit their skills against others and giving the game a longer lifespan, but it opens up a lot of concerns for children. And some people may find the gameplay a bit too repetitive for their tastes. Still, for its 99-cent asking price, it's a great option for older teens and adults. 

App details

Devices:iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
Price:$0.99
Release date:February 2, 2011
Category:Strategy Games
Publisher:Thunder Game Works
Version:1.9.1
Minimum software requirements:iOS 3.0 or later

This review of Trenches was written by

Chris Morris

About our rating system

  • 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 of any age.

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Quality

Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Learning ratings

  • Best: Really engaging, great learning approach.
  • Very Good: Engaging, good learning approach.
  • Good: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
  • Fair: Somewhat engaging, okay learning approach.
  • Not for Learning: Not recommended for learning.
  • Not for Kids: Not age-appropriate for kids; not recommended for learning.

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Teen, 13 years old Written byiBanih April 3, 2011
AGE
12
QUALITY
 

Great

What other families should know
Too much violence
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