Parents' Guide to

Battlefield Heroes

By Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Free-to-play online shooter is cartoonish but still violent.

Game Windows 2009
Battlefield Heroes Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • Battlefield Heroes Game: Screenshot #1
  • Battlefield Heroes Game: Screenshot #2
  • Battlefield Heroes Game: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 2 parent reviews

TIGGERFTW
TIGGERFTW Adult
January 21, 2013
age 10+

I'm 18, this is for parents.

My 8 year old brother plays this game and as far as the core-game content goes, kids could play this and be just fine (I'm 18 years old and I had a little bit of fun). Now when I say "core-game content," I mean the basis of what the game is. It has mild cartoon violence, but contains no blood, gore, or dramatic death scenes. However, if you look at the ratings for online games like this closely they will say something along the lines of, "content and interactions in online game play are NOT RATED by the ESRB." This is because the game's developers and the game rating agencies such as the Entertainment Software Rating Board cannot tell you how the people your children will play with online will be as appropriate as the game was intended to be. This is to say that some of these kids have a mouth on them reminiscent of R. Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket, and some might not even be kids. In the few times I've played or watched my younger brother play this game, its not long before I start to see some stars in the in game chat bar (the plus-side being the game has a censorship system and censors out all inappropriate words or phrases, any variations, and all the "tricks" people use to get around them). Similarly, you always find the guy who gets angry and calls others names, whether their intentions are malicious or in a playful nature. I know these things because I myself do it on other games. In my opinion, the most worrisome issue a parent might have would be their financial security. If your child does not use a credit/debit/etc. card to purchase credits to buy different characters, weapons, outfits, etc. in the game, then you should be fine. If your child does use one however, pay attention to your finances because you rarely should fear a hacker, you should fear your own child unknowingly purchasing things (my brother has done this). When someone says someone is "hacking" or is a "hacker" in the game, this simply means they are using something of a cheat code to get ahead in the game which is against the rules. I'm not a parent, just an observant older brother, so I can't tell you how to parent your children. I'm just here to educate.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much swearing
game watcher
game watcher Adult
June 5, 2010
age 11+
i love this game for my son because, its o.k. for his age, there is NO blood, and safty and swearing is not a problem.
See all 2 parent reviews

What’s It About?

BATTLEFIELD HEROES is an online third-person shooter that has players creating a character, choosing weapons and abilities, and then venturing out into large maps filled with working vehicles and gun turrets. It has much in common with other games in the Battlefield series, right down to the core objective of capturing and holding strategic points of the map. That said, it has a sense of humor lacking from previous entries in the series. In fact, thanks to a cartoonish aesthetic -- complete with goofy character costumes and animations -- and some outlandish abilities, like being able to sit on the wing of a plane while it’s in flight, the action is sometimes downright light-hearted. This game has been released under EA’s new Play 4 Free business model, which means it is completely free; there are no registration or subscription fees. And while there is a store that sells virtual items such as equipment and clothing, players need not make any so-called “micro-transactions” to grow their characters and remain competitive in the game. Most of these items can be purchased with points earned simply by playing.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (20):

Even if it weren’t free, Battlefield Heroes would still be easy to recommend. From its impressive cel-shaded graphics to its surprisingly deep character customization options, it feels more professional and polished than many boxed retail games. Plus, it sports a decidedly light-hearted atmosphere -- a rarity for a military-themed game. That’s not to say that it’s a good choice for pre-teens -- players still spend much of their time engaged in activities such as shooting and driving over enemies -- but the Loony Tunes-ish vibe makes it a good choice for older players hankering to play a shooter without the blood and gore typically associated with the genre. The only real issues we encountered while playing were technical in nature. With over a million players currently slamming EA's Battlefield Heroes servers, it can be difficult to join a game. And even if you do manage to get in, play is often bogged down by excessive lag. However, assuming EA can remedy its server problems, this is one shooter worth checking out -- all the more because it doesn’t cost so much as a penny.

Online interaction: Players play in teams and communicate with one another via a text message system designed to automatically weed out common spellings of popular obscenities. However, the system doesn’t stop words with creative spellings or clean but abusive messages.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Battlefield Heroes’ cartoonish and light-hearted artistic design makes it feel less gritty than many other shooters, despite the fact that it shares the same basic objectives, mechanics, and controls as most games in its genre. Do you think graphics alone can have an impact on the age appropriateness of a game? Do you feel that this game has been properly rated by the ESRB?

  • Families can also discuss the appeal of free-to-play games and the micro-transaction systems that typically go along with them. If you really enjoy a free game, are you more likely to spend money on virtual items? Do you feel like you are at a disadvantage without them? Did you feel the need to buy virtual items while playing Battlefield Heroes?

Game Details

  • Platform: Windows
  • Available online?: Available online
  • Publisher: Electronic Arts
  • Release date: June 20, 2009
  • Genre: Third-Person Shooter
  • ESRB rating: T for Violence, Tobacco Reference
  • Last updated: March 21, 2019

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