Parents' Guide to

Gears of War: Judgment

By Marc Saltzman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Bloody sci-fi shoot 'em up is laced with profanity.

Game Xbox 360 2013
Gears of War: Judgment Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • Gears of War: Judgment Game: Screenshot #1
  • Gears of War: Judgment Game: Screenshot #2
  • Gears of War: Judgment Game: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 5 parent reviews

pickoleslove
pickoleslove Adult
April 3, 2015
age 9+

good game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

their is f**k s**t and a**h*le but u can turn blood and gore and language off their is a setting that say mature content so ok for 10 and up.

This title has:

Great role models
Easy to play/use
Too much violence
Too much swearing
keith7198
keith7198 Parent
September 19, 2013
age 18+

Great action, story, & content filter

"Gears: Judgement" is an interesting installment into the "Gears of War" franchise. It features two seperate stories - one brand new and the other a continuation from the "Gear of War 3" storyline. The new story is fantastic with an amazing new look to the graphics. The gameplay is also crisp and fun. Multi-player verses and co-op is back making this a nice package for Gears fans. CONTENT SUMMARY: I've always applauded the "Gears of War" games for offering kids and adults CHOICE. There is a blood and gore filter and a strong language filter which allows for you to tailor the game to your preferences. It has been a work in progress since the first Gears game and this may be the best one. Why more companys don't do this is beyond me. The filter works wonders. Without the filter be warned. There is plenty of strong profanity and the blood and gore is heavy. Body parts fly from grenades and chainsaws and blood flows from the barrages of bullets. It earns its "M" rating. But again, if that's not what you want you can turn it off in the options menu. It's a great feature.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much swearing
See all 5 parent reviews

What’s It About?

Set a few years before the events of the original Gears of War trilogy, GEARS OF WAR: JUDGMENT focuses on a troop of human soldiers led by Damon Baird and Augustus “The Cole Train” Cole, who are joined by other newcomers, Sofia Hendrick and Garron Paduk. Their goal? Protect the besieged coastal city of Halvo Bay from a vicious, relentless new alien threat. Along with this new campaign that takes gamers back to the immediate aftermath of Emergence Day -- the moment the Locust creatures began their attack on humanity -- Gears of War: Judgment also adds an unlockable side-story called "Aftermath," which links the events of "Judgment" to the original Gears of War trilogy. This new disc also features new cooperative (co-op) and competitive multiplayer modes.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5):
Kids say (8):

Fans of this popular sci-fi action series will like what studios Epic Games and People Can Fly has created here, in both the story (which serves as a prequel to the trilogy) and in the multiplayer department (including new modes that keeps things fresh and exciting). Up to four people can play co-op together, and chat at the same time, over Xbox Live. New to Gears of War: Judgment is "Mission Declassification" system that lets gamers experience more challenging gameplay scenarios (and achievements) by finding key information during the campaign -- which is a nice way to tie the narrative to the action. While still a "stop and pop" third-person shooter, where you're often hiding behind an object to take down an enemy, the action is faster in this new game.

While it's not a flawless offering -- the Aftermath campaign seems like an afterthought and both campaigns only yield 7 or 8 hours of gameplay (short for a $60 title) -- the intensity, new multiplayer modes, and challenge-based rewards all make this title a worthwhile investment for mature shooter fans.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why third-person shooter sci-fi games are so popular: Is it the running and gunning, the battle tactics, or the over-the-top gore? Is it the multiplayer thrill of playing against other humans? Is it the story?

  • Parents can also discuss the impact of media violence.

Game Details

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