Common Sense Media Review
By Marc Saltzman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Horrible, poorly made game has disturbing content.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 18+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Hatred
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 21 parent reviews
Parents say the game is extremely violent and edgy, often feeling like it's designed solely to provoke outrage rather than offer any meaningful gameplay, making it unsuitable for anyone under 18. While a few reviews mention its potential as a stress reliever for adults, the overwhelming consensus is that its brutal content and lack of engaging features make it a poor choice, whether for children or even older gamers looking for quality entertainment.
- extreme violence
- not for kids
- poorly made
- edgy content
- stress reliever
- fun shooter
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 16 kid reviews
Kids say the game is excessively violent and filled with strong language, sparking significant concern among parents and critics about its impact on younger audiences. While some players argue that it serves as a form of stress relief and can be compared to titles like GTA, many believe it lacks context and promotes harmful behavior, making it unsuitable for minors.
- extreme violence
- not suitable for minors
- lack of context
- potential stress relief
- mixed opinions
Summarized with AI
What's It About?
Created by the aptly named Destructive Creations, HATRED is an angled top-down shooter for Windows PC. Instead of being the hero and saving the world, you're a cold-blooded villain roaming suburban New York and New Jersey. Full of hatred for humanity, your goal is to murder as many people as possible -- including law-enforcement officials and innocent civilians -- using guns, bombs, a flamethrower, and other weapons. The dark action shooter utilizes a "dual-stick" control mechanic, so one hand (on a game controller or keyboard) moves the protagonist (antagonist?) on seven somewhat nonlinear and free-roaming levels, while the other hand aims and fires the weapons to inflict as much death and destruction as possible. The developer says they wanted to create an unadulterated game that went against political correctness and innocent civilians and "makes no excuses."
Is It Any Good?
No, this game isn't good at all. It's not even because of the morally reprehensible actions and assigned "kill count" -- after all, some inappropriate games such as the Grand Theft Auto series can actually be engaging and entertaining for mature players -- but Hatred fails because of its basic, short gameplay and myriad technical problems that mar the overall experience. In fact, the game won't even work with some PCs, confirmed by the developer: "[T]he game won't launch on 32-bit systems"; "the game won't launch without Service Pack 1 for Windows 7"; and "We are aware of serious problems with AMD processors or ATI graphics cards." So, why release the game?
Along with the simple multidirectional shooting mechanic, the game includes some optional controllable vehicles -- though they're not very easy to maneuver through the streets -- and gameplay is as repetitive as the level design. Tougher enemies appear more than halfway throughout the game, but they don't really add much (more grenades might come in handy here). Even though it's based on the powerful and versatile Unreal Engine 4 engine, Hatred is visually mediocre. Purposely, the game is dark -- even black-and-white on some levels -- and whatever added detail the characters and environments have isn't very noticeable. Or maybe it's the fact most levels look more or less the same? In short, steer clear of Hatred. It's painfully clear the developer was more concerned about provoking a reaction than creating a good game.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the impact of violence in video games such as Hatred. Why do games like this exist? Are they made purely for entertainment's sake? Since many customer reviews are positive, why do you think there's an appetite for this kind of stuff?
Discuss your feelings, particularly anger. How do you handle being angry? Do you always succeed in handling your emotions? Are there ways you can be more expressive in a positive way?
Game Details
- Platform : Windows
- Pricing structure : Paid
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : Destructive Creations
- Release date : June 1, 2015
- Genre : Third-Person Shooter
- Topics : Adventures
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : December 11, 2025
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