Parents' Guide to

History Channel Civil War: Secret Missions

By Mark Raby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Captivating recreation of Civil War has tempered violence.

Game PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360 2008
History Channel Civil War: Secret Missions Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • History Channel Civil War: Secret Missions Game: Screenshot #1
  • History Channel Civil War: Secret Missions Game: Screenshot #2
  • History Channel Civil War: Secret Missions Game: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 10+

Based on 1 parent review

parent1035
parent1035 Parent
November 27, 2013
age 10+

it is for 10 years olds

it is not that bad really

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 1 parent review

What’s It About?

History Channel Civil War: Secret Missions puts players right in the middle of the action during the American Civil War. As a soldier of the union forces, players fight their way through missions that are based on actual battles from the 1860s. At the beginning of every mission, the game provides players with historical context and information about the task they are about to undertake. The game also contains a vast wealth of information, trivia, and tidbits about the Civil War, making this game more about understanding what it must have been like to be on the front lines during the tumultuous time in American history, rather than trying to be an overtly violent war simulation game.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (1):

Playing through HISTORY CHANNEL CIVIL WAR: SECRET MISSIONS is a unique experience. Although it's a first-person shooter (FPS), it's very different than what most gamers have come to expect that term to mean. Because it's set a century and a half in the past, there are no advanced weapons; players are aiming their targeting crosshairs to fire old-fashioned rifles and muskets rather than the high-powered machine guns, giant bazookas, and nuclear rockets that have become synonymous with the FPS genre. In addition, the game provides a more fulfilling experience because of the faithful recreation of the Civil War, with no gory or gratuitous twists thrown in.

The graphics leave something to be desired, and the control scheme is not as well laid out as some of the more popular FPS titles, but this game provides a hands-on way to learn about American history. History buffs, as well as those who should buff up on their history, will walk away from this game completely satisfied.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the violence in this game, and about the real-life violence that it is recreating. Why do wars exist, and do they ever justify the violence they create?

  • Families might consider attending a Civil War recreation and then comparing that to what is shown in this game.

Game Details

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