Parents' Guide to

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames

By Brett Molina, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

An exciting and explosive open-world shooter.

Game Xbox 360 , PlayStation 3 , Windows , PlayStation 2 2008
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 11+

Based on 7 parent reviews

Tony Parker
Tony Parker Parent
February 14, 2013
age 12+

7 out of 10

Your kids will like it but there's some swearing like d*** and a drunk person

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
DJ Wolfman
DJ Wolfman Adult
August 20, 2011
age 13+

Hidden Depth

I've been a mercs fan for awhile. Most reviews I've read are spot on, my favorite calling it the Military Grand Theft Auto. There are parental concerns, most of them covered by the title. However I've found that the game explores a lot of Sociological themes, ecspecially in places where war is an issue. You have the Oil Company Mercenaries that are a major faction, that its self dares to say a lot more than most people dare to do about a serious issue going on right now. There are the native forces that are trying to over throw the new, dicatorship that has formed in Venezula. Later the game introduces the Allies, a not so subtle parody of UN troops, who are antagonized by the Chinese. To me that's a prediction of something most people haven't thought about until recently. Not to mention this game is a few years old. While I'm not saying it's a text book, I do believe that this game has deeper themes than most people give it credit for.

This title has:

Educational value
Too much violence
See all 7 parent reviews

What’s It About?

MERCENARIES 2: WORLD IN FLAMES is the equivalent of a summer action flick, with over-the-top explosions and outrageous stunts. The sequel to the original Mercenaries shifts from one hotspot, Korea, to another: Venezuela. Your main goal is to thwart the country's dictator who recently seized control in a government coup. To find this dictator, you must establish relationships with different factions and complete contract jobs to gather more information. You'll also earn cash to bolster your private military company.

To assist in this quest, you'll recruit a support staff to help you hone your shooting skills, drop off supplies, and transport you from dangerous spots. You can also purchase items from the myriad of groups, including an oil firm and a Venezuelan rebel faction. If the action proves too tough alone, you can engage in missions through online cooperative play, a first for the franchise. Not only is the environment open-world, but fully destructible. Let's say you need to take out a sniper perched in a tower. You can pull out an assault rifle and kill your foe, or grab C-4 explosives and blow the tower to bits.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7 ):
Kids say (28 ):

The visuals of a building crumbling to the ground as smoke seeps through the wreckage are incredible. The vibrant explosions pack a ton of punch. And managing the bevy of options and weapons is easily handled through your PDA. Here, you can choose your missions, navigate the landscape with GPS, and sort out your stockpile of support options. These vary from bombing runs to tank and supply drops. Beyond the main missions, you can partake in a series of side quests. These fall under two main categories: Destroy a specific target or capture a high-value official.

As exhilarating as the action is, the game exhibits some unusual quirks. Enemies don't act aggressive enough when in small groups. They will shoot for a couple seconds, then stop long enough for you to recover and finish them off. Your character seems to have a rough time moving between trees or other foliage, as if you're in quicksand. While lacking a bit of technical polish, Mercenaries 2 compensates by creating an invigorating battle environment.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the game's open-world style. Is this type of games more entertaining than ones with a specific, linear storyline? Do you like playing this game online better than alone?

Game Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate