Rift

Name: Rift
Item: Rift
Rating: 4
Author: Michael Lafferty

Game review by

Michael Lafferty, Common Sense Media

Common Sense says

age 15+

(i)

MMO game with fantasy combat and skimpy armor.

Windows
$49.99
2011

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Parents say

age 14+

Based on 3 reviews

Kids say

age 12+

Based on 3 reviews

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X of Y

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A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this game.

Positive Messages

The general theme of Rift is to repel the evil that threatens the world of Telara from power-hungry individuals that have linked with demons. In some areas, players will be greeted warmly, hailed as a hero, and given positive reinforcement for their roles in standing before the invading evil. There are two main factions -- the Guardians and the Defiant -- and though opposed and enemies, each side does have a common enemy in the invasions from the Rifts and the threat of the evil of Regulos.

Positive Role Models & Representations

The game is propelled along by non-playable characters that hold up ideals that are admirable. Though the factions of the Defiant and Guardians seek to accomplish the game's overall goals in different ways, both sides are strong in their convictions and there is not really one side or the other that can be looked at as being evil. The Defiant are a bit darker in appearance, but their goals are similar to those of the Guardians. However, both sides use violence as their means to accomplish many goals.

Ease of Play

The user interface is easy to use, but building up your character's skills can be challenging. The game allows players to choose how to build their character's combat skills by offering eight different roles or styles to choose from. Only three skills can be active, and points earned through leveling can be distributed through the active skill sets.

Violence

The combat is violent, rapidly paced, and includes blood. There is no gore, decapitation, or dismemberment, but players can expect to hear cries of pain when in combat, and there are areas in the game where dead bodies are seen. The weapons used in the game run the gamut of fantasy RPGs with a touch of steampunk, including two-handed swords and axes, daggers, mauls, hammers, polearms, bows, and rifles, as well as mage staffs. When a humanoid target is slashed with a melee weapon such as a blade or axe, there can be a splash of blood, but it evaporates and does not stain the ground. Enemies will make exaggerated falls to the ground when killed.

Sex

The higher in level a player gets, the skimpier some of the armor pieces seem to become. Initially the armor gained covers well, but once past the tutorial zone, cleavage is show on women and some of the armor for men consists of nothing more than straps.

Language

The dialogue of the game comes in two forms -- text and voiced (text comprises the majority of the narrative in the storylines and quests). Words such as "bastard" and "damn" can be heard. There is a censor in place to block players' typed chat in open chat.

Consumerism

This is a MMORG with a monthly subscription fee.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Alcoholic beverages are available for purchase and these are used to provide heals for health and power (or mana) pools. Players will also find steins on the bodies of slain enemies.

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Rift is a massively multiplayer online game with a monthly subscription fee to play in the world of Telara. There is player-versus-environment combat and elements of the game that include player-versus-player battle. The battles can be intense with seemingly hundreds of players onscreen at once during the big invasions. Multiple weapons can be used and there is some blood seen. This game requires a high-end computer (the minimum computer specifications include a dual-core processor, two gigabytes of memory, an nVidia GeForce FX 5900 or ATI/AMD Radeon X300 or better graphics card, and a high-speed Internet connection.)

User Reviews

Parents say
Kids say

Parent of a 15 and 17 year old Written byreviewertimes10 April 2, 2011

age 14+

Great for kids with the maturity to handle an online game.

This game is definitley one of the best mmorpg's out right now. One upside i see for teenagers is the each faction (these are what decide where your charac... Continue reading

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Adult Written byjasonc506 March 11, 2011

age 13+

Fun game for teens and up

This game is one of the best mmorpg's since World of Warcraft. It runs very smooth and has a lot more customization when picking what your character will b... Continue reading

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Teen, 14 years old Written byEbanski July 8, 2011

age 12+

PRETTY COOL I'D SAY

This game is an awesome game. The only thing that annoys me is that you have to pay every month! It is a bit like World of Warcraft (WoW) except it has better g... Continue reading

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Kid, 10 years old June 13, 2015

age 11+

Best MMORPG yet.

RIFT is a fun, action-based game with incredibly mild scenes of blood. The quality is amazing, yet not so realistic that you wince whenever a kill is made. Ther... Continue reading

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What's it about?

Telara, the world of RIFT, is being torn apart by invasions from other planes as well as from the threat of the demonic dragon known as Regulos, who is also seeking to rule the lands. Warrior souls, known collectively as the Ascended, have been brought back by the gods to battle the invasions. But even though the overall goals are the same, the Guardians (those who abstain technology) and the Defiant (those that embrace a sort of steampunk technology) are opposed and will battle each other if the chance permits. You decide to join the ranks of either the Guardians or the Defiant to thwart the attacking evil.

Is it any good?

Rift is a well-designed and entertaining MMO that seems to combine elements from other previously released games and meld them together in a fresh and compelling manner. Crafting may be a touch simple, but the result yields better gear than can be often found on drops from monsters or gained by questing. Players will work through quests and storylines that are entertaining and woven nicely together, and some of the environments are truly visually compelling. Though definitely not for younger players, the older teen and adult MMO players may find this a challenging and enjoyable adventure.

Online interaction: Rift is a massively multiplayer online game that takes place in a persistent world with players running about. Generally, the community is friendly and welcoming, but like any online game, there are a few that like to verbally taunt others and can be rude. The chat censor keeps language from getting out of hand.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about how to stay safe while playing online games.
They can also discuss understanding the difference between the real world and fantasy video-game worlds in terms of violence.
Families might want to discuss how to avoid the pitfalls of becoming addicted and spending too much time playing a game.
Discuss how to get the most value from playing online games.

Game details

Platforms: Windows
Price: $49.99
Available online? Available online
Developer: Trion Worlds
Release date: March 1, 2011
Genre: Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG)
ESRB rating: T for Alcohol Reference, Blood, Mild Language, Violence

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Rift

Common Sense says

Parents say