Common Sense Media Review
By Christopher Healy
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Creative use of the DSi camera in mild alien shooter.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
System Flaw
What's It About?
In SYSTEM FLAW, the world is being invaded by tiny nano-creatures. The beastly little things are flying all around us, but invisible to the naked eye. You, the player, are given a special device (your DSi), through which you alone can see the aliens -- and blast them to oblivion. The game takes place in wherever you decide to play it, as you patrol your real environment, following a radar to find the nano-monsters that may be on your bed, in your kitchen sink, or hovering around your brother's head.
Is It Any Good?
The concept of System Flaw is spectacularly unique. By using the DSi as both a viewer and a weapon, you're forced to move around constantly. The game takes place in three dimensions, so you're not just shifting the DSi left and right, but aiming it up and down as well. And spinning around in 360 degrees. There are even some monsters whose attacks you need to dodge -- physically. The action is fast and frantic, and while you can argue that the graphics are less than state-of-the-art, there's no denying that the System Flaw experience is a wildly fascinating one unlike anything video gamers have seen before.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the concept of "enhanced reality" games. How does it affect your playing experience if you feel like you're really in the game? Could there be negative effects? In this game in particular, do you like the idea of fighting aliens in your own home, rather than in some computer-generated landscape? Or does that make this game a little off-putting?
This is a shooter game where you are killing little blob-like aliens. How does this violence compare to other violent media?
Game Details
- Platform : Nintendo DSi
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Storm City Games
- Release date : December 2, 2009
- Genre : First-Person Shooter
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : February 15, 2023
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