Those of you who have been visiting our site for a while may remember my joy when I received the demo of the PSP God of War title last October. Well, as of yesterday, I finished the full version of the game and I really enjoyed it!

First - this title is rated “M” by the ESRB and it recommended for players 17+ years of age. (For more information about the ratings system, feel free to read our article or visit their site.) Having said this, you may find that it’s acceptable for your teen, but you need to make that call. It is a violent action-adventure title with some interesting puzzle elements. The title begins in ancient Greece amidst the backdrop of the Persian war, but takes you into the underworld and has you battling gorgons, cyclops, basilisks, and others (without giving too much away). It is gory, but appropriately for a Spartan fighting foes in this context. There is some occasional female nudity (some of the goddesses are bare-chested). But I found nothing in the game that seemed out-of-place considering the subject matter.

Having said that, this game is a blast! In fact, I found its references to particular figures of Greek mythology inspiration to crack open an old college textbook to re-read a few of the myths. The game developers have modified the stories slightly to include the protagonist as a factor in these events. Using these familiar characters and events as the setting for their story grants a familiarity to the experience without spoiling anything.

From a presentation point, God of War: Chains of Olympus does an extraordinary job of conveying a sense of immenseness that I wasn’t expecting from a handheld screen. In many ways, this experience is every bit as impressive as the original two God of War titles for the PlayStation2. However, the one area in which this game is not immense is its length. This is the only criticism that I have for the game. It took me less than 10 hours to complete the story. But don’t let this stop you from considering this game.

I would much rather have a short game that feels complete, well constructed, and provides a unique experience than a longer game that includes a number of redundant tasks and repeated environments. I cannot emphasize how impressive the environments are in this game. And the sense of wonder when you witness the titans in chains is practically disarming.

Two of my favorite games of the last decade are Ico and Beyond Good and Evil. They both were critically acclaimed titles that many thought were too short. I would gladly put Chains of Olympus in their company - short but sweet. And oh so sweet it was. In fact, I’ll probably play it again at a higher difficulty before I put it back in the case for a while.

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A fact that seems to have slipped past Blogger Kevin McCullough. This lack of insight appears to have fueled his attack on the Xbox 360 game Mass Effect in this poorly written and grossly inaccurate rant. We became aware of this disturbing piece of “journalism” thanks to this post at Game Politics. I do not want to waste the space to quote from McCullough’s piece and point out the numerous misrepresentations. As it is, Game Politics did an impressive job of restraining themselves and limiting their selections. Suffice it to say that McCullough has so many mistakes in his story that once they’re removed, there isn’t much of an article left.

What is of relevance to us here is that this individual is apparently outraged at some mature content in a videogame. So much so that he doesn’t look close enough to see that the game is clearly targeted to an audience of 17+ years and that the 30 second risque scene is less graphic than what appears on most mature television dramas these days.

I appreciate any attempts to help us parents make informed decisions about content to which our children should have access. However, when the discussion becomes slanderous and seems to encourage censorship I have to question the true motivation of the writer.

In our households, we still need to ”baby-proof” things. The thought of a razor blade left in one of the kids’ rooms sends shivers down our spines. But what McCullough did here was like trying to have the local pharmacy shut down because they sell razor blades in their shaving department. And, in his horror to realize this, he chose to call them nuclear-powered and said that they would kill on contact. (My father will roll his eyes when he reads this and say, “All analogies are suspect,” but I couldn’t help it.)

Here at Game Apparent we’ve said it before and we’ll be saying it for years to come. Not all games are for kids. This is one of the reasons that we decided to create this site. If there’s ever a question, you ALWAYS have resources at your disposal:

• Check the ESRB rating for the game.
• Post a question in our Forums.
• Email us directly - Chris or Ted.
• Visit our friends at Gamer Dad and search their site for a review.

We’re all in this together and as long as we have the proper tools, we can make informed decisions on behalf of our families.

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This brief article in the San Diego Union Tribune tells of a two-month undercover survey conducted by the National Institute on Media and Family. With the help of a number of youth organizations throughout the United States, they found that out of 60 stores nationwide, 47% sold “M” rated games to “teens younger than 18.”

First things first. If this means that these retailers are selling these games to 16-year-olds and under, then this is a problem that should be addressed. Retailers need to take a more active role in training their staff to properly identify whether or not their prospective customers are old enough to purchase said title. However, if this study is including 17-year-olds in this group, then we have a failure to communicate on a different level.

The ESRB rating “M” for Mature states that a game is intended for an audience who is 17+ years. By definition, these individuals may be minors (if they are not yet 18) and still be able to purchase the game. If this age seems an awkward cut-off point, keep in mind that it matches the age for entering an “R” rated movie without a parent or legal guardian.

Either way, retailers and parents need to be aware of the titles our children are buying and playing.

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Yesterday I received an envelope in the mail. (See picture at the left.) It contained a long-awaited demo version of the new PSP title God of War: Chains of Olympus. The cover states that an ESRB rating has yet to be assigned (”RP”). However, I can virtually guarantee after playing it through that it will be a mature title. This is not incongruous with the two previous God of War games released on the PlayStation 2.

First, allow me to say that this is not a game for children. Having said that, young adults may find this a truly entertaining title. It’s an action adventure that puts the player in the shoes (sandals?) of a spartan warrior with unearthly power who has been charged by the gods (polytheistic  intended - think ancient Greece) to wreak vengeance on their behalf. The graphics are truly impressive for a handheld gaming system. Although, I believe that the PlayStation Portable has continued to shine in this area. Sadly, it is usually at the expense of loading times.

With that aside, the only minor disappointment with the gaming experience was the occasional slow-down. I don’t know if this will be corrected in the final release or if this is just the best that the system can handle. Either way, it isn’t a deal-breaker. The fact is that Chains of Olympus looks extraordinary. The environments are rich and vivid and the battlefield gives you a real sense of enormity. Though it’s definitely a more mature title, I’d heartily recommend this for the older members of your family. The developer, Ready at Dawn, appears to have truly captured what the console originals offered in a portable form.

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We’re going to introduce you to a very important tool today. This is the Entertainment Software Ratings Board label. You can find the description of each of their classifications here on their website. This label is printed on the front and back of all games to let consumers know who the intended audience is for the title. For example, if you wanted to take your 5-year-old to a movie, you’d probably avoid the “R” rated options. Similarly, you wouldn’t want to buy him/her an “M” rated game.

You’ll find the label on the lower left corner on the front of a game as well as repeated on the lower right corner of the back. You will notice that on the back, they provide further information to clarify the rating. In the case of this title, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the ESRB notes the following reasons why it is intended for an audience of at least 17 years:

One of the greatest challenges we have as parents is to recognize that the preconception, “Videogames are just for kids,” is no longer valid. We have seen a similar maturation of content in almost every entertainment industry. All media including books, magazines, popular music, movies, and television provide options which are not intended for children. Even comic books are no longer an easy choice for kids. We must not assume that something is appropriate for a child because it’s a game or a comic. As parents we need to filter what our children consume until they’re old enough to make that decision for themselves.

The fact is that there are no absolutes. As our children grow, we must actively discuss these options and it is only through listening to them that we can determine when they may be ready for certain experiences. As parents, this will always be one of our greatest challenges…but the rewards are beyond measure.

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