Suggestions for games of strategy on the Xbox please

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ourmaminhavana
Posts: 966
Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:14 am

Suggestions for games of strategy on the Xbox please

Post by ourmaminhavana »

DS, 12, wants an Xbox for Christmas so he can play Assassin's Creed and COD,allegedly with his friends at school and his best friend from primary:shock: . When I started reading about them there was no possibility that he would have them. I'm now stuck as while we are quite happy to buy him an Xbox, I need to find some decent games of strategy that are not too babyish that he might like to play on it.He currently plays Ikariam and Minecraft on his computer with his BF. I then need to persuade his best friend's mother that these may be more suitable (he doesn't yet have an Xbox either and had asked for the same games which she hadn't investigated when I mentioned it to her. ) I've come up with Odd World, Command and Conquer and Lord of Ultima but don't even know if these are the right platform! :oops: I'd be very grateful for any suggestions from someone more with it. :lol:
scarlett
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Re: Suggestions for games of strategy on the Xbox please

Post by scarlett »

My eldest son is 12 too and I find a lot of the x box games are all shooting types....DS assures me that some are not that violent or have bad language....but he would , wouldn't he ! DH has bought them halo / COD games in the past which I wasn't happy with . I bought them the Star Wars Battlefront games which are certificate 12 but still shooty type games and the lego x box games . They seem quite happy with those . Hope I'm "with it. " :)
SEP18
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Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2010 2:18 pm

Re: Suggestions for games of strategy on the Xbox please

Post by SEP18 »

I let my DS12 play the COD games but only on X-Box Live. If they play the main game, then they are not allowed the volume up - this cuts out the unnecessary swearing.

The X-Box Live is great - it encourages sociable chatting and playing with friends that he wouldn't be able to do otherwise. Again, I only allow him to play with his friends and all the other users are muted.

Lego Star Wars is great, as is, Lego Harry Potter - I play these with them on the X-Box for a bit of family fun.
ourmaminhavana
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Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:14 am

Re: Suggestions for games of strategy on the Xbox please

Post by ourmaminhavana »

Thanks, just back from Asda where I came across Portal which looked OK. Beginning to waver slightly on Assassin's Creed. There does seem to be a gap in the market between the 7-11 and the 15+.
Yes, Sep, I agree about the social aspect and like DS playing on Skype with his friend and that seems good if you can mute others. :)
Minesatea
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Re: Suggestions for games of strategy on the Xbox please

Post by Minesatea »

We got an xbox for xmas last year from a generous uncle. DS (13) likes Forza (car racing) and the lego games (Pirates of the Caribbean is the current favourite), but if you want him jumping around I recommend the Kinect add on with the game - kinect adventure. Its a good work out if any adults are interested too!
SEP18
Posts: 238
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2010 2:18 pm

Re: Suggestions for games of strategy on the Xbox please

Post by SEP18 »

ourmaminhavana wrote:Thanks, just back from Asda where I came across Portal which looked OK. Beginning to waver slightly on Assassin's Creed. There does seem to be a gap in the market between the 7-11 and the 15+.
Yes, Sep, I agree about the social aspect and like DS playing on Skype with his friend and that seems good if you can mute others. :)
When we bought the X-box for the boys - I also thought there was a gap in the market. It doesn't seem to bend towards younger children. I too, said that they were not allowed to play Assassins Creed or COD when we first had it. I relented to peer pressure as DS kept moaning that he was the only one who wasn't allowed to play these games, I am now glad that I did because it has improved his social status amongst his peers and I do not believe has changed his character or personality. Eldest DS also has Assassins Creed but we hide this from his 11 year old brother! :lol:

DH tries the games first to make sure that they are OK and recommended that we mute the other gamers and the volume on the original COD games, although tbh, I'm sure the language is heard at school and on the bus - this is to make me feel better, I think!

I would not buy Grand Theft Auto from what I have heard about it - I know that other parents are of the same opinion. In fact, I was talking to a Year 10 boy today in class, who is also not allowed this game!

The add on Kinect to the X-box is great for playing games together as a family - you do end up jumping around the room (not particularly fond of the photographs you see at the end of the game though!!).

However, DS's friends do not connect and play these together on X-box live.

In fact, I had this dilemma in November last year - there is a thread on it and there were various responses:

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 38&t=17590" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
ourmaminhavana
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Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:14 am

Re: Suggestions for games of strategy on the Xbox please

Post by ourmaminhavana »

Thanks Sep, yes I had read your original thread which I found very interesting. I like the Kinect idea, and have found a Disneyworld thing where DD, 6, can interact with Peter Pan apparently? However, I'm not sure it's worth the money at this stage as we are quite happy with our Eye Toy!! How behind the times are we :oops: (and happy with it! :lol: )
It's good to hear about the Lego games and I have to admit I'm even wavering on Assassin's Creed. I loved the setting as we've spent several holidays in San Gimignano, Siena and Florence and so when I showed a clip to my hubby he was thrilled yellling we've climbed up that tower etc! (Ed. I've just discovered that the latest is in fact set in Constantinople- further prood of how 'un with it' I am!) We haven't though, looked at the ten best kills clip. :shock:
I also found an important factor was whether they were multiplayer games or not and Portal 2 sounded good as it was for 1 or 2 players.
Someone in the shop mentioned Halo as being very popular and OK with them as the characters were less lifelike than AC...
T12ACY
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Location: Kent

Re: Suggestions for games of strategy on the Xbox please

Post by T12ACY »

With the COD game you can restrict the level of 'graphic visuals' because it can be exceptionally gory, and I think it also reduces the 'cursing' but you have to set it up that way. I am not into the games either but DH is so he sensors what is not best for the youngest at 13, and we discouraged GTA in the older ones who can legally go any buy them but had to accept it was their decision. Thankfully they are more interested in Skyrim, AC and Portal type of games and DS1 has 'grown' out of most of the games altogether now that nighclubs are his entertainment of choice.... A whole new level of worrying :roll:
Money can't buy you happiness, but it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery.
fatbananas
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Re: Suggestions for games of strategy on the Xbox please

Post by fatbananas »

I hadn't appreciated the 'social' side of the X box. We finally relented a couple of years' ago and bought a Wii because we wanted DC to play with each other or other children, but there don't seem to be that many games for it and even fewer 'educationally valuable' games for it, unlike the DS, say. Perhaps we should look at the Xbox ....
Seize the day ... before it seizes you.
jabba7
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Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 1:26 pm

Re: Suggestions for games of strategy on the Xbox please

Post by jabba7 »

A friend has told me you can turn off the swearing and blood on COD on PS3 so not sure if the same for xbox
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