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Video Game Ratings
When I was a kid, they didn't have video game ratings. They didn't really need them either. You see the graphics were not very good and the games were not very sophisticated. A video game rating system would have been unnecessary. After all, there was nothing excessively violent or graphic to rate!
Nowadays, things have changed quite a bit. Video game reviews and ratings are big business. You see, the video game industry has grown tremendously in the last 20 years. It used to be something for goofy teenage and pre-teen boys, but nowadays everyone from elementary school kids to professionals plays video games. The game stores do a huge amount of sales every year, and video game magazines have nationwide followings.
With all this came a new video game ratings industry. The ratings for video games are similar to those for movies. They are pretty self explanatory. Usually on the box it tells you whether it is suitable for teens, all audiences, or only adult viewers. It will even tell you what content the video game has that might not be appropriate for younger viewers. Usually this means violence, but occasionally there are other adult themes as well.
Of course, video game reviews are as important to a potential buyer as ratings are nowadays. There are hundreds of video games that come out every year, but most of them are not very good. The first person shooter has become such a successful platform that it has spawned a whole industry of basically identical games. Don't get me wrong – there are plenty of very good first person shooters, but there are also plenty that are derivative and unnecessary. Before you invest in one, you want to make sure that it is the perfect one for you. Otherwise, you'll be sorely disappointed and have to go out and buy another one.
The great thing about video game ratings and reviews is that they cover everything in so much detail. Most of them deal with issues of playability, graphics, storyline, addictiveness, and other areas as well. That way, you can know everything about a game before you start playing it. A good video game should give you dozens, if not hundreds of hours of enjoyment, so looking at the video game ratings is important before you invest in a game. Don't buy something just because it has good screen shots. You will never know if it is a good game until you to try it out or read about it.
Summary
Video game ratings are very good at giving parents guidelines about certain games and the ages recommended that play the game. Some games can be extremely violent, and are suitable for much older kids. Always use online reviews for checking to see if a game is worth the purchase.
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