Next Xbox game

[ChadTower]

Okay, just beat Halo (on easy  ).  Time to get a new game to play through but this time I want it safe for the kids to watch.  I had to send them out of the room at times with Halo and honestly I regret letting them watch much of what they did watch.  Eh, at least it was "abstract" violence, right?   

Any recommendations?  I've been poking around the usual places like IGN and Gamespot but am having trouble finding any way to categorize based on rating to filter out most of the recommendations for stuff that is clearly not what I'm looking for... type of game this time will be platformer, maybe action, only sport I can see it being would be wrestling.

[shardian]

http://www.ebgames.com/search.asp?N=137+107
http://www.ebgames.com/search.asp?N=137+51+109

If you don't have it, get fusion frenzy. We had a demo version in our dorm room and it was really fun to play 4 player.

Ebgames lets you filter by category and rating at the same time. Their used games are cheap, and in good shape from the ones I have ordered from them. The coupon codes help alot too.

[ChadTower]

Thanks, hadn't looked at EBGames.  One thing I'm noticing immediately is that it's not a list of games overall, it's a list of games EBGames has for sale (which is appropriate), and as such probably leaving out a lot of stuff that would fit the bill.

Multiplayer is rarely a factor for me as I almost always play alone (often the kids will watch) and I don't use Xbox Live.

[SithMaster]

Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Halo 2 (lol jk), i second fusion frenzy, area 51, republic commando was fun, battlefront 2 (nothing new here but entertaining), and theres tron killer app.  Out of all of these tron and battlefront would be your best bet since there really isnt violence in the halo scale.

Congrats on beating it on easy though you missed out on the ending scene.  Did you use rockets or grenades for the engine room level?

[Havoc]

Prince of Persia the sands of time was a good 3rd person platformer.

Ninja gaiden (if you have the patience for it !!!!!)

[shardian]

Prince of Persia the sands of time was a good 3rd person platformer.

Seonded!

[Chemixtry]

psychonauts is a good platformer

[Hoagie_one]

Prince of Persia the sands of time was a good 3rd person platformer.

Seonded!

thirded

[ChadTower]

I definitely want to play through Psychonauts but the description makes it clearly something I don't want my kids seeing.  Ditto on most of the suggestions made so far.  I am probably being overprotective in this instance but I feel idiotic for letting them watch me play through Halo.

I tried to use grenades for the engine room level but they just didn't seem to want to go in the opening.  I ended up doing it with the rocket launcher.  Stupidly, the hardest part was getting up to the third level because I ran into another jump that I had to try 5-6 times to get right.  That spot where you have to jump onto a cannister on its side, to an upright cannister, to a raised beam and across two more (right before the third level entrance ramp) was a pain in the ass.  And I had to try that end run with the buggy a hundred times.   

[boykster]

I would get lego starwars, or lego starwars II: the original trilogy.....You should be able to get the first one for under $20, the second one might be a bit more.

addictive game play, "lego" violence (when you kill someone, the legos fall apart) and its really fun.  I played Lego Star Wars II on my PSP and it's one of the few games I've actually "finished".

[ChadTower]

Great suggestion, actually... we've already beaten GC LEGO Star Wars and have an unopened GC copy of LEGO Star Wars II so I'd be foolish to get an Xbox copy.  I'm thinking Xbox because that's the one on the better TV but hell, maybe it's just time to go back to the GC for the next game.

[Hoagie_one]

If you like adventure titles, both Indigo Prophesies and Dreamfall are excellent, but have strong themes ansd language

[boykster]

Great suggestion, actually... we've already beaten GC LEGO Star Wars and have an unopened GC copy of LEGO Star Wars II so I'd be foolish to get an Xbox copy.  I'm thinking Xbox because that's the one on the better TV but hell, maybe it's just time to go back to the GC for the next game.

I would bet the xbox version would have better graphics, but a paid for game vs buying again....I'd go with the GC version.  Unless you could trade the GC in for a reasonable value toward the xbox version, but I doubt it.

I really enjoyed that game, and am considering getting it for my xbox360 and playing it again, this time on the big screen!

[ChadTower]

Does II add to I or is it just the same stuff with the first trilogy settings?  The first was fun but was seriously easy.

[madgammer]

II is a lot harder, but if you but any game on EASY it will be EASY to beat.  I almost never use easy because of that reason.  A few days you beat the game and that's that.  I beat Halo I on normal and it was a difficult task and made the game a LOT more fun in the long run.

[ChadTower]

Sure, would have been a lot more fun, but for Halo I didn't have or want to spend three months.  I just wanted to play through it.


 I didn't beat LEGO Star Wars on easy (I don't remember an easy mode anyway).

[shmokes]

I really recommend Psychonaughts.  I think you will find that it is not only appropriate for kids of all ages, but that they will absolutely get an enormous kick out of the unbelievably imaginative artwork and level design.  Everything about the game, including the premise of a kid at summer camp, solving a big mystery without the help of (and even in spite of obstruction) by adults.  It's similar to Harry Potter in that way, I guess.  There is a very small amount of very mild language.  I think that there are one or two places where someone says "ass", and it seems like it's in some kind of pun-type thing kind of like that rhyme about miss suzy having a sailboat, and behind the refrigerator there was a piece of glass, little Susy sat on it it stuck right in her . . . ask me no more questions . . .

That sort of thing.  Anyway, it's extremely mild.  Maybe I'm just not as protective as some, but I would let my four-year-old play that game as soon as my fourteen-year-old.

[madgammer]

If your looking for a good game that you can get into try Secret Weapons Over Normandy.  I think it's a good game to sit back relax with and enjoy.  If your looking to just go through a game try blinx time sweeper

[ChadTower]

We started LEGO Star Wars II tonight... it is already obviously a lot better than the first one.

[boykster]

We started LEGO Star Wars II tonight... it is already obviously a lot better than the first one.

I only played II on decent hardware (played I on a gba emu on my PSP after I played II on the PSP natively) and II was better IMO, but that's not a fair comparison.

I REALLY enjoyed the humor of the game, and how depending on which character you're playing as, you can manipulate/solve different puzzles differently.  It also had quite a bit of replayability....

[shmokes]

I played both I and II with my wife.  That game is loads of fun playing cooperatively.  It's also fun to find a game my wife actually wants to play.  She would actually be the one to suggest playing it.  I also liked the second one better.  Part of it, though, was just that the original trilogy is a part of my childhood and I've seen the movies at least a dozen times, while the more recent three just seem like capitalizing on the brand and I've only seen each of them once and certainly don't love them like the originals.  But it's also just a more polished, better designed game and clearly had a bigger budget than the first.

[ChadTower]

The second one has a lot more features and the characters can do more things.  That was clear from just the first two levels.  I have noticed, too, that they articulated the characters beyond the capability of actual LEGOs.  The blocks bend and flex when they move.  The first game didn't do that.  I'd also have like to see some voice acting - even if it were bad - or at least Charlie Brown teacher type voices.  This mime stuff isn't doing it for me.

[johnperkins21]

Psychonauts is one of the best games ever. And it is totally appropriate for you kids. Also, I would throw out a suggestion for Beyond Good & Evil. It's another game you can find cheap that was completely overlooked, but absolutely fantastic and fun.

Here's a site that may help you out. You can sort the list by ESRB ratings and categories so it will give you some ideas of games that may be good for what you need. But do not pass up Psychonauts or Beyond Good & Evil. I assure you that you will not regret it.

http://www.gamerankings.com/itemrankings/simpleratings.asp

[Hoagie_one]

Oh ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- yeah, Beyond Good and evil was awesome

[slycrel]

I'll also second beyond good and evil and psychonauts.  Psychonauts is totally kid friendly.

My kids also love blinx, and it has some interesting concepts gaming wise, but I didn't think it was as fun as some others.

Super monkey ball is fun, but you probably have that on the GC already.

[ChadTower]

Yep, already played through both Super Monkey Ball games. 

For myself yesterday I started X-Men Legends... I'm not all that gripped so far but it has potential.

[Hoagie_one]

marvels ultimate alliance is also good in that same genre

[big daddy]

another one here recommending psychonauts .  I honestly don't know why you would be apprehensive about playing that in front of your kid, especially if they saw 1 minute of you playing HALO  .  It's really geared towards younger children.  I played it WITH my kid (probably 4 at the time) and I can't remember anything that I was worried about her seeing.  (I just remember she laughed uncontrollably at the little fat boy who heard a noise and screamed "Please don't kill us, Lake Monster "  It was our inside joke for days we'd see each other and say it 

[ChadTower]

I've been apprehensive because of the rating and the multiple reviews I've read that indicated it might not be good for small kids.  I'll snag a copy soon and take a look, though, given how many people here say it would be fine.

Halo is a bad barometer for what I'd let my kids see going forward.  I regret letting them see Halo.

[johnperkins21]

I've been apprehensive because of the rating and the multiple reviews I've read that indicated it might not be good for small kids.  I'll snag a copy soon and take a look, though, given how many people here say it would be fine.

Halo is a bad barometer for what I'd let my kids see going forward.  I regret letting them see Halo.

re: Psychonauts... Your kids will absolutely love it. If they're not old enough to grasp the story, the characters and overall visuals will keep them entertained for hours. If they can grasp the story, it will be their favorite game of all time.

There is definitely some violence in the game, but almost all of it happens inside the minds of the characters. It gives you a good opportunity to show your kids the difference between real-world violence, and make believe with the juxtaposition of the two planes in which you play.

Since I am not a parent, I can't say what is or is not good for kids, and even if I were, I couldn't say what's ok for your kids. I'd suggest spending at least an hour or so with any game before showing it to your kids. However, if I were a parent, I would absolutely be willing to show this game to one of my kids of any age.

[Texasmame]

Okay, just beat Halo (on easy  ).  Time to get a new game to play through but this time I want it safe for the kids to watch.  I had to send them out of the room at times with Halo and honestly I regret letting them watch much of what they did watch.  Eh, at least it was "abstract" violence, right?   

Any recommendations?  I've been poking around the usual places like IGN and Gamespot but am having trouble finding any way to categorize based on rating to filter out most of the recommendations for stuff that is clearly not what I'm looking for... type of game this time will be platformer, maybe action, only sport I can see it being would be wrestling.

How old are your kids?

Introduced my daughter to GTA Vice City at 11.   

Actually used it to show her that it was BAD to do these things in real life but OKAY in the game because it was pretend and such. 

[ChadTower]

5 and 7 and I don't consider it acceptable for them to do GTA things in a game.

At 11 your daughter would have already had the moral base to be ready for GTA anyway. 

Sometimes I have trouble gauging what is appropriate and what isn't at a given age as I was exposed to a lot of situations and scenarios all through my childhood that no kid should see.  I knew how to roll a tight joint and shoot tequila (via firsthand observation) before I knew how to tie my shoes.  So when I err it is always on the side of caution.  You can't close Pandora's box.

[Texasmame]

5 and 7 and I don't consider it acceptable for them to do GTA things in a game.

At 11 your daughter would have already had the moral base to be ready for GTA anyway. 

Sometimes I have trouble gauging what is appropriate and what isn't at a given age as I was exposed to a lot of situations and scenarios all through my childhood that no kid should see.  I knew how to roll a tight joint and shoot tequila (via firsthand observation) before I knew how to tie my shoes.  So when I err it is always on the side of caution.  You can't close Pandora's box.

Agreed that your 5 and 7 is too young for such stuff.

I STILL don't know how to roll a fattie tight!