But what if you don’t know anything about Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment? Well, ESRB is here to outline what parents need to know so you can make sure it’s appropriate for your family.

What is Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart?

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a single player, third person (meaning the camera is behind the character’s back) action platformer/shooter. For the uninitiated, this basically means that the gameplay involves a lot of running, jumping, exploring, and shooting!

Rift Apart’s visuals can best be described as a playable Pixar movie.

You and your kids will be dropped into the boots of Ratchet and series newcomer, Rivet, as they try to repair an inter-dimensional disaster set in motion by one of the series’ long-time villains, Dr. Nefarious. With the help of the eponymous Clank, some familiar faces, and new allies, Ratchet and Rivet will need to travel across multiple planets and dimensions to prevent the destruction of the known universe.

Saving the universe has never been so fun, colorful, and visually captivating. Insomniac has iterated on the tried-and-true gameplay of Ratchet & Clank while upping the ante to incorporate elements that solidify its status as a “next generation” video game. One aspect of this is Rift Apart’s visuals, which can best be described as a playable Pixar movie; accompanied by charming voice acting and relatable storytelling. The gameplay is also refined, expanding upon the tentpole mechanics of the Ratchet & Clank series with more varied movement (including a “rift tether” mechanic that allows players to traverse great distances in a blink), larger and more explorable areas, and frenetic combat (see below for what “combat” looks like in this game).

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is only available on the PlayStation 5, and while there is no multiplayer mode, the single player experience has multiple difficulties and dozens of collectibles that encourage replaying the game over and over. Even though only one person can play at a time, nothing is stopping you from sitting down with your kids and experiencing the game as a team!

Is Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Appropriate for Your Kids?

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is rated E10+ (Everyone 10+) with Content Descriptors including Alcohol Reference, Animated Blood, and Fantasy Violence. It also includes the Interactive Element for In-Game Purchases, which in this case refers to the ability to upgrade to the “Deluxe Edition” edition with an additional purchase.

Many of the weapons are highly stylized and rather than simply shoot, have cartoony and entertaining effects.

ESRB’s rating summary of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart goes into more detail, explaining that “players use over-sized blasters/ranged weapons, defeating enemies with fiery explosions, lightning, plasma blasts, and other effects (e.g., ice, fire). Players can also use a wrench for melee attacks at close range.”

Many of these weapons are highly stylized and rather than simply shoot, have cartoony and entertaining effects. While the Burst Pistol is a more straightforward laser gun, players can also use inventive weapons like the Topiary Sprinkler, which turns enemies into hedge-art (think Edward Scissorhands), and the Cold Snap, which freezes enemies in place as you continue to wreak havoc. Ratchet & Clank typically has a varied and innovative arsenal of silly weapons, and Rift Apart promises to continue the tradition.

How Much Does Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Cost?

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart for the PlayStation 5 is available at various video game retailers for $69.99.

As mentioned, ESRB assigned the In-Game Purchases Interactive Element to highlight the players’ ability to purchase an upgrade to a “Deluxe Edition” which has additional content via the PlayStation Store for approximately $10.00. Beyond that, there are currently no additional offers to purchase digital goods for this game.

Don’t forget to visit ESRB’s step-by-step parental control guides at ParentalTools.org to help you  manage what your kids play, with whom, for how long, and how much money they can spend (if any!).

The post What Parents Need to Know About Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

But what if you don’t know anything about Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment? Well, ESRB is here to outline what parents need to know so you can make sure it’s appropriate for your family.

What is Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart?

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a single player, third person (meaning the camera is behind the character’s back) action platformer/shooter. For the uninitiated, this basically means that the gameplay involves a lot of running, jumping, exploring, and shooting!

Rift Apart’s visuals can best be described as a playable Pixar movie.

You and your kids will be dropped into the boots of Ratchet and series newcomer, Rivet, as they try to repair an inter-dimensional disaster set in motion by one of the series’ long-time villains, Dr. Nefarious. With the help of the eponymous Clank, some familiar faces, and new allies, Ratchet and Rivet will need to travel across multiple planets and dimensions to prevent the destruction of the known universe.

Saving the universe has never been so fun, colorful, and visually captivating. Insomniac has iterated on the tried-and-true gameplay of Ratchet & Clank while upping the ante to incorporate elements that solidify its status as a “next generation” video game. One aspect of this is Rift Apart’s visuals, which can best be described as a playable Pixar movie; accompanied by charming voice acting and relatable storytelling. The gameplay is also refined, expanding upon the tentpole mechanics of the Ratchet & Clank series with more varied movement (including a “rift tether” mechanic that allows players to traverse great distances in a blink), larger and more explorable areas, and frenetic combat (see below for what “combat” looks like in this game).

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is only available on the PlayStation 5, and while there is no multiplayer mode, the single player experience has multiple difficulties and dozens of collectibles that encourage replaying the game over and over. Even though only one person can play at a time, nothing is stopping you from sitting down with your kids and experiencing the game as a team!

Is Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Appropriate for Your Kids?

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is rated E10+ (Everyone 10+) with Content Descriptors including Alcohol Reference, Animated Blood, and Fantasy Violence. It also includes the Interactive Element for In-Game Purchases, which in this case refers to the ability to upgrade to the “Deluxe Edition” edition with an additional purchase.

Many of the weapons are highly stylized and rather than simply shoot, have cartoony and entertaining effects.

ESRB’s rating summary of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart goes into more detail, explaining that “players use over-sized blasters/ranged weapons, defeating enemies with fiery explosions, lightning, plasma blasts, and other effects (e.g., ice, fire). Players can also use a wrench for melee attacks at close range.”

Many of these weapons are highly stylized and rather than simply shoot, have cartoony and entertaining effects. While the Burst Pistol is a more straightforward laser gun, players can also use inventive weapons like the Topiary Sprinkler, which turns enemies into hedge-art (think Edward Scissorhands), and the Cold Snap, which freezes enemies in place as you continue to wreak havoc. Ratchet & Clank typically has a varied and innovative arsenal of silly weapons, and Rift Apart promises to continue the tradition.

How Much Does Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Cost?

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart for the PlayStation 5 is available at various video game retailers for $69.99.

As mentioned, ESRB assigned the In-Game Purchases Interactive Element to highlight the players’ ability to purchase an upgrade to a “Deluxe Edition” which has additional content via the PlayStation Store for approximately $10.00. Beyond that, there are currently no additional offers to purchase digital goods for this game.

Don’t forget to visit ESRB’s step-by-step parental control guides at ParentalTools.org to help you  manage what your kids play, with whom, for how long, and how much money they can spend (if any!).

The post What Parents Need to Know About Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

Released in May, Knockout City is quickly climbing charts on Twitch and Steam as more and more gamers discover the new game from Velan Studios (published by Electronic Arts). Fortunately, ESRB is here to help parents like you understand what Knockout City is and whether it’s appropriate for your family.

What is Knockout City?

Knockout City is an online, team-based multiplayer game that pits gamers against each other in a dodgeball-like game of running, jumping, dodging, and throwing – but in this case, it’s called Dodgebrawl.

The gameplay hinges around your schoolyard dodgeball rules: Don’t get hit!

Available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X∣S, and Nintendo Switch, Knockout City invites players to participate in several different modes and maps, all with the goal of knocking out opponents by throwing stylized dodgeballs.

Whether your kids are playing Team KO, Face Off, Diamond Dash, or Ball-Up-Brawl the gameplay hinges around your schoolyard dodgeball rules: Don’t get hit!

Is Knockout City Appropriate for Your Kids?

Knockout City is rated E10+ (Everyone 10+) with a Content Descriptor for Fantasy Violence. It also has Interactive Elements that include Users Interact – meaning players can communicate online – and In-Game Purchases – which indicates that the game offers the ability to make additional purchases using in-game currency (purchased with real money).

According to ESRB’s rating summary, Knockout City includes frenetic gameplay with some “cries of pain, explosions, and slow-motion effects”. That said, the overall presentation is whimsical and cartoony, making it a good fit for most kids aged 10 and older. Of course, every child is different and a parent is the best person to determine which games are appropriate for their children.

Managing In-Game Communications

As with most online video games, Knockout City allows gamers to interact in real-time via voice chat. This can be a big part of a fun team dynamic for some players, but it also opens the door for kids to come into contact with strangers.

Your kids can play with other players, regardless of what console or platform they use.

The best way to manage this it to set the parental controls on your kids’ device of choice. In some cases, you can individually approve the people on your children’s friends lists, so you always know to whom they’re talking. If not, there are a number of other solutions, including setting chat to play through the speakers so you can listen, or blocking player-to-player communications altogether but that can obviously take a lot of the fun out of the multiplayer experience. Don’t forget that your kids can always block, mute or report other players in-game who are acting up or making them feel uncomfortable.

In addition to being an online game, Knockout City also offers cross-platform play. This means that your kids can play with other players, regardless of what console or platform they use. Your kids may want to play on their Nintendo Switch, while their friends may want to play on their new PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X; cross-platform play makes it easy for them to play together no matter what. Note that cross-platform play can, in some cases, make it more difficult to manage with whom your kids play when using parental controls. Thankfully, if you’re concerned about your kids communicating with people that may be harder to block or avoid, modern gaming devices allow you to simply turn off cross-platform play.  At the end of the day, you can always have an earnest conversation with your child about the rules of the road when it comes to online game play.

How Much Does it Cost?

Knockout City is currently available for $19.99 on all available platforms.

The game includes the ability to make in-game purchases using Knockout City’s in-game currency: Holobux. In addition to earning currency by playing the game, you can purchase Holobux with real money ranging from $4.99 (for 500 Holobux) to $49.99 (for 5,000 Holobux). Players can exchange their stash of Holobux for cosmetic gear to customize their avatar and Crew (Knockout City’s name for a team) with emotes, colors, costumes and more.

Remember that you can set parental controls to limit how much money your kids are permitted to spend on in-game purchases or block them altogether! Don’t forget to visit ParentalTools.org for step-by-step parental control guides to help you manage what your kids play, with whom, for how long, and how much money they can spend.

Patricia E. Vance is the president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). In her position, she leads the teams responsible for assigning age and content ratings to video games and apps, enforcing marketing guidelines adopted by the video game industry, and operating ESRB Privacy Certified, an FTC-sanctioned COPPA Safe Harbor Privacy seal certification program.

The post What Parents Need to Know About Knockout City appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

Nearly half a billion players likely felt this way about Among Us (Everyone 10+), when they rediscovered the two-year-old game last year, catapulting it to heights of popularity that took even its developers by surprise. Released in 2018 but rediscovered in 2020 by kids and adults who appreciated its mix of silly humor and simple online gameplay, the game became a vehicle for many to connect with others in a fun, lighthearted way.

The game snagged both the Mobile Game of the Year and the Best Multiplayer Game at the annual Game Awards 2020 in December. It’s also featured as an Editor’s Choice selection in Apple’s App Store. Its popularity also got a massive boost when U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) played the game in a live stream in October on her Twitch Channel to more than 435,000 viewers.

If you’d like to learn more about Among Us to help you decide whether it’s right for your family, or you’re just curious to know what the fuss is all about, read on!

What is Among Us?

Among Us is an online, multiplayer whodunnit game available on mobile (Android, iOS) devices, as well as on PCs, the Nintendo Switch and Microsoft’s Xbox platforms. In March, its developer, Innersloth, released a free new map for the game dubbed the Airship.

Among Us is Clue meets Alien – but with an adorable art style and a clever social engineering angle.

The premise is simple: players are dropped into a damaged spaceship and each is secretly assigned to be either a crewmember or an impostor. If you’re a crewmember, you have to fix your spaceship. If you’re an impostor, your job is to sabotage the ship and kill the crewmembers. Players hold meetings throughout each session to debate and vote on who they think the impostor is. The mate with the most votes gets tossed out of the airlock. Will the crew be able to repair the ship or eject the impostors in time?

Among Us is Clue meets Alien – but with an adorable art style and a clever social engineering angle.

Is Among Us Appropriate for Your Kids?

Because every family is unique, parents tend to have their own evaluation criteria for what they feel is OK for their kids.

That said, Sarah Kimmel has a five-step process she goes through each time she evaluates a new game for her 11-year-old son. Her first step is to check out the game’s ESRB rating. In this case, Among Us has been assigned an Everyone 10+ rating by the ESRB with Content Descriptors that include “Fantasy Violence” and “Mild Blood.” It also has Interactive Elements that include “Users Interact,” meaning players are able to chat with one another, and “In-Game Purchases,” which lets parents know the game offers the ability to make additional purchases.

“Next, I read reviews of the game in the app store,” said Kimmel, director of technical support for technology company Gryphon in Salt Lake City, Utah. “Then I look up the game’s maker to see if it’s a legit company, and I try to understand how they make money. Fourth, I ask other parents to see what their experiences have been with the game. Lastly, I play the game myself, or I watch my son play it for a while so I can see what kind of interactions he has in the game.”

For parents, one relevant aspect of the game is the cartoony violence that happens when impostors take out crewmembers. One parent I spoke with said she was initially nervous about the violence.

“But the way it was done was OK, and not too gruesome,” said Viviane Nguyen, a program analyst in Renton, Wash., whose two children ages 6 and 11 both play the game with their uncles and cousins.

Among Us lets you create games for players who are connected to the same local WiFi connection. It also allows you to create a private game with a six-character code that you can use to invite friends to your game.

Managing In-Game Communications

Another thing to consider is the game’s chat function, which lets players debate and discuss who might be the impostor prior to voting. This is where much of the intrigue and player interactions happen, and it’s integral to enjoying the game. In “Guest” mode, players select from a menu of canned dialogue. Once players create accounts, they can access the free chat. Parents are able to switch on the game’s profanity filter to bleep out offensive language, but it’s important to know that the filter doesn’t always catch everything.

Notably, developer Innersloth, recently tightened up its Code of Conduct to support moderation and reporting capabilities. For example, players are able to report inappropriate player names, inappropriate chat, cheating, hacking, harassment, or misconduct. Consequences can range from temporary to permanent bans. Innersloth noted that reports are read by people, not bots. In addition, players under 13 need parental approval before they can create an account and access the free chat.

Not into playing with strangers? Among Us lets you create games for players who are connected to the same local WiFi connection. It also allows you to create a private game with a six-character code that you can use to invite friends to your game.

How Much Does It Cost?

The price of the game depends on the platform. On iOS and Android, Among Us is free to download and play, but has in-game purchasing options ranging from $1.99 to $2.99 for cosmetic add-ons such as hats or pets. The mobile versions also feature ads that you can remove for $1.99.

On PC, Microsoft Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, the basic game costs $4.99, with optional add-ons and bundles ranging from $1.99 to $15.49. The add-ons consist of varying costumes and cosmetic bells and whistles; they don’t affect game play or provide any competitive advantage.

Other Parental Controls

In addition to making the profanity filter available and requiring kids under 13 to obtain their parents’ permission to create accounts and access free chat, other parental controls outside the game are available for virtually every device, including mobile devices, tablets, PCs, consoles and more.

Depending upon the device, parental controls can help parents manage what their kids play, for how long, with whom, and whether (and how much) they can spend money on in-game purchases. ESRB offers free, step-by-step parental controls guides for many platforms at ParentalTools.org.

Alex Pham is a mother, journalist and content strategist living in San Diego, Calif. She previously spent 20 years writing about media and technology for publications such as the Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, and Billboard Magazine. The highlight of her career was when she beat Pikmin in a single, caffeine-fueled weekend.

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