StarWars Battlefront 2 S.A.F.E. Rating
Violence: 3 out of 5
Language: 4 out of 5
Sexual Content: 5 out of 5
Positive Message: 4 out of 5
Total: 16 out of 20 = Older Kid Friendly!
**This review is for the story mode of StarWars Battlefront 2. Multiplayer content can vary due to downloadable, upgradable, and user-generated content.
The Game
Battlefront 2 is the first in the series to have a story mode. The game contains story elements that are considered “canon” for the overall StarWars story. This makes it an even more appealing feature for this game and the good news is that the story is actually pretty interesting. You follow a couple of characters who were raised and trained in the Empire and have some second thoughts about their loyalty to the Emperor and his followers after events following the battle of Endor. The story takes you through playing as several characters including a Jedi and a Sith Lord. You also get to fly several ships and pilot a few vehicles. The game is still obviously designed for the massively multiplayer online battles and the campaign is designed to highlight all of the online features. If feels very much like a Battlefront game and seems to have a lot of replayability.
Violence/Gore (3)
This is ultimately a war game so you find yourself in constant combat. The violence is everpresent with shooting, lightsaber battling, electrocuting, and explosions. There is, however, very little to no gore in the game. Lazer bolts and lightsabers don’t cause you to bleed and if you use grenades, rockets, or vehicles to blow up your enemies they just fly around from the shock of the explosion. There is no loss of limbs or severe damage shown. You can’t go into a StarWars title and not expect to see some violence but this game contains combat of the PG to PG-13 variety, no more than any StarWars film.
Language (4)
There is no adult language in Battlefront 2. I will repeat here, however, that that fact changes greatly when you join multiplayer battles and those you’re playing with have microphones. Then, though, the language isn’t coming from the game, but from the people you are playing with.
Sexual Content (5)
The story mode of Battlefront 2 had no sexual innuendo or content at all. There is one kiss but it isn’t graphic or adult oriented in any way.
Positive Message (4)
As with any StarWars story, the message of Battlefront 2 one is hope and redemption. The rebellion is trying to bring freedom to the galaxy and the Empire is doing everything they can to keep their grip around the galaxy. The main characters are trying to be redeemed from a lifetime of fighting for an Empire they no longer believe in. The reason this game doesn’t get a 5 for Message is that, again, just as in many StarWars titles, the bad guys are super cool in BattleFront 2. It is fun to wield the red lightsabers and the dark side force powers. I obviously don’t believe playing StarWars Battlefront 2 will cause kids to want to turn to the “dark” side but I will say that there is a bit of glory given to those who are on the “bad” side of this story. Good vs Evil can get complicated, especially in real life, StarWars has always kept it pretty clear who is who. Battlefront 2 keeps that tradition alive.
Final Thoughts
I have played the Battlefront games for years. It is pretty cool to see them adding a story to the game since StarWars stories tend to be so interesting and inspiring. If your kid(s) has asked you for Battlefront 2 for Christmas it’s important to keep a couple things in mind. First of all, this game, while the violence isn’t brutal and gory, is still a first-person shooter. The risk of attention and anxiety problems in young men increases with more time spend playing FPS games. Secondly, this game has been marred by a bad reputation for getting players to spend money in order to excel in the game. EA, the publisher of Battlefront 2, has had to revamp a lot about how they do microtransactions and upgradable content and characters because players have been complaining and boycotting the game. No matter which side of the fence you or I sit on spending money to buy things in a game you already paid $60 to play in the first place, your children are being marketed to within this game. You, as a parent, need to be aware of that.