Halo Reach – should it be T-Teen?
I get lots of letters about Halo. They always go the same way. Start with a child or parent asking why it’s Rated M, end with the child or adult asking me if the game is okay. Asking how bad it is compared to Call of Duty: MW or Grand Theft Auto. I can’t answer all the questions and I’ve written enough about Halo 1-3… so naturally, here comes a new one. Here comes Halo Reach.
And once again I feel the ESRB has overdone it. Aside from incidental blood – most of it colorful and from aliens – there is nothing really offensive about Halo Reach. It’s just a bit bloodier than before. No prostitution, no drugs, no nudity, no bad language, no… just a bit of blood that on Television would be rated okay for teens, probably could fit during Prime Time, and in films would be rated PG-13. Better still, the blood is in one scene only.
There’s the argument right there. Does a bit of purple or red blood – and I mean blood, not gore – merit an M-rating? Is it worth parents drawing a line and teens looking to cross it?
Look parents – and please spread this link and quote me – Halo Reach is a fine game, a game your teen wants, and a game you can feel comfortable with them playing. It’s not bad, it’s not evil, it’s not even terribly Mature. If in doubt please check my credentials, check YouTube or the ESRB for more info.
Save the “you can’t HAVE that offensive game” for a game that really deserves it. They’re out there, they just aren’t called Halo.
January 14th, 2012 at 10:09 am
😀 it worked… kinda. My mum said no, but got it for my birthday (today) 😀
January 18th, 2012 at 8:00 am
I’m 11 and have the same problem as most of u. My parents let me play black ops but not any Halo game. I’ll show this to my parents and hope for best
January 18th, 2012 at 7:53 pm
MY GRANDMA WONT LET MEH HAVE HALO:REACH AND I HAVE SPENT HOURS LOOKING UP RESEARCH AND SHE WONT EVEN LOOK AT IT WTF PLEASE HELP MEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!IM TURNING 12 JANUARY 21 2012 PLEASE HELPPP!!!!!!!!!!
January 18th, 2012 at 7:53 pm
she wont let me play any halo game!
January 18th, 2012 at 7:54 pm
she thinks that just becuase its rated m that i cant get it till im 17 >:U
January 18th, 2012 at 7:54 pm
>:O
January 18th, 2012 at 7:55 pm
RIDICULAS
January 18th, 2012 at 7:57 pm
just cuz she clikced on the add to cart button on the walmart website and then a thing popped up saying u must be 17 to purchase or somthin like that and so she thinks that i have to be 17 or somthin i think!!!!!!!
January 19th, 2012 at 7:28 pm
soo plis help me
January 25th, 2012 at 10:17 pm
Help me! My parents just think that any rated m game is bad, all they care about is the rating
) :
February 2nd, 2012 at 1:00 pm
Sir, I could not agree with you more. I first played Halo 2 when I was 13 (my parents were against violence, so i snuck it in my basement). It was the first shooter I had ever played, and I was shocked at how little the violence was compared to what I was expecting. It was just Battlefront with some food coloring splattered on the walls. It irritate’s me when I play games like TF2 or Gears of War at my friends house how little the gore factor is in comparison.
February 3rd, 2012 at 7:46 am
i am 15 i can play masss effect so i can play halo series too
February 9th, 2012 at 4:32 pm
OMG YES MY GRANDMA FINNALLY GOT ME HALO THREE ODST 😀
February 15th, 2012 at 9:02 pm
Halo is not nearly as violent as Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty: Black Ops, or Skyrim. You’re fighting aliens the whole time, and most of it is green, blue, purple, etc. And there is not very much human blood (only if you see the aliens attack your soldiers, or you shoot them). More language when you get to the middle/end of the game, but no F bombs. They say God’s name in vain, but very rarely. I personally think it should have been rated T, but it was probs M because of the blood being on the walls and stuff. It’s not that incredibly violent. It has the least amount of violence i’ve seen in any rated M game. Ok for 11 and 12 years olds. My 9 and 10 year old sisters play it.
February 15th, 2012 at 9:04 pm
And you don’t have to be 17 to play a rated M game. It’s up to the adult. In some places, you have to be a certain age to buy rated M games, but not play them. I repeat: HALO IS NOT THAT VIOLENT!!!
February 15th, 2012 at 9:06 pm
Btw I’m 13, and I started playing Halo when I was 11. But different families have different rules
February 15th, 2012 at 10:12 pm
I was about 9 when I first starting playing halo 1 and it wasn’t at all violent and hardly any swearing. It has an effect on your personality so just don’t play it too much. Other than that I agree
February 19th, 2012 at 12:37 pm
AND MY GRANDMA FINALLY GOT ME HALO REACH!!!!!:D but she wont let me go online and play D:
February 20th, 2012 at 8:34 am
I actually agree with Halo Person. It has effected my personality a little, so I try to limit it and other games. Unless I’m with my dad, I usually do 1 hour of violent games a week.
February 21st, 2012 at 10:56 am
I’m having major trouble getting just cause 2. My dad disapproved because of headshots being too bloody and violent, which i don’t get. I’ve gotten away with games like Skyrim and Halo Reach, so why wont he let me get this game? Please help! I’ve wanted this game FOREVER and need advice! (I am age 11)
February 26th, 2012 at 9:25 am
Parents said no but I’m confident that it will work this time
March 9th, 2012 at 10:21 pm
All who say it is for 14 and up i highly dissagree it isnt wether your age is its how mature you are sure im 11 but i get great grades and as reward i can get games like this as long as you keep up with your work you should be fine.Oh thx gamerdad i had to prove to my mother the game was good like many others she sometimes thinks m meens no but my dead is fine as long as im not showing any attitudes or ecsesive gaming so try wat i did maby better luck. 😀
March 9th, 2012 at 10:22 pm
up obove were it says dead im ment dad.srry:P
March 10th, 2012 at 6:04 pm
GOT THE REACH 😀 IM SO HAPPY IT IS SO FUN I LOVE FORAGER I BUILT A PLACE CALLED THE JUMP IT IS A HUGE JUMP THAT IS LIKE THE GRAN CANYON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cant make the jump thow 🙁 ima making a strait away to pick up speed. I highly think the game isnt bad in campaign they drop the f bomb like 1-2 times and they say sh__ like 6 times so not bad alien blood is blue marine is read cod has way more blood i think the game is great so get it if youre alowd ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh i think the age limit is 11-12 not bad at all should be rated t not m show this comment if youre parents think its bad.
March 25th, 2012 at 3:48 am
i can play mass effect halo wont be a problem to me
March 30th, 2012 at 12:09 pm
halo reach is only rated M since the creators dident want to feel limited when they made it
March 30th, 2012 at 7:55 pm
I am sincerley tired that my my mother thinks Halo Reach is bad. I just got in trouble for playing it today,and I think that GamerDad can convince my mom. Thank You Gamer dad! Even though i’m eleven I should play Halo Reah right guys! Me,GamerDad,My Dad,And you guys are smart.
April 13th, 2012 at 6:15 pm
Ok, all of you! It is not that parents don’t think that kids can handle language and violence. The problem is that none of that stuff is good for their minds and their spirits! It’s not good for anyone of any age, no matter how you argue it. As to the Scout leaders having video games at Scout camp, are you serious? Really?
May 22nd, 2012 at 4:06 pm
Ive tried everything but this and my dad gets angry whenever I true to persuade him. Please help I’m 11 and need help!
August 7th, 2012 at 6:45 pm
like the dude above me, im 11 but my parents just wont let me play halo! i’ve tried and tried, but it won’t work! all my freinds have got halo, i feel really left out! If my mum was like my dad, i bet i’d have it in no time! he is so easy to break. first he says no, the eventually he says: ok, ok, yes! i’m gonna try a trick, you guys could too! go online and type in: pegi 12 sign. go on images and copy and paste it onto microsoft word of whatever. compare it to a real pegi 12 and resize it until it’s just about right. print it off. go out and say your gonna buy something, but buy halo. on the way home, remove the plastic of the box and stck the pegi 12 over the 16. make sure you do it really neat so they don’t suspect anything. if your parents search the web to see if it really is a 12, just say: “that must be outdated, cos this is definatly 12!” hope i helped!
August 9th, 2012 at 11:47 pm
Im 12 and my mom is making me watch documentaries about slave abuse, barbarians, and extremely violent stuff in general. My dad has to see something first, but my mom always says
its a definite no just because its M. I tried to tell them i can turn off blood in Black Ops. Guess what, still no. My dad says maybe, and if i show him he’ll think its alright. The thing is, he says maybe to Black Ops but no to Reach because its M. What kind of logic is that?
August 10th, 2012 at 12:45 am
I just showed my dad Reach, and he was wondering why I want it. He says it’s just like games I have already. I can’t tell if he thinks it’s appropriate, but I think he does. All I did was show him a video of the campaign and tell him that the ESRB was being a lazyass when they rated it(using less cussing), so I’ll post on this forum if he lets me get it the next time I go to GameStop.
August 11th, 2012 at 6:40 am
For those of you who think black ops is inapropriate think again I’m 12 an my mom will let me get black ops because of the ability to turn down blood and gore and language.
August 26th, 2012 at 9:12 am
Hi, I have a (mostly) mature boy of 10 1/2 – desperately wants to play Halo Reach. What’s confusing is that the online version on xbox market (is M) whereas the DVD is rated MA 15+ at the shop (we can’t down load the live version) …. and he tells me they are the same. He’s not allowed to watch anything that is MA 15+ – but I understand how much he loves the story line and wants to play this game … UNDER PRESSURE CONSTANTLY…. he doesn’t play anything else that is MA 15+ (but I know he has at friends places as he hangs out with older boys)… so is there a difference between the M and MA15+ version? Advice gratefully received!
October 7th, 2012 at 7:24 pm
@gamerdad
Would you think this game could fit into the teen rating?
October 11th, 2012 at 5:01 pm
I’m a parent with a 16 year old and an 9 year old boy. Like every parent I am somewhat protective but certainly don’t want to be oppressive because my kids have to grow up and experience life for themselves – the good the bad, the boredom the fun. But games like Halo Reach and now Halo 4 do put me in a big adult quandry. It’s balancing the “well violence and bad language happen all the time and they’re exposed to so much worse already so what harm can it do?” versus the “if you immerse them in even more violence and allow them to be surrounded by even more bad language, especially in a game that is so incredibly addictive, then how is it possible they won’t be affected?”… That old chestnut!
My added dilemma is my 9 year old who adores his 16 year old brother and just wants to do everything the older one does. Whether I like it or not, I am not around to police every moment of TV, computer and game use and I know for sure that whatever bars I put up, somehow the kids will take a rebellious pleasure in trying to knock down – preferably without being caught. So then for me, it seems that to protect the younger from this environment, I simply have to prevent the older. It seems so unfair to the individual, I can imagine, but I keep reminding myself that we are a family not a group of separate “do what the hell I like and if you don’t like it that’s your problem” type individuals.
It’s SO difficult being a good parent because there are so many perspectives. And I did not study politics at school. Ahhhhh!!!!!…..
November 15th, 2012 at 6:43 pm
im 13 and my parents allowed me halo reach after 1.5 years of asking + it was my friend who gave it to me but it really depend if your child is mature or not now that halo 4 is come out my dad won’t let me buy it even if i have reach but it really depends on your child…
November 29th, 2012 at 6:04 am
I don’t have halo.i play halo4 at my friends house and there is no gore a little blood and no language .i think it should be rated T…stupid ESRB
January 5th, 2013 at 4:10 am
I am 14 years old and i agree, there is nothing wrong with this game.
March 19th, 2013 at 7:40 am
i also agree because the worst thing in the game is the assanations which isn’t that bad at all.
October 6th, 2013 at 2:51 pm
Please help I’m almost 12 and have played halo befor a lot with my bro but mom won’t let me get it because it’s m I’ve even asked my teacher and he said it sould be t but NNo my mom does not care she has m in her head and my dad doesn’t care I’ve don’t know how to ask here help!!!!!!!!!
April 13th, 2014 at 9:08 pm
Hello, I’m not sure if anyone still chats on here, but my parents won’t allow me to play Halo Reach or any other halo games. I own halo 3 and halo reach, I got reach for a birthday present, and my dad got halo 3 in a 2 pack with forza Motorsport. I am am a pretty mature 11 year old boy, and I’m having troubles convincing my parents to let me play any games in the halo franchise. My dad’s pretty on board with the whole idea, but not entirely. My mom on the other hand, she thinks all m games need to be avoided or I’ll become a serial killer or something. I’ve tried explaining, but she doesn’t want to hear it.
April 13th, 2014 at 9:09 pm
Hello, I’m not sure if anyone still chats on here, but my parents won’t allow me to play Halo Reach or any other halo games. I own halo 3 and halo reach, I got reach for a birthday present, and my dad got halo 3 in a 2 pack with forza Motorsport. I am am a pretty mature 11 year old boy, and I’m having troubles convincing my parents to let me play any games in the halo franchise. My dad’s pretty on board with the whole idea, but not entirely. My mom on the other hand, she thinks all m games need to be avoided or I’ll become a serial killer or something. I’ve tried explaining, but she doesn’t want to hear it. Everyone my age that I know plays it, and I’m beginning to feel left out.
April 14th, 2014 at 11:08 am
Halo reach should be M for about 12+.
I am 12 turning 13 and i am a big fan of halo and I’m trying to convince my mum to let me buy it.
I’m not a big fan of COD or GTA because those game have lots of gore and blood in them so while I agree that COD is ma15+ and GTA is the same, Halo reach should definitely be rated m for 12/13+.
April 21st, 2014 at 12:50 pm
my mom thinks halo is very bad, however she is totally chill with me playing COD:Black Ops II
Campaign Unsencored. Help!
August 2nd, 2014 at 12:13 pm
To all kids with cristian parents show them this link witch contains an article on how halo is a biblical allegory it worked on my mom and I was allowed to play halo 2 when I was 11 halo is an amazing game with an exellent story fun multiplayer and gret morals looking back im incredibly happy I found this post http//halo.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=36054830&postRepeater1-p=1#36080653
August 2nd, 2014 at 12:14 pm
I also used a mobile device to write that comment so that means typos sorry XD
February 13th, 2015 at 12:50 am
I grew up in a very conservative home and after playing through Halo Reach, I was surprised by the rating. The flood, which can be found in Halo 1-3 are a little too graphic for a T rating but campaigns for Halo Reach and Halo 4 are extremely tame for M rated games. However the online modes are not rated and kids (or anyone for that matter) should not be exposed to all the crap you hear during online play.
May 28th, 2015 at 1:07 am
My parents are very particular about fps games. I only have one and it really isnt one. Please give me advice on how to convince my parents to let me get not awfully gory games thx
August 15th, 2015 at 11:20 pm
Concerned mom is really annoying yes it has guns but rarely there is blood maybe some language here and there but it halo is probably the mildest rated m game there is