From getting lost in Shadow of the Colossus to finding our way in Journey, games underline the importance of the spaces in which we play. Other games let us experience our connection to the environment by adventuring in it. Then there are games of dire warning that let us step into a future where humanity is all but disconnected from the wider environment and hangs on just by a thread. One family told us about Final Fantasy 7 Remake's commentary on corporations and ecology. Other games, like The Wandering Village underline how our location in the world impacts on us and others. Or it can be how a game like Eco establishes the connection between your actions and the other aspects of the environment. This might be how a game like Terra Nil makes the land itself a character in the experience. As she quotes, “games of environmental responsibility animate our capacity to respond, to affect and be affected, to engage with others: other species, other people, and the otherness of our own planet.” They offer a chance to consider play from an ecological perspective. The games in this list take inspiration from Alenda Chang’s Playing Nature book. These games encourage players to consider the impact of their actions on the environment, as well as their interconnectedness to the world in which they live. There are, however, many games that offer quite the reverse. It’s easy to assume that video games are all about building big cities or running successful economies. Understand which is the best fit for your child depends what it is about a game that means they want to play it. Secondly, with the breadth of video games on offer there are loads of age appropriate alternatives.

Many families don't let children play games until they reach the related Age Rating. If you don't think your child is old enough, it's completely fine to say no. Our Grand Theft Auto guide enables you to do this in a matter of minutes. Here's what to do:įirstly, It's important to understand the content of the game before you make a decisions. Children can paint a picture that this is something they need to access or be excluded from friendship groups and playground banter. It's rated as suitable for adults but younger players do access the game. Check out our page for the game and if you don't think you they are ready you can suggest one of the great alternatives.Īn enduring example is Grand Theft Auto V. However, you don't need to feel pressured to letting a child play a game. Children tell parents that there's nothing else like them, and 'all their friends are playing' this one game.

There are some games that seem inescapable.

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