Games

 

 
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
 
Rated M for Mature, popular among 12-17 year olds. 
Prequel to Modern Warfare II, released 2022.
Release Date: October 25, 2019
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox, Windows
Developer: Infinity Ward
Published By: Activision
 
Plot Summary
In the fictional Republic of Urzikstan, a CIA officer and British special forces fight against the Russian military and a terrorist group that has invaded the country. Urzik rebel groups help to combat the invading forces, and help players search for a hidden shipment of material that could be used for chemical warfare. 

CIA Agent Alex, British Sergeant Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, and an array of Western allies meet Urzikstan Liberation Force (ULF) leader Farah Karim, who promises aid in fighting Russian forces if Alex can locate and return the stolen material. Hadir, Farah's brother, is found to be the one who stole the gas that will serve as a chemical weapon, and uses it against the Russian army, but nearly kills Alex and Farrah in the process. But Hadir has now aligned with the terrorist group that the ULF is fighting, and because of the CIA's knowledge of his fatal release of the gas, the ULF is deemed a terrorist threat as well. This prompts Alex to defect and join the ULF. Will his decision lead to a fate that sacrifices more than his devotion to his own country?

Critical Evaluation
While thought to be a violent war game at first glance, this video game is highly involved and encompasses realistic war crime topics. It may be viewed as a violent shooter game, but some could see it as a tactical forces exercise. The only thing that would make it be viewed as more violent than preexisting video games is the graphics. Like most military or territorial gaming, the objective is to eliminate the enemy. This game happens to come with a realistic backstory that is more sophisticated than others, meaning some parents would disapprove based on the government missions that are present instead of more historic storylines involving mythical royalty or medieval themes.  What the game lacks in mysticism and fantasy, it makes up for in detailed production and design. The theme of the game is war strategy and weaponry. It’s clear that research was conducted, and experts were consulted in the unfolding of the scenarios, weaponry used, locations involved, and roles of the game characters. I would recommend this game to those who like strategy-based video games with more sophisticated design.

Player's Annotation

Fighting Russian forces and terrorist groups, British intelligence and the CIA join Urzik rebel groups in overthrowing the invasion while also racing to locate stolen chlorine gas before it is used in global chemical warfare. 

About the Developer

According to Wikipedia, the game was developed by Infinity Ward, following their 2016 entry Infinite Warfare, and continuing in the "three year development cycle" tradition for the franchise. High Moon Studios, Beenox, Raven Software, and Sledgehammer Games all provided additional development. The game uses a brand-new engine for the series, allowing for the use of more detailed environments, advanced photogrammetry and rendering, better volumetric lighting, and the use of ray tracing. The new engine had been in development five years prior to the release of the game, and was a collaborative effort between the main Infinity Ward studio in California and the new studio in Poland. On May 30, the game's official trailer and release date were unveiled. According to narrative director Taylor Kurosaki, Captain Price will be featured in a retconned narrative "where the events in the previous Modern Warfare timeline have not occurred."

Studio art director Joel Emslie described the game's narrative as "much more grown-up [and] mature", designed to elicit a more intimate and emotional response from players through a depiction of conflict based on contemporary events (such as terror attacks in London and the Syrian Civil War) rather than the original trilogy's reliance on bombastic set pieces. 

Genre

First-person shooter, Single or Multi-player video game

Gametalking Ideas

What is a possible reason for making Russia the invading force in this game?

Is the CIA a support or a hindrance during times of perceived terrorism?  Can it be both?

Age Rating: Ages 17+

Challenge Issues: Violence, warfare, terrorism, anti-government sentiment.

How to Defend a Challenge

Why I Chose this Game

I chose this game because not only does it command attention from its players, but it also has an intriguing plot. I think having an intense story behind the purpose of a game enriches the experience and makes the effort seem more worthwhile. 

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Taboo: The Game of Unspeakable Fun!

Designer: Brian Hersch

Published by: Hasbro (formerly Parker Brothers) in 1989

Players: 4-10

Summary

The party game, Taboo, was introduced in the late 1980’s by the company now known as Hasbro. The game consists of cards that have a word to guess printed on them, along with a set of other words that cannot be used as clues. To play the game, teams play against one another to guess the greatest number of words in one-minute increments. If players use any of the words on the card, they get penalty points, and this is where the buzzer comes in. The opposing team can use the buzzer to indicate a taboo word has been used, and the playing team must move on to the next word. Points are awarded for keywords that are guessed correctly. Players guess as many times as they can to get the word correctly as the objective is to go through as many guessing words as possible during each turn.

The game provides paying cards, an hourglass marking one minute, a buzzer, pencil and notepad for scorekeeping, and a tray to hold the cards. The number of players can range from four to ten people with even numbers so each team has the same number of players.

Critical Evaluation

Taboo is a fun, fast-paced, team-based party game that allows players to show off their vocabulary skills. As time has gone on, several editions have been published to keep the game fresh for those who enjoy playing often. It’s a popular family game for teens and adults (children, depending on language skills, however there is a Taboo Junior edition available). Because the game is more challenging than it sounds, players will try to work around the rules to win points which have resulted in follow-up rules. For example, those who give prompts to their teammates to guess the keyword cannot say any parts or abbreviations to the “taboo” words listed on the card. However, they can give clues that rhyme with the taboo words or are abbreviated versions. They can also sing to give clues, but the singing must be with words and not humming a tune. Players must use speech clues and are not allowed to make gestures, sounds, or draw pictures as clues. These are all limitations that make the game more challenging! Having played this game often at family gatherings, I recommend it for a silly, lighthearted competition and to spend time having a lot of laughs.

Player’s Annotation

Taboo is a timed guessing game with printed words on cards that are “taboo” for players to say out loud. The game challenges players to give clues to their teammates in order for them to guess the keyword.

About the Publisher

According to Wikipedia, Hasbro, Inc. (/ˈhæzbroʊ/; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational conglomerate holding company incorporated and headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Hasbro owns the trademarks and products of Kenner, Milton Bradley, Parker Brothers, and Wizards of the Coast, among others. As of August 2020, over 81.5% of its shares were held by large financial institutions.

Among its products are Transformers, G.I. Joe, Power Rangers, Rom the Space Knight, Micronauts, M.A.S.K., Monopoly, Furby, Nerf, Ouija boards, Play-Doh, Twister, and My Little Pony, and with the Entertainment One acquisition in 2019, franchises like Peppa Pig and PJ Masks. The Hasbro brand also spawned TV shows to promote its products, such as Family Game Night on the Discovery Family network. It is the parent of mass media and entertainment company Entertainment One. However, it was announced on August 3, 2023 that Hasbro will sell eOne to Lionsgate, which has received relevant regulatory approvals. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2023 (the closing date of the deal is around mid-December of that year).

Genre

Party game, board game.

Gametalking Ideas

Use of language, vocabulary, and timed guesses are fun elements to the Taboo board game. Can this game be found printed in languages other than English?

 Age range: Ages 12+

 Challenges Issues: None.

How to Defend a Challenge

Why I Chose this Game

I chose this game because it requires critical thinking, memory, and verbal skills. It is also a fun way to get to know others because board games spark conversation and can improve social skills. 

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