SuperParent-approved alternatives to this M-rated first-person shooter.
Far Cry 6 is the latest installment in the popular Far Cry video game series. The game allows players to become a guerilla fighter in a war between rebels and a ruthless dictator, and it’s been rated M for Mature by the ESRB.
This M rating means the game has been deemed inappropriate for anyone under the age of 17. The ESRB rating for Far Cry 6 has Content Descriptors for “Intense Violence,” “Blood and Gore,” “Mild Sexual Themes,” “Strong Language,” and “Use of Drugs and Alcohol.”
If your kids or teens have expressed an interest in playing Far Cry 6, but you’re uncomfortable with the idea, here are some SuperParent-approved alternatives that have similar gameplay features but are more appropriate for younger players.
Returnal
Rated T for Teen
Available On: PlayStation 5
This third-person shooter challenges players to help a woman named Selene escape a mysterious planet by scrounging for resources and defeating enemies. Returnal is a roguelike video game, meaning Selene can die, and when she does, elements of the in-game world will change, giving players a different experience as they try again.
Horizon Zero Dawn
Rated T for Teen
Available On: PlayStation 4, PS Now
Horizon: Zero Dawn is an adventure game that follows a young woman named Aloy on a quest in a post-apocalyptic world filled with dangerous robotic enemies. Like Far Cry 6, Horizon Zero Dawn allows players to explore a large open world. Horizon: Zero Dawn allows players to battle against a variety of enemies in combat, but the experience isn’t nearly as violent as Far Cry 6, if graphic violence is a concern for your family.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10+
Available On: Switch
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild challenges players to help a young boy named Link save the world of Hyrule from a villain called Ganon. Similar to Far Cry 6, Breath of the Wild is an open-world game. It allows players to travel basically anywhere at any time, and they can defeat enemies, solve puzzles, and complete quests along the way. Breath of the Wild has an E10+ for Everyone 10+ rating, making it the most kid-friendly game on our list.
Batman: Return to Arkham
Rated T for Teen
Available On: PlayStation 4, Xbox One
The two games in this collection — Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City — fall under the “oldies but goodies” category, since they were both originally released during a previous console generation (PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360). However, the Return to Arkham bundle brings them both to more modern consoles for players who want to revisit this dark world starring DC Comics characters, or travel there for the first time. Both games follow Batman on a quest to take down Arkham’s criminals, such as Mr. Freeze, Joker, and Penguin. These games allow Batman to defeat baddies in hand-to-hand combat, rather than using guns, making it more family-friendly. Plus, Batman: Arkham City features a large open world to explore.
Marvel’s Spider-Man
Rated T for Teen
Available On: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
In this T-rated crime-fighting game, players will help Spider-Man defeat baddies as they explore a large open world. Similar to Batman: Return to Arkham, Marvel’s Spider-Man allows players to defeat enemies using hand-to-hand combat and other tools (like his web shooters), rather than traditional weapons, which makes this a more teen-friendly experience than Far Cry 6.
Brandy Berthelson has been writing about video games and technology since 2006, with her work appearing on sites including AOL Games, Digital Spy, and Adweek. When she’s not gaming, Brandy enjoys crafting, baking, and traveling with her husband.
