Play This, Not That: Call of Duty Vanguard
Here are some alternatives to the M-rated shooter.
Call of Duty: Vanguard is now available for consoles and PC.
This first-person shooter (FPS) has been rated M for Mature by the ESRB, meaning it’s been deemed inappropriate for anyone under the age of 17. It has Content Descriptors for “Intense Violence,” “Blood and Gore,” “Suggestive Themes,” “Strong Language,” and “Use of Drugs.”
If your kids or teens have expressed an interest in playing Call of Duty: Vanguard, but you’re uncomfortable with that idea, here are some alternatives that feature similar gameplay mechanics, but are rated T or under.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Rated T for Teen
Available On: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Mobile, Stadia
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (also called PUBG) is a battle royale game that features 100 players in each match and challenges them to be the last one standing. While the game is violent -- players will work to kill other players using a variety of weapons -- PUBG isn’t as violent as Call of Duty: Vanguard, and it has a T for Teen rating from the ESRB.
Destiny 2
Rated T for Teen
Available On: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, Stadia
Destiny 2 is a sci-fi first-person shooter that lets players travel to a variety of planets and moons to complete quests. Teens can play on their own or team up with friends, as well as compete against other players in a variety of multiplayer modes. Destiny 2 also contains tons of loot to collect, and even lets players choose from a variety of character classes (each with their own specialties). While Destiny 2 can be downloaded for free, it does offer optional in-game purchases.
Splatoon 2
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10+
Available On: Switch
Splatoon 2 is a kid-friendly third-person shooter that lets players shoot ink to cover up environments, rather than shoot “real” bullets. The game includes a single-player story mode, as well as a variety of multiplayer modes. For instance, the Turf War mode challenges two teams of four to cover as much ground as possible in ink that matches their team colors. The team that covers the most ground with their team’s ink color in three minutes wins. In addition to playing online, the game also supports local multiplayer so kids can play with others who are near them in the real world.
G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout
Rated T for Teen
Available On: Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
This team-based shooter allows players to complete an original story while playing as members from Team Joe and Team Cobra. The game’s story missions are designed to be completed by two players working as a team, but players can also play the game on their own and work with a computer-controlled teammate. In addition to the single-player story mode, the game features a variety of multiplayer modes.
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’s Social Pro Daily. When she’s not gaming, Brandy enjoys crafting, baking, and traveling with her husband.
