First Person Shooter (FPS) games are among the most popular genre with today’s consumers. Immensely popular titles such as the Halo, Call of Duty and Bioshock series all represent the genre’s strengths, but also its critical weakness. The FPS genre is almost wholly populated by games sporting the “M” rating from the ESRB with a handful of “T” exceptions.
The primary correlation between all FPS games and their nearly universal rating of Mature is the presence of intense violence and blood and gore. In fact, it is only a slightly milder form of violence and possible lack of obvious blood and gore that denotes the all-too-rare Teen rating. In most cases these elements are only natural to the style of game and are expected if not demanded for “immersion”. Yet, the popularity of the genre attracts some players for whom this content is not appropriate.
We’re constantly being bombarded by stories about the effects of violent video games on children, but we also have studies that show these same games have positive effects too. Specifically, FPS games have been shown to “improve cognitive functions” (Kearney, 2005). This increase in multitasking is only one of several benefits now being researched, but it is clear that there are benefits to these games.
So how do we eliminate the detractors of over-abundant violence and negative visual elements on a younger audience, but retain the positive benefits? The answer to this task is Flashlight Marauders – a FPS style game lacking in the harsh violence of most shooter games and yet retaining the play style which provides positive improvements.
The entertainment and developmental elements of First Person Shooters are too great to restrict to older players due to content. Providing an All-Age Action game that engages older players with FPS-style gameplay while being appropriate and fun for younger audiences will fill a wide gap in the genre. Flashlight Marauders brings these elements together through unique and challenging game play as well as a setting devoid of blood, gore, and the violence of traditional FPSs.
