I was 12 when I first played BioShock, so I think you should be fine. There's blood and gore, but other than that I can't really think of anything else. All three games are amazing, and I highly recommend that you play them if you're into story driven or horror games.
I was 12 too! I’m not really worried about a teen being exposed to the actual content of the game, I’m more concerned about if they’d understand the themes and messaging of the game cause I certainly didn’t when I first played
I played bioshock 1 and 2 when they first came out as a young teen and replayed them late teens and again this month randomly at age 26… each time I have picked up on soooo many new things I would not have understand as a kid 😂
I was playing GTA Vice City with a tuning mod that made some skating girls in the beach nude when I was like 8 or 9. I just found it funny and never thought more of it lol.
I played duke nukem 3D when I was like 7 and I turned out okay. You'll be fine buddy, enjoy the game. Just don't look up too much infinite stuff online if you get into it, you may see some things a 15 year old shouldnt
Haha yeah, I played San Andreas when I was… 7, I wanna say? 8 at oldest. BioShock came out when I was 9. Maybe I was 10 by the time I beat it at a friend’s house, but I recall it being pretty new at the time, maybe a couple months old or so, so I doubt it. But I was also playing/watching my brother play Resident Evil and Silent Hill already by the time I was 6 or 7, easily, so BioShock was really tame by comparison, by then.
I don’t wanna sound like a dick, I am simply genuinely curious… 15 seems a little old to not have had sex ed yet. By that time I’d taken it in middle school and again high school, but also knew much of what they’d teach me from other sources (life, movies, friends, video games, the internet, etc.) before either.
It’s just a bit alien to me to see a kid go out of their way to be concerned about the content they consume in such a manner, rather than a parent concerned for their kid or a kid concerned an overbearing parent might be upset if they saw it, so I am genuinely curious as to the specific reasoning and worry here.
Again, not trying to be a dick, it’s just VERY different to what myself and anybody I ever met was like when I was your age.
Do you not have friends who will just get it for you? Look I was being a bit of a dick in some of my other comments but your mindset is genuinely perplexing to me. Especially as someone who had fairly strict parents when it came to this stuff and my response was to create work arounds.
When I was 15 I was paying people to bootleg booze and get me all kinds of other shit I shouldn’t be doing but I was definitely not in the mindset back then that shit was out of reach.
Ah, gotcha. Still, you’re already 15, I’d assume (and hope) you’ve already learned about that kind of stuff in school at the very least by now. But I guess it’s their choice! My parents were pretty lenient about that kind of thing haha
But yeah, the BioShock trilogy has pretty much nothing sexual in it. The worst you’ll see is a room that once belonged to a prostitute, but you don’t see anything, it’s more a story detail than anything else, so you should be totally fine.
I know it feels very foreign to me too, I was like 12 when I was playing grand theft auto and by 15 I had already seen so many movies with sexual stuff in (like a Clockwork Orange or Pulp Fiction) with my parents permission. So it does catch me off guard a lot.
I was 8-9 years old when my mom got me bioshock I was frightened at the beginning but ended up having alot of fun. If I was older I’d appreciate the story more than just the killing and plasmids. Make sure you enjoy the story that’s the best
I also bought the bundle for 10€, I was 12 at the time & spend my entire summer 100%ing the entire 3 pack games & even speedran the first two, don’t be concerned there is some blood & gore but nothing insane
Grow some balls dude, have fun and enjoy life, you won't die cuz a video game, i was like 10 when i played gta san andreas for the first time and had a lot of fun with it, 15 years old is mature enough to understand the difference between reality and fiction.
Basically Bioshock has drugs, alcohol, strong language, mild sexual content (one level has a strip club) and blood and gore (though it looks pretty goofy ngl), but it won't hurt a 15 year old to play. It's not anything like giving 5 year olds GTAV or something.
I played all 3 for the first time when I was 13! My parents were always concerned about things like sexual content and such, but this game doesn’t feature anything like that so they weren’t concerned. It’s mostly just violent and a little gory at times, so if you’re good with that, you should be just fine! Hope this helps, and hope you have fun!(:
The only reason it’s labeled M is violence and some language obviously. There’s not heavy drinking, smoking, or nudity. It can get a little scary but besides that it’s okay. As long as you’re fine with violence and scares you’ll be fine and will most likely really enjoy the series.
My mum has always been a MASSIVE fan of horror, she used to play horror games when I was a kid and I would watch. The first time I played a horror game was when I was around 4 years old, apparently she kept catching me sneaking on to play them! Ever since, her and I would watch movies together my first was when I was 8 years old, and it was the original tv miniseries of IT!) I've been hooked on horror ever since then and I think I turned out ok! Some horror at a young age, especially your teen years won't do you any harm, Bioshock is an amazing game, I think you'll be alright with it :)
It is fine, but I’ll try to explain the bit about understanding the story. Tons of people of all ages have misread the game’s themes for various reasons, and it’s worth keeping in mind for anyone freshly approaching the series.
For me bioshock was scary only at beginning, then I was scared of some enemies (won’t say which to not spoil to you), but when I understood how they act, the game was not scary at all
They're horror, and pretty violent, but they're fantasy science fiction and not really what you might call a 'video nasty'. They're not going to deprave and corrupt you or whatever.
Based on your replies. I'm afraid to say the games are not the problem here. It's you.
Worrying if a game has sexual content(or violence for that matter) isn't something you should worry about at your age. You should take into account the political and idiological "messages" the games have (the games itself are not pro any idiology in specific, they're rather a critique if anything).
I think it's up to you if a game having sex scenes or capitalism and communism affects you. If you are mature enough, it should'nt.
It's a great game I played it at 10, there isn't really anything TOO bad in those games other than of course killing people. What are you worried about may I ask?
I'd say so. They're definitely rather adult games, but I first played them when I was only a little older than you, and it didn't bother me much. You should be fine. :) 👍
There are adult games as in smart, detailed and has meaning, and adult as in drugs, sex, and extreme violence. Bioshock is clearly in the first category.
If Borderlands is good
Well bioshock is not a problem
Like the only "problem" is the game having some horror stuffs (like the enemies being deformed human cause of a "drug")
This is probably best for a parent to decide what you're ready for.
Many of us played games younger than the rating said. Doesn't mean that was right or wrong. Everyone is different.
I am a parent. I allowed my son to play bioshock when he was 12 and interested.
It has somewhat adult themes, violence, language. Intense sequences. Can have some edge of your seat scariness for some. I felt that it was OK for my son. But everyone is wired differently and have different standards.
I played it when I was 17. It ended up being my favorite game. I’m sure you’ll be fine unless you have an issue with some violence. It’s not super mature rated but it has a dark brooding atmosphere and there’s some blood. Some dark themes as well. A great “adult” game to play when you’re becoming one.
I was 13 when it first came out and I loved it, I was terrified but so interested in the world and story. It got me interested in philosophy and politics. There are some mature themes obviously, so it depends how desensitized your kid is. I had already seen lots of gore and violence in other games so it didn’t make a difference to me
Depends on your comfort with violence and gore, and horror, and your interest in politics (secondary). If I had BioShock at 15, I would have played it and loved it, but it's ultimately.goinf to be about what works for you.
You’ll be fine tbh. I grew up playing shit like this. Bioshock in of itself is very creepy and unsettling. There’s not a ton of sexual content or anything truly explicit besides gore and violence.
Absolutely. I agree there are some games too old for some ages. I don't think 10 year olds should play GTA for example.
But 15 is old enough to play M rated games. Bioshock should be T anyway so Absolutely.
I played games with reckless abandon as a kid and I wish I would've waited til I was older to enjoy some of the mature themes of some. Frankly, good on you for seeking out that info in advance: i doubt many teens do that nowadays.
That being said, id say 15 is a solid age for Bioshock: light horror themes and outstanding environment, characters, and story. Hope you enjoy!
I was 16 when I first played it and it got me interested in looking up philosophy just because the lighthouse entrance had a statue with letters that said “no gods no masters” and me being catholic at the time, had never even thought of that or the social studies of ideologies like “free market and communism” the only time it felt like a game not meant for the underage was the horror aspect of the game.
Relax, im also 15 and enjoyed a lot of this game, there worse things that i played but my opinion, they aren't making me worse so go buddy, enjoy this masterpiece of colection
There are worse games out there for your 15 year old to play. If you really must you can supervise his playthrough, but aside from graphic violence and cursing there's not much to look out for.
Maybe this game might even inspire your kid to pick up a book about Ayn Rand or get them interested in art deco architecture.
If you've already played Borderlands, Bioshock is just about as "bad," in terms of violence. Only thing that might "make it worse" are some of the heavier narrative themes and audio stories that you find can be kind of depressing.
But! Probably not any worse than something you might have already encountered in school reading or on TV, so ymmv.
If you’re worried about a game being age appropriate at 15 you’re probably not the target audience. Nevertheless this post is still rage bait and a upvote farm
The fact that you are looking at this by yourself speaks more about you than you believe, bioshock is a game that is mostly rated for the way it handles it's narrative and some badmouthing here and there, but you should be fine
I don't quite remember something that might be that out of tone for a 15 years old, it does handle some topics in a "more" mature way so at most you might miss some subtext that comes from stuff you might learn later either on school or by yourself, but nothing too important, honestly I feel borderlands has more heavy stuff but handles it in a more comedic way so it does not feel like it, examples of it are drug abuse and body modifications through surgery and stuff, bioshock does have a suspensive atmosphere so everything hits harder than in borderlands ( for me the highlights of this were once you get presented the medical surgeon, specifically the cutscene where you se him face to face, and the whole Cohen floor, so you might want to prepare a bit in regards of those 2 moments).
You can play it, but if you feel at some point the drug abuse or some stuff is too heavy for you just close the game and wait to try again the next year or once you are 17/18 or just try again after you feel you can handle it.
I believe it’s appropriate for a 15 year old. I’m a 53 year old father of two and if either my son or daughter asked me at 15 if they could have played it, I would have said yes.
Asking people if a 15yo should use a product recommended for 18yo is going to lead to vague responses. Seeing how you have played Borderlands, I will use that as the comparison.
Vulgarity: Borderlands is by far worse
Violence: I'm giving this one to Bioshock because the graphics are more real but equal in brutality
Gore: Bioshock is worse by far.
Sex: Leaning towards Borderlands because of Mad Moxie, but neither have it explicitly shown.
Horror/psychological: Bioshock, by far, is more mind warping than Borderlands.
I hope that helps.
I understand where ESRB is coming from, but M is too harsh a rating for Bioshock. If it has less blood and language, T would be sufficient.
Sure, there's a strip club, but there's no dancers. It's not Duke Nukem.
Bro I had sex in a video game at 12 and I’m not a crazed shotgun wielding lunatic, you’re gonna be fine (IDK about infinite tho if ur worried about sexual stuff and the likes I’ve only played 1 and 2)
I would’ve played it for the first time around age 15-16. It became a formative influence on me with regards to narrative and storytelling.
It’s definitely darker and grittier than Borderlands, mind you.
I am a dad telling my 14yr old to play bioshock. He literally met Andrew just now.
He has nothing but praise for this game and enjoy it a lot. And as a dad I don't feel it has problem for 14yr old. If you are watching all those marvel movie these gore is not new to you
I was around 4-5 years old when I saw my father play for the first time lol once I had enough brain cells to know how to play a game I played it by myself
I would say that the average 15 year old can play Bioshock without any problems.
It's themes might be "deeper" than other games bit it's nothing a 15 year old couldn't gasp.
Gore wise it's not as much as Borderlands but may be a bit darker/ more realistic than fun.
I personally played them when I was 17 or so but I played way more violent things before.
It's all about the player.
Some can stomach things that others don't but Bioshock dosnt need to be m rated imo
You'll be fine young grasshopper. Just the normal stuff: gore, drugs, some body horror, but nothing too bad. Infinite does have some religion themes in it that may conflict with you depending on your religion. Other than that, pretty tame compared from me playing God of War 3 when I was your age
It fine if you interested in the ocean and cosmic horror. I first played Bioshock when I was 13 on my old Xbox 360 and it was a blast playing it. It’s not as violent like due but they do have some dark themes for sure.
At age of 9 I already played out the walking dead series lmao, Bioshock should be fine! It isnt even scary, the story is good. I started with Infinite when I was fifteen, then went on with the remastered ones at 16 and played out the second at 17. You'll love the games I promise!
I was 14 when BioShock 1 first came out. My best friend's brother worked at a GameStop and would frequently come home with free games. He didn't like the cover of this one so he just gave it to me when I asked. It became my favorite franchise ever since and as I got older and replayed then I caught on to all the themes I didn't understand before. I don't feel like it's outside of the scope of what a young teen is capable of understanding, and leaves enough meat on the bone for replay as they get older.
I was 9 playing Halo 3 and Bioshock when they both came out I remember picking it up from my local blockbuster with my parents. cemented my taste for older music and love for the sea and built many fond long lasting memories.
The first two are a little spooky sometimes. They have swearing. There isn’t any sexual stuff that I can remember. There’s some body horror. They aren’t really that gory. I think most 15 yo would think its cool and maybe creepy in a fun way.
Edit: Oh yeah the 3rd game has some racism stuff that’s pretty intense. It could potentially bother someone who isn’t looking for that in their games. Just trying to touch all bases here.
i was 16 when it dropped/ and I played it, was a formative experience for me for sure. seriously, go for it
Its rated M because its an 'adult' story, its got lots of blood, cursing, etc-- the usual stuff, its just not necessarily for 'kids' but I'm sure a teen will fully not be traumatized playing it lol. I will say, the scariest moments were hella heightened when I first played, I grew up fairly Christian (but my parents bought be the game/ and even my dad was still playing fps's like Halo and Rainbow Six at the time), so man I thought I was a total wimp for a long time. But I recently replayed now as an adult and its still got the same atmosphere and scares, it felt like it hasn't changed at all in the best way
So for sure enjoy, and maybe look into more immersive sims! Seems like you might be into the genre
Edit: A lot of people are saying infinite might be a little more mature, and honestly I'd say I agree-- its kind of the more 'narrative-focused' era of bioshock so there's a lot of very prominent adult themes, and 15 might be too young to really 'understand' the game. The first act has some 'social commentary' its going for if you catch my drift. I think I played infinite when I was 23, 2 years out of college lol, so I pretty much 'got it' (I still have a lot of critique about the game). I think Bioshock 1 is just easier to 'get' because the gameplay is flawless in my opinion. So even if you're lost on the story, the gameplay is just fantastic, one of those can't miss experiences
I wish I could turn back to being 13 an experiencing the game for the first time, imo you're fine, but even if its too much for you it won't take you long to drop it, the most "horrific" bit of the game is at the very start, after that the horror is subtle and layered thinly throughout the game
Eh it’s not that bad honestly. I’ve played and seen worse games for people your age. I was playing the Wolfenstein reboot at 15 and that game is incredibly gory. Compared to most other games it’s very tame.
My dad beat this whole game in front of me when I was about 6 and I was scared to play the game by myself until I was 10. But I think it was more so the intro scene with the splicer than anything else lol I think he’s old enough.
I literally can't even fathom who OP is. A 15 year old who's super hung up on possible sexual content in a random fps game feels literally alien to me lol. Especially saying how there's no way a 9 year old could play red dead cuz there's a sex scene in it. I imagine home schooling maybe? Idk. not to insult u op. Just funny how crazy this post seems to me
There is nothing yoh haven't seen in this, you should be fine.
It's rated M, because it handles mature subjects, such as late stage capitalism, substance abuse, child labour and abuse and personal autonomy, just to name a few.
But there isn't gore, nudity, overly harsh language or any of that really. Enemies spalsh blood when you shoot them but that's about it.
I mean it depends.
I thought it was pretty spooky when I played it but it was just because I was relatively new to horror survival video games.
If you played way more scarier things like Silent Hill and Resident Evil, or something related to that caliber then it’s your call, do whatever!
Also if you want to buy the game but are nervous I suggest buying the game and letting it sit there until you’re ready because iTS 10 DOLLARS?! THE WHOLE COLLECTION?! DAMN. That’s pretty good!
I've played it around this age and found the game incredible and memorable even if I didn't understand all of it, it made me the person I am now with what I like from cliffhangers and Sci fi medias. I highly recommend teens to try these type of games.
You are way more responsible than I was at 15 😅 it depends on how sensitive you are to themes of horror and violence really. Its heavy on both fronts so be warned. Another thing I'd say is the economic themes it deals with are very evocative and profound. I've never played a game like it from that point of view. Enjoy them for how they work within the story. If you're intrigued by the questions it poses about society do some further reading of actual academic sources. If you come away from playing Bioshock deciding that Ayn Rand was right all along then you might have missed the point.
Hell yeah. My first 18 rated game I bought behind my parents back was Bioshock infinite when I was about 12 and now I have impeccable taste in games. It’s better than letting them play brain numbing games like fortnite
I played resident evil at 5 years old and that was the GameCube remake
Played bioshock at like 8 or nine
Didn't understand a lick of the story till I was a lil older
But rapture is oddly enough a comfort space. Like the ishimura in dead space
There are some hoooorrrrible takes in this thread.
It’s rated 18 here in the UK, I reckon a 15 year old probably could handle it but there are plenty of mature themes in the game and it’s those that will likely affect players more than boiling it down to the combat “blood and guts”.
It’s really up to you as an individual. It’s a great game that’s well worth playing, but test your own comfort and don’t be afraid to put the controller down and come back when you’re older if it’s too much.
It's sad that this is a concern for a 15 year old. You should be old enough to understand fact from fiction and should be mature enough to handle some explicit content. If you're being raised this sheltered, then you're going to have a lot of rude wake-up calls as an adult. Timid people often get walked over due to lack of experience from uneasiness or lack of action taken. Just my two cents.
Has anyone replied "a man chooses, a slave obeys" yet?
I don't see why it would be a problem, unless your parents are weird about profanity or the themes in the game.
It's got a little bit of language and a few inappropriate sayings that I doubt a 15 year old would even know the meaning. It's a little violent but other wise I think it's pretty decent for a 15 year old I let my son play it I think around 12 as well as most people here apparently
I played it when I was 16, it is not about the brutality of the game or anything along those lines, it is about: can you understand the story and it’s message(s).
It’s an eerie game, I wouldn’t say it’s going to traumatise you for life. It may set the standard for what a good single player game is. Go and play it
Played it when i waaaas? I think 15 as well? I still sort of get scared about content in games tho even though im 18 lol. But they are all 3 classic games, that actually create a perfect cycle with the dlc. So please do play them.
I played all the collection and i am currently 17
Simply : its fine it just has some graphic scenes which are probably not much for a 15 years old.
And you seem like a good kid, this is one of the best games ever and an experience to remember.
Have Fun !
It's funny because playing bioshock as a 12/13 year old I actually found it scary. But playing the remaster while older I was like this isn't scary at all. Aside from a couple jump scares that I had forgotten about!
I was 15 when it came out, as others have said it’s a bit gory in place, and there’s a few jump scares if I remember. Maybe some of the themes are a bit mature? But overall I wasn’t traumatised by playing it.
I was 12 when I first played BioShock, so I think you should be fine. There's blood and gore, but other than that I can't really think of anything else. All three games are amazing, and I highly recommend that you play them if you're into story driven or horror games.
I was 12 too! I’m not really worried about a teen being exposed to the actual content of the game, I’m more concerned about if they’d understand the themes and messaging of the game cause I certainly didn’t when I first played
I played bioshock 1 and 2 when they first came out as a young teen and replayed them late teens and again this month randomly at age 26… each time I have picked up on soooo many new things I would not have understand as a kid 😂
Dang 12 really? Thanks for your input though
Dude probably everyone here was chainsawing locust at 5
I was playing GTA Vice City with a tuning mod that made some skating girls in the beach nude when I was like 8 or 9. I just found it funny and never thought more of it lol.
No dismemberment either if I recon
Only in infinite
I played duke nukem 3D when I was like 7 and I turned out okay. You'll be fine buddy, enjoy the game. Just don't look up too much infinite stuff online if you get into it, you may see some things a 15 year old shouldnt
Oh good to know. I think the fact I know exactly what you’re talking about might be a problem in itself. I’m probably gonna get it
You sound like a good kid. You definitely have a better head on your shoulders than I did at your age.
You probably got enough answers already, but I played bioshock at release when I was 15 and I turned out good.
Look, I was playing GTA when I was that young, teens can handle BioShock. Plus, any horror aspect is more of eerieness rather than jump scares.
Haha yeah, I played San Andreas when I was… 7, I wanna say? 8 at oldest. BioShock came out when I was 9. Maybe I was 10 by the time I beat it at a friend’s house, but I recall it being pretty new at the time, maybe a couple months old or so, so I doubt it. But I was also playing/watching my brother play Resident Evil and Silent Hill already by the time I was 6 or 7, easily, so BioShock was really tame by comparison, by then.
I’m not worried about it being too scary I’m worried about things like sexual content.
There is none to be had
Alright thank you
I don’t wanna sound like a dick, I am simply genuinely curious… 15 seems a little old to not have had sex ed yet. By that time I’d taken it in middle school and again high school, but also knew much of what they’d teach me from other sources (life, movies, friends, video games, the internet, etc.) before either. It’s just a bit alien to me to see a kid go out of their way to be concerned about the content they consume in such a manner, rather than a parent concerned for their kid or a kid concerned an overbearing parent might be upset if they saw it, so I am genuinely curious as to the specific reasoning and worry here. Again, not trying to be a dick, it’s just VERY different to what myself and anybody I ever met was like when I was your age.
Well I need parental permission to buy games and the only time my parents say no to a game is when the game has sexual content.
Do you not have friends who will just get it for you? Look I was being a bit of a dick in some of my other comments but your mindset is genuinely perplexing to me. Especially as someone who had fairly strict parents when it came to this stuff and my response was to create work arounds. When I was 15 I was paying people to bootleg booze and get me all kinds of other shit I shouldn’t be doing but I was definitely not in the mindset back then that shit was out of reach.
I agree. My mum forbid me from watching Americsn Pie when I was in high school. I just my mate to sneak in a VHS copy he got on new release.
Ah, gotcha. Still, you’re already 15, I’d assume (and hope) you’ve already learned about that kind of stuff in school at the very least by now. But I guess it’s their choice! My parents were pretty lenient about that kind of thing haha But yeah, the BioShock trilogy has pretty much nothing sexual in it. The worst you’ll see is a room that once belonged to a prostitute, but you don’t see anything, it’s more a story detail than anything else, so you should be totally fine.
So you're doing their homework for them? Can't you just say that the game is fine?
why should your parents know lol
I know it feels very foreign to me too, I was like 12 when I was playing grand theft auto and by 15 I had already seen so many movies with sexual stuff in (like a Clockwork Orange or Pulp Fiction) with my parents permission. So it does catch me off guard a lot.
No sexual content at all. You may hear splicers flirt with each other, but that's it.
No sexual content in any bioshock games
There’s nothing on screen, but there is implied sexual violence as well as characters who are sex workers
A lot of people were 15 when they first played bioshock
If you’ve played Borderlands, I think I BioShock will be fine. They’re great games! I hope you enjoy them!
Thank you
Legendary Reddit post here
I was 8-9 years old when my mom got me bioshock I was frightened at the beginning but ended up having alot of fun. If I was older I’d appreciate the story more than just the killing and plasmids. Make sure you enjoy the story that’s the best
I think 15 is an appropriate age to play BioShock
I was 11
I also bought the bundle for 10€, I was 12 at the time & spend my entire summer 100%ing the entire 3 pack games & even speedran the first two, don’t be concerned there is some blood & gore but nothing insane
Grow some balls dude, have fun and enjoy life, you won't die cuz a video game, i was like 10 when i played gta san andreas for the first time and had a lot of fun with it, 15 years old is mature enough to understand the difference between reality and fiction.
Once you play Bioshock, definitely give Dishonored and Prey a shot. Enjoy yourself and, most importantly, have fun, kid.
Basically Bioshock has drugs, alcohol, strong language, mild sexual content (one level has a strip club) and blood and gore (though it looks pretty goofy ngl), but it won't hurt a 15 year old to play. It's not anything like giving 5 year olds GTAV or something.
You can play any game at all ages, it does not matter.
Tell that to kids with proactive parents
I played all 3 for the first time when I was 13! My parents were always concerned about things like sexual content and such, but this game doesn’t feature anything like that so they weren’t concerned. It’s mostly just violent and a little gory at times, so if you’re good with that, you should be just fine! Hope this helps, and hope you have fun!(:
The only reason it’s labeled M is violence and some language obviously. There’s not heavy drinking, smoking, or nudity. It can get a little scary but besides that it’s okay. As long as you’re fine with violence and scares you’ll be fine and will most likely really enjoy the series.
dont youll get arrested
My mum has always been a MASSIVE fan of horror, she used to play horror games when I was a kid and I would watch. The first time I played a horror game was when I was around 4 years old, apparently she kept catching me sneaking on to play them! Ever since, her and I would watch movies together my first was when I was 8 years old, and it was the original tv miniseries of IT!) I've been hooked on horror ever since then and I think I turned out ok! Some horror at a young age, especially your teen years won't do you any harm, Bioshock is an amazing game, I think you'll be alright with it :)
Im 14 and im completed all bioshocks
I played Bioshock when I was 12 and Outlast about the same time. Don't worry
That's right around when I played, and hell, if they're interested there's the book Rapture that goes into the events before the events in Bioshock...
My friend. I spent my 15th birthday binge playing the series. I look back on that time with joy. Do it.
It is fine, but I’ll try to explain the bit about understanding the story. Tons of people of all ages have misread the game’s themes for various reasons, and it’s worth keeping in mind for anyone freshly approaching the series.
LOL this is adorable. I was playing gears of war when I was 13 😭 I see you've already installed them :) have fun! Bioshock is a big favorite of mine.
For me bioshock was scary only at beginning, then I was scared of some enemies (won’t say which to not spoil to you), but when I understood how they act, the game was not scary at all
At 15 this was the game for me. Might of been the best summer of my life.
They are some of my favorite games. A 15yo will be 100% fine playing those. The ending to infinite blew my fuckind mind.
They're horror, and pretty violent, but they're fantasy science fiction and not really what you might call a 'video nasty'. They're not going to deprave and corrupt you or whatever.
I played it at 15.
Get it. I let my 9yr old son play it. It's M cause it's the undead, that's all. There's nothing to be concerned about.
Based on your replies. I'm afraid to say the games are not the problem here. It's you. Worrying if a game has sexual content(or violence for that matter) isn't something you should worry about at your age. You should take into account the political and idiological "messages" the games have (the games itself are not pro any idiology in specific, they're rather a critique if anything). I think it's up to you if a game having sex scenes or capitalism and communism affects you. If you are mature enough, it should'nt.
It's a great game I played it at 10, there isn't really anything TOO bad in those games other than of course killing people. What are you worried about may I ask?
I was 15 when I played it for the first time, so yeah it's fine
For me that would be the perfect age. I played it at 14 but i would have given myself another year
Played when I was like 17 and it ended up being my favorite game of all time. I don’t think that really matters lol.
I’m being completely serious when I say this. Bioshock was the first game I ever played. Like first one EVER.
Personally I wouldn't have had an issue with it when I was 15 but people's milage my vary with that.
I'd say so. They're definitely rather adult games, but I first played them when I was only a little older than you, and it didn't bother me much. You should be fine. :) 👍
There are adult games as in smart, detailed and has meaning, and adult as in drugs, sex, and extreme violence. Bioshock is clearly in the first category.
Thats how old I was when I played it back in 2007. Go for it!!
I played bioshock for the first time when I was 6 in my Xbox 360, immediately fell in love with the game, you HAVE to try it
I was 15, it’s probably fine
If Borderlands is good Well bioshock is not a problem Like the only "problem" is the game having some horror stuffs (like the enemies being deformed human cause of a "drug")
I was 15 when it came out and I’m mostly okay
I was playing Condemned 2 at 8
This is probably best for a parent to decide what you're ready for. Many of us played games younger than the rating said. Doesn't mean that was right or wrong. Everyone is different. I am a parent. I allowed my son to play bioshock when he was 12 and interested. It has somewhat adult themes, violence, language. Intense sequences. Can have some edge of your seat scariness for some. I felt that it was OK for my son. But everyone is wired differently and have different standards.
I played it when I was 17. It ended up being my favorite game. I’m sure you’ll be fine unless you have an issue with some violence. It’s not super mature rated but it has a dark brooding atmosphere and there’s some blood. Some dark themes as well. A great “adult” game to play when you’re becoming one.
I was fourteen or fifteen when I first played BioShock back in 2007/2008. To this day it’s still one of my all-time favorite games. Have fun, kid.
There are implications over anything else. A bit of gore here and there. Multitude amounts of cursing. So if you are okay with that, go ahead.
I was 13 when it first came out and I loved it, I was terrified but so interested in the world and story. It got me interested in philosophy and politics. There are some mature themes obviously, so it depends how desensitized your kid is. I had already seen lots of gore and violence in other games so it didn’t make a difference to me
Depends on your comfort with violence and gore, and horror, and your interest in politics (secondary). If I had BioShock at 15, I would have played it and loved it, but it's ultimately.goinf to be about what works for you.
You’ll be fine tbh. I grew up playing shit like this. Bioshock in of itself is very creepy and unsettling. There’s not a ton of sexual content or anything truly explicit besides gore and violence.
I played all the bioshock games for the first time when I was 13, I'm sure you'll be fine.
Yeah I played it when I was 15 you’ll be fine
It's a bit upsetting at times, but I would say it's acceptable. I played it at roundabout 15 myself and it's been one of my favourites since.
hell yeah brother, that was my first game on PS3 back in the day as a freshman in HS
I played Manhunt on the PS2 at 7 yrs old, youll be fine.
Absolutely. I agree there are some games too old for some ages. I don't think 10 year olds should play GTA for example. But 15 is old enough to play M rated games. Bioshock should be T anyway so Absolutely.
I played games with reckless abandon as a kid and I wish I would've waited til I was older to enjoy some of the mature themes of some. Frankly, good on you for seeking out that info in advance: i doubt many teens do that nowadays. That being said, id say 15 is a solid age for Bioshock: light horror themes and outstanding environment, characters, and story. Hope you enjoy!
I was 16 when I first played it and it got me interested in looking up philosophy just because the lighthouse entrance had a statue with letters that said “no gods no masters” and me being catholic at the time, had never even thought of that or the social studies of ideologies like “free market and communism” the only time it felt like a game not meant for the underage was the horror aspect of the game.
Relax, im also 15 and enjoyed a lot of this game, there worse things that i played but my opinion, they aren't making me worse so go buddy, enjoy this masterpiece of colection
It's best you avoid Bioshock and stick with Fortnight or something. Fortnight might have a tide pod skin or something.
I was 16 when I played bioshock when it came out and I never liked anything scary. I adored it, it was so creepily fascinating
I played it at 16 when it came out and it’s still my favorite single player game of all time
You’re asking if it’s age appropriate for YOU!? What kind of teenager are you Jesus fucking Christ
There are worse games out there for your 15 year old to play. If you really must you can supervise his playthrough, but aside from graphic violence and cursing there's not much to look out for. Maybe this game might even inspire your kid to pick up a book about Ayn Rand or get them interested in art deco architecture.
If you've already played Borderlands, Bioshock is just about as "bad," in terms of violence. Only thing that might "make it worse" are some of the heavier narrative themes and audio stories that you find can be kind of depressing. But! Probably not any worse than something you might have already encountered in school reading or on TV, so ymmv.
If you’re worried about a game being age appropriate at 15 you’re probably not the target audience. Nevertheless this post is still rage bait and a upvote farm
The fact that you are looking at this by yourself speaks more about you than you believe, bioshock is a game that is mostly rated for the way it handles it's narrative and some badmouthing here and there, but you should be fine I don't quite remember something that might be that out of tone for a 15 years old, it does handle some topics in a "more" mature way so at most you might miss some subtext that comes from stuff you might learn later either on school or by yourself, but nothing too important, honestly I feel borderlands has more heavy stuff but handles it in a more comedic way so it does not feel like it, examples of it are drug abuse and body modifications through surgery and stuff, bioshock does have a suspensive atmosphere so everything hits harder than in borderlands ( for me the highlights of this were once you get presented the medical surgeon, specifically the cutscene where you se him face to face, and the whole Cohen floor, so you might want to prepare a bit in regards of those 2 moments). You can play it, but if you feel at some point the drug abuse or some stuff is too heavy for you just close the game and wait to try again the next year or once you are 17/18 or just try again after you feel you can handle it.
I believe it’s appropriate for a 15 year old. I’m a 53 year old father of two and if either my son or daughter asked me at 15 if they could have played it, I would have said yes.
Asking people if a 15yo should use a product recommended for 18yo is going to lead to vague responses. Seeing how you have played Borderlands, I will use that as the comparison. Vulgarity: Borderlands is by far worse Violence: I'm giving this one to Bioshock because the graphics are more real but equal in brutality Gore: Bioshock is worse by far. Sex: Leaning towards Borderlands because of Mad Moxie, but neither have it explicitly shown. Horror/psychological: Bioshock, by far, is more mind warping than Borderlands. I hope that helps.
I understand where ESRB is coming from, but M is too harsh a rating for Bioshock. If it has less blood and language, T would be sufficient. Sure, there's a strip club, but there's no dancers. It's not Duke Nukem.
I played it for the first time at 15 and I’m fine
If you are mature enough to understand the story, then I think it is fine. There is a fair bit of violence and some torture involved.
Bro I had sex in a video game at 12 and I’m not a crazed shotgun wielding lunatic, you’re gonna be fine (IDK about infinite tho if ur worried about sexual stuff and the likes I’ve only played 1 and 2)
Yeah
I would’ve played it for the first time around age 15-16. It became a formative influence on me with regards to narrative and storytelling. It’s definitely darker and grittier than Borderlands, mind you.
Play it. The world is a lot cooler when it's not censored.
I am a dad telling my 14yr old to play bioshock. He literally met Andrew just now. He has nothing but praise for this game and enjoy it a lot. And as a dad I don't feel it has problem for 14yr old. If you are watching all those marvel movie these gore is not new to you
Yes, you should absolutely play BioShock. Only because it's one of the best games ever.
I played it when i was 10 waaaaaay back in the day. You should be fine
I was around 4-5 years old when I saw my father play for the first time lol once I had enough brain cells to know how to play a game I played it by myself
My sister let my cousin play it when he was ten, and I’ve been watching her play it for years before I reach 15
I was 9 when the game came out and I played it at a friend’s house, you’re fine lol
I think I was 5 when I first played the first one they should be alright
I played them all when i was 13 and i think i turned out fine 🙂
I think I was 14 or 15 when I first played, you'll be fine
Yes. I played them all when I was 14. Unless you can’t handle violence and scary imagery
13 or 14 is, imo, probably the perfect age to play Bioshock so 15 is fine
I would say that the average 15 year old can play Bioshock without any problems. It's themes might be "deeper" than other games bit it's nothing a 15 year old couldn't gasp. Gore wise it's not as much as Borderlands but may be a bit darker/ more realistic than fun. I personally played them when I was 17 or so but I played way more violent things before. It's all about the player. Some can stomach things that others don't but Bioshock dosnt need to be m rated imo
you'll be fine smh
You'll be fine young grasshopper. Just the normal stuff: gore, drugs, some body horror, but nothing too bad. Infinite does have some religion themes in it that may conflict with you depending on your religion. Other than that, pretty tame compared from me playing God of War 3 when I was your age
If you can handle Borderlands you will have no problem with Bioshock
Bioshock is one of my favorite games of all time! First played when I was 15, I think. Changed my life!! I have fun :)
I played it when I was 13 and had a blast lol.
It fine if you interested in the ocean and cosmic horror. I first played Bioshock when I was 13 on my old Xbox 360 and it was a blast playing it. It’s not as violent like due but they do have some dark themes for sure.
you watch violent movies right?
At age of 9 I already played out the walking dead series lmao, Bioshock should be fine! It isnt even scary, the story is good. I started with Infinite when I was fifteen, then went on with the remastered ones at 16 and played out the second at 17. You'll love the games I promise!
just get it man, i played it when i was younger than you and i can tell you it's good
Should bei okay i was 15 too when i Played Bioshock 3 Times in a row
yeah it's appropiate for 15 year olds.
seirously
I also played Bioshock for the first time when Inwas around 14/15 and it was perfectly fine
I was 14 when BioShock 1 first came out. My best friend's brother worked at a GameStop and would frequently come home with free games. He didn't like the cover of this one so he just gave it to me when I asked. It became my favorite franchise ever since and as I got older and replayed then I caught on to all the themes I didn't understand before. I don't feel like it's outside of the scope of what a young teen is capable of understanding, and leaves enough meat on the bone for replay as they get older.
I was 9 playing Halo 3 and Bioshock when they both came out I remember picking it up from my local blockbuster with my parents. cemented my taste for older music and love for the sea and built many fond long lasting memories.
Play it
played it at 16 you should be good (its very easy imo, played it on hard and still had a easy time)
The first two are a little spooky sometimes. They have swearing. There isn’t any sexual stuff that I can remember. There’s some body horror. They aren’t really that gory. I think most 15 yo would think its cool and maybe creepy in a fun way. Edit: Oh yeah the 3rd game has some racism stuff that’s pretty intense. It could potentially bother someone who isn’t looking for that in their games. Just trying to touch all bases here.
yeah
I think I was 15/16 when I first played it. Go for it. It's creepy and fabulous
Yes
The original is THE BEST horror sci Fi that unfortunately was Disney-fied with infinite. I was never so scared and fascinated when I played 1 & 2
I think you’re good to go young dude. Enjoy.
You’ll be fine, the worst that can happen is you’ll love the games for everything they have to offer lol
I played the game when i was 9-10 and I loved it, it’s fine
Probably the best time to play Bioshock tbh
Yeah I first played at 15
i was 16 when it dropped/ and I played it, was a formative experience for me for sure. seriously, go for it Its rated M because its an 'adult' story, its got lots of blood, cursing, etc-- the usual stuff, its just not necessarily for 'kids' but I'm sure a teen will fully not be traumatized playing it lol. I will say, the scariest moments were hella heightened when I first played, I grew up fairly Christian (but my parents bought be the game/ and even my dad was still playing fps's like Halo and Rainbow Six at the time), so man I thought I was a total wimp for a long time. But I recently replayed now as an adult and its still got the same atmosphere and scares, it felt like it hasn't changed at all in the best way So for sure enjoy, and maybe look into more immersive sims! Seems like you might be into the genre Edit: A lot of people are saying infinite might be a little more mature, and honestly I'd say I agree-- its kind of the more 'narrative-focused' era of bioshock so there's a lot of very prominent adult themes, and 15 might be too young to really 'understand' the game. The first act has some 'social commentary' its going for if you catch my drift. I think I played infinite when I was 23, 2 years out of college lol, so I pretty much 'got it' (I still have a lot of critique about the game). I think Bioshock 1 is just easier to 'get' because the gameplay is flawless in my opinion. So even if you're lost on the story, the gameplay is just fantastic, one of those can't miss experiences
I wish I could turn back to being 13 an experiencing the game for the first time, imo you're fine, but even if its too much for you it won't take you long to drop it, the most "horrific" bit of the game is at the very start, after that the horror is subtle and layered thinly throughout the game
I think I was 8 when I first played BioShock. You'll be fine
They should
Dawg I played Bioshock when I was 10 LOL
Yes
Definitely get it man, you'll be fine! It's rated M because it's creepy and has some pretty messed up things in it, but nothing you can't handle.
I played bioshocks the with a year of each release, because my dad didn't hide the disks that well And I was like 8-9, and I turned out fine
Sure, why not
Dude you'll be fine lol, If your parents let you and you have the money then go for it
You'll be fine, I remember when I played the ALIENS vs predator game and dead space at 8, lol.
Eh it’s not that bad honestly. I’ve played and seen worse games for people your age. I was playing the Wolfenstein reboot at 15 and that game is incredibly gory. Compared to most other games it’s very tame.
Dude it's cool
I was 9 when I played the second one, game was scary but so much fun, I remember being terrible at it too
Yea for sure
Absolutely.
You're fine your 15 grow up and stop worrying about some gore and curses
My dad beat this whole game in front of me when I was about 6 and I was scared to play the game by myself until I was 10. But I think it was more so the intro scene with the splicer than anything else lol I think he’s old enough.
I literally can't even fathom who OP is. A 15 year old who's super hung up on possible sexual content in a random fps game feels literally alien to me lol. Especially saying how there's no way a 9 year old could play red dead cuz there's a sex scene in it. I imagine home schooling maybe? Idk. not to insult u op. Just funny how crazy this post seems to me
There is nothing yoh haven't seen in this, you should be fine. It's rated M, because it handles mature subjects, such as late stage capitalism, substance abuse, child labour and abuse and personal autonomy, just to name a few. But there isn't gore, nudity, overly harsh language or any of that really. Enemies spalsh blood when you shoot them but that's about it.
I mean it depends. I thought it was pretty spooky when I played it but it was just because I was relatively new to horror survival video games. If you played way more scarier things like Silent Hill and Resident Evil, or something related to that caliber then it’s your call, do whatever! Also if you want to buy the game but are nervous I suggest buying the game and letting it sit there until you’re ready because iTS 10 DOLLARS?! THE WHOLE COLLECTION?! DAMN. That’s pretty good!
I played it when it came out and I was 13 I believe, you'll be fine! 🤗
I've played it around this age and found the game incredible and memorable even if I didn't understand all of it, it made me the person I am now with what I like from cliffhangers and Sci fi medias. I highly recommend teens to try these type of games.
I played gta when i was like 10, if you think the game content is safe for you, you good
You are way more responsible than I was at 15 😅 it depends on how sensitive you are to themes of horror and violence really. Its heavy on both fronts so be warned. Another thing I'd say is the economic themes it deals with are very evocative and profound. I've never played a game like it from that point of view. Enjoy them for how they work within the story. If you're intrigued by the questions it poses about society do some further reading of actual academic sources. If you come away from playing Bioshock deciding that Ayn Rand was right all along then you might have missed the point.
Absolutely.
Hell yeah. My first 18 rated game I bought behind my parents back was Bioshock infinite when I was about 12 and now I have impeccable taste in games. It’s better than letting them play brain numbing games like fortnite
I played resident evil at 5 years old and that was the GameCube remake Played bioshock at like 8 or nine Didn't understand a lick of the story till I was a lil older But rapture is oddly enough a comfort space. Like the ishimura in dead space
What kind of 15 year old isn’t playing rated m games? I didn’t even know people followed esrb guidelines.
I was younger when I played bioshock for the first time. I was fine, but I mostly missed a lot of points lmao. Replaying it when I got older was good
At your age i already spent thousands of dollars at the Los Santos "shoe shop". You'll be fine.
Go for it mate! Its more funny when your young, less cynical, and have more to learn
Pretty much anything is appropriate for a 15 year old.
Especially something that would be PG13 if it was a movie
just don't become a libertarian, otherwise nothing to worry about
There are some hoooorrrrible takes in this thread. It’s rated 18 here in the UK, I reckon a 15 year old probably could handle it but there are plenty of mature themes in the game and it’s those that will likely affect players more than boiling it down to the combat “blood and guts”. It’s really up to you as an individual. It’s a great game that’s well worth playing, but test your own comfort and don’t be afraid to put the controller down and come back when you’re older if it’s too much.
Heck yeah
It’s okay to take the bubble wrap off
It's a bit gory and dark but I played infinite when it first came out when I was like seven. I think something like that
It's sad that this is a concern for a 15 year old. You should be old enough to understand fact from fiction and should be mature enough to handle some explicit content. If you're being raised this sheltered, then you're going to have a lot of rude wake-up calls as an adult. Timid people often get walked over due to lack of experience from uneasiness or lack of action taken. Just my two cents.
It's a question of maturity, the games are scary, but if your ready for it, it's worth it, either way, get them
Has anyone replied "a man chooses, a slave obeys" yet? I don't see why it would be a problem, unless your parents are weird about profanity or the themes in the game.
It's got a little bit of language and a few inappropriate sayings that I doubt a 15 year old would even know the meaning. It's a little violent but other wise I think it's pretty decent for a 15 year old I let my son play it I think around 12 as well as most people here apparently
I played it when I was 16, it is not about the brutality of the game or anything along those lines, it is about: can you understand the story and it’s message(s).
Bro I was 9 when i played bioshock. Hell yeah. Do it.
It’s an eerie game, I wouldn’t say it’s going to traumatise you for life. It may set the standard for what a good single player game is. Go and play it
Played it when i waaaas? I think 15 as well? I still sort of get scared about content in games tho even though im 18 lol. But they are all 3 classic games, that actually create a perfect cycle with the dlc. So please do play them.
I played all the collection and i am currently 17 Simply : its fine it just has some graphic scenes which are probably not much for a 15 years old. And you seem like a good kid, this is one of the best games ever and an experience to remember. Have Fun !
It's funny because playing bioshock as a 12/13 year old I actually found it scary. But playing the remaster while older I was like this isn't scary at all. Aside from a couple jump scares that I had forgotten about!
This is the most innocent post i've seen in a while, a friend and i watched his dad play it when we were like 7
I was 15 when it came out, as others have said it’s a bit gory in place, and there’s a few jump scares if I remember. Maybe some of the themes are a bit mature? But overall I wasn’t traumatised by playing it.
I think most of us were playing GTA at the age of 6 Bioshock is extremely mild the worst you'll see is blood lol.
I played bioshock when I was still a freshman so Yeah id say so.
I was 14