Editor's Introduction

While XSR may not always be the cleanest review site around, we've always done our best to promote a family friendly atmosphere; from our forums to the reviews and articles that are posted each week. Like Disney films of old, there's content that's suitable for everyone, with a few puns and innuendos for the adults.

With this in mind, it gives me great pleasure to introduce a guest writer to the XSR staff. After spending a large amount of time, playing and writing about playing games, PaulG took a step in a different direction, and with his family in the forefront of his mind, began writing family orientated game reviews and articles. In this, his first syndicated article on XSR, he addresses writing about family gaming, and what drew him into it in the first place.

Writing About Family Gaming

I've been playing games for a long time, so when I got married and had kids I wanted to share my hobby. However, grabbing a game from a store shelf that was reported to be suitable for my family often resulted in an ill fitting experience. Sometimes the games were too difficult to control for the kids, or addressed issues they weren't interested in; and more often than not, failed to engage the other adults in our brood - namely my other half.

The games had been well vetted for a whole host of different aspects that (we are told) may offend, damage or shock a sensitive family audience. But no work had been done to communicate how experienced players should be to enjoy the game, or of incidental scenes and topics that may unsettle little minds, or how long the game took to play and how much space was needed. Along with these negatives, there are also a raft of positive details that games should be telling family audiences. For example, games that raise interesting topics and themes for families, or help family groups play together, or even introduce new potential hobbies and sports into the home.

When I got married and had kids I wanted to share my hobby.