LW4K Game Spotlights: Beholder

This is the next video in a new Learningworks for Kids series, Game Spotlight! In each video, we are highlighting some great games both old and new and defining the key executive functions that can be strengthened through play. This video will focus on Beholder. Click below to watch the video and learn more. The transcript is also provided below for your convenience. A special thanks to our videographer Alexa  for her work on this awesome video!

 

Hey everyone, welcome to Learningworks for Kids Game Spotlights! This is a new series where we will be walking through some of your favorite games and talking about how playing them can help you get better at real-world skills! If you want to know more about how to take your gameplay to the next level, visit learningworksforkids.com and explore our course listings. 

Today we’re going to be talking about the game Beholder and has a rating of T for Teen. We at LW4K recommend this game for the ages 13+ or Parental Guidance. This game was inspired by the works of George Orwell and Ray Bradbury, both science fiction writers who imagined what dark paths humanity might travel down in the not too distant future. The game is set in an alternate 1984, and you play Carl Stein, the new landlord of a building. You are told that the previous landlord did not do their job properly and that there are high hopes for you doing better. 

So what’s the job? It’s simple. Your job is to spy on the tenants of your building and gather information about them. Occasionally you will receive an order asking you specifically to find criminal activity for one specific neighbor. You do this by going into their apartment, looking through their things and taking notes. You can also place security cameras in their homes to catch them doing illegal activities, ranging from crying to owning apples. The list of illegal activities continues to grow throughout the game, EXCEPT For Spying of course… so you need to constantly keep track of what the tenants are doing. Because if you fail, you might be the next one evicted. 

There is another way to play Beholder as well; you can try to do everything in your power to protect your tenants from the government at the risk of your own safety. Carl also has a wife and children, further complicating the situation if you decide to play the game this way. 

Beholder requires players to tap into their organization skills because you have a lot of moving pieces with objectives that are not always crystal clear. You need to constantly check the information you have on your tenants with the list of illegal activities and the tasks that have been assigned to you by the Ministry of Affairs. 

You also need Self-Awareness because there are some choices you need to make within the game. Will you go along with what the Ministry is asking you to do or do you voice your objections? Being aware of the character you are playing and his situation can help guide your decision making process and create feelings of understanding and empathy with the tough position Carl is put in. 

What is your favorite game set in a dark and unfriendly world?  Let us know in the comments below! And if you enjoyed this video, be sure to hit that Subscribe button to see new reviews and playthroughs every week. Well, that’s all the time we have for today but be sure to join us for the next Game Spotlight at learningworksforkids.com! 

 

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