Bastion
LQ: 9.15
Recommended Age: 10+
Skills Used: Planning, Working Memory, Mathematics, Reading
In Art Style: BOXLIFE, players must construct boxes out of squares of paper, cutting out the squares that they wish to make into cubes. This task gets much harder later in the game, as players are timed and must try to create as many boxes as possible using the least amount of paper. Wasted paper costs money, and scores are based on currency (since the player’s character works for a box manufacturer), so lost paper will result in lower scores. Bombs eventually start showing up on some of the squares, but they can be diffused if players box them up quickly enough. The game has no offensive content, but may be a bit too difficult for younger players, so it is recommended for players ages 8 and up.
Being efficient and aware of her use of time and effort.
Since the 3D puzzles in Art Style: BOXLIFE must be completed within a set time limit, it is important for players to manage their time wisely in order to achieve a good score. Scores are affected by different variables, such as wasted paper and bombs, so players need to focus on more than simply boxing up squares. While they'll be spending the majority of their time trying to cut and fold multiple boxes at once, they periodically must box up bombs and take the time to plan the best ways to avoid wasting paper. If they spend too much time doing so, however, the timer will run out.
Developing a systematic approach for setting and achieving goals.
At the start of each puzzle in the game, players are shown a large isometric grid, upon which they can cut and attach lines to create connected squares that can fold up into a box. This requires connecting six squares to make up each side of a 3D cube. Once players cut into the grid, they need to try to ensure the remaining squares can still be connected together into groups of six, as wasted squares of paper will hurt their score. This requires players to plan out each move, sometimes reconnecting cut squares in order to create a more logical layout on the grid. If players don't plan before cutting, they may end up frequently backtracking, which costs time and can hurt their overall score.
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