Bastion
LQ: 9.15
Recommended Age: 10+
Skills Used: Planning, Working Memory, Mathematics, Reading
Battlestone is an arcade action game with wonderful graphics and easy controls. Battlestones are precious commodities, as they have the magic to summon powerful heroes for the player to use to conquer the evil that is “The Void.” Collect and train incredible and unique heroes to aid in this quest, swapping between them during battle. Don’t forget to upgrade hero levels and weapon strength to increase power. Beware of the boss challenges and be sure to summon a variety of heroes to use any and all special powers to defeat him. This game also allows the player to fight friends and other players, with in-game guilds and weekly tournaments. Battlestone contains mild cartoon violence, but no blood, and is therefore recommended to players six and older.
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Getting started and then maintaining attention and effort to tasks
The player begins with only one hero but will be able to summon new heroes as he collects precious Battlestones. He must continually work to advance the hero's power and weapon level, as heroes with higher power/weapon levels are stronger and cause more damage. This makes paying attention to how much "use" each hero gets crucial, so that certain heroes are not substantially weaker than any others, as all heroes are repeatedly and often used. Additionally, when entering a boss challenge, it's critical for the player to begin with the best hero for the challenge, along with a full bar of health. Keeping mental tabs on the hero's power and weapon level, as well as their health and specific skills will help the player avoid taking much damage and successfully attack his foes. The player who lacks goal-directed persistence will likely fail to maximize fighters' potential, lead to frustration when taking too much damage or not being strong enough to defeat foes, stunting his game progress.
Adapting and adjusting to changing conditions and expectations
There are different types of heroes in the game, such as the fighter, archer, and mage (a type of sorcerer). Switching between heroes is a helpful and necessary action in Battlestone, and can be done between levels or even right in the middle of a battle. The type of hero used should align with the challenge' context. When a player anticipates a close-range battle, he is wise to not select an archer, as that type of hero is better suited for long-range battles. Using one hero consistently may work for a while, but the player will have trouble attacking or defending in certain battles or situations that the hero isn't normally meant for. Flexibility skills help the player avoid getting too comfortable or dependent on using a particular style of hero, which would otherwise create a weakness in other hero types as a result of underuse. Getting stuck using one hero - for whatever reason - only limits the player's options and makes it more difficult to conquer foes, level after level.
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