Computer games and biodiversity

• Natur entdecken
• The Buzz Game
• Habitactics II
• Zoo Tycoon 2: Endangered Species
• Petits débrouillards
• Jump Start - Animal Adventure
• Ferruginous Hawk: Eco-Detective
• WWF panda junior (safari adventures)
• Oscar the Balloonist flies into the Mountains
• L'oeil du Cyclone

• Intro
• Games
• Reviews

L’oeil du Cyclone (The Eye of the Cyclone)

Story

This is an adventure about climate change: The story unfolds as the “Great Wise Man of the People of the Wind” assigns the mission to the player to find six keys. Each of these six keys has to be searched for in a special mission that takes place in a different habitat. The player can get these keys with a combination of strategic thinking and acquiring knowledge about the respective habitat. With all six keys found, the “Eye of the Cyclone” can deliver its message to the people how to save the earth from global warming and climate change.           

Elements of the game

The game is constructed to fulfil six missions, to finally get the six keys for the eye of the cyclone. Throughout the different missions, the player can navigate through multimedia content, including videos, animations, quizzes and fact sheets. The player discovers six worlds, getting information especially about meteorology and the atmosphere. The missions are in the Brazilian rainforest, in Tibet, in the west of Africa, in Kenya, Vietnam, North America and Ireland. Both travelling to these missions and the whole game are controlled through a special spaceship that is equipped with a sophisticated laboratory, encyclopaedia and other resources.

In each mission, clues have to be found to finally get to one of the keys. In doing so, the player gets to know the live in the different regions of the earth and the environmental problems that each of these regions face. Through dialogues and arcade games, the player can collect items that are useful at a later stage of the game. Throughout each mission, there are factsheets available that inform the player about the habitat and the animals of the region. When facing the person who has the key, there is a quiz that has to be completed successfully before the key is handed over.

How biodiversity is presented

This is rather a game about sustainability and climate change than about biodiversity. It was included because it is a very rich adventure that has a very sophisticated structure, offering lots of activities while at the same time conveying a strong general message.

 
Best practice because:

• a very nice meticulously crafted adventure, with detailed and sophisticated missions
• a good presentation, covering the topic from many different ankles
• good combination of information and fun