Brains versus brawn

Nick Miller, The West Australian, 13th October 2001

I ONCE had a discussion - OK, an argument - with a computer geek who reckoned young people would learn more from a well-made computer game than from any educational software.

His theory was that most educational software is made on the cheap, and is often far too daggy to be taken seriously by children, because it underestimates their sophistication and ability to deal with complex ideas.

On the other hand, games have much more time and money spent on them, and are far more polished and more challenging to the player, so their complexity and attraction will exercise the brain a lot more.

To test this theory, perhaps a little unfairly, I picked and education software title at random and a game at random for review, to compare their educational value.

First stop: Evac-U8! From Windy Towers.

This educational software has 18 games designed to let students learn independently while the teacher goes off for a nice lie down and maybe a facial.

It is a useful home for a variety of challenges. For instance, Evac-U8! allows students to manipulate 2D and 3D shapes into a model based on a plan, Plop Shop teaches multiplication and division by whacking "scuttlers" with a thong and distributing them via vacuum cleaner, Weight to Go teaches how to weigh things.

And so on.

The cartoon-like animation, mixed with some nice pre-rendered 3D animation, looks good.

The humour is occasionally forced, often relying on toilet noises, including a disturbingly real sound of a man learning the real meaning of No. 2.

The humour is occasionally forced, often relying on toilet noises, including a disturbingly real sound of a man learning the real meaning of No. 2.

As for educational value, I found the puzzles to be an occasionally odd mix of sophistication and simplicity. Within 10 seconds, I moved from reading about the properties of tetrahedrons to "figuring out" how to divide 21 bugs into three equal piles. Is this a consistent level of education? I think not. However, apart from the problem of how to make and educational product appeal to more than one age or educational level, this is a well-made program that does what it sets out to do with a good level of polish.

And now the challenger: Onimusha: Warlords on Playstation 2.

For a start, you would not give this game to a seven year old.

It's a variation on the "survival horror" genre done so well in the Resident Evil games.

Set in feudal Japan in the 16th century. Onimusha is about a young samurai and his female sidekick, Kaede, who are called on to defeat an undead army led by a demon.

By defeating the bad guys, you get to absorb their souls into your "Ogre's Gauntlet", increasing your weapons, magic power and health.

You start with a samurai sword, but during the game, you'll play with several others, some with magic attacks that do impressive damage.

The combat system is easy to get used to and provides scope for some impressively nimble fighting moves.

Just as important as he combat is the adventure/puzzle element, the usual fare of collecting items and figuring out how to make your way through a particular room.

A short word on the graphics - very impressive indeed. Though the backgrounds are pre-rendered, they are alive with detail and animation. The 3-D characters are smooth and impressively drawn.

And the soundtrack, recorded by the Japan New Philharmonic orchestra, is movie-quality.

What would you learn by playing through Onimusha. Well not a lot about Japanese history (though you might get a feel for the time and the place).

The strategy part of your brain will get a fairly good work-out. You'll probably make a map - either a virtual map in your head or a real mud map on paper.

You'll be straining your brain about how to dodge the bad guys, making choices about which direction to go, assessing options and scratching your head over clues.

Obviously, you'll also be solving the puzzles. Some require a degree of lateral thinking, forcing you to think beyond the obvious. Others are simpler - for instance, the Trick Box, a small puzzle that requires you to rotate groups or four numbers to align them within a certain number of turns. It's not hard, but it certainly stretches the analytical muscles.

In another room, you find a floor covered with different symbols. Stepping on particular tiles, makes others appear or disappear. You have to work out how to get your characters across.

Again, it's not too hard once you work out the "rules" of the game, but it's very satisfactory getting there from scratch.

There are harder puzzle games out there, but there's enough in Onimusha for a challenge.

To sum up: I agree with my geeky friend. The key to education is to maintain a level of interest. Many educational games get very boring very quickly.

But in the examples I chose, I found Evac-U8! To have more diverse puzzles in the long run, despite Onimusha's bigger initial appeal.

Find Evac-U8 through www.fun-ed.com