Game Analysis

By LaRia Walker
Fall 2016
1. Title: Mission US Flight to Freedom
2. Game Developer/Studio: Thirteen Productions LLC
3.Game Genre: Role play
4. Audience: students in grades 5-8
5. Learning Objectives:
Learn the story of America and the ways Americans struggled to realize the ideals of
liberty and equality.
Understand the role of ordinary men and womenincluding young peoplein history.
Develop historical thinking skills that increase historical understanding and critical
perception.
Standards Addressed:
5th SS5H1 The student will explain the causes, major events, and consequences of
the Civil War. a. Identify Uncle Toms Cabin and John Browns raid on Harpers Ferry,
and explain how each of these events was related to the Civil War. b. Discuss how
the issues of states rights and slavery increased tensions between the North and
South
6. Context
When: 2015
7. Goals and rules of the game: The goal is to escape to freedom.
8. Storyline: In the fully interactive online game students take on the role of a female slave
named Lucy King. The goal is to escape to freedom. Through-out the game students are to
make decisions based off of the tasks she has to complete. Each decision has a consequence
whether it may be good or Bad. This game gives students a first-hand experience of what it
may have been like to be a slave in the 1800s students are able to sympathize with the
horrific times of the past while gaining a deeper understanding of why abolitionist wanted to
!an slavery before the civil war.

9. Number of players/player interaction: 1

10. Spaces for environments: The spaces are slightly different for each level. Each level has
its own setting.
11. Core mechanics: In the game players maneuver as a character around the scene to
complete tasks. Navigation is completed using the mouse and clicking on specific tasks.
Students must also have conservations with specific people.

12. Description of gameplay: Students maneuver through different settings and times.
During the Mission, students play through several days of Lucys life. Each day focuses on
different modes of resistance to the institution of slavery, as well as elements of daily life in
antebellum America. Each student playing the game will have a unique gameplay experience
based on individual choices, skill, and understanding of the period.
13. Audiovisuals: The visual design is vibrant and detailed with realistic sounds and old
hymns playing in the background.
14. Progression and levels: There are 5 sequential levels. There is also a prologue and
epilogue to introduce and sum the game up. Each level has a set of directions with clues of
what the current task is to view anytime they are needed.
15. Academic content: This content is provided through direct game play. Students are
experiencing the cruelties and hardships of slavery, what slaves had to endure while
escaping to freedom, how to handle free life, and experience the abolitionist movement.
Prior knowledge is expected. Students should be aware of what a slave is and some of the
things that slaves endured. Academic content is not needed other than common sense and
some critical thinking skills in order to advance in the game.
16. Cognitive Processes Required: Remember, understand, apply, analyze
17. Learning theories embodied: Behaviorism and constructivism
18.Instructional strategies: Students are engaged through realistic behaviors and events.
The prologue is a scaffolding activity as well as they map and hint reminders throughout the
gameplay.
19.Overall Evaluation: The strength of this game is the engaging and engulfing appeal that
it has to learners. I would have loved to play a realistic game like this when I was in school.
A weakness of the game along with a suggestion would be to let players complete tasks
without having to search for the correct place to be. I was stuck on level for a while because
I could not find the appropriate place for completing a task.
20. Reflection: Completing this task was interesting. I was able to identify the reasons why
strategic game play could be
beneficial in the classroom. I would love to teach
through gameplay for most of the year if games existed for each standard.