Children do more than just read about faraway lands and folk tales in Legends & Myths. They participate in adventure games that require them to use the information provided. The goal? To save the three lost Cyclopian children and return them to the mythical land of Cyclopia. To accomplish that feat requires perilous journeys through mythical realms. After surviving adventures in the Forest of Darkness, the City of Eyes, the Spiral City, and the Upside-Down City, who could fear the Valley of Silicon?
No, there's no need to shoot anything. In order to advance and save the one-eyed children, the user will have to redo jigsaw puzzles, reconstruct deconstructed sentences and gather virtual objects. The main menu is much more organic than most-literally. You can't get much further down the food chain than fungi. Brightly colored mushrooms are the buttons pressed to move to other levels of the game. When you press one, a wooden sign pops up indicating its function. How do you know to press a mushroom? The wise owl up in the tree gives you directions.
If you're lost, go to the opening sequence, in which a turtle and a weird gila monster-like character explain what makes things work and how to play the game.
Even if you don't want to play the game, you can wander through the gallery of paintings by children from around the world. Click on the palette and you'll hear a child tell you a few words about the folk tale that inspired the painting. In addition to American folklore about Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe, you'll be introduced to myths from Argentina, Bulgaria, Burkina-Faso, and more.
Legends & Myths is designed primarily for kids ages 7-14, but it's a bit like "Sesame Street" and "Scooby Doo." They're made for kids, but adults can't help but watch. The eerie soundtrack and the bizarre stills might seem a bit scary to the youngest of users, but 12-year-olds probably will think they're cool.
Overall, vibrant colors, intriguing music, and user--friendliness make Legends and Myths appealing to young and old alike.
Brett Allan King is a freelance writer who lives in Madrid, Spain
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