Google Arts & Culture’s first game is about the ancient civilizations of Mesoamerica
Google Arts & Culture hosts a variety of fun and educational information, but The Descent of the Serpent is the platform’s first video game. Developed in collaboration with Mexico’s National Museum of Anthropology, The Descent of the Serpent teaches players all about the ancient civilizations of Mesoamerica through the medium of a Zelda-esque adventure game.
In a quick hands-on with the game, I was surprised at how engaging the experience is. The basic premise of The Descent of the Serpent is that you must restore 20 objects to Chichen Itza before a flood engulfs the world. Revealed over four levels, you’ll learn all about Mesoamerica before the final boss challenges you to the most deadly of contests; a pop quiz.
Each level consists of Quetzals which function as guides, signposts that teach you fun facts and the aforementioned objects. Collecting five items is necessary to proceed, and upon collection, the game will teach you about these items backgrounds. The game also includes a handy link to its Google Arts & Culture page so you can investigate further.
As for the pop quiz, it’s easy enough, assuming you’ve paid moderate attention throughout the level. After all, the game is designed for a younger audience, so older players will likely have no trouble nailing the questions, just as I did.
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Each level takes, on average, 10 minutes to complete, but they’re jam-packed full of learning. I approached the game with an apprehensiveness built upon years of dodgy educational “games,” but I was pleasantly surprised by my experience. I would wholeheartedly recommend this game to any teacher looking for a fun medium to teach a class about ancient Mesoamerica.
Overall, this is a neat educational tool easily worth a half-hour of your time. If this sounds interesting, you can play the game through the Google Arts & Culture app or its website.
