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The Time Tribe
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that The Time Tribe is a point-and-click adventure game in which players follow the story of four young children who take on the very grown-up quest of figuring out what has happened to missing members of a secret group called the Time Tribe. Along the way, players will need to explore various locations throughout history, solve puzzles, and put together all the pieces of the story in order to reach the end. The game is loaded with factual historical content, along with positive messages and insights that players can take with them into the real world.
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Fun game you can learn something from too
What's it about?
THE TIME TRIBE is a game about time travel that in and of itself is a bit of a throwback to a time gone by, with a point-and-click interface and game mechanic that feels like a classic video game from the 1980s. The story follows four young children who are part of an exclusive group called the \"Time Tribe.\" They must embark on a quest to find out what has happened to the other members of the secret group, and, along the way, find out about important events and figures in history. Players solve puzzles and talk to characters to get key information; and in the process, take in as much historical information as possible in order to make it to the end of the story.
Is it any good?
The Time Tribe packs in a lot of important historical information, and does a great job of making players think, evaluate themselves, and recognize that the world was not always the same as it is now and, in some parts of the planet, there are still problems. It does this all in the context of an enjoyable video game experience, but due to the sheer amount of content, exploration, and reading material that players must sift through in order to advance the story, it can become slow-paced and even a bit tedious at times.
That is always the trade-off with games that attempt to present strong messages or educational content, and it is the rare exception when any game can pull it off seamlessly. The Time Tribe does not do a perfect job of melding pure fun with insightful and important content, but it still does a pretty good job.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about Internet privacy. Why is it important to only become in-game friends with friends that you know in real life?
What are the privileges you have that people in other parts of the world don't? How would you feel if you didn't have those privileges?
Game details
- Platforms: Mac, Windows
- Subjects: Social Studies: cultural understanding, exploration, history
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: analyzing evidence, asking questions, investigation
Emotional Development: empathy, moving beyond obstacles, self-awareness - Price: Free
- Pricing structure: Free
- Available online? Available online
- Release date: February 18, 2013
- Genre: Adventure
- ESRB rating: NR
For kids who love history and civics
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.