by The Learning Company
Platform:
Windows 3.x / 95, Mac
(2)Buy new:
8 used & new from $1.97
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Westward, ho! This is the charge of Oregon Trail II, the successor to the perennially popular pioneer survival game of the same name. Roughing it takes on a whole new meaning as players trek cross-country to lay claim to the undeveloped Old West, learning geography and history all the while. After selecting an initial profile for the travel leader and his or her group (occupation, names and ages of companions, type of wagon, destination, etc.), cyberpioneers must make crucial decisions from beginning to end to ensure a successful settlement: how much food, medicine, clothing, and artillery to buy at each trading post; when to hunt for wild game or barter with other pioneers; when to cross an icy river or wait out a bad storm.... One false move can mean the death of a fellow traveler or vital livestock, a loss of supplies, or debilitating illness-even the untimely end of an incomplete journey.
This dramatic adventure is not without its pitfalls: The accompanying graphics are unsophisticated (the talking townspeople and fellow sojourners suffer from "lip flap"), the sound effects aren't terribly inventive, and inexperienced players are ill equipped to make strategic decisions so important to the game. The trip across the Rockies isn't quick--players may start to feel they could have made the actual journey in less time than it takes to complete it virtually--and the three increasingly challenging levels of play designed to keep participation interesting don't do the trick for long. But the skills to be learned along the way make these points easier to overlook. At the helm of this Western adventure, players sharpen decision-making and planning skills, learn to be responsible for others, and pick up loads of facts about the history and geography of the western United States. Whether an enhancement to a weekly American history lesson or a historically based alternative to The Sims, this trip west will bring out the pioneer in everyone. (Ages 10 and older) --Leah Ball
A best-seller in schools! Journey with the pioneers on an adventure of a lifetime. Cross treacherous mountains, barter for clothing, and hunt buffalo to survive. Challenge the unpredictable frontier!