My son raced through Physicus and really enjoyed it. He was seven at the time, but he knows a fair amount of physics. It is part of a series of Myst-like games that teach science. Others are Chemicus (which we have), Bioscopia (which we want), and Master of the Elements (which was way, way to easy for our son at age 7... but then again he has been fascinated by the periodic table of elements since he was 3!)
Here is a link for a review of Physicus. It is on a gaming web site, which is geared more for adult gamers. So they didn't give it the best review in the world, based on plot complexity, etc. But for kids, the game is great!!
http://www.geocities.com/ataniel/physicusreview.htmPhysicus comes with a twist, though: it's for kids, and it teaches real-world physics in a science-fiction setting. After being struck by a meteor, a planet has stopped rotating around its axis, and an intrepid starship captain must cobble together enough energy to power a futuristic device to set the planet in motion again before everyone on it dies. That's it for the plot, but players must correctly use scientific technology from resistors to electromagnets to accomplish their goals. There is an excellent in-game encyclopedia that teaches the laws of physics with concrete, interactive examples. The puzzles give satisfying and very non-childish rewards for figuring them out, and the old-school sci-fi concept of space missions depending on practical mastery of actual science is very, very welcome.
Lora's Recommendations: I recommend Physicus for kids age 10-15, older teens who are big fans of Myst-style games, and younger kids who are gifted and talented. It's a solid game suitable for young players, it's educational and does a good job illustrating the practical use of scientific knowledge, and the interactive encyclopedia that comes with it is great as a study aid (probably worth the price of this CD alone for any teen trying to prepare for standardized tests.)
