[blog] Blog Bonanza Day for Ayiti
When we figure out why, we'll let you know, but today there have been a plethora of blog posts about Ayiti. These are just a few of the ones who simply didn't mimic the others.
It all began with the blog, Am I Grown Up Yet?, posting the following entry, which turned us on to the more than unexpected Marie Claire magazine coverage:
And you thought we had it tough.As mentioned in this month’s Marie Claire magazine:
Having trouble saving money? Paying for your education? Finding a decent job?
Your life may seem hard, but believe me, it could be a lot worse. Just check out Ayiti: Cost of Life, a game created by UNICEF to demonstrate the difficulties that people in Haiti (and most likely many other developing countries) face. And keep in mind that as you play, 1 Haiti gourde (spelled goud in the game) is 1/37 of a US dollar.
A word of warning: This is about the hardest game of this type that I’ve ever seen. They’re going for realism, not user-friendliness. Give it a couple runs through and you’ll start to have a real appreciation for how difficult life can really be. This is definitely one game which is not “just a game.”
From Kawaii Gamer, described between "3rd World Farmer" and "Britney's Baby Bash" we find the following review of Ayiti:
Ayiti: The Cost of Life - Similar to 3rd World Farmer, except it takes place specifically in Haiti, and I CAN'T WIN. No matter how hard I try, I go into extreme poverty, and everyone dies of poor health. Faaaantastic. Good luck, I'm sure someone out there can survive this harsh, cruel world. At least there are fun sound effects and nice graphics.
Ah! Is this where the blogs came from? Today the very popular Joystiq wrote the following review on their site:with comments here.
This is one of the first reviews to highlight the fact that teens helped build the game, which is about time.
Ayiti: The Cost of Life is a simple, web-based strategy game built by NYC-based developers gameLab and students from Brooklyn's South Shore High School. The game's purpose is to teach about poverty in developing nations, but don't let the game's educational mission deter you from giving it a shot.It's not easy. In eight attempts to win with the "Money" strategy, we lost eight times (Cholera being the leading cause of death in the game). If you find a strategy that keeps your family from crapping themselves to death, do share, because the game's not at all easy.
Then again, maybe the point is that you're not supposed to be able to win this one.
Pro Gamer News then wrote a wonderful review.
The web-based strategy game Ayiti: The Cost of Life is pretty cool in most respects. For one thing, it was created in part by high school students from Brooklyn, a neato class assignment if ever there was one. For another thing, the fact that you can (and probably will) die of cholera in it brings back fond memories of dying of dysentary in Oregon Trail. Sigh..good times, good times. In fact, the only problem with Ayiti is that it’s next to impossible to win, which, as it turns out, may be the whole point.Ayiti is meant to teach players about the effects of poverty in developing nations, and as such is educational, but a bit of a downer. And hard. Really, really hard. Of course, if you do manage to win the game, you have a sure-fire career as a world leader in your future.
Then GayGamer.net wrote a rave review
Looking for something to escape from the grind of daily work? Beware, this one may suck up more time than you are willing to give. Ayiti: The Cost of Life is a simple web-based strategy game with a social conscience. Actually, it's not so easy, as you will soon find out. It was developed by NYC-based GameLab and students from Brooklyn's South Shore High School to teach about poverty in developing countries.Don't let the 'message' deter you from this enlightening and fun game. You can play it from a variety of angles of concentration: health, happiness, education or money. You pick the focus of your game in the beginning, and you are off to meet the Guinard family.
The game boasts solid production values from the wild island music, to the clean tropical art style. This game goes out to anyone who liked Oregon Trail or Sim Island. Ayiti is a great game, one that I come back to again and again, just can't seem to finish it though. I'm not sure if that is the point or not. This is the sort of title that I like to see, one that is great fun and educates about different conditions of life. We shouldn't take our caramel macchiatos and SUVs for granted, some people aren't that lucky.
If anyone has any luck completing the game, let us know. Any kind of playing strategy, or thoughts on the game would be appreciated.
Point n Click Games wrote this review followed by a walkthrough.
Finally, who knows exactly what they are saying, but at Gameplay blog, they are saying it in Russian! (oh, the Russians will know what they are saying...)
My translator says: "A little the instructive games - Ayiti: The Cost of Life - flash- strategy in which to you necessarily attained the survival of its family in the country of the third peace (these are such states, where it pressed down one console PS3 village can there existed whole yr). Difficult problem, let us say." We do say.
