The Student's Guide To Free Gaming, THE END

Welcome to the new weekly column, offering cheaper alternatives to gaming. Each week we'll feature one of the best gems in free online gaming that shouldn't be missed. This week we'll be looking at studio Preloaded's, The End The End is a puzzle platformer in which you create your own character and travel across the worlds of Mind, Body and Spirit. Using the light 'n' shadow mechanics, you will create bridges, walls and ramps to solve the physics-based puzzles that ultimately grant you access to two doors at the end of each level, which door you select will depend on your answer to each of the philosophical questions. Is there such a thing as a cause worth dying for? Would you still be yourself if your mind was put into another body? Should anyone be able to hold the power of life and death over someone else?

With each answer, you will be mapped out onto the death dial, a sort of philosophical compass that includes a number of great minds from Marx to Einstein. Where you are mapped tells you which thinker you share the most similar views with, a long with some history and further reading on each person. Now you've finished the level, you've tried out some of the challenges, you've been enlightened a wee bit, now what? You battle each of the guardians in a game of death cards to obtain their death objects of course. Death cards is a simple idea that makes for a great mini-game, each player starts with seven hexagonal shapes, each with three number on, capture your opponents pieces by placing one of a higher number next to theirs. With the gradual introduction to power up the games get progressively harder, you can even take it onto PvP. If you enjoy the game, it allows you to link it through to your Facebook account. Doing so allows you to go against friends on death cards, see their answers and which thinker they are most like. Philosophy, puzzles, further reading! If you haven't guessed yet, it's one of those educational games. Thankfully, it's actually good and one of the few that can merge a great game and actually learning something together. The game was commissioned by Channel 4 Education, the aim is to take the player on a metaphysical journey, record their interactions and reveal their attitudes towards mortality. Aimed at 14-19 year olds, the games great for kids and even those who are well above the age it's aimed at. Initially the controls can be a bit tedious to get used to, but unique artwork, beautiful backgrounds, great guardian designs and nice SFX means that this unique game should be checked out. This should tide you over to next week's Student's Guide To Free Gaming, who knows, you might even learn a thing or two. The End is available to play at http://playtheend.com http://youtu.be/WmQAbpw_anc Produced by studio Preloaded Commissioned by Channel 4 Education