Celebrate National Video Game Day with "Walden, a game", the educational game from USC Game Innovation Lab + our free curriculum guide.
This exploratory narrative and open world simulation of the life of American philosopher Henry David Thoreau gives players an immersive experience of Thoreau's experiment in self-reliant living at Walden Pond. The game begins in the summer of 1845 when Thoreau moved to the Pond and built his cabin there.
Players follow in his footsteps, surviving in the woods by finding food and fuel and maintaining their shelter and clothing. At the same time, players are surrounded by the beauty of the woods and the pond, which hold a promise of a sublime life beyond these basic needs. The game follows the loose narrative of Thoreau’s first year in the woods, with each season holding its own challenges for survival and possibilities for inspiration. 1/2
