Assassin's Creed Origins has a teaching tool for students, Fortnite offers extra account protection and Lego The Incredibles will feature crime waves and bosses.
Here’s the latest in video games, from Assassin’s Creed being used as a teaching tool to turning on extra account protection in Fortnite.
Assassin’s Creed Origins Has a Mode to Teach Kids About Ancient Egypt
The Assassin’s Creed franchise has taken players to the Third Crusade, Imperial China, the Italian Renaissance and many more historical time periods, but up until now, the games’ graphic violence has kept them from serving as educational tools. The latest Assassin’s Creed game, Assassin’s Creed Origins, breaks this tradition with its Discovery Tour mode. Discovery Tour removes the game’s storyline, enemies, time limits and other traditional “game” elements, letting players freely roam the game’s Ancient Egyptian setting, or take 75 interactive tours that were curated by historians and Egyptologists.
Teachers have begun to embrace the game for its educational potential, as the Discovery Tour mode lets kids experience and learn about Ancient Egypt in an environment they’re probably already familiar with: video games. The tours cover all sorts of topics, from agriculture to the daily lives of citizens, and a “Behind the Scenes” feature explains more about how the game was actually created. The Discovery Tour isn’t just great for school, though, so if your little ones are interested in history, consider picking the game up for your own family to enjoy. Make sure you select the Discovery Tour for them, because Assassin’s Creed Origins’ main game is fairly violent and definitely not for kids. Or, if you decide to play on PC, the Discovery Tour can be purchased separately (it doesn’t include the main game) for $19.99.
Parents, Make Sure Your Kid’s Fortnite Account is Protected
Fortnite is the biggest game in the world, and as the game has grown, so has interest from hackers. They’ve taken over a bunch of accounts and spent money with the credit cards saved on file. Even if you’ve never spent money on the game for your little ones, we recommend making sure their account is protected by turning on “two-factor authentication.”
This security feature — also found on sites like Facebook and Twitter — will add an extra step to your child’s login process, so when they try to play Fortnite, they’ll need to use a security code, along with their password, to login. This code will be needed anytime they log in on a new device (like a different computer or mobile phone), anytime a browser’s cookies have been cleared (this is something they’d have to do manually, so it’s not a factor for most people), or if it’s been more than 30 days since they last signed in. Security codes are sent through email, so if your child uses your email address to play, you’ll need to get the security code for them.
By turning on this extra protection, even if someone gets ahold of your child’s Fortnite password, they won’t be able to login to the account, because they won’t have access to the special security code. To turn this feature on, go to the Account page on Epic Games’ website, click “Password & Security” and then click the button labeled “Enable Two-Factor Sign In.”
Lego The Incredibles Will Let Kids Explore a Big Open World
Lego The Incredibles will launch on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch and PC on June 15, the same day The Incredibles 2 hits theaters. In addition to including story levels based on both films in the franchise, we now know the game will let kids explore a large open world, and take down crime waves and crime bosses in order to restore the peace.
Other Lego games, like Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2, are consistently some of the best for families, with drop-in-drop-out multiplayer that allows parents to jump in when kids need help with a tricky puzzle or boss fight, and then leave just as quickly so kids can get back to the action. Plus, the games have a ton to do. It takes a long time to complete everything a Lego game has to offer, and with so much in store, from story levels to collectibles, kids of all ages can find something to enjoy (and that includes parents, too).
Brandy Berthelson has been writing about video games and technology since 2006, with her work appearing on sites including AOL Games, Digital Spy, and Adweek. When she’s not gaming, Brandy enjoys crafting, baking, and traveling with her husband.
