Developer Flamehawk Studios has announced an educational turn-based RPG called The Mechanical World of Dr. Gearbox, releasing to PC via Steam this holiday season. Additionally, Flamehawk revealed that the first playable demo for The Mechanical World of Dr. Gearbox will be available on Steam Next Fest, which will take place from October 1-7, 2021.
The Mechanical World of Dr. Gearbox follows the story of a young child who stumbles upon a science lab. In the lab, players will meet Dr. Phineas Gearbox, who lost two of his lab assistants, causing an intergalactic disturbance that can potentially leave the planet altered. According to Flamehawk Studios, The Mechanical World of Dr. Gearbox aims to improve and change the way players view educational games.
Instead of focusing on just math, The Mechanical World of Dr. Gearbox offers a selection of over 40 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) lessons curated by academic advisors and story writers. What sets The Mechanical World of Dr. Gearbox apart from other educational games is that each lesson is deeply interwoven into the gameplay that helps players learn while keeping them fully engaged. Additionally, The Mechanical World of Dr. Gearbox can also be utilized by parents and teachers to promote learning via video games.
In terms of gameplay, The Mechanical World of Dr. Gearbox features dynamic turn-based combat. The more problems players solve, the stronger their spells and attacks will be. The game also features a highly customizable character creation "boasting many atypical options" that include wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs, eyeglasses, hearing implants, and more to ensure that every player can feel included and represented. The game will also touch on the struggles of someone who has a mental illness, as Dr. Gearbox shows early signs of Alzheimer's disease. According to Flamehawk Studios, the devs plan to "tastefully work this into the story" to help young players understand the common illness.
The Mechanical World of Dr. Gearbox also allows players to explore four primary zones heavily inspired by actual regions in North America, such as Kerhonkson, New York, and Jasper, Alberta. Players get to set forth on an adventure with a trusty companion tracking down and dismantling as many portals as possible before the world is overrun by critters from distant realms. Overall, Flamehawk Studios aims to fundamentally change how video games can be utilized as learning tools. While educational games are nothing new, The Mechanical World of Dr. Gearbox should be a unique experience thanks to its deep narrative, diverse and inclusive character creation system, and lessons that are seamlessly woven into the gameplay.
The Mechanical World of Dr. Gearbox is releasing in late 2021 for PC.