Explore the night skies
While not exactly a game in the strictest sense of the word, Discover Space remains a fascinating excursion into the realm of outer space and which does so in a fashion not typically employed in entertainment titles. Instead of being an actual game, it's more of an edutainment title, which is not surprising considering it comes from the same studio that brought you the legendary Carmen Sandiego series. Discover Space is more of a computerised version of a highly powerful telescope, which lets you view the night skies from the comfort and warmth of your living room, rather than standing outside in a freezing field trying to figure out exactly what it is you are looking at. The title is similar to the likes of Red Shift but is more aimed at younger audiences, as the interface is simpler and more straightforward than usual. That's not to say the whole thing is lacking in depth or value though, and there's plenty of background info, such as myths about the origins of the planets and constellation, as well as detailed and accurate star maps. If you are looking to get into astronomy, or have kids that want to do so, this is a great little package. The visuals are nicely detailed and certainly atmospheric, bringing the mysteries of outer space to life in great fashion. The information that is presented is well written and fascinating, with the right mix of facts and fun, while exploring the software is a breeze thanks to the interface, so if you want to start exploring the stars as a family, then this is the way to go.
