Google’s Arts & Culture division has released a fascinating new educational game about ancient Mesoamerica. The Descent of the Serpent is currently playable in your browser or via the Google Arts & Culture iOS and Android apps.
Descent of the Serpent has a small story, illustrated by a short video playing at the beginning of the game. While exploring a museum, a large artifact is stolen by Tezcatlipoca, the Master of the Smoky Mirror, and a living statue enlists your help to save the 20 icons in the artifact to prevent flooding from flooding the world. Naturally, you accept this offer and the statue says it will send you back in time to ancient Mesoamerica.
You’ll be able to choose from four adorable animal “disguises” for your characters, rooted in Mesoamerican culture. You can play the game as Huitzilopochtli (wolf), Xolotl (dog), Xbalanque (jaguar) and Mictlantecuhtli (owl) as you wish.
Made in collaboration with Mexico’s National Museum of Anthropology, the game looks like a simplified top-down The Legend of Zelda game. You have to roam the lush lands to collect the missing icons that appear as gold coins. When you pick up one of the icons, the game provides some history about the icon and directs you to an exhibit on the Google Arts & Culture website if you want to know more.
As you explore the world with Descent of the Serpent, you also have to avoid simple obstacles such as roaming crocodiles and monkeys throwing things at you. On the easier difficulty of the game, getting hit will briefly stun you. On higher difficulties, however, you have a set amount of time and after being hit five times you are sent back to the beginning of the level, so you have to be careful.
The Descent of the Serpent is an enjoyable game that can be played by anyone and makes it fun to learn more about an interesting culture, and is among the educational puzzles and games previously offered by the Google Arts and Culture section.
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