Flamehawk Studios is a “games for good” startup that focuses on three main themes: e-learning, diversity and inclusion, and charity.
Flamehawk’s first effort is The Mechanical World of Dr. Gearbox. Teachers may consider it a remote learning tool but students consider it a fun game that is clearly inspired by the graphics and features of some of the most popular big-name titles that kids adore.
In addition to Flamehawk’s teacher-authored, standards-based educational curriculum, the game redefines the eLearning genre by allowing parents and teachers to create their own educational content using a web-based dashboard. The content can then be surfaced to their kids and students during good ol’ fashioned turn-based combat. The rules are simple: answer questions correctly to charge up stronger ability spells and tip the loot tables into your favor.
The game also arguably boasts the most inclusive character creation suite ever invented, especially for a kids’ game. Players not only have dozens of facial sliders that impact everything from eye shape to lip size, but even the hair styles come in adjustable lengths. The character creator really shines with inclusive options like a wheelchair that converts into a hovercraft over water or during battle, a dozen prosthetic limb options, cochlear implants, heterochromia, alopecia, vitiligo skin patterns, albinism, and more.
As far as gameplay itself, the demo was released on Steam for PC in October of 2021 and allows players to create their character, build a battle party, unlock and collect exotic critters, explore 14 levels, and earn gear that allows even more personal expression. New features in Flamehawk’s roadmap include multiplayer modes that not only allow esports style PVP challenging between friends and public matchmaking but plans are in place to allow parents and teachers to be giant raid bosses and battle it out against their kids and students. Also in the pipeline are RPG favorites such as crafting, player living spaces that can be decorated, and a STEM campaign providing a “learning by doing” experience that will teach lessons that can be repeated in the real world.
Flamehawk is also quoted as saying that subscribers will be given a list of approved charitable causes to choose from. Not only will a portion of every subscription be donated to these charities every month, but charity logos can already be found in the character creator with a hotkey that pulls up the charity website to promote traffic for the cause.
