Here Be Monsters, from Gamesys, lets kids virtually travel the world, collecting fruits, plants, treasure, and even mythical creatures along the way. Players can create elaborate traps to catch local monsters, using materials and bait that is inspired by legend and real-life environments. Kids can also create and maintain a homestead, which they can place anywhere in the world.
I liked the illustrations of the game very much—they are colorful, vibrant, and well-drawn. Touches such as billowing smoke from a toadstool, or a moving shadow cast by a butterfly add depth and visual interest to the game that extends beyond the task at hand. Challenging players to combine resources to accomplish a goal also adds value to the game, and makes it something players can actually get invested in, rather than just fiddling with it to kill time. The many levels of the game and the various locations keep it interesting, and by learning about the habits of the creatures they want to trap, kids can get a bit of fun learning in as well.
