It’s not hard to tell a lot of PC games don’t exactly have younger audiences in mind, which makes buying for kids a bit tricky. Even more difficult is finding a game with the right difficulty balance to keep their attention without frustrating them.
In and amongst the titles you’re probably playing, though, lies a wealth of PC games for 7-12 year old. From platforming to retro, puzzle solving and even RPGs, these games are perfect for solo play, playing with friends, or of course, playing together as a family.
Unravel 2
Unravel 2 continues Yarny’s quirky adventures and intriguing puzzles through amazingly detailed environments. Like Yarny’s first outing, the game tasks players with solving intricate, physics and environment-based puzzles using Yarny’s unique abilities (centered around, you guessed it, yarn). It also revolves around platforming and using those same abilities to traverse the often-dangerous, but always gorgeous game worlds, ranging from serene creeks and forest-like undergrowth to creepy industrial and urban settings.
The challenge is real with this game, but fortunately the developers provided a substantial hint system, so there’s little chance of being stuck for long, and it makes for satisfying gameplay balance. That balance gets skewed a bit in the extra challenge puzzles, which certainly live up to their name, but these challenges don’t form part of the main story anyway and can be totally ignored if the player wishes.
There’s also co-op mode, so you or another player can jump in and help a younger gamer who might be struggling or just join in the fun as well. There’s not as much story compared to the original Unravel, but it’s difficult to call that a substantial negative point, when the gameplay itself is as spot-on and absorbing as it is.
My Time at Portia
My Time at Portia combines Harvest Moon style life management with Minecraft’s resource framing, throwing in some Rune Factory combat and ultimately delivering an engaging and unique simulation game. In what will seem very familiar to HM fans, players arrive in Portia after taking on the daunting task of repairing “Pa’s” Workshop and eventually grow into their new environment.
There’s a lot to do in this game, and best of all, you aren’t restricted with time limits. Gathering resources lets you create new things to spruce up your shop and home, but eventually, you’ll expand into the surrounding town, taking on quests for townsfolk, making friends, and basically just making life sunny for everyone. You’ll also venture further afield in your quest to create the best workshop ever, discovering new settlements and materials and fighting monsters along the way.
Combat is a fairly simple affair, which is fine, given the game’s primary focus on building and creating, but you’ll still need to craft decent weapons and such if you want to stay alive. Like any good life-sim spinoff, you’ve got a plethora of romance and friendship options, with each NPC sporting their own unique personality.
