Shepherd's Staff Christian Ratings of Computer Games Exceptional Game List A game rated Exceptional is one that promotes moral aspects and is inoffensive to Christians.

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Catechumen by N-Lightning Overall Christian Rating 5+/5 "A Professionally Made Christian Game!" Why is Catechumen rated Exceptional? In 171 A.D., you are an understudy (known as a Catechumen) to a Christian leader. Unfortunately, your mentor and others were captured. You, the Catechumen, will rescue them from the evil minions and possessed Roman guards! If God is with you, who (or what) can stand against you? Catechumen is a first-person perspective game (generally called FPS for First-Person Shooters). Utilizing both a mouse and keyboard commands, you navigate through courtyards, tunnels and castles seeking the Christians that have been captured. There are creatures that impede your progress. Some examples are Demons, Minor Devils, Lions, & Fallen Angels. The armor of God that will help protect you (power-ups). Your health can be renewed by finding the Word of God written on scrolls. Use the TAB key to pause and read the scroll. For weapons, you have various Swords of the Spirit.  There are eight different types of swords.  Your character starts off with just the Spirit Sword that automatically recharges itself. You find others as you progress.  Some of the others are Lightning Sword, Solomon Scepter, Tri-Repeater, and Moses Staff.  These must be recharged. Get ready for an immersive experience! A demo is available at Catechumen. A full review is at the reviews page. Can be purchased at Christian Games NOW. Why is Catechumen rated Exceptional? Even though Catechumen involves shooting, it is ranked exceptional for a Christian game at Shepherd's Staff. "Why?" you ask. Because you are shooting demons and other evil creatures using swords of the spirit. Plus the creatures are banished in a brilliant flash of light. And the Roman guards, once freed of their demons, pray to God on their bended knees. It is also one of the most professionally made Christian game in the marketplace! If you are absolutely against "shooters," then you would rank Catechumen lower. You can purchase from N-Lightning or at ChristianBook.com

Charlie Church Mouse by LifeLine Studios Overall Christian Rating 5/5  Designed for 2 to 6 year olds (and labeled "Preschool"), it presents the player with a choice of six Bible stories.  Upon selecting one, you are presented with an introduction to that story which is a brief version of that Bible story.  It is narrated and contains computer-generated characters.  There are some rather cute sound effects.  The child can play a game to match shapes, colors or numbers and learn about the Bible at the same time. See Guide2Games for a full game review.

Descartes Enigma by Everett Kaser Software Overall Christian Rating 5/5  Descartes Enigma is a logical deduction game similar to "Paint By Numbers." You are presented with a grid with clues along the top and left side that indicate the number of black blocks and their groupings within that row or column. In the case of groupings, the separate are white blocks. As you discover what the blocks are, you see what picture it is representing. A handy thumbnail view in the upper left is helpful in the solution process.

Eternal War: Shadows of Light by Two Guys Software Overall Christian Rating 5/5 "Eternal War is a gritty grapple for John's mind!" Why is Eternal War rated Exceptional? What is it like in a demon-possessed mind?  Eternal War gives you a glimpse of what it could be like.  John Coronado is a teen teetering on suicide as the final attempt at peace from the infestation of his mind.  Eternal War is a first-person perspective game (generally called FPS for First-Person Shooters). Utilizing both a mouse and keyboard commands, you navigate through 17 areas of John's mind.  However, they are filled with over 17 different demons that don't like you interfering.   Be sure to pick up any armor you see.  Plus there are some secret areas although difficult to find or reach on some levels.   For weapons, there are eight different ones.  And each has an alternative mode (right click), so basically 16 weapons to choose from!  Your character starts off with just a modest dagger/small sword.  You find others as you progress.  Several are like spells and are limited in the number of times you can use them.  These can be replenished by finding the appropriate mana. Don't miss the conversations with John.  Gain insight on how he got himself in this mess to begin with. A demo is available at Two Guys Software. A full review is in process. See Guide2Games for a full game review. Why is Eternal War rated Exceptional? Even though Eternal War: Shadows of Light involves shooting and fighting demons, it is ranked exceptional for a Christian game at Shepherd's Staff. "Why?" you ask. Because you are shooting demons and other evil creatures in someone's mind.  The weapons are mostly spiritually oriented.  Plus the entire goal is to free John from his captures.   It is also one of the most professionally made Christian game in the marketplace! If you don't buy into the idea of fighting a demon-possessed mind or you are absolutely against "shooters," then you would rank Eternal War lower. You can purchase from Two Guys Software.

Gazillionaire Deluxe by Lavamind Overall Christian Rating 5/5  Gazillionaire Deluxe is a fun, family-oriented business simulation that is easy to learn and will remind you of Monopoly. An excellent in-game tutorial helps new players learn quickly. This is a non-violent game that is inoffensive to Christians. Gazillionaire has a downloadable demo. Also, if you buy, tell them Shepherd's Staff sent you and they will give you the excellent Hints and Strategies Guide for free.  See Guide2Games for a full game review.

Gil's Bible Jumble by Top Meadow and distributed by Cactus Game Overall Christian Rating 5+/5  Gil's Bible Jumble is actually two games in one targeting younger children (ages 4 and up). Gil is a tie-wearing robot. In the Ball Bounce game, you control Gil as he holds a paddle. You can pick the paddle size. The ball will bounce upon various books of the Bible and you need to match what color is being expected. Add some bricks to impede the ball's progress towards the Bible books and you have what may look like to some as a Horizontal Breakout game! At the end of each level, you get a chance to guess what book of the Bible a verse comes from for bonus points.  The second game is the Bible Jumble. Someone has spread Bible verses throughout the forest. You need to help Gil find them and match them up with the appropriate Bible book they are from. Once you do, you get a bonus point opportunity to guess the chapter and verse. It isn't all just clicking, some verses are locked so you have to get the right color key. Also, more bonus points are available for knowing chapter/verse once you match the right book. Once you match all the books in the forest, you win. It is fun and challenging. May be a bit hard for younger kids but they can still enjoy playing. What other game exposes young players to the books of the Bible, and many verses too. Do not worry about repetition. The map for Bible Jumble is different every time. So, as long as you enjoy the gameplay, you will enjoy Gil.  Top Meadows does a nice job of keeping track of high scores. Plus, the entire game is read to the player, so young children don't even have to be able to read to play. A nice touch is the voice actors reading the names of the books are obviously young as well. A great game that the whole family can play. Play as a team! Be sure to visit Top Meadow for a downloadable demo. Give it a try and buy it if you enjoy it as it is reasonably priced ($14.99 at the time this review was written). Can be purchased at Christian Games NOW. See Guide2Games for a full game review.

GodSpeed 3D by  Inspired Idea Overall Christian Rating 5/5  Ride the adrenaline roller coaster while learning about Bible topics!  You have to try this game out! Can be purchased at Christian Games NOW. See Guide2Games for a full game review.

Heaven Quest by Top Meadow See Shepherd's Staff Review Overall Christian Rating 5+/5 "Finally! A Great Christian Title for the PC!" Heaven Quest uses 3-D graphics and high-quality sound that gets your attention while you play this unique board-style game that weaves in Bible trivia. You can pause to pray in order to keep your grace at its maximum value. There are real Bible characters that can accompany you. They are called Buddies and help you in your trials and give you two more squares to move on your die roll. Of course, there are temptations along the way. If you succumb, you lose some grace and the rest of your movement for that turn. The test is selecting from one of 12 stones. Some have the names of the apostles and one (or more depending on your level of grace) has Judas Iscariot's name on it. Choose wisely. There are four possible players and several selections for difficulties (it should be feasible for a 5 or 6 year old to an adult enjoying the game at the same time). This allows up to four players to play "hot-seat" (all on the same computer, taking turns). The obvious goal is to reach Heaven. The winner of the game attains that goal. Heaven Quest will remind you some of Monopoly but with much better goals. If your are interested at all, click immediately to Top Meadow and download the demo. If you enjoy it all, consider buying it as it is reasonably priced. Can be purchased at Christian Games NOW. See Guide2Games for a full game review.

Hero's Heart and Defiant based on the MESH engine by Everett Kaser Software Overall Christian Rating 5/5  MESH is puzzle engine that Everett has written to release the Windows port of Hero's Heart. While an extension to Heart, Defiant has significantly different objects that make this a completely different game. The goal for both games is to guide your hero or heroin through a map of objects to reach the exit. Since MESH is a general engine, you can even make your own puzzles or objects! These are non-violent games that is inoffensive to Christians. They are also move based, so fast reflexes are not needed. Parents may want to screen for younger players as wrong moves in the game can cause your hero's death.

Honeycomb Hotel by Everett Kaser Software Overall Christian Rating 5/5  Honeycomb Hotel is a game of logic and deduction. The player has to determine the path for a honey bee to make through a hive based on the clues given. As usual, there are more puzzles that you will ever be able to finish! A visually cute game that is fun for the whole family.

(The) Interactive Parables by  GraceWorks Interactive Overall Christian Rating 5/5 (based on review at ccgr) "GraceWorks Interactive sets an shining example for all other video game development companies to follow ..." Play your way through the Parables 24 Lessons & 20 Maps to choose from. Set in a fun, 3-D environment, player learns about Jesus' Parables while playing. Can be purchased at Christian Games NOW. See CCGR for a full game review.

(The) Island of Dr. Brain by Sierra Overall Christian Rating 5/5  The Island of Dr. Brain is an unusual game for any kid older than six years old (yes, that includes adults). The premise is that you need to go to Dr. Brain's island and retrieve a battery for him. To accomplish that, you first need to solve all kinds of neat puzzles. The amazing part is the tremendous variety of the puzzles. An older program (runs in DOS), but well-done. I did not come across any offensive material, if you found some, please notify me.

Jonah - the Game  by Big Idea Interactive Overall Christian Rating 5+/5  Jonah is an arcade adventure game that helps you re-live the Jonah Movie!  There are a dozen mini-arcade games and after successfully completing each level, you are treated to a short snippet from the movie. See full review at Guide2Games.

Jones in the Fast Lane by Sierra Overall Christian Rating 5/5  Jones in the Fast Lane is a computerized game of Life. It helps teach about life: paying rent, getting a job, going to school, etc. But it does it a fun way. This game is better if you play multiple players (taking turns on the same computer). The game does a good job about presenting reality in a fun way (if your clothes wear out and you can afford more, it replaces your character's clothes with a wooden barrel!).

Moriarty by Everett Kaser Software Overall Christian Rating 5/5  Dinner with Moriarty puts you into solving a mystery, who is Mr. Moriarty trying to poison. This logic oriented deduction game is six games within itself as it has different puzzle setups. Further, there are endless variations of each game. This is a non-violent game that is inoffensive to Christians (younger players may need to have the concept of poison explained that Mr. Moriarty is not nice). See full review at Guide2Games.

(The) Mystery of Veggie Island by Big Idea Interactive Overall Christian Rating 5+/5 The Mystery of Veggie Island is a graphical adventure game that takes a group of cub sprouts to an old pirate's island.  Explore the island, earn your merit badges, and find parts of the pirate treasure map.  A fun game for children of ALL ages. See full review at Guide2Games.

Nacah by Virtue Games "Biblical Alternative to MystTM" Overall Christian Rating 5+/5 Nacah is a first-person adventure game with nicely-rendered 3D graphics. The main goal of the game is to escape a small group of islands by using your Bible to solve puzzles. Superb sound and full-screen 3D-animated cutscenes. Can be purchased at Christian Games NOW. See review page for a full review.

Ominous Horizons - A Paladin's Calling by N-Lightning Overall Christian Rating 5+/5 "Another Awesome Christian Game!" Why is Ominous Horizons rated Exceptional? You respond to the priest's call, not too upset to go into town as farm life can be boring at times. Once in town, you find out that someone has broken Gutenberg's press. And taken his printed Bible. The priest encourages you to retrieve it. Not an easy task as it was scattered to seven different worlds. And they are definitely different! From Mesa Verde to a Japanese Pagoda! Don't worry, the priest has warp portals in the basement so you won't have to walk! Ominous Horizons is a successful combination of an adventure game with a first-person perspective. N-Lightning is calling it a FPA (First Person Adventure) game. Utilizing both a mouse and keyboard commands, you navigate through the seven worlds searching for the stolen scriptures. Your means of navigation are walking, running, jumping and even swimming at times! You can find parts of the armor of God and other weapons (Holy Crossbow and Moses' Staff). And angels can upgrade your sword to improve its performance. Successfully completing quests may provide even more useful items like the four Spirit Crosses. The forces of darkness will try to stop you. Some example creatures are Sand Golems, Demon Archers, Demon Dragons, Scorpions, and Druids. The armor of God will help protect you, so seek out the various parts on your journey. Your faith ("health") can be fully renewed by finding the Word of God written on scrolls. Use the TAB key to pause and read the scroll. Also, the tilde (~) key will display your progress at finding the items. The music and sounds are awesome, at times raising the hairs on the back of your neck. The background music really set the mood well. The graphics show some improvement over Catechumen and are more than acceptable. What is particularly neat are the paintings on the wall and murals in Egypt area. They are wonderfully done and I'm frankly shocked at the quality considering the engine. In the Highlands section, the flags atop a massive castle are whipping in the wind! And the castle is beautifully made as well! The gameplay is even better than Catechumen thanks to the addition of adventure elements and different weapons. Plus the goose bump factor is still there .. you'll see what I mean when you try to run away from Annubis while being stalked by mummy statues! I also appreciate that there is no time pressure in the game, explore as much as you want. Can be purchased at Christian Games NOW. A demo is available at Ominous Horizons. A full review is available at the reviews page and Guide2Games.   Why is Ominous Horizons rated Exceptional? Ominous Horizons involves shooting. It is still ranked exceptional for a Christian game at Shepherd's Staff. "Why?" you ask. Because you are overcoming evil creatures using implements of righteousness. It is a professionally made Christian game! If you are absolutely against "shooters," then you would rank it lower. You can purchase from N-Lightning or at ChristianBook.com

One Nation Under God by  Inspired Idea Overall Christian Rating 5+/5  Move Uncle Sam around this platform game and learn about U.S.A.'s history.  Lots of action as you can jump and slide on ice, avoid obstacles, and interact with keys. 14 lessons in this immersive 3D environment. Can be purchased at Christian Games NOW as part of Truthware combination CD. See Guide2Games for a full game review.

Profitania Deluxe by Lavamind Overall Christian Rating 5/5  Profitania Deluxe is a fun, family-oriented business simulation that is easy to learn. The animation graphics are well done. This is a non-violent game that would be great for the whole family to play. See Profitania for more details. Also, if you buy, tell them Shepherd's Staff sent you and they will give you the excellent Hints and Strategies Guide for free.  See Guide2Games for a full game review.

Rev-Up Series by Alpha Omega Publication, programmed by Inspired Idea Overall Christian Rating 5/5  Rev-Up Series (Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic) make learning for ages 3-7 fun!  The student learns the basics with Revver (the cute mouse mascot) and his friends.  There are fun activities and music videos to watch, all appropriate to the subject matter.  Some Bible Truths are intermixed.  For instance, "God wrote a letter of love to you" that is the Bible to encourage the student to learn to write.  Or the counting portion of arithmetic that counts off the 10 Commandments.  The kids really enjoyed this and learned at the same time.  Each CD-ROM has a teacher center so you can track each student's progress.

Scripture Solitaire by  Inspired Idea Overall Christian Rating 5+/5  An interesting blend of God's Holy Scripture into various types of solitaire games.   Can be purchased at Christian Games NOW. See Guide2Games for a full game review.

Sherlock by Everett Kaser Software Overall Christian Rating 5/5  Sherlock, the game of logic, is a fun, puzzle-oriented logical deduction game that you can play forever (and could easily get addicted to!). It has over 30,000 puzzle variations. This is a non-violent game that is inoffensive to Christians. See Guide2Games for a full game review.

Solitile by Everett Kaser Software Overall Christian Rating 5/5  Solitile is a fun, Mahjong-like puzzle game that has lots of fun variations to keep you interested for quite some time. This is a non-violent game that is inoffensive to Christians.

Veggie Carnival by Big Idea Interactive Overall Christian Rating 5+/5  Veggie Carnival is an arcade game that recreates a carnival in the Veggie Tales universe.  There are five games to enjoy.  Works on PCs or Macs! Full review will be posted at Guide2Games.

Victory at Hebron by Brethren Entertainment Overall Christian Rating 5+/5 Victory at Hebron is card game based on Redemption that holds the interest of the player. This game should come with a warning label saying "Addictive!  And massive amounts of playing time!"   The game is quite large. It contains wonderful graphics and great music.  Since you can build your deck in various ways, you could even replay the entire game if you'd like. Can be purchased at Christian Games NOW. Full review will be posted at Guide2Games.

Walls of Jericho by Full Armor Studios Overall Christian Rating 5/5  Walls of Jericho is a fun, Tetris-like puzzle game that has lots of power-ups to provide variations.  You need to break enough stones to find three Ark of the Covenants before all the followers go across the screen.  Watch out, it gets difficult quickly.  This is a non-violent game (other than the nature-like power-ups such as lightning) that is inoffensive to Christians. Click picture to download a version you can try for free or a CD version can be purchased at Christian Games NOW.

Zapitalism Deluxe by Lavamind Overall Christian Rating 5/5  Zapitalism Deluxe is a fun, family-oriented business simulation that is easy to learn. To help players learn more quickly, it has a built-in tutorial. This is a non-violent game that is inoffensive to Christians. Zapitalism offers tremendous replayability. See Zapitalism for more details. Also, if you buy, tell them Shepherd's Staff sent you and they will give you the excellent Hints and Strategies Guide for free.  See Guide2Games for a full game review.