Sophie’s World, a novel by Norwegian writer Jostein Gaarder,
has been a publishing sensation since it first appeared in 1991. It’s been translated
into countless languages, and in 1995 it was the best-selling fiction book in
the world.

It’s also one of my favorite books of the 90s, so I was delighted
to recently learn that, in addition to its other incarnations (it was made into
a stage musical in Germany in 1998, a film in Norway in 1999, and a board game
all over the place), it’s also a computer game!

Terribly obscure in the
States, it must have not made much of a splash here when it was released in 1997,
so I was lucky to get my hands on a copy.

Like the book, the game is a tour
through the history of western philosophy through the eyes of an inquisitive and
precocious 14-year-old girl named Sophie. The story begins as she receives a series
of mysterious emails from a Major Knag to his daughter (who’s Sophie’s age). These
emails are sent to Sophie from a mysterious man named Alberto Knox, who becomes
her philosophy teacher.

I should say straight out that this is not a hardcore
game; it’s very much in that dreaded (by some) subgenre of “infotainment.”

However, I had a lovely time playing it. Visually, the game is extremely
imaginative and diverse, and it’s delightful to watch as Sophie goes from the
ancient Greeks to the early Christians to the Renaissance and beyond. The puzzles
are gentle and pleasing and not extremely challenging, but it doesn’t matter.

Playing
this game reminded me of the fun I had playing a Discovery Channel title called
Connections. But then, I’ve always enjoyed educational material in games.

The
game contains a wealth of material on the western philosophers, which is easily
accessed from an index bar at the top of the screen. Some of the puzzles actually
involve research!

I realize that you couldn’t possibly include all the material
from the book, but I wish the game didn’t stop as early as it does. It barely
touches on any writers past the Renaissance, and I was having such a good time
I wouldn’t have minded the additional length. The game is quite short as it is.

I
would recommend Sophie’s World for anyone with the slightest interest in
philosophy. It’s a short, imaginative, and altogether delicious excursion.

Final
Grade: B-

If you liked Sophie’s World:
Watch: The
Point
Read: Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder
Play:
Connections

System Requirements:
Windows 95
486 or better
Sound card
Speakers