DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF A 2D EDUCATIONAL GAME ON MALAYSIAN CULTURAL HERITAGE: TRAVEL GAME – HERITAGE QUEST JOURNEY TO THE PAST

Abstract

This study presents the design, development, and evaluation of Travel Game: Heritage Quest – Journey to the Past, a 2D educational game created to enhance awareness of Malaysia’s tangible cultural heritage, particularly the Lenggong Valley and the Perak Man. Developed using the open-source Godot Engine (v4.0) and guided by the Agile methodology, the project integrates interactive storytelling, puzzles, and non-playable character (NPC) dialogues to promote heritage learning through exploration and problem-solving. A total of 21 participants, including students and general users, took part in usability testing via online playthroughs and post-game surveys. Quantitative results indicated high usability and engagement scores (mean ≥ 4.6/5), while qualitative feedback revealed strong appreciation for the game’s visual design, narrative structure, and cultural content. Participants also demonstrated improved understanding of Malaysian prehistoric heritage after gameplay. These findings suggest that serious games can effectively complement heritage education by transforming passive learning into interactive, meaningful experiences. The study contributes to the growing body of digital heritage learning by offering a localized, culturally contextualized model for integrating educational games into both academic and tourism settings.