The Masterplan
LumiScore
out of 100
Appropriate for ages 17+ with parental supervision
Scored 3 days ago · Methodology v1.0 · 49-dim rubric · Last updated 1 week ago
Score breakdown
Developmental benefits
Design risk factors
Additional dimensions
Benefits: higher is better. Risks: lower is better. Values highlighted when <30 or >70.
Growth
49/100
Growth Value
- Problem Solving
- Strategic Thinking
- Spatial Awareness
Risk
LOW
Engagement Patterns
Minimal pressure to spend or play excessively.
Heads up
Parent Pro-Tip
Before playing, talk with your teen about the moral framing of the game: the player is the 'bad guy,' and choices like threatening civilians or eliminating witnesses are presented without judgment. Use the heist missions as a springboard to discuss real-world ethics, consequences of crime, and the difference between fictional choices and real values.
Top Skills Developed
Development Areas
Representation?How diverse the game's characters are in gender and ethnicity. Higher = more authentic representation. Display only — does not affect time recommendation.
Bechdel Test?The Bechdel Test checks whether a game has at least two named female characters who talk to each other about something other than a man. A simple measure of representation.— Fails the test
The game's cast is a crew of male criminal goons with no named female characters who interact with each other.
Parent Pro-Tip
Encourage your child to engage with the planning phase of each heist before executing it — sketch the map, discuss the approach, and set a goal (e.g., stealth-only run, zero casualties). This transforms a fun game into a rich exercise in strategic thinking, spatial reasoning, and contingency planning that translates well to real-world problem-solving skills.
What your child develops
The Masterplan is a genuinely demanding tactical puzzle game dressed in a retro 1970s heist aesthetic. Players must analyse complex map layouts from a top-down perspective, plan multi-step approaches, and adapt on the fly when things go wrong — all strong exercises in strategic thinking, spatial awareness, problem-solving, and critical thinking. The slow-motion command system explicitly rewards deliberate, calculated decision-making rather than reflexes. Managing a crew across 20 escalating heists — hiring, equipping, and keeping goons alive — adds a light resource-management layer that reinforces planning skills and consequential thinking. Steam Workshop support also opens a creative outlet, allowing players to design and share their own heist maps, which is a meaningful expression of creativity and systems literacy.
Regulatory Compliance
Tap a badge for details. Grey = not yet assessed.
About this game
The Masterplan is an award-winning tactical squad-based heist game set in 1970s. The 2D top-down view gives you a great overview of what's happening at any given moment, allowing you to be a real criminal mastermind.