There was a rise with very hurtful things about suicide on my personal dash recently.
I thought instead of getting angry, I raise awareness my own way. I offer a look and recommendation of games to play that tackle Mental Health.
Here are 3 games that I played that tackled Mental Health really well, plus 3 honorable mentions:
The Cat Lady (2012; Harvester Games):
-Mental Illness tackled: Depression, Anxiety
-Trigger Warnings: Suicide, Horror, Gore, Abuse
-Susan Ashworth commits suicide. Then she wakes up, is told by an entity called the Mother of Maggots that she is chosen to exact vengeance for what she calls “The Parasites of society” and is also immortal (the last thing Susan wants). An indie horror point and click from British developers, it is a harrowing look at how we as society treat the outcasts, the ones that fall into the cracks. You play as Ms. Ashworth, a former nurse and a surprisingly older protagonist, who suffers from anxiety and depression and you help her defeat her demons and help people. There is something empowering about being able to fight back against the system and the abusers that demonizes or choose to forget the ones they consider broken. The Cat Lady shows you also that abuse can comes also in microaggressions, and can come from people you trust, but ultimately things get better. It is a revenge fantasy but also it reminds you that listening to people and making connections is a powerful gesture.
-Supplementary video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epo7s0S32yU&t=1811s
Night in the Woods (2017, Alec Holowka/Infinite Fall/Secret Lab)
-Mental Illness tackled: Disassociation, Bipolar Disorder, Depression
-Trigger Warnings: Mentions of Sexual Abuse in one path, Horror in latter part of game
-Mae Borowski, a college dropout goes back to her hometown, tries to reconnect with her friends, and generally bums around, aimlessly thinking about what to do next. Mae has trouble letting go of the past and her disassociation makes things complicated for her, her family, and her friends. She has a bit of trouble with empathizing with others, is childish, has destructive tendencies, and when her paranoia hits, she cannot recognize faces, seeing only shapes. But ultimately, she’s a good person. Night in the Woods is a very charming slice of life/horror point and click adventure game about growing up. The town also may or may not have a deadly secret. I really loved this game because of the atmosphere and the characters are easy to fall in love with.
-Suplementary Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ntxpOb5MGc&t=112s
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (2017, Ninja Theory)
-Mental Illness tackled: Psychosis, Depression
-Trigger Warning; suicide, multiple dynamic voices, gore, disturbing imagery, flashing life
-From Wikipedia: Inspired by Norse mythology and Celtic culture, Hellblade follows Senua, a Pict warrior who must make her way to Helheim by defeating otherworldly entities and facing their challenges, in order to rescue the soul of her dead lover from the goddess Hela. In parallel, the game acts as a metaphor for the character’s struggle with psychosis, as Senua, who suffers from the condition but believes it to be a curse, is haunted by an entity known as the “Darkness”, voices in her head known as “Furies”, and memories from her past. To properly represent psychosis, developers worked closely with neuroscientists, mental health specialists, and people suffering from the condition. Senua’s psychosis is portrayed in scary detail, you don’t know if you can trust the voices whispering to you constantly because they equally help and hinder you. The ending was beautiful.
-Suplementary video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52flQkqj5gs
Honorable Mentions;
That Dragon, Cancer (2016, Numinous Games): This game is developers Ryan and Amy Green’s personal ode to their third son, Joel, who passed away because of cancer. It is a look into Ryan and Amy’s harrowing journey watching and caring for their son. A look into how grief changes you. It is a painful, painful game to experience and seeing Ryan and Amy despair, you join them in it too. A lot of tears will be shed.
To the Moon (2011, Freebird Games): A game that tackles dementia and medical ethics. It also tells its story out of order. Charming and really really sad with its bittersweet ending.
Psychonauts (2005, Double Fine Productions): A very fun romp and adventure game, this cult classic is a must play. I included this game in the list because in the latter part of the game, you experience and help people with their mental problems and literal emotional baggage. The way it handles the adult’s problems is fun but it also reminds you that everyone has problems, and they are all valid. Listening and empathy go a long way.
#mentalhealthawareness
You are most welcome to share this post and pic and I’d love to see more posts about your favorite games, music, book, movies. I’d even encourage you to draw or make something for them
Hang in there. You matter.
