3 Video Games That Will Make You Feel Things (Vol. III)

And the series continues! Here are three more game/visual novel recommendations for our Gaming Growers! See you next month :)

Note about content warnings: For each game, I’ve provided a link to its page on doesthedogdie.com where you can find an extensive list of content warnings. These games feature pretty heavy topics so please be careful if you’re interested in playing.

Firewatch (2016)

Even if you’re not a Gamer, you’ve probably heard of Firewatch. For a while, it was a pretty popular go-to for streamers and gaming-centered content creators due to its beautiful graphics and compelling story. It doesn’t take much gameplay to understand why so many people were drawn in by this game. With its calming (and unsettling) forest atmosphere and complicated characters, Firewatch pulls players into a state of self-reflection and examines concepts like isolation, loneliness, connection, guilt, and identity.

Firewatch is a first-person adventure game in which the player takes on the role of Henry, a recently hired forest fire lookout preparing for an extended period of isolation within the Shoshone National Forest. As the game begins, the player is taken through a prologue in which they get to choose important aspects of Henry’s past that will come into play throughout the game. It is also within this prologue that the player learns that Henry’s wife has recently been diagnosed with early-onset dementia. Throughout the game, the only other person that Henry can interact with is Delilah, another lookout and his supervisor. As the story progresses, Henry and Delilah form a close bond and share intimate details of their lives. While their friendship grows stronger, they realize something isn’t quite right within the forest. From there, not only does the player find themselves immersed in an emotional character-driven narrative, but they are also tasked with solving a mystery (or three).  

Mental health-related themes: emotional well-being, loneliness, isolation, anxiety, depression, conformity, burnout, and self-care.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d02lhvvVSy8&ab_channel=CampoSantoProductions

Platforms: PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation

Content Warnings: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/20585

Life Is Strange: Before the Storm (2017)

Life Is Strange: Before the Storm is the prequel to the iconic and resonant Life Is Strange, which I wrote about in Vol. I of this series. While Life Is Strange is Max Caulfield’s story, Before the Storm is centered around her best friend (and fan favorite), Chloe Price, and Chloe’s friendship with the mysterious Rachel Amber. Although Before the Storm didn't emotionally wreck me as much as its predecessor, I was deeply moved by the game's raw representation of grief. I especially appreciated how the writers utilized dreams as a way to connect with loved ones who have passed on.

Before the Storm is an adventure game that depends heavily on character dialogue and focuses on character/relationship development. The player's decisions influence the game's storyline during critical moments, which can result in significant plot changes. Chloe, a rebellious teenager who is dealing with grief, depression, and alienation, is the game's playable character. Two years before the story's start, Chloe's father died in a car accident, and her best friend, Max, moved away. She also has trouble adjusting to her mother's boyfriend, David, who wants to be an authoritative father figure. The game begins with Chloe meeting Rachel Amber, a popular and charismatic classmate, and follows their journey of self-discovery and rebellion as their friendship grows.

Mental health-related themes: grief and loss, anger, resentment, abandonment, family/parental relationships, friendship, and self-destructive behaviors.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=life+is+stange+before+the+storm+trailer

Platforms: PC, Mac, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch

Content Warnings: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/21814

Eliza (2019)

Eliza kind of feels like the premise for a Black Mirror episode. A huge part of the story features the playable character acting as a human proxy for a chatbot program that provides counseling services, so I believe my therapist-flavored existential dread is warranted here. On a more serious note, Eliza inspired me to contemplate how technological advances (namely AI) impact access to mental health services and the quality of those services. I consider myself an advocate for treatment access, but the thought of automated programs doing therapy gives me the willies. Eliza challenged me to meet that fear with curiosity.

Eliza is an interactive visual novel set in a near-future reality. Players take on the role of Evelyn, a former tech industry worker recovering from burnout. During this transitional period, Evelyn begins work as a proxy for an AI therapy program called Eliza. Guiding clients through therapy sessions, Evelyn encounters individuals facing various mental health challenges while also grappling with her own personal struggles and evolving feelings about technology. The game prompts players to reflect on themes of burnout, existential crises, the impact of technology on human connection, and self-advocacy. Through its immersive storytelling, Eliza offers a thought-provoking exploration of the intersection between technology and mental health in a society on the brink of change.

Mental health-related themes: burnout, existential crisis, depression, anxiety, ethics, friendship, life transitions, and self-advocacy.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n53Z8LMg2wo&ab_channel=NintendoofAmerica

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch

Content Warnings: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/999060

3 Video Games That Will Make You Feel Things (Vol. I)

Hello, Gather & Grow community!

Here’s a small list of video games with emotional/mental health-related elements that I still think about, even years after playing. My good ol’ Steam library is full of games just like these, so stay-tuned for more!

Note about content warnings: For each game, I’ve provided a link to its page on doesthedogdie.com where you can find an extensive list of content warnings. These games feature pretty heavy topics so please be careful if you’re interested in playing.

Life Is Strange (2015)

I first played Life is Strange about eight years ago, and I still haven’t quite recovered. And judging from its continuously passionate fanbase I am not the only one still impacted by the game’s nuanced characters, unique premise, emotional storylines, and heart-wrenching endings. Speaking of endings, the ones presented by LiS left shockwaves throughout its fandom and may have sparked one of many existential crises on my part.

You play as Max Caulfield, a teenage girl who has recently returned to her hometown (a gorgeous but conflicted seaside community located in the Pacific Northwest) to attend a prestigious private high school. Max is a passionate and talented photographer but struggles with confidence issues and imposter syndrome exacerbated by her new school’s bullying problem. However, things begin to change when Max impulsively prevents a horrible crime, discovers a new superpower, and reunites with her rebellious childhood best friend all on the same day. From there, Max (and the player) finds herself embroiled in a town mystery while navigating complicated relationships and difficult choices.

 Mental health-related themes: grief/loss, forgiveness, sacrifice, self-esteem, depression, sexual assault recovery, and sexual/romantic identity exploration.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AURVxvIZrmU&ab_channel=GameSpot

Platforms: PC, Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Mobile

Content Warnings: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/15161

Oxenfree (2016)

Oxenfree features stunning artwork and a spooky atmosphere that will appeal to visual novel fans and horror enthusiasts alike. In addition to minimalist but effective spookiness, Oxenfree is also an emotional coming-of-age story about letting go and moving on. There is one particular scene that brought me to tears and I find that this game continues to inspire my own self-reflection.

The game’s playable character is Alex, a teenage girl traveling with a group of friends (and her new stepbrother) to an ominous island steeped in supernatural urban legend. After arriving on the island, Alex and her friends unwittingly unleash a powerful force during a paranormal investigation and find that they must solve the island’s mystery in order to save themselves and reality itself. While doing her best to survive and make it off the island, Alex must also contend with the trauma of guilt and loss resulting from her older brother’s recent death and magnified by her rocky relationship with her new stepbrother. To top it all off, Alex is also in the midst of deciding what she wants to do with the rest of her life.

Mental health-related themes: grief/loss, life transitions, guilt, sacrifice, forgiveness, and family blending

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAhrOoNR4ng&ab_channel=NightSchoolStudio

Platforms: PC, Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Mobile

Content Warnings: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/18349

What Remains of Edith Finch (2017)

How do I begin to describe What Remains of Edith Finch, a game so innovative and beautifully made that it’s hard to put into words how impactful it can be on its players. I love this game. I’m a sucker for immersive narrative-driven walking simulators when I feel like I need some space from the real world, and WRoEF delivers. The main objective of this game is to explore, feel, and lose yourself in the game’s magic.

What Remains of Edith Finch follows seventeen year old Edith as she documents her family’s tragic history while exploring the abandoned Finch family home. As Edith (and the player) moves through the house, she discovers that each room or area of the house is a memorial to a family member that has met an early, tragic end. While exploring these areas of the house, the player is pulled into a surreal depiction of a family member’s death featuring stunning visuals and a striking sense of playfulness. Essentially, WRoEF is a collection of stories, each one revealing the unique eccentricities of the Finch family. As a narrative therapist obsessed with stories, this game feeds my soul.

Mental health-related themes: death, grief/loss of parents and children, family trauma, generational trauma, and isolation

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_y3cLSClBM&ab_channel=GameSpotTrailers

Platforms: PC, Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch

Content Warnings: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/15941

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