This video helped me earn my masters in English literature (I was comparing Child of Light to Journey as narrative-driven games). I just realized I never got the chance until now to express how important that is to me. I made sure to properly cite this video in my major research project! I'm also appreciative of you exploring the topic of mental health in games. Thank you for this piece.
My favorite game is Alice: Madness Returns. But I have seen powerful games like; The Beginners Guide, The Static Speaks My Name, Fran Bow, Neverending Nightmares, That Dragon Cancer, Anxiety Attacks, One Chance, Presentable Liberty. I watch those types of games because I find them fascinating! Yes they have the creepy and gore that I love but it's the journey you take. What that person went through, how their mind works, what their body goes through, I find fascinating! What makes a person do what they do? That's why I love reading about serial killers. I'm fascinated with how their mind works.
(Comment - Part 1) Sorry if this comment is old, but hmm, I've only heard of Alice and Fran Bow, I've never heard of these others. :O I like a lot of rpg maker horror games, personally. :p Some of my favorites are Yume Nikki, Ib, Off, End Roll, and White Sky (it's too bad that last one doesn't seem to get much attention. :( It's a bit shorter and easier than the others though, kind of like a visual novel, but I loved it. :p) So, where to start with explaining... 1. Yume Nikki: This game involves something similar to lucid dreaming, and some kind of 1 bedroom apartment looking place that Madotsuki refuses to leave from for whatever reason (the door isn't locked, she just shakes her heard when you try to leave, which has people theorize she's a hikikomori. Considering all the other theories, this one could be canon... what other reason(s) would she have?) The game is really big with lots of art and arguable symbolism with no dialogue or plot whatsoever, making the story really vague, leaving it up to the player to fill in the void. The game also seems to address suicide at least and possible sociopathy with the knife effect and eyeball world among other things, so yeah... 2. Ib: N/A, it's a really good horror game about a art musuem, a little girl named Ib, an older guy protector named Garry, and another little girl Mary. :p As your a little girl, there are some things that you can't read unless you have Garry with you. :p Sorry, not sure what else to say beyond that. ^^; 3. Off: An oddly surreal game with industrial themes, where natural elements are replaced with things such as Metal, Plastic, Smoke, Meat, and Sugar. :p The main character is called The Batter whose on a crusade to purify the areas in the game called zones of these spectre enemies by defeating their guardian and make it pure. Everything isn't quite what it seems as you go further into the game though... and that's all I'll say there. :p (My profile pic is from this game, LOL. XD)
(Comment - Part 2) 4. End Roll: Similar to the anime Elfen Lied, but with a boy instead and some Yume Nikki elements, the game involves a young teenage boy on death row for what you find out later is the crime of being a serial killer. He's forced to take a drug that puts him into a deep sleep called "Happy Dream" so he can learn guilt and rehabilitate, which is mostly earned by sidequests. Some special attacks in this game are based on emotions as he overcomes his repressed sociopathy and you learn of huis tragic backstory on how he became that way, and learn about his deceased victims in his dreams (who might not really be real, but that's beside the point. :p) 5. White Sky: This game is about a girl named Blanca, a stoic girl whose an academic prodigy. Secretly though unknown to everyone else is a girl going through depression and possibly self-loathing... and for this game, said kids are pretty young, like 4th-5th grade, around 10 or so. :( (Everythign is also monochrome except for a few important colors at certain parts to signify lifelessness, similar to The Giver.) Later for a change of pace, she goes against her father's warnings to enter this mysterious red house, and... things happen, and she meets a boy named Toby. :p As the game goes on, you'll start to see something similar to Communism or whatever, where individuality is illegal with dire consequences, and everyone is made to be the same, some kind of robot, more or less... and poor Toby slowly desceneds into madness with many different moods until he becomes spome kind of yandere killer. :( (Who may or may not reform depending on how you treat him at the very end which determines the endings). That's all I can say, sorry if this is still kind of spoiler filled, it's a short game. :p Phew, I guess that's it.
You know, That's reminding me I asked for help, for a treatment from my dad 2 years ago, and he didn't took me seriously, and now I'm sitting at home, can't work, taking pills, and can't do nothing but cry and sleep, and be on my computer, and the thing is..I DID asked for help...I did. no one's care
I remember when I was really depressed and played Depression Quest. That game really wrecked me, but in the end helped me understand myself better. Excellent video.
I've been very recently diagnosed with general anxiety and depression, like in the past couple of weeks, and I've been struggling to come to terms with it all. It makes a lot of sense however based on how I've acted in the past few years. I'm definitely going to give all of these games a go as if it helps me to move through my issues and understand them better then it's definitely worthwhile taking a look. Thank you for this video Johnny
Why is there footage of Hellblade: Senua's sacrifice in the intro but no blurb on it later on? It deserves it, and there is a video by by Leonardo di Sidci on Physchosis and Video Games that does it this justice. Amazing game, and one of my personal faves to date.
I think it's because that it had not been released fully yet so they did not have much information on it then. No one really knew yet just how powerful it could be in portraying mental illness such as psychosis. I do agree though that they should've mentioned at least some of it during the video. Now that Hellblade has been released, I have to say that indeed it is one of the most impactful and defining games of our time. Its depiction of psychosis is second-to-none, and it is one of the most - if not the most accurate representation of psychosis, in not just video games but in general. It's a remarkable game. The game is not for everyone, though much of the controversy and criticism it received was due to ignorance and a reluctance to understand the game's concept. Ninja Theory was innovative in design and how they created the game. Hellblade and Ninja Theory made a mark in gaming history. A must play in my book. Sorry I went off on a long winded essay there, Hellblade is just one of a few games I adore.
The first time I really experienced a game that resonated with me about my own depression and sense of the world was when I played "The Cat Lady." The soulful, longing, poetic spirit of the protagonist really touched me- and the fact that she had lived through the life and knew that things were already the way they were going to be- she was too old for something new. In each chapter she would have to face a new evil, manipulative person- and often a person she thought she could trust, one who gained her confidence and she had to deal with the death that person brought on her and piece together her own realizations with her continual rebirth- and The Queen of Maggots who gave her her abilities and set her on the path as some kind of vigilante was Depression itself
Some great points in this video, and I hadn't heard that interpretation of Child of Light yet (but then I haven't beaten the game). Some other great examples are Neverending Nightmares which is inspired by the developer's experiences of obsessive compulsive disorder and Silent Hill 2 which addresses guilt, trauma and sexual disorders. Silent Hill 4 could also technically count since you are entering the mind of a killer with psychotic delusions. Certain characters' backstories in I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream also deal with trauma (including sexual assault) and narcissism in very thoughtful ways.
So this is where Johnny went to. Nice to see you're doing well mate, I was pretty sad when you left Gamespot and thought you had fallen off the videogame world entirely. As per usual, excellent stuff here. Will be catching more from you and this channel in the future.
This video was helpful, I plan on doing a charity stream on twitch in the near future for mental health foundation and I'm adding all these games to my list of things being played. If there are anymore games that show a good light on mental health like these do id love to know more
I absolutely love this series you guys have conjured up. I myself suffer from extreme depression and anxiety. Recently, I have taken the plunge into seeing a therapist after many years of telling myself I am fine. She suggested that I create videos like this since I had used this youtube project (Truth and requiem) as a way to battle my illnesses. However, I did not realize that I was just using it as a distraction. So in the long run, I am officially going to merge my mental health issues with my passion of gaming. Depression quest is truly heart felt, I can completely relate to just about everything in that text based game. I would love to see move videos of this kind of stuff as This is the kind of thing that I plan on doing.
Love this! Mental illness is something that should be talked about more, and I love how these games normalize it. Something else I'd love to see...a game centered on someone with a chronic illness. (Which often goes hand-in-hand with depression.) I have a chronic illness, and one of my favorite metaphors is the "spoon metaphor", which you should definitely google. Something like that could totally be worked into a game. I think it would be interesting to have a game where the choices you make affect what you can or can't do in the future. Running out of "spoons", or energy as you make choices. And then figuring out how to work around those consequences. I think it could be really enlightening, as well as challenging and entertaining in the right hands.
Great video and thank you for helping stop the societal problem of tabooing mental health problems. I have had depression and anxiety problems for years and I’m still having trouble with life. I want to live! I am tired of sleeping away my life and not eating for days at a time. Anyways, I appreciate your video and I wish that I had a good friend like you.
Naw I just want to give you a hug. Great video! Hope you heard of 'Night in the woods' that is my fav game at the moment and covers the subject really well
Hmm, I didn't know that easter egg from Life is Strange, I wonder if there's others that stands out. :? After Before the Storm, Chloe's character is kind of... more depressing. :(
Haunting Ground (Horror game for PS2) had a really well done story which could or could not have had something to do with psychosis depending on how you interpreted it.
Mudkip Syndrome I guess Silent Hill 2+3, Haunting Ground and Rule of Rose just weren't recent enough. This list (not surprisingly) only has games (and non-game) from 2012 or later. Sasuga Eurogamer.
It'd be nice if you put an annotation about the Life is Strange spoilers or even just moved the spoiler warning up one line - I didn't see it until it was too late cause you had to click read more to see it (my own fault, I know - it'd be nice to help stop others succumbing to the same fate though!)
Glad you use video games that actually have some depth. People will go to Celeste and other games just because the words panic attack are used yet they are used so loosely and have no character depth
In my game, i want to have moments that portray the trauma the main character experienced during his time as a mercenary. I'll have moments of pure paranoia only for the player to realize this is a safe situation and the main character is in no danger. he's just reliving his past.
In Star Ocean if you have zero MP you die (acts pretty much as second HP bar) but the same rules apply to bosses as well. Really helps against killing tanky bosses. Don't know if this is relevant to doing mental health right though lol
I’m writing a story about mental illness so it’s be helpful if I could get some guidance on if the way I’m approaching it is... okay? I tried my best to simplify it as much as I can ( I’m still working out the ending) so thanks for those who end up reading it The story is set in a cliche fantasy world with knights and fairies etc.. that very much replicates video games tropes such as knightly heroes and boss battles and so forth to the point where my main character doesn’t even have a name except being referred to as “the chosen one” so my character wakes up in this world not knowing anything and is immediately thrusted into this prophecy that he must complete to fight these dark beasts to break the curse that is shadowing the kingdom and if he doesn’t then everyone including him will perish. So he reluctantly goes on this quest and fights these beasts. He has some help along the way such as he has a mage that helps him defeat the first beast and a barbarian that helps him with the second. He even has a fairy guide that guides him similar to the fairy in LOZ. He gains more confidence in his role as “the chosen one “ so when he goes to fight the last beast he thinks it’ll be fine if he has his friends, besides it’s destiny that he’ll win right? He loses though and gets eaten by the last beast. He wakes up inside to see that the beasts and majority of the curse that is befallen in the kingdom is caused by the ruler of the kingdom himself, the prince who also looks exactly like the hero. The prince and the hero fight and the hero ultimately wins, all he has to do now is kill the prince and the curse will end and the kingdom will be happy. His fairy guide tells him to do it so that the prophecy will be fulfilled But the chosen one sees the prince and sees that he’s not a monster like the prophecy said, he looks around and he sees the destruction of the kingdom and he can’t come to kill the prince, even the prince is confused as to why the hero doesn’t want peace and doesn’t want the happy ending but through the journey the chosen one had he realized that killing the problem won’t make it go away and it won’t make him a hero and that peace won’t come just because the curse ends. He makes amends with the prince and Instead of deciding on the game over route where the game ends the hero decides to play again . At this point we learn the story we’ve been reading wasn’t real to begin with but was a play through going through the head of a boy in a medically induced coma who attempted suicide, he wakes up much to his loved ones happiness ( loved ones being those characters that helped with fighting the beasts in the fanatsy world, mom, friend, therapist ect...) I don’t show the suicide or the cause but I have drug related imagery and symbolism throughout the fantasy world to give the readers hints. It’s also showed that the fairy guide represented the boy’s dead sister who died from a car collision while waiting for the bus because her brother refused to pick her up from school after having a bad day -> ( one of the catalysts that leads to his suicide attempt as he felt he was responsible for her death) the beasts represented the characters anxiety and depression on a surface level while the prince represented those feeling as a whole, him and the hero represented the two sides of the boy who had been struggling to find a balance between the two ups and downs of these emotions.
That's... Actually pretty well done, at first, I was expecting something more like Evangelion. (The hero gets crushed by the expectations of saving the world. Falling into a deep cycle of depression.) But, it ended in being something I didn't really expect, and I think it's pretty good and well structurated.
Banana_Pancake thanks, ive been having some issues with the story though, like the ending is suppose to be a twist of some kind but it kind of falls under the “ it was all a dream” kind of trope so it falls a bit flat, not really sure how to avoid that since that concept is kinda cheap
Although anxiety and depression are bad, Everyone has anxiety and everyone gets depressed at times. I have paranoid schizophrenia and would like a video of games that portray *severe* mental illness
Hello! Johnny here. I agree the scope of this video was a bit narrow - I didn't want to make any assertions about illnesses I had no experience of, but in doing so I think I came pretty close to straight up erasure. That's on me - I did end up making a bunch more under the series name Low Batteries and attempted to broaden the scope, if that's of interest.
Wow, as an American I feel deep envy at your healthcare. Cognitive therapy is 150$ an hour here. It's 160$ to visit the general practitioner. Once. Every bottle of medicine costs from $40-100 to over a thousand, if the doc puts you on some fancy new thing. Considering most people make about $2500 a month if they're lucky...yeah you're pretty damn lucky to live where you do.
I think you're looking a little too deep into Child of Light's themes. I personally like to believe what happened in the game happened, mostly because throughout the game you find evidence that other people had been to the land you're fighting for. While I suppose these would be stories made up by the girl, I prefer to think the place she visits are real. Guess it comes down to how the player interprets the story, and by the sounds of it you got a completely different impression to the one I got.
Daniel Martinez Maybe its not meant to be, but it was the art from people decided it should be explained as, when all it wanted to do was to talk about a problem and explain it to those who might not understand it. No?
***** EXACTLY, it was meant to be seen more as a piece of art or discussion piece , but people love to shit on things and so since it was made by people that were game devs so it was labled that before people real looked into it and saw what it was real trying to be.
Django Martinez Wasn't one (of the many) problems with that how it didn't address mental health when they could have done something pretty interesting with it?
Swickful I've personally had some problems on that area as well. Turns out though, because of all the things that happened over time I just got less sensitive to stuff. Hatred kinda reminded me of that but to the max.
Do you mean talking about depression in general or specifically my own experiences with it? Either way, I'd argue there's always worth in discussing this type of thing. Understanding something better is useful and it can really help those who need it. If people are happy that others struggle with mental health, well, that's their own issue. It shouldn't reflect on the people struggling. (Johnny)
I'm talking in general not about this video and not about discussion (scientific discussion to understand how brain and mental health works) but more like between like friends or something like that.
Krzysztof Kotarba I would generaly agree with you because many people have no concept what it is like to experience mental health issues and have no point of reference to help. It is a very good idea to seek help through many of the online communities which deal with this subject. Naturally it is best to read through many forums before finding one with a productive community, there is no need to suffer alone.
The best game showing immersive and entertaining mental health issues are the Joker scenes in Batman Arkham Knight :D oh wait.... that Unicorn is not only pooping weapons it is also vomiting rainbows with weapons in it? Lovely! I guess that game - what is it some Borderlands 2 DLC? - offers other sick jokes and quality entertainment too. ... Hah I always love it when people living in hell and getting trapped in endless debts and poverty, getting loved ones lost or PTSD or horrible deceases or whatnot just get diagnosed with "mental issues and insanity" and "it`s not the horrible unbearable living and working poor and mobbing conditions and poverty and sicknesses and whatnot, NOOO, IT`S ALL IN THEIR BRAINS these psychos just need to THINK the right way - and take these 20 drugs and pills every day from now on against their pure mental problems and mental issues..." Way better would be solving life`s problems and becoming happy by fullfilling dreams and desires and changing living conditions, instead of passively staying in hellish conditions, living in unbearable old and dirty houses, getting mobbed and hated every day (but never change the job or keep clinging on stupid false friends) and always keep telling oneself "well, that`s life, and life is shit, there is nothing one can do or change about that - let`s take some drugs and pills because it`s all in the brain and a matter of right thinking...." If I would be a therapist; I would ask "What`s your biggest problem and what can we do about it to change it to a better?" and not "Look you must know that your brain is very sick and just works and thinks in a wrong way, here are five different drugs to help you, see you next week."
***** Movies are just movies, books are just books, plays are just plays. They are mediums mainly about entertainment but no one scoffs at the idea that A Clockwork Orange talks about morality/free will or that The Catcher in the Rye deals with depression and loneliness. What makes video games so different that they can't talk about subjects and not be ONLY about entertainment? Why must every video game be "The Transformers" in video game form?
This video helped me earn my masters in English literature (I was comparing Child of Light to Journey as narrative-driven games). I just realized I never got the chance until now to express how important that is to me. I made sure to properly cite this video in my major research project!
I'm also appreciative of you exploring the topic of mental health in games.
Thank you for this piece.
The Cat Lady is so relevant to the topic of this video I'm really surprised it wasn't mentioned.
I was gonna say Cat Lady! Such a good game
My favorite game is Alice: Madness Returns. But I have seen powerful games like; The Beginners Guide, The Static Speaks My Name, Fran Bow, Neverending Nightmares, That Dragon Cancer, Anxiety Attacks, One Chance, Presentable Liberty. I watch those types of games because I find them fascinating! Yes they have the creepy and gore that I love but it's the journey you take. What that person went through, how their mind works, what their body goes through, I find fascinating! What makes a person do what they do? That's why I love reading about serial killers. I'm fascinated with how their mind works.
(Comment - Part 1)
Sorry if this comment is old, but hmm, I've only heard of Alice and Fran Bow, I've never heard of these others. :O
I like a lot of rpg maker horror games, personally. :p Some of my favorites are Yume Nikki, Ib, Off, End Roll, and White Sky (it's too bad that last one doesn't seem to get much attention. :( It's a bit shorter and easier than the others though, kind of like a visual novel, but I loved it. :p)
So, where to start with explaining...
1. Yume Nikki: This game involves something similar to lucid dreaming, and some kind of 1 bedroom apartment looking place that Madotsuki refuses to leave from for whatever reason (the door isn't locked, she just shakes her heard when you try to leave, which has people theorize she's a hikikomori. Considering all the other theories, this one could be canon... what other reason(s) would she have?)
The game is really big with lots of art and arguable symbolism with no dialogue or plot whatsoever, making the story really vague, leaving it up to the player to fill in the void.
The game also seems to address suicide at least and possible sociopathy with the knife effect and eyeball world among other things, so yeah...
2. Ib: N/A, it's a really good horror game about a art musuem, a little girl named Ib, an older guy protector named Garry, and another little girl Mary. :p
As your a little girl, there are some things that you can't read unless you have Garry with you. :p
Sorry, not sure what else to say beyond that. ^^;
3. Off: An oddly surreal game with industrial themes, where natural elements are replaced with things such as Metal, Plastic, Smoke, Meat, and Sugar. :p
The main character is called The Batter whose on a crusade to purify the areas in the game called zones of these spectre enemies by defeating their guardian and make it pure.
Everything isn't quite what it seems as you go further into the game though... and that's all I'll say there. :p (My profile pic is from this game, LOL. XD)
(Comment - Part 2)
4. End Roll: Similar to the anime Elfen Lied, but with a boy instead and some Yume Nikki elements, the game involves a young teenage boy on death row for what you find out later is the crime of being a serial killer.
He's forced to take a drug that puts him into a deep sleep called "Happy Dream" so he can learn guilt and rehabilitate, which is mostly earned by sidequests.
Some special attacks in this game are based on emotions as he overcomes his repressed sociopathy and you learn of huis tragic backstory on how he became that way, and learn about his deceased victims in his dreams (who might not really be real, but that's beside the point. :p)
5. White Sky: This game is about a girl named Blanca, a stoic girl whose an academic prodigy.
Secretly though unknown to everyone else is a girl going through depression and possibly self-loathing... and for this game, said kids are pretty young, like 4th-5th grade, around 10 or so. :( (Everythign is also monochrome except for a few important colors at certain parts to signify lifelessness, similar to The Giver.)
Later for a change of pace, she goes against her father's warnings to enter this mysterious red house, and... things happen, and she meets a boy named Toby. :p
As the game goes on, you'll start to see something similar to Communism or whatever, where individuality is illegal with dire consequences, and everyone is made to be the same, some kind of robot, more or less... and poor Toby slowly desceneds into madness with many different moods until he becomes spome kind of yandere killer. :( (Who may or may not reform depending on how you treat him at the very end which determines the endings).
That's all I can say, sorry if this is still kind of spoiler filled, it's a short game. :p
Phew, I guess that's it.
You should play night in the woods!! It's an excellent game!
You know, That's reminding me I asked for help, for a treatment from my dad 2 years ago, and he didn't took me seriously, and now I'm sitting at home, can't work, taking pills, and can't do nothing but cry and sleep, and be on my computer, and the thing is..I DID asked for help...I did. no one's care
Someone always care. You’re never alone okay?
I am sorry to hear that. I know it can be extremely lonely. Most people do not understand what it's like. I hear ya.
My dads the same.
They simply don’t understand because they don’t know what it’s like
My dad is very much the same
It's ok there is always hope help can come from many places make a throw away acount and write it all out i believe in you
silent hill 2 is like one of the best representation of depression i've ever seen, not just on videogame but in any medium
I remember when I was really depressed and played Depression Quest. That game really wrecked me, but in the end helped me understand myself better.
Excellent video.
I've been very recently diagnosed with general anxiety and depression, like in the past couple of weeks, and I've been struggling to come to terms with it all. It makes a lot of sense however based on how I've acted in the past few years. I'm definitely going to give all of these games a go as if it helps me to move through my issues and understand them better then it's definitely worthwhile taking a look. Thank you for this video Johnny
Why is there footage of Hellblade: Senua's sacrifice in the intro but no blurb on it later on? It deserves it, and there is a video by by Leonardo di Sidci on Physchosis and Video Games that does it this justice. Amazing game, and one of my personal faves to date.
I think it's because that it had not been released fully yet so they did not have much information on it then. No one really knew yet just how powerful it could be in portraying mental illness such as psychosis.
I do agree though that they should've mentioned at least some of it during the video.
Now that Hellblade has been released, I have to say that indeed it is one of the most impactful and defining games of our time. Its depiction of psychosis is second-to-none, and it is one of the most - if not the most accurate representation of psychosis, in not just video games but in general.
It's a remarkable game. The game is not for everyone, though much of the controversy and criticism it received was due to ignorance and a reluctance to understand the game's concept. Ninja Theory was innovative in design and how they created the game. Hellblade and Ninja Theory made a mark in gaming history. A must play in my book.
Sorry I went off on a long winded essay there, Hellblade is just one of a few games I adore.
The first time I really experienced a game that resonated with me about my own depression and sense of the world was when I played "The Cat Lady." The soulful, longing, poetic spirit of the protagonist really touched me- and the fact that she had lived through the life and knew that things were already the way they were going to be- she was too old for something new. In each chapter she would have to face a new evil, manipulative person- and often a person she thought she could trust, one who gained her confidence and she had to deal with the death that person brought on her and piece together her own realizations with her continual rebirth- and The Queen of Maggots who gave her her abilities and set her on the path as some kind of vigilante was Depression itself
Eurogamer is doing some genuinely excellent stuff the moment, keep it up :)
Another great video! Thank you Johnny and Eurogamer!
Some great points in this video, and I hadn't heard that interpretation of Child of Light yet (but then I haven't beaten the game). Some other great examples are Neverending Nightmares which is inspired by the developer's experiences of obsessive compulsive disorder and Silent Hill 2 which addresses guilt, trauma and sexual disorders. Silent Hill 4 could also technically count since you are entering the mind of a killer with psychotic delusions. Certain characters' backstories in I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream also deal with trauma (including sexual assault) and narcissism in very thoughtful ways.
Really good piece by Johnny...very introspective...thanks for sharing and adding a personal touch to the video, I'm sure alot of people will relate.
I have been here since 15,000 and this is probably one of my favourite videos I don't know why but it struck me
5:11 YES!!! The Unfinished Swan is my absolute favourite game, and I've never heard anyone else mention it until now!
So this is where Johnny went to. Nice to see you're doing well mate, I was pretty sad when you left Gamespot and thought you had fallen off the videogame world entirely. As per usual, excellent stuff here. Will be catching more from you and this channel in the future.
This video was helpful, I plan on doing a charity stream on twitch in the near future for mental health foundation and I'm adding all these games to my list of things being played. If there are anymore games that show a good light on mental health like these do id love to know more
I absolutely love this series you guys have conjured up. I myself suffer from extreme depression and anxiety. Recently, I have taken the plunge into seeing a therapist after many years of telling myself I am fine. She suggested that I create videos like this since I had used this youtube project (Truth and requiem) as a way to battle my illnesses. However, I did not realize that I was just using it as a distraction. So in the long run, I am officially going to merge my mental health issues with my passion of gaming. Depression quest is truly heart felt, I can completely relate to just about everything in that text based game. I would love to see move videos of this kind of stuff as This is the kind of thing that I plan on doing.
Love this! Mental illness is something that should be talked about more, and I love how these games normalize it.
Something else I'd love to see...a game centered on someone with a chronic illness. (Which often goes hand-in-hand with depression.) I have a chronic illness, and one of my favorite metaphors is the "spoon metaphor", which you should definitely google. Something like that could totally be worked into a game. I think it would be interesting to have a game where the choices you make affect what you can or can't do in the future. Running out of "spoons", or energy as you make choices. And then figuring out how to work around those consequences. I think it could be really enlightening, as well as challenging and entertaining in the right hands.
Great video and thank you for helping stop the societal problem of tabooing mental health problems. I have had depression and anxiety problems for years and I’m still having trouble with life. I want to live! I am tired of sleeping away my life and not eating for days at a time. Anyways, I appreciate your video and I wish that I had a good friend like you.
Child of light was a great game. I loved how subtle it was on leading you up on what's really going on in the game. Sensitive and sweet
Naw I just want to give you a hug. Great video! Hope you heard of 'Night in the woods' that is my fav game at the moment and covers the subject really well
Hmm, I didn't know that easter egg from Life is Strange, I wonder if there's others that stands out. :?
After Before the Storm, Chloe's character is kind of... more depressing. :(
Haunting Ground (Horror game for PS2) had a really well done story which could or could not have had something to do with psychosis depending on how you interpreted it.
Mudkip Syndrome I guess Silent Hill 2+3, Haunting Ground and Rule of Rose just weren't recent enough. This list (not surprisingly) only has games (and non-game) from 2012 or later. Sasuga Eurogamer.
Good video, well done for being so honest at the outset.
A game that really hit the nail on the head for me is Yume Nikki, although you can interpret it in any way you want
It'd be nice if you put an annotation about the Life is Strange spoilers or even just moved the spoiler warning up one line - I didn't see it until it was too late cause you had to click read more to see it (my own fault, I know - it'd be nice to help stop others succumbing to the same fate though!)
Ack, sorry! Will bump up the warning. Thanks for the feedback.
another great video guys-i couldnt play episode 2 of life is strange-kates suicide attempt was too triggering for me but man the game was good
one in four need free radio and television in england to replace the silence with being in touch with others for news sports and weather
a pooping unicorn.. I think I have been healed from laughing so hard, best medicine ever. Why it's a miracle. lol
Thank you for this. Very useful.
Glad you use video games that actually have some depth. People will go to Celeste and other games just because the words panic attack are used yet they are used so loosely and have no character depth
I know it wasn’t out when this video was made, but Celeste handled panic attacks really well
In my game, i want to have moments that portray the trauma the main character experienced during his time as a mercenary. I'll have moments of pure paranoia only for the player to realize this is a safe situation and the main character is in no danger. he's just reliving his past.
In Star Ocean if you have zero MP you die (acts pretty much as second HP bar) but the same rules apply to bosses as well. Really helps against killing tanky bosses.
Don't know if this is relevant to doing mental health right though lol
Silent hill represent very well many mental problems
I’m writing a story about mental illness so it’s be helpful if I could get some guidance on if the way I’m approaching it is... okay? I tried my best to simplify it as much as I can ( I’m still working out the ending) so thanks for those who end up reading it
The story is set in a cliche fantasy world with knights and fairies etc.. that very much replicates video games tropes such as knightly heroes and boss battles and so forth to the point where my main character doesn’t even have a name except being referred to as “the chosen one” so my character wakes up in this world not knowing anything and is immediately thrusted into this prophecy that he must complete to fight these dark beasts to break the curse that is shadowing the kingdom and if he doesn’t then everyone including him will perish. So he reluctantly goes on this quest and fights these beasts. He has some help along the way such as he has a mage that helps him defeat the first beast and a barbarian that helps him with the second. He even has a fairy guide that guides him similar to the fairy in LOZ. He gains more confidence in his role as “the chosen one “ so when he goes to fight the last beast he thinks it’ll be fine if he has his friends, besides it’s destiny that he’ll win right? He loses though and gets eaten by the last beast. He wakes up inside to see that the beasts and majority of the curse that is befallen in the kingdom is caused by the ruler of the kingdom himself, the prince who also looks exactly like the hero. The prince and the hero fight and the hero ultimately wins, all he has to do now is kill the prince and the curse will end and the kingdom will be happy. His fairy guide tells him to do it so that the prophecy will be fulfilled But the chosen one sees the prince and sees that he’s not a monster like the prophecy said, he looks around and he sees the destruction of the kingdom and he can’t come to kill the prince, even the prince is confused as to why the hero doesn’t want peace and doesn’t want the happy ending but through the journey the chosen one had he realized that killing the problem won’t make it go away and it won’t make him a hero and that peace won’t come just because the curse ends. He makes amends with the prince and Instead of deciding on the game over route where the game ends the hero decides to play again . At this point we learn the story we’ve been reading wasn’t real to begin with but was a play through going through the head of a boy in a medically induced coma who attempted suicide, he wakes up much to his loved ones happiness ( loved ones being those characters that helped with fighting the beasts in the fanatsy world, mom, friend, therapist ect...) I don’t show the suicide or the cause but I have drug related imagery and symbolism throughout the fantasy world to give the readers hints. It’s also showed that the fairy guide represented the boy’s dead sister who died from a car collision while waiting for the bus because her brother refused to pick her up from school after having a bad day -> ( one of the catalysts that leads to his suicide attempt as he felt he was responsible for her death) the beasts represented the characters anxiety and depression on a surface level while the prince represented those feeling as a whole, him and the hero represented the two sides of the boy who had been struggling to find a balance between the two ups and downs of these emotions.
That's... Actually pretty well done, at first, I was expecting something more like Evangelion. (The hero gets crushed by the expectations of saving the world. Falling into a deep cycle of depression.)
But, it ended in being something I didn't really expect, and I think it's pretty good and well structurated.
Banana_Pancake thanks, ive been having some issues with the story though, like the ending is suppose to be a twist of some kind but it kind of falls under the “ it was all a dream” kind of trope so it falls a bit flat, not really sure how to avoid that since that concept is kinda cheap
@@blurryink115 You should watch the movie "Colorful." I think that may give you an idea.
Banana_Pancake oo thanks, I saw the trailer for it one time, looked interesting
Are we sure the Fluoxetine was Chloe’s? David and Joyce also went through traumatic experiences and likely have depression.
Well said Johnny.
Mental health, just like physical health, is something that every person has.
Depression quest is life
I’m surprised omori isn’t in here 😬
Although anxiety and depression are bad, Everyone has anxiety and everyone gets depressed at times. I have paranoid schizophrenia and would like a video of games that portray *severe* mental illness
Hello! Johnny here. I agree the scope of this video was a bit narrow - I didn't want to make any assertions about illnesses I had no experience of, but in doing so I think I came pretty close to straight up erasure. That's on me - I did end up making a bunch more under the series name Low Batteries and attempted to broaden the scope, if that's of interest.
Wow, as an American I feel deep envy at your healthcare.
Cognitive therapy is 150$ an hour here. It's 160$ to visit the general practitioner. Once. Every bottle of medicine costs from $40-100 to over a thousand, if the doc puts you on some fancy new thing.
Considering most people make about $2500 a month if they're lucky...yeah you're pretty damn lucky to live where you do.
Final Fantasy 7 is a good example too. That game might be too old to make it on a list like this though.
This is pretty nice.
No mention of Neverending Nightmares?
cavemancolton I've not played Neverending Nightmares, I'll check it out. Thanks for mentioning it. (Johnny)
Eurogamer
Awesome! It's got a very unique artstyle.
I think you're looking a little too deep into Child of Light's themes. I personally like to believe what happened in the game happened, mostly because throughout the game you find evidence that other people had been to the land you're fighting for. While I suppose these would be stories made up by the girl, I prefer to think the place she visits are real. Guess it comes down to how the player interprets the story, and by the sounds of it you got a completely different impression to the one I got.
Celeste is a new great representation
Very good video, thank you
Hitman is the perfect depression game
omori
Depression Quest?
Aye ok.
***** Depression Quest is pure garbage. It's not a computer game.
***** yes, it is sad that a powerpoint presentation passess as a videogame
Daniel Martinez Maybe its not meant to be, but it was the art from people decided it should be explained as, when all it wanted to do was to talk about a problem and explain it to those who might not understand it. No?
Well I don't think it's really SUPPOSED to be a video game to be honest.
***** EXACTLY, it was meant to be seen more as a piece of art or discussion piece , but people love to shit on things and so since it was made by people that were game devs so it was labled that before people real looked into it and saw what it was real trying to be.
I thought Spec Ops the Line covered PTSD somewhat in its narrative
Good upload thank you
Oh come on, I LOOOOVE Child of Light, but that doesn't make sense at all, it seems more like a head-cannon than anything...Pffft.
princessthyemis Funny you say that, cause after I saw that part, my reaction was pretty much "Ohhh, that makes perfect sense."
t game was that at the start, the third person game with a woman walking through a forest following a spectral face?
Hellblade, Ninja Theory's next game.
Eurogamer Looks interesting, thanks!
What is the game shown at the beginning? at 0.11?
+Georgina Collins Horizon: Zero Dawn - it's an upcoming PS4 exclusive.
Thats not Horizon. Thats Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice!
Great vid
Hatred.
No really.
Django Martinez Wasn't one (of the many) problems with that how it didn't address mental health when they could have done something pretty interesting with it?
Django Martinez Socio-pathic is definitely a good one to talk about since so many games have them. Missed oppurtunity :/
Brutal Doom's marine will no doubt suffer posttraumatic stress disorder when he returns home from mars. Semper fidelis!
Swickful I've personally had some problems on that area as well. Turns out though, because of all the things that happened over time I just got less sensitive to stuff. Hatred kinda reminded me of that but to the max.
people don't really care and some of them are happy that you're not well, there is no point of sharing or taking about own issues.
Do you mean talking about depression in general or specifically my own experiences with it? Either way, I'd argue there's always worth in discussing this type of thing. Understanding something better is useful and it can really help those who need it. If people are happy that others struggle with mental health, well, that's their own issue. It shouldn't reflect on the people struggling. (Johnny)
I'm talking in general not about this video and not about discussion (scientific discussion to understand how brain and mental health works) but more like between like friends or something like that.
Krzysztof Kotarba I would generaly agree with you because many people have no concept what it is like to experience mental health issues and have no point of reference to help.
It is a very good idea to seek help through many of the online communities which deal with this subject. Naturally it is best to read through many forums before finding one with a productive community, there is no need to suffer alone.
I see. I'm sorry to hear that. Nobody should be made to feel like people don't care about them.
The best game showing immersive and entertaining mental health issues are the Joker scenes in Batman Arkham Knight :D oh wait.... that Unicorn is not only pooping weapons it is also vomiting rainbows with weapons in it? Lovely! I guess that game - what is it some Borderlands 2 DLC? - offers other sick jokes and quality entertainment too.
...
Hah I always love it when people living in hell and getting trapped in endless debts and poverty, getting loved ones lost or PTSD or horrible deceases or whatnot just get diagnosed with "mental issues and insanity" and "it`s not the horrible unbearable living and working poor and mobbing conditions and poverty and sicknesses and whatnot, NOOO, IT`S ALL IN THEIR BRAINS these psychos just need to THINK the right way - and take these 20 drugs and pills every day from now on against their pure mental problems and mental issues..."
Way better would be solving life`s problems and becoming happy by fullfilling dreams and desires and changing living conditions, instead of passively staying in hellish conditions, living in unbearable old and dirty houses, getting mobbed and hated every day (but never change the job or keep clinging on stupid false friends) and always keep telling oneself "well, that`s life, and life is shit, there is nothing one can do or change about that - let`s take some drugs and pills because it`s all in the brain and a matter of right thinking...."
If I would be a therapist; I would ask "What`s your biggest problem and what can we do about it to change it to a better?" and not "Look you must know that your brain is very sick and just works and thinks in a wrong way, here are five different drugs to help you, see you next week."
"depression quest" are you fucking kidding me
I love how people use mental health as a euphemism for mental illness.
No yandere simulator? I've heard actually unstable girls giving positive feedback to how it portrays sanity.
I need a link.
Games are just games imo.
***** Movies are just movies, books are just books, plays are just plays. They are mediums mainly about entertainment but no one scoffs at the idea that A Clockwork Orange talks about morality/free will or that The Catcher in the Rye deals with depression and loneliness.
What makes video games so different that they can't talk about subjects and not be ONLY about entertainment? Why must every video game be "The Transformers" in video game form?
***** What does that even mean.
ruclips.net/video/YAgRBq2jnz4/видео.html