The Depression Quest

Designer/Developer: Zoe Quinn, Patrick Lindsey, Issac Schankler

Platform: Web-Based Game

Last Played: 09/26/23

Website: www.DepressionQuest.com

Overview:

This is a narrative story game. It's designed to help if not raise awareness to those that suffer from depression. Depending on your answers you can complete this game quickly with a good job or extensively suggesting some form of aide.

Feature Presentation:

The game depression is unique in its purpose to assist those in need of help to understand the effects of depression with decision based prompts. One such example is:

• Choose to adopt a cat that your co-worker you feel is guilt tripping you into taking.

• Don't take the cat as you are not in the right frame of mind to take care of it even though they are low maintenance.

This game reminds me of those choose your own adventure books where after you read a chapter it prompts you to go to a specific page in the book if you A make this choice or B continue reading.

Game Dynamics:

The right way to play this game is for you to honestly answer the questions and identify with each situation presented to you. You can absolutely play again answering the prompts against your better judgment or honest opinion to see other outcomes but the outcomes are not remarkable. It ends with an epilogue about how it never ends. The type of players are simple:

• The Honest Player: Depressed or not will answer the prompts truthfully about how they would respond to the situation.

• The Dishonest Player: Answers the prompts based on what they think others would choose even if it isn't how they would actually respond to the situation.

Personal Observations:

• This is a completely narrative game. The images are not helpful to the situations portrayed in each excerpt. Be prepared to read.

• Each excerpt outlines the day from weather to what the player character did, painting a picture of how someone with depression responds to it.

• Some options are crossed out. I take this to mean that these choices never crossed the player character's mind, but are more likely options that would be available depending on previous choices.

• There is a disclaimer for those with depression warning them of the negative impact it can have on them and understandably so. The game is depressing because of the attitude and behavior of the player character.

• I felt that this shouldn’t be labeled as a game because there aren’t any elements in it that would suggest this is something to do in your pastime. It was not enjoyable or meant to be replayed in my opinion.