Dishonored – The Temptation Of The Outsider

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The Dishonored series has always been of intrigue to me. It was the first series that I watched a full let’s play of on YouTube and a game world that fascinated me. I spent countless hours digging through the lore and dialogue, searching for answers and a deeper understanding of the events that occurred in the game. However, the concept of Dishonored is a bit hard to explain – especially considering its success and sequels, as well as the countless DLC’s.

In my mind, Dishonored is the result of locking Telltale, Assassins Creed, Hitman and Thief in a lift and refusing to let them out until they produced a profitable game idea. It is a perfect blend of assassination, stealth, chaos (looking at players like Mike Channell from OutsideXbox) and the consequences of player’s actions. It is these “consequences” that we will be focusing on in this article.

Every decision we make in our day to day lives has an impact on the world around us. For those familiar with mathematics, Life Is Strange or Until Dawn – the concept of Chaos Theory tends to be what springs to mind when a game warns us about our actions having consequences. It is a concept that tends to be beaten within an inch of its life in most forms of media, but some games do handle it quite delicately and Dishonored is one of these.

Until Dawn is a famous example of the use of Chaos Theory in video games.

In Dishonored, you are provided with special powers from the Outsider, who observes your actions through the world and judges you. He provides you with the means to bring the world around you to its knees, to bathe the streets with blood – or to silently slip past unknowing citizens, working in the shadows to achieve your goal without a drop of blood spilt. Kingdoms will prosper or collapse based on your decisions – will you let the rats consume the city in your quest for vengeance?

Depending on your actions during a level, you are assigned a chaos level. This is given a value of either High or Low, with the previous level’s chaos factoring into the contents of the next level. For example, if you use your powers to murder many guards in several horrific ways (looking at you Devouring Swarm), then there will be more guards, more rats and more Weepers – making your next mission more difficult.

The ending you receive at the game’s climax is also decided by the total chaos you caused throughout the game. This chaos level is deemed by your choices throughout the game, for example, if you take the non-lethal route of dispatching your targets – such as wiping their memories or sending them to work in their own silver mines as slaves (I didn’t say the non-lethal options were better), then you will receive a lower chaos level than if you blew them up with a whale oil tank.

The Outsider – some argue that he is the villain, the enabler of chaos. However, he is just an observer. Watching you.

A big flaw in a lot of games that claim to be influenced by player choice is that it limits the player to two or three linear pathways that they can choose from. So, gamers tend to be stuck on one specific route for the entirety of the game, such as a “Good” or “Evil” run. Now, this would be ok, if all the enemies you came across were clearly evil. Then, you wouldn’t feel a great deal of guilt or remorse when you sliced your knife through their neck. However, some of the people you come across are just guards doing their jobs or plague survivors trying to make it through the day. Do they deserve to die?

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the plot of the Dishonored games, let me explain. In the first game, Corvo (you) is falsely imprisoned for the murder of the empress and the kidnapping of her daughter, Emily (who is eventually confirmed to be his daughter). You are sentenced to death but are broken out of prison by some people still loyal to you. You then proceed on a journey to find Emily and get your revenge against those who caused your downfall.

The second game sees Emily on the throne and deposed by a witch called Delilah, who turns either Emily or Corvo to stone (depending on who the player chooses to play as) and the remaining character goes on a journey to find those responsible for the coup and reclaim the throne. You as Corvo or Emily, have been Dishonored (roll credits) and seek to right the wrong against you. However, how you go about this is entirely up to you.

Dishonored 2 lets you choose between the young Empress or her father (the protagonist from the first game).

The chaos system in Dishonored is often considered a “punishment” to players, with many complaining about it restricting their gameplay options. However, this is not true. The Outsider acts like the Devil but instead of convincing Adam and Eve to eat an apple, he gives you the means to bend the world to your will – a tempting offer, especially considering how quickly situations can go awry. Yet as a player, you do not have to choose the evil path. In the second game, you don’t even have to accept the Outsider’s Mark and can play the entire game without any supernatural hijinks.

Throughout the game, you are offered opportunity after opportunity to take the easier, but the lethal route, yet there is always another path. Players who fall to the temptation, only have themselves to blame for the poor ending they get. As gamers, we have become accustomed to violence being the only route through a story, with games providing us with various weapons to mow down the countless enemies without batting an eye. Dishonored challenges this idea, actively rewarding or punishing you dependent on your actions.

That sweet little girl Emily you rescue from The Golden Cat? How she rules over her kingdom at the end of the first game, is strongly influenced by how you dispatch your enemies. If you use diplomacy and only kill when necessary, Emily will learn wisdom and insight. However, if you butcher all those who stand in your way – she will use whatever means necessary to get what she wants, becoming a ruthless dictator over innocent people. You are the catalyst that sparks the change in the game world, be that for good or evil. Dishonored gives you nowhere to hide from your actions and for that I adore it.

Emily Kaldwin – Who will she become?

After all, your actions in the real world have long-reaching consequences. If you commit a crime, you are punished for it. When you inflict pain upon others, society will judge you accordingly. As much as we tend to go to games for escapism, I don’t think we should be entirely free of consequences – an idea that the Dishonored series tackles head-on. The choices we make affect the world around us as well as our loved ones and our own psyche. Throughout the games, you can morph Corvo and Emily from being a wronged individual just seeking to reclaim what is rightfully theirs, to a horrific creature who tore through hundreds of innocents for no real reason other than bloodlust.

Anyways, that’s the Dishonored series for you. It hands you a knife and lets you decide what you use it for. What did you do? What other games would you like me to talk about? Leave feedback in the comments section, hit that follow button and follow me on Twitter @OurMindGames for all the updates!

Thanks,

CaitlinRC

Stardew Valley: Antisocial Farming

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I’ve been meaning to write this article for a week now as it was meant to come out before the Syndicate one, but ironically, I couldn’t write about Stardew Valley because I was too busy playing Stardew Valley. I’ve logged about 100 hours on my Steam account in the picturesque world of Pelican Town, with a single save file. A couple weeks ago, I saw that it was on sale on Switch and decided that it was the perfect game for me to get on the handheld console – as my laptop can be a tad temperamental at times, especially if I’m compiling some code.

For those not in the loop, Stardew Valley is a country life RPG developed by ConcernedApe. It takes inspiration from games such as Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing, producing a much-beloved game that has a dedicated fanbase and has inspired an outpouring of creativity from the community – from art to custom mods. The game has been released on nearly every platform imaginable, with more ports being designed as I write this.

stardew
The game was in development for a long time but was definitely worth the wait.

The gameplay breaks down into six categories that the game keeps a track of – Farming, Mining, Combat, Foraging, Fishing and Socialising. All of these tend to intersect with one another, but most players tend to choose one specialism to focus on and divert all their resources to it. These categories continue to subdivide into further specialisms such as raising animals or producing artisan products like jams or cheeses. No matter your interest, Stardew seems to have something for you. If you want to fight monsters, the mines hold an infinite amount for you to challenge. For the romantics, you can date 12 different people – regardless of your gender choice at the beginning of the game.

As a major introvert, I tend to avoid the socialising aspect of Stardew Valley – only really trying to get to know one or two of the characters, because the prospect of having to maintain so many friendships is terrifying. On my first playthrough, I clung to Penny and Leah. However, the game does encourage you to get to know the whole town, after all, you do live there now. It’s only polite that you get to know your neighbours. (Not that I can talk, I don’t know my neighbours except that one of them has some children and the other has cats)

events
Every event in Stardew, allows you to feel a part of the community.

 

One of the main criticisms of games such as Stardew is the repetitive nature of the game’s activities. Sure, we can grow some crops but what happens when there’s nothing left to grow? Obviously, if you find these types of games boring then I doubt you’ll be able to get much out of Stardew. However, if you are willing to give it a chance – the game has countless opportunities to learn and grow as a player, without having to constantly reset the game.

A good example of this is shown by the cutscene at the beginning of the 3rd year. Your grandfather visits you from beyond the grave, to judge the quality of life that you are leading – encouraging you to make more of this second chance at life. Even if you don’t meet all his criteria and you need to improve on something (e.g. fixing the Community Centre or getting married), the game gives you every chance to meet those goals.

grandpa
As someone who has lost a grandparent, I did tear up a bit at this.

During my first year at university, I found Stardew a refuge from the anxiety that I was facing every day. I was alone in a city that I was unfamiliar with, having to forge my own path and not rely on what I knew. Each social event I forced myself to attend was terrifying, often resulting in a panic attack and isolation. My room became my safe place and my laptop my source of calm. I would put on my headphones and lose myself in the world of Stardew for a few hours. Every aspect of the game is made to be calming and enjoyable – even the combat can be quite therapeutic at times.

Now I am a lot happier at university, but I still have those moments of fear and panic. The soundtrack of Stardew has slowly built up an association in my mind with those feelings of calm and peace. I do not have to even open the game to calm myself, the music can just wash over me like waves lapping onto the shore. I do not think people realise what powerful influences games like Stardew can have upon someone’s mental health. Being able to step away from your own life for a while and lose yourself in something simple like a farming game, lets you rest for a little while – letting your brain process the swirling emotions inside you without causing you unneeded anxiety.

An interesting aspect of Stardew Valley and this concept of escaping the stresses of our lives is the fact that your character is doing the exact same. The opening sequence shows your character realising they are unhappy in their current job at Joja Corporation (probably because of the DEAD GUY A FEW CUBICLES DOWN) and moving to Stardew Valley to start anew on your grandfather’s old farm. You both need to escape from the world, be it exam stress or unhappy work life. These stories are remarkably common in all forms of media – new beginnings. Even in history, people throughout the world sought out somewhere to start a new life, away from the darkness they were facing before.

joja
Capitalism.

Stardew Valley builds an immersive community and world for you to delve into to your heart’s content. No matter what aspect of it appeals to you, the game allows you to throw yourself into it completely, with no fear of consequences or repercussions. The relationships you form with the characters is up to you, but their problems are much deeper than they appear to be – much like the people we see in everyday life. There is much more to Stardew Valley than meets the eye, meaning that no player has the same experience.

Give it a go. I guarantee that even if you don’t enjoy it, you’ll learn something about yourself from it. If you like what I write, be sure to follow the site, my Twitter @OurMindGames and comment below any feedback/future requests!

Thanks,

CaitlinRC.

Assassins Creed Syndicate: Stabbing In London Town

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I first got into the Assassins Creed series when I had finally saved up enough money to buy a PlayStation 4. After doing my research and considering that the PS4 had been out for around a year already, I decided that it would be more economical in the long run if I just skipped the PS3 altogether. This meant that I missed out on the first few games, only joining the series around the release of Black Flag in 2013. Despite this late entrance, I fell in love with the series almost immediately.

Video games have always been my way of bonding with my parents. The simpler platforming games, like Spyro The Dragon, are my mother’s indulgence. However, I didn’t really have a game series to play with my dad – after all, there are only so many races you can do in Mario Kart before it becomes a tad… predictable. After all, I am the queen of Mario Kart in my house. So, when I discovered my love for Assassins Creed, I wanted to share it with my dad. To this day, whenever I am home, we sit on our beanbags and proceed to hunt down those pesky Templars.

This is where my love of AC began. Twas a pirate’s life for me.

Obviously, every instalment in the franchise brings a new twist or mechanic to the well-known formulae. From pirate ships to completely revamping the combat system, every game has something that makes it unique. However, none of the games have really got into my head. Sure, Ezio’s story had me bawling like a small child who has lost their parents, but I haven’t gone back to any of the AC games as much as I have Syndicate.

I am not a Londoner and only really spend time there when I go to events or when my dad wants to go wandering around. I’ve never been comfortable with cities, as the crowds and noise can be overwhelming and overload my senses. When I was younger, I would have regular panic attacks on the Tube and refuse to go back for long periods of time. Due to this, I never really got to explore London as much as I wanted to. As much as I dislike cities and their business, I know that every place has some form of beauty, you just must find it.

For each of the other AC games, I had never been to where they were set. So, my idea of what the locations would be like was mostly based on geography and descriptions from various friends. With London however, I already had that drive to explore and to see as much of the city as possible. This was made possible through the great traversal options in Syndicate. Running, jumping, climbing, swimming (looking at you Altair), carriage riding and my favourite method, the grappling hook.

The closest I’ll get to properly exploring London for a long time.

The grappling hook is probably one of the most satisfying mechanics in an AC game (at least for me). Being able to fly across the rooftops, zip to the top of Buckingham Palace and cheese it away from any intense combat situations is a brilliant feeling when done correctly. Jacob’s in-game reaction to getting the tool is far too relatable – I too would refuse to do anything until it was fixed, and I could play with it. Everyone has thought about what it would be like to fly and with the grappling hook, it’s probably as close as Evie and Jacob will get.

The Frye twins are my favourite assassins (though Kassandra does come close), as well as battling the Professor Layton cast for my top gaming characters of all time. The sibling dynamic between the twins felt genuine, even when they were against one another. Snide remarks, mockery and jokes made at one another’s expense – these are all trademarks of a brother-sister relationship. I routinely joke around with my older sister, so these two assassins spoke to me on a personal level.

The dynamic duo.

As much as I love Jacob, Evie has always had a place in my heart. As the first female playable assassin, who is feisty, determined, logical and intelligent. Yet, she is brave and cunning, fierce and strong. As a late teen just finding herself in the world and looking to the future, Evie was an inspiration to me. I think part of it was the fact that I felt represented in games, an issue that still needs to be addressed for many minorities (a topic for another day). Her anguish in the Jack The Ripper DLC is brilliantly performed by the voice actress, as the genuine fear for her twin washes over you like a stormy night on the sea.

If you haven’t played AC Syndicate, I do highly recommend it. There are a few details in the game that I do not enjoy (and never will so go away Henry Green, Evie doesn’t need a husband to define her), but that true of all games. After playing some of Odyssey, I can see where Syndicate inspired it – such as the “conquest” system for each of the lands, instead of the gang fights in the boroughs of London. Obviously, the combat systems are completely different from one another, but Syndicate did make steps forward in improving the fluidity of combat – rather than the awkward attempts of past games.

Each conquest of a borough in Syndicate requires you to take on the gang leader in a fight. Each leader has a different gimmick, such as guns or grenades etc.

Syndicate feels real if that makes any sense. Obviously, in a gaming series based around Assassins and Precursors and Templars, it’s a bit of an oxymoron to say that a game feels “real” but let me explain. The story and the world are inseparable. It wouldn’t work for any other location or for any other characters. It is truly the tale of the Frye twins and their bid to take London back from Starrick’s control. It has conflict, danger, loss, fear and reconciliation. It’s more than just “go here, stab this person”, which I find some AC games can veer towards, where the historical characters don’t feel as forced as they did for Connor.

Jacob and Evie complement one another perfectly. A mixture of wit, comedy, intelligence and bravado. They work together, instinctively putting themselves in the firing line to save one another – case in point, the final fight against Starrick. When they try to fight Starrick alone, they end up edging closer to death but together Starrick falls easily. In the end, Syndicate isn’t about saving London or meeting the Queen. It is about the importance of family. In this case, their family is each other. Yet, for the rest of us – family is not defined by biology.

United, not estranged, is how the Frye twins will ensure Stannis’s fall.

I adore my parents and my sister. Yet, they are not my only family. I have friends who I consider siblings, who I would go to hell and back again for. They would do the same for me. We choose our own family; it is not defined for us – we can take control. Every member of my family, whether I share blood with them or not, has been with me in the darkest times. They are the best things in my life, and I am forever grateful for them staying by my side. They are the Jacob to my Evie.

Tell your family you love them, no matter where they are. Thanks,

CaitlinRC.

Animal Crossing: Who knew crippling debt could be so relaxing?

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Nintendo is known as one of the most successful and popular game companies of the past few decades, with their leading man Mario becoming a household name throughout the world. So, when they come out with a game not set in the Mushroom Kingdom, it tends to turn a few heads. Imagine our surprise when the game they produced was all about… everyday life. Animal Crossing came out 18 years ago and has inspired sequels for each of Nintendo’s consoles, with a new instalment coming to the Nintendo Switch sometime this year (hopefully).

I never played the original, as I grew up as a PlayStation child – living vicariously through the lives of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro The Dragon. When I finally got my hands on a Nintendo DS, my focus was more on trying out these “Pokémon” games that everyone was raving about rather than some weird town simulator featuring goofy animals. Looking back on that time in my life, I wish that I had picked up the series sooner as it would have brought my young self so much joy. Though I can’t deny that Pokémon Diamond brought me dozens of hours of happiness during the long car rides to Scotland.

pokemon diamond
Amusingly, it took me several years to actually beat the Elite Four.

Animal Crossing is very much a “Marmite Game”: Either you love it, or you hate it. Despite being in constant debt to Tom Nook, receiving verbal lashings from Resetti and having to deal with the UNGRATEFUL TOWNSFOLK WHO DON’T CONTRIBUTE TO ANYTHING AND MAKE ME DO ALL THE HARD WORK… I still love the franchise to pieces. I do have a love-hate relationship with Pocket Camp though, as I have little patience for picky animals demanding specific types of furniture before they will be my friend.

pocket camp
As much as I love Animal Crossing, I have to resist the urge to run over the campers with my caravan.

Despite the constant tasks and never-ending loans, Animal Crossing is a very peaceful game. It is a simplified version of real life, removing many of the stressful activities that we must complete on a regular basis. Sure, you owe Tom Nook a ridiculous sum of money, but you have an infinite amount of time to pay him back and unlike student loans, he does not take a cut from your paychecks! Yes, the neighbours can be frustrating with their constant demands, but it is literally impossible for them to hate you. Trust me, no matter how many times you hit them with a net – they are angry for about 2 minutes and then they invite you over to their house.

The games work on a day-by-day system. It adheres to your system’s calendar (which you can manually change to speed things along), to decide what the date and time are. So, if you play normally, each day you can collect a few fossils, catch some fish and bugs, visit the museum, go see what is new in Tom Nook’s store and chat with the villagers. The options available to you are different for each game in the series but these five tasks have remained consistent throughout the main game series – ignoring Pocket Camp as it is a mobile spin-off.

intro
I think K.K. Slider is making fun of my lack of friends.

To some people, this may seem repetitive and could get boring quite quickly. However, to anxiety sufferers, this game can provide a relaxing space for them. During the time you are playing it, the external world falls away for a while. All the stressors and negative thoughts can be pushed aside for the moment, allowing you to focus on this alternate life that your player avatar is living. It’s quite hard to put into words how much of a calming influence these games have had upon me, as my own experiences with anxiety will not be the same as any of yours, dear readers.

Let me try to explain with an example. When people go through a stressful period in their life, they turn to certain activities or vices as a coping mechanism. These can calm them when they feel overwhelmed or help them process the events that have been unfolding without as strong a negative impact upon their psyche. For some, their pets can help soothe them in times of need. An animal’s sensitivity to their human’s mood is remarkable and can be a great comfort in their time of need.

In my case, video games are one of my coping mechanisms. Not just for anxiety, but that’s what we will focus on here. Being able to lose yourself in another world, only worrying about the immediate problems facing your character such as a giant dragon trying to eat you or how much Tom Nook is going to charge you to change the colour of your roof, is a relief. It is an escape where your actions are only judged by lines of code and as much as they can have impacts on the rest of the game (looking at you Telltale), it is all fictional. It cannot harm you.

tom nook
Tom Nook – Totally not looking at the secret camera he installed in your home.

A key part of what makes Animal Crossing so beloved in my heart and in the fan community is its consistency. You could argue the same for Nintendo’s other long-running franchises such as Mario and Zelda but these both must try new things to remain interesting to the gaming communities. (Though I would say putting Link on a train derailed the franchise) Nintendo’s cute little life simulator is under no such restrictions. Each game, although slightly different from the last, has the same, if slightly tweaked mechanics and feel to it.

Animal Crossing is about joining a community that has nothing but praise for you, with complete control over how you want to spend your time. No work, no university, no weekly bills to pay. When I was younger, I used to go to my older sister’s town and run around wielding an axe just because I could. Surprisingly, several of her villagers decided to move to my town… I’m still not sure why to this day. It provides a freedom that day-to-day life does not provide. You are under no obligations to perform your mayoral duties in New Leaf or visit the city in Let’s Go to The City. Apart from the introduction with Mr Creepy Cat and the tutorial, there’s nothing you are required to do to enjoy the world of Animal Crossing.

uh.jpg
Anyone who has to say “I’m not crazy” is probably crazy.

Everybody’s experience of Animal Crossing will be different as a lot of the game’s enjoyment comes from how much you are willing to put into it. Some enjoy filling the fish and bug encyclopaedia, others wish to create the perfect house or upgrade all their tools to “gold” standard. I’ve been playing these games for about 10 years now and I can say with certainty that I still enjoy them as much as I did a decade ago. I am intrigued by the upcoming Switch entry in the series, despite the complete lack of information provided about it. By intrigued, I, of course, mean RIDICULOUSLY EXCITED.

 

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Animal Crossing has always been the perfect game for handheld devices. Hopefully, the Switch version does it justice.

Obviously, this game series is not for everyone. After all, nothing in the world is. How we seek to comfort ourselves in times of stress, is of course up to us. If you’ve never tried the games or didn’t enjoy them at the time, do give the new Switch instalment the benefit of the doubt. After all, who doesn’t want to be in debt to a manic racoon? Just make sure you lock your character’s door at night… who knows what ends he’ll go to in order to get his Bells…

See you soon,

CaitlinRC (Not Tom Nook)

 

The Walking Dead: More than just a river of tears.

Posted on by in Gaming

I’m not an openly emotional person. Sure, video games and their stories can move me in ways that I’d never expect, but I’m rarely openly sobbing with grief or screaming in fear at a jumpscare. One company that can consistently move me emotionally though, is Telltale Games. Obviously, they’ve been in the media recently due to the financial troubles and mass layoffs they’ve been experiencing. However, despite this they managed to finish off the story of Clementine – a character from their Walking Dead series that we as players, watched grow from a frightened child to a badass survivor who was probably more capable than every player combined.

Clementine in Season 1 – a sweet, innocent girl. For now.

This emotional journey is one that we can all relate to, despite the fictional setting that it is based in. As players, we walk alongside Clementine as she grows up, faces hardship and struggles in a cruel, unfair world. Sure, we don’t have the living dead walking around trying to chew our flesh off but then again, have you been to a student night out when they run out of Jaeger? By the time we, as the players even meet Clementine, she’s been surviving on her own against the undead population for three days already. Her parents are gone, her babysitter has turned into a monster and her life is turned into a manic scramble for survival.

Why am I talking about this? Well, the four seasons that follow Clementine have recently come to an end. For me, that’s closing a big part of what has formed me into who I am today. My experience with games such as those written by Telltale, ones that demand choices and force you to think about how your actions will affect others, have always had a strong impact on me. I make it my motto in life to never allow my actions to cause harm to another, be that emotionally or physically. Obviously, I cannot always be successful, as is the way of life.

Little Clem isn’t so little anymore.

Games like the Walking Dead demand a moral choice from you, but they do not provide a truly “good” option. They force you to choose between a rock and a hard place. Do you allow a father to shoot his dying son or do you do it yourself? Strong arguments can be made for both sides and there will always be repercussions. A good game leaves a strong impact on you, even weeks after playing it. The Walking Dead is one of those games for me, considering I haven’t played the original season in about 5 years and I’m writing about it right now.

How does this relate to mental health then, I hear you cry? After all, this whole site is about gaming and mental health! Well, the morality of your decisions, be they in a fictional world or in your everyday life, will affect your mental state. One of the most commonly portrayed symptoms of anxiety in media such as games and films is panic attacks caused by overthinking. Normally, it is visualised by a protagonist receiving bad news or a negative response, then spiralling internally until they struggle to breathe and cannot stop shaking. Some people do experience these types of attacks; however, it is not a universal anxiety symptom.

The right choice is never easy to make.

The smallest choices we make tend to be the ones that come back to haunt us the most. For example, if a friend had suddenly stopped messaging you, some people’s reaction would be to think that they had done something wrong and made them angry. The mind would pour over past events, searching for the tiniest detail that might explain their behaviour and latch onto it, ignoring the more logical option such as they may have turned off their phone in the cinema or their parents rang them.

This is often seen in Telltale’s games, where your idle conversation with the colourful cast of characters is brought up later down the line, either in support of you or to put you on trial as the bad guy (despite the millions of zombies surrounding them). This is particularly focused on in the final season where the choices you make and the lessons you teach to young AJ, mould him for the rest of his life. My favourite example of this is in the first season, where if you swear in front of Clementine early on, she will continue to swear later down the line. Though considering the trauma she ends up experiencing throughout all four games, I say swear all you want kiddo.

Don’t swear in front of the child Lee!

The powerful sequences written by Telltale, combined with a loveable cast of characters (except Ben, screw that guy) results in painful decisions that genuinely hurt you. This cannot be said of every Telltale game, but we’ll get to that another time. Every person you come across in the fictional apocalypse feels like they could walk out of the screen and sit in front of you. Which is why those decisions you make about their lives, become so much more than just choosing between a few boxes on a screen. If you are playing with a kind nature at the forefront of your mind, each loss comes as a personal attack on your choices.

One thing I will repeat throughout every article I write is that mental health is entirely unique to each person. My experience of anxiety is completely different from that of my friends or my family. This is because it is based on both my unique biological factors such as genetics, as well as my past experiences – e.g. any traumatic incidents or childhood fears etc. Poetically, everybody’s experience of a game like the Walking Dead series, is completely unique as well. There is a very small statistical chance that people will have the exact same run through, dialogue trees and all, but their reactions to what is occurring on the screen will still be unique.

Trust me when I say, Telltale aren’t messing around with this disclaimer.

That unique impact on your mental state, on your future decisions and on how you approach these types of games in the future, is a tribute to how important and powerful video games can be in shaping us. Although it was only a small factor of my younger years, I can say with absolute certainty that those games have moulded me into the person I am today. As a writer, a student, a friend and a family member, I owe the kindness and resilience I learnt from these games to those who created it.

More games in this genre do exist, not just ones created by Telltale. Though there is room for more games, and I welcome any developer who wishes to take a crack at it. I’ll talk about another game close to my heart soon. I’ll give you a hint, it involves debt and angry moles.

Till next time,

CaitlinRC.