Depression Quest is a text-based adventure game that aims to offer insights into the plight of people suffering from severe clinical depression, a crippling disease that is often misunderstood by those lucky enough to be not be afflicted by it.
The game is available on the Steam platform and also works on web browsers. It opens with introductory words before jumping into a storyline filled with stark text and disturbing situational questions.
Players are presented with general life events which they must navigate using the options offered.
Depression Quest is available on a pay-what-you-can basis with no minimum fee, so you could play for free if you like. A portion of the game's profits is set to be donated to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the USA.
What's Driving This Trend
- Text-based Therapy Games
- Developing more text-based games for mental health therapy can offer unique and immersive ways for individuals to understand and manage their mental health.
- Gamification of Mental Health Education
- Gamifying aspects of mental health education can create engaging and accessible resources for individuals who may be hesitant to engage with traditional therapy programs.
- Inclusive Gaming for Mental Health
- Creating games that are inclusive of diverse experiences and offer representation for different communities can help to break down the stigma around mental health.
Who This Affects Most
- Mental Health
- The mental health industry can explore creating and integrating more text-based games and gamified therapy resources to help individuals manage their mental health.
- Gaming
- The gaming industry can continue to innovate and develop mental health games that not only entertain, but also educate and create awareness around mental health.
- Charity
- The charity industry can explore partnering with developers to create mental health games that not only raise funds, but also create awareness and education around the topic.
