Depression
What does it mean to feel depressed? Is it an inexplicable force that controls you? Or a constant anxiety towards an unclear future?
DEPRESSION is a little experiment on how emotions can be translated to game mechanics and design. Across 11 short levels players are invited to engage with different interpretations of what depression means. Several participants were interviewed for this project, asking about how they defined depression, and how it could translate into a game. Their thoughts shaped the design for each level of this experiment.
Let me know what you think in the comments, and don't forget to rate the game!
DISCLAIMER
All of us can face difficult situations from time to time. This game is only meant for sharing and exploring experiences and ideas about depression. If you are in crisis, feeling depressed or suicidal, please get in contact with a crisis phone line, your doctor, therapist, or a hospital immediately. Always seek advice from health care professionals with any questions you might have regarding your situation. Please take care of yourself and each other.
Depression by Manuel Alejandro Cruz Martínez is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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Comments
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This is definitely such a good representation. I'm sorry to anyone who feels this way.
as a depressed person of 7 years. you conveyed the true feeling of depression. thank you. :')
The music reminds me of the Amelie soundtrack for some reason. Beautiful work, well done.
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it.
It's a custom chip-tune version of Gymnopedie No. 1 by Erik Satie. I cut notes of the song randomly and added them to different tracks. As you progress through the game, the tracks start playing, so when you reach the end, you can hear the full song.
Although sometimes the tracks de-sync. It's a nice
bugfeature :)Amazing! :D
This truly represents what depression is. It’s terrible and not fun at all. Keep making good art my dude!
Thank you so much mate!
This game seriously was depression, I never looked at video games as a means of being able to relay mental health and I know it's a simple game but it was very impactful thank you for creating this.
Sincerely, calculatornumbers
Thank you very much for you comment. I'm really glad you liked it!
Thank you for this game. The feeling that we get here is astonishing. Truly a piece of art.
At stage 09 I really can't understand the obstacle on the first try because I just press up (and I was probably lucky because the key was correct). But I play again because this game is unique.
Thank you for the feedback!! Really appreciate it!
awesome
:D
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it!
imma see if this is true i have had a very bad case of depression all my life
this is a perfect explanation of my life
this is... really nice actually, simple, to the point, and yet, it makes sense.
Thank you very much, I am glad you liked it!
I'm in a really dark place right now and this sums it up perfectly
its okay i have had depression all my life
im sorry if im being annoying but i can't find the download button, sorry
Thanks for letting me know. It Should be fixed now :)
You can also play it on the web browser directly if you prefer.
Thank you very much! I am glad you enjoyed it :)
I feel like an emptiness in my chest and so anxious too
I hope you are OK. I didn't mean to make you feel bad, just to let you know that we all feel like this sometimes.
I'm fine, don't worry I only wanted to say that this game made me feel anxious, I really think that you made a great job , thanks :)
Thank you very much :)
Beautiful music and a short sobering experience that accurately conveys familiar feelings of empty hopelessness.
this hit too close to home
I second this