Indie game storeFree gamesFun gamesHorror games
Game developmentAssetsComics
SalesBundles
Jobs
Tags

Mental Health in Games Resource List Sticky

A topic by Vaida created Dec 15, 2015 Views: 7,451 Replies: 20
Viewing posts 1 to 11
(1 edit) (+14)

After having a blast making the personal games resource list, I decided to compile a list of games, articles and other resources that focus on mental health. Hope you will find something interesting to play/read on here! :)

As always, thanks to everyone who has contributed/will contribute. <3

To start off: Prescription Pixel

Games

What Now?

Elude

Neurotic Neurons

Anxiety Attacks

Depression Quest

The Unfinished Swan

Selfie : Sisters of the Amniotic Lens

Actual Sunlight

Aether

I Used to Speak to the Wall

Frail Shells

Disorder

Neverending Nightmares

Demon Chic

Compass


Articles

Using videogames to combat mental illness stigma

Controlling Depression

Gaming's new frontier: cancer, depression, suicide

Gaming's favorite villain is mental illness, and this needs to stop

What horror games get right (and wrong) about mental illness

Making 'SYM,' a haunting, poetic game about anxiety

Darkest Dungeon explores the psychological horror of the dungeon crawl

How video games can help with depression and anxiety

Can Video Games Combat Mental Illness Stigma?

The Scariest Part of Horror Game 'The Park' Is Its Portrayal Of Mental Illness

In PS4's Hellblade, hell is a warrior's mental illness


Other resources

Obsessive-Compulsive Design: Turning OCD into a Videogame

Games, depression and escapism - Low Batteries #1

Asylum Jam

Experimental Gameplay Workshop

(2 edits) (+1)

Some random thoughts,

I felt WoW's MoP expansion was kind of calming and therapeutic.

Anything by Jenova Chen also has this effect on me.

*that typo was itchy

(+1)

It is common for MMORPG worlds to be seen as a safe/calming space - for me it's the mindless grinding/travelling through lands that is relaxing; you can just let your mind wander and imagine complex stories for the different NPCs, that kind of stuff.

thatgamecompany is a gift. :)

(1 edit) (+3)

Has there been any game that has attempted to show to non-autistics what being autitist is like?

I feel like a game could show it best, more then any other medium, *you* get to be in that position.


*EDIT*: Due to popular demand, I have a pastebin link to a conversation we had on discord after I posted this: http://pastebin.com/aD686dpu

I can't act on it currently, but one day maybe I will, that, or get me on as a consultant to help you with making it if someone wants to try making it themselves.

There are a few videogames designed specifically to help people with autism (like this), but I have yet to find games try to show what autism is like. :/

Definitely agree that games would be the perfect medium to communicate it!

Deleted 6 years ago
(+1)

I specifically recorded down that conversation into a notepad file for future reference.

I can't tackle it myself currently, but one day....maybe.

What was the idea?

basically, it would be an "Autistic Simulator" No, it would not have that name.

If it did have that name, people would expect a parody of autistic stereotypes that go around the internet on occasion.

This would be the real deal.

How would you do that?

(1 edit) (+2)

Ok, ok, I'll make the pastebin link to the conversation already!

We hashed a few ideas in a conversation on discord, i.i wanted it posted here for everyone.

Edit: orignal post edited, go read the pastebin link!

Killscreen published an article a few days back entitled The Year in Anxiety!

(+1)

I recently released a demo for a visual novel, "Absolution: way of the lost" here on itch.io. It takes place in a mental hospital, through the eyes of a recently hired psychologist. I really put a lot of effort into potraying mental illness in that game, so I guess it counts. 

Absolution (demo) on Itch.io

I know this post is kind of old, but still. Thought I'd contribute

(1 edit)

thank you for your contribution! :) and good luck with the rest of development.

Should I blow my own horn?

I suffer from paranoid schizie and my games frequently have psychotic themes and delusional content.

I am still a competent programmer and I am told I am cognitively intact.    I have my own compiler and game engine (The Wade CAGE).

My games are here:

https://guildcompounder.itch.io/

(+2)

Hi, I just started work on a sci-fi Twine game about a recovering agoraphobic. The heroine's struggles with mental illness are extremely autobiographical.

The Dive - transgender agoraphobic Samus Aran text adventure

I've just got Twine boxes to show at the moment but I hope to keep devlogs and eventually upgrade to some art and music. 



(+1)

thank you for sharing, this is looking really interesting! hope development is going well! 

(+1)

Thanks so much, I'm plugging along pretty steadily. <3

(+1)

Hi! I just came across this thread and I looked through the different games. Mental health in games is such a crucial topic. Right now I'm more focused on trying to find games with a focus on relaxation, like what I've been working on lately.

Very recently I put my first meditative game/walking simulator Vessels of the Stars on itch.io. There are 3 different areas that you can walk around in, and simply observe the scenery and relax. We've been told that the experience of this game gives a similar feeling to meditation. I hope you enjoy it! If you know of more games that help you relax and get into meditation, let me know~

Vessels of the Stars game
(+1)

Thank you for this compilation. I think it is a wonderful idea.

If you don't mind the self-promotion, earlier this year I published a short, choice-heavy visual novel on depression: these days. It features two stats and four different point-based endings. If any of you play it, I would love to know what you think of it.


(1 edit)

Have you seen the youtube devlogs for Farewell North? It's still in development but in the devlogs the author talks about mental health issues being a theme. It's been a while since I've see the older ones where he discusses this but I think it was depression that was his target. https://www.youtube.com/c/FarewellNorth/videos

Love this topic. Cool post :) The games I've produced are all free and can be played on desktop and mobile. these are to raise vital funds for the mental health charity Mind. Check it out and donate via my page if you have time <3 Thank you!

www.gamesbyjack.co.uk