Trophies for Mental Health (Event)

[kindajustin]

4 hours ago, Quixotesque said:

So, I´ve just finished Hellblade: Senua´s Sacrifice as my commitment for the Mental Health Month Event. Here are some ideas that I would like to share from this experience.

Aw wow, hey @Quixotesque amazing write up! I don't know if you remember me but you were one of the first people to kindly say hello to me when I joined this site. I had no idea you joined this event too, it's so cool bumping into you again. I'm so happy to see you're still knocking out trophies, I hope you're doing alright these days!

[kindajustin]

I planned to post much, much earlier in the month but a lot of things have come up and I haven't been doing too well recently. Anyways...

 

I played The MISSING: JJ Macfield and the Island of Memories, which features a character who ultimately attempts suicide because of the lack of support surrounding their decision to come out as a Transgender woman. And the thought of that honestly just breaks my heart. It's just sad to know that people are made to feel sadness and even shame for these kinds of decisions that bring them peace and happiness. My lifelong best friend is a lesbian woman and she's one of the coolest people around. It blows me away that people, including her own family, don't support her. She's so funny, and very kind, and as kids she introduced me to some of the most fun games I've played. Frogger, GTA, Runescape, so many things. I couldn't imagine thinking she's anything less than awesome. Being LGBTQ+ obviously isn't a mental disorder, but the harassment and lack of support some face when coming out can lead to very real struggles with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and more.

 

Here's some fan art I really enjoyed, hope some of you will too. Try not to hate so much, guys.

 

Edited May 25, 2021 by kindajustin

[TimeLordCrow13y]

So...I finished SOMA a few days ago. I have a LOT of thoughts but I won’t post too much because it will turn into a damn essay (I majored in History). I will say I think it was a unique game to play for this event because while it does have mental health themes, l think it’s more about existential horror. To me it showed that given a hopeless enough environment, and being mostly isolated from other humans (and even from humanity as a concept to an extent), almost anyone will develop mental health issues. Although it’s much different (and far less severe) than the situation in SOMA, I think something similar has happened to our collective mental health due to the current pandemic. That’s not to say that everyone is suffering from mental health issues now, just that I think, now more than ever, the entire world is going to have to pay more attention to mental health.

 

I doubt I will be able to complete my second game for the event. I really wanted to, but to platinum Blair Witch in time for this event would require me to play the game in a way I really don’t want to play any game for the first time (heavy guide usage, at least 2 back-to-back runs). I think I kind of overextended myself this month (in my personal life and in gaming goals-both on this website and ones I had set for myself). So honestly, I’m just happy to have gotten one game done for this event. 

 

Also: I highly recommend SOMA to anyone who enjoys psychological horror. The story is fantastic even if the gameplay is (IMO) occasionally frustrating. 

[edolusill]

I played Shinigami to Shoujo (死神と少女). It's an otome game about a girl, Sayo, who lives with her brother. In the first half of the game Sayo meets troubled people and helps them with her friends. She herself seems perfectly normal except that for example when glass is broken, she has a flashback and starts to shake. She suffers from at least PTSD from some past trauma.

 

It is later revealed that as a child Sayo witnessed her (step-)mother committing suicide, and after that she was abused by her real mother. So when Sayo met Grim Reaper, as a coping mechanism for trauma, she started to believe he's her brother. The Grim Reaper played along with it, so in the present he is still her brother and Sayo doesn't remember anything else.

When Sayo starts to remember the truth, first she breaks down and tries really hard to deny the reality but finally she is saved by her friends who don't leave her alone with her trauma. Friends help her to see the reality, and the Grim Reaper disappears when Sayo stops believing in him and chooses to be with real people around her.

 

Overall this was a beautiful, little heartbreaking story but with hopeful ending. My experience from the game would be that mental health problems don't usually show on the outside but it's always important to get help and support from others.

 

For #YouAreNotAlone, does Coffee Talk fit? I finished it recently and it's a game where barista becomes friends with their customers. There're also scenes where one character is feeling down and the barista with other customers try to make them feel better.

[Beyondthegrave07]

@edolusill Coffee talks fits. I'll mark you down for both. I feel like it fits the hashtag #Youarenotalone.

[pinkrobot_pb]

I was planning on finishing up Killzone 3 as my bonus badge but even if I start now I will not be able to complete it I'm afraid. I want to spend the remainder of the month doing relaxing games and not stress myself out over doing a hard walkthrough in time for this event

 

I did complete Wolfenstein for PS3 this month after I did Heavy Rain. Wolfenstein was intended for my Ultra Rare Cleanup games, so not sure if it can count for this then as I already used it for the other event.

 

Technically I'm sure it counts, because it does have online trophies that I managed to boost with a couple of folks right before the servers shut down last year. That was an excellent display of fruitful cooperation between some gamers that had right before that point been complete strangers. See? It counts! (Please accept this game...)

 

Also, it's a very good game and I enjoyed finally cleaning it up.

Edited May 26, 2021 by pinkrobot_pb

[Beyondthegrave07]

19 minutes ago, pinkrobot_pb said:

I was planning on finishing up Killzone 3 as my bonus badge but even if I start now I will not be able to complete it I'm afraid. I want to spend the remainder of the month doing relaxing games and not stress myself out over doing a hard walkthrough in time for this event

 

I did complete Wolfenstein for PS3 this month after I did Heavy Rain. Wolfenstein was intended for my Ultra Rare Cleanup games, so not sure if it can count for this then as I already used it for the other event.

 

Technically I'm sure it counts, because it does have online trophies that I managed to boost with a couple of folks right before the servers shut down last year. That was an excellent display of fruitful cooperation between some gamers that had right before that point been complete strangers. See? It counts! (Please accept this game...)

 

Also, it's a very good game and I enjoyed finally cleaning it up.

If it has MP trophies, it counts. Regardless of when you got them. It also makes zero difference to me if you used it for another event so you're all set.

[pinkrobot_pb]

3 hours ago, Beyondthegrave07 said:

If it has MP trophies, it counts. Regardless of when you got them. It also makes zero difference to me if you used it for another event so you're all set.

 

Yay! Thank you

[Quixotesque]

17 hours ago, kindajustin said:

Aw wow, hey @Quixotesque amazing write up! I don't know if you remember me but you were one of the first people to kindly say hello to me when I joined this site. I had no idea you joined this event too, it's so cool bumping into you again. I'm so happy to see you're still knocking out trophies, I hope you're doing alright these days!

Hi there!  

Thank you for your kind words. I just read your post and I think it's great. I congratulate you.
Here I am, enjoying the trip and the adventures that offer me so many games that I never played or revisit them with all the trophies. 
It's a small world, isn't it? I wish I could interact more around here, given the amount of interesting people and posts I find when I can read a bit.
I found the event by chance, since, as I said, I can't be very active in the forums, something I would really like, but between work and my official examinations it's difficult... >.<
Back to the event, I think the late motif was important enough to do my part. For several years, I actively participated in summer camps as a volunteer in a center for people with intellectual disabilities under the name of "Movimiento FEAPS".
In addition, the connection of my digital persona with Don Quixote, one of the most interesting and studied psychological cases in literature, was a great reason to take part in the event.

I hope we will meet again in other posts and happy gaming friend.
 

[Jeanolt]

Hi again, and sorry for taking too long. It hasn't been a great month for me due to different reasons, and i think is not needed for me to explain because i'm sure many of us in the mental health thread feel or have felt this way. There's so much going on and the last thing i wanted was to earn a trophy. I recently saw Abzu on the list, so that's probably going to be my game, because a lot of the indie games that fit the topic are really expensive (i don't live in a 1st world country), and i just have 5 days from now to complete the game. 

 

I want to say thank you to @Beyondthegrave07 for creating this amazing event, and bringing awareness about mental health in these times, where is still a "taboo" to talk about things that should be even more important than the physical health. Also thanks to everyone who is donating even the smallest amount of money, because not everyone is capable of doing it for different reasons, and you are representing all of us. 

 

Thank you too to everyone who shared their stories, some of them impacted me deeply and were really relatable. A big virtual hug to everyone!

Edited May 27, 2021 by ValenTris7

[Hisuiryu]

I've had some trouble with this writeup so I'm going to keep it kind of short otherwise I'll never do it...

 

I played Seasons After Fall this month, though it was one someone mentioned earlier in the thread, I was surprised by the turn it took. The below includes spoilers for the game - I'd recommend playing it for yourself though, it's a fun, short game with a nice narrative

Spoiler

The Seed, who initially begins as the mysterious voice that guides you, clearly has some issues including depression which seems to have been brought on by expectations placed on her. Through glimpses of past events and some explanations by the Guardian, you learn that she was raised by the guardians and will eventually leave to create a new forest - but having learned that the guardians expected her to leave at some point, the Seed shut herself off and began to believe they were trying to get rid of her and didn't really want her around to begin with. 

 

This is where I think it will represents depression and mental health difficulties even if it's not explicit about it - the seed shuts herself off from others and pushes away those that care about her as she can't see that they do being so wrapped up in her feelings and hurt. This is something I think a lot of depression sufferers go through, pushing away those that care or are trying to help, either through feelings of helplessness ("whatever they try it won't make it better"), or fear ("what if letting them close just causes more pain?"). This aspect is then doubled down on as you go into her sanctum of sorts, all dark and prickly, and destroy what she calls her treasures. She laments their loss and the possibility of being left with nothing - but as you continue the Guardian explains these are actually her fears that she is clinging to so desperately.

 

As you come to the final ones she begins to accept what you are doing, she doesn't immediately accept it all, but relents and says she hopes you know what you are doing as you destroy the final fear. Released from her fears and accepting assistance from others, she is able to fulfil her purpose as a seed, leave the sanctuary and germinate begin a new forest no longer overcome by her loneliness and sadness.

 

Ultimately, it's a nice story of accepting help from others and how it can help, of course real depression isn't so convenient a little fox/spirit can come along and make the bad feelings go away, but the depiction of how such things can cause a self-destructive streak - desperately holding to negative feelings for fear of losing what little you have (similar thoughts lead to self-harming, an outlet to feel something even if it's not good), or pushing away those trying to help to protect yourself, and the appearance of selfishness while just trying to find ways to cope or overcome it by yourself - is something I rarely see portrayed.

 

I think I rambled more than I planned to there.... but I hope you guys find it interesting at least!

 

As for my bonus badge, I may have to find something quick and easy if I want it 

[WDB_Chaotic]

Finally got my bonus game done in Fall guys. has the squad goals trophy which needs you to play together with others. also I got a majority of my crowns in the squads game mode

[AuroraHistoire]

I played Blue Reflection. The protagonist, Hinako, was a ballet dancer but severely injured one of her legs in a accident, Have months of physical rehabilitation, she can walk normally but can not do ballet anymore. Ballet was Hinako's entire life and she doesn't really know what to do with herself at the start of the game. 

 

Hinako gets magical girl powers and has to fight demons. She gets a wish if she beats up 4 really big powerful demons. She is helped by two other magical girls, Yuzu and Lime, who become her friend and explain all the magical girl stuff. Your party for the whole game is Hinako, Yuzu and Lime; it is a bold choice that I have not seen before. The first Hyperdimension Neptunia is kinda close where you can beat the whole game (normal ending) with only 3 party members. Anyway, between big powerful demon fights, Hinako helps her schoolmates by fighting demons and helping them through their personal demons, Whenever someone experiences extreme emotional stress, they go "rampant" and Hinako has to go magical girl and fight some demons to calm them down; afterwards Hinako has to talk with them and help them through what they are going through. I like how defeating the demons doesn't magically solve all their problems.

 

Mental health is always present as a theme if was not explored as deeply as I wanted. My standards were a bit high tho. Hinako's whole thing of never being able to do ballet again is present through the entire game. Hinako is ashamed of her injury and keeps it secret for as many people as possible. There are several instance of bullying throughout the game. There were a couple of story lines about how overworking yourself is a bad thing and you should not do that. 

 

My favorite example (also character) and one of the better examples mental health problems is Yuri. Yuri has savant syndrome; in her case, she has a IQ of 300 but has almost no social skills at all. Yuri gets special treatment because she is so smart and is allowed to seclude herself in the science club room all day (she is the only member of the science club too); I think she might live in there too. It got so bad that she almost starved to death because the online store she orders food from was down and she would rather starve to death than go to a convenience store and interact with people; fortunately, Hinako befriended Yuri before this situation happened and Yuri was able to text Hinako to go get her food. It is kinda scary to think about how Yuri could have died if she never met Hinako or Hinako couldn't be bothered to get her food. I liked how you never had the fight demons for Yuri and how you raised your friendship with her by introducing her to all the friends you made throughout the game. Yuri does her best to be friendly and it never went horribly wrong, somehow. 

 

Well, those are my thoughts on Blue Reflection. I am tired and I wanna go to bed. 

[FoxyKatt_]

I played and got the platinum in Celeste. Finished the main game and I realized I wasn't gonna finish in time and used Assist Mode to do B-Sides and C-Sides. I still wanna go back to C-Sides but idk about the B-Sides they might take too long?

Anyway I'm sure no one is too concerned whether I used Assist Model or not. As to what I learned, I learned that Madeline deals with depression and anxiety and she herself learned how to imagine a feather to control her breathing. I'm writing this a few days after I platted the game cuz I has a really rough time trying to deal with my own anxiety. Every chance I got I imagined the feather and it helped me a bit? So I'm grateful I played this game❤️

[Jens]

We just finished Trails of Cold Steel 4 for badge #2. Parties don't get much bigger than that and you travel all the time

[IntroPhenom]

I played Fractured Minds.  Here are my thoughts, which do contain minor spoilers.

 

From all the adjectives to choose from when describing a video game, compelling isn’t one I often use.  But here we have Fractured Minds, a unique first-person experience developed by a teenage girl named Emily Mitchell and crafted as an expression of the mental illness she endures, and the game is compelling as hell. 

 

Going in knowing what the intent of the game is, every action you take has you seeking meaning, and I can’t remember the last time I paid such attention to every little thing on the screen, curious what role it had in the story.  A video game -- an interactive experience -- is the perfect vehicle for allowing us outsiders to begin to comprehend what goes on inside Emily’s head.  Immersing us in a visual way is far more impactful and attunes us much more to understanding what Emily goes through than words alone ever could. 

 

Subtle things suggesting how Emily sees the world litter the game; the clock in her bedroom shows no time; when looking for keys to unlock a door, a key appears in a once vacant spot, all capital letters spelling WRONG KEY accumulate and gradually clutter the screen as you make wrong selection after wrong selection, your errors relentless in your mind. 

Social situations can be difficult for the anxious, and the game addresses a few.  Common events that would have many kids jubilant, like a birthday party, are challenges for Emily.  She shares tidbits of harsh phrases and questions she has had to endure in her life, and they appear on the screen: ‘Don’t be sad; it’s a party’, ‘No, idiot, you have to make the donkey tail first.’, etc.  All of these statements are presented anonymously.  I suppose the identity of the asker isn’t important.  The reason for their inclusion in the game is their relevance and impact they have on a troubled young mind.  Emily wants us to know more about who she was, not just who she is today.

 

One thing done particularly well is portraying normally mundane, everyday scenes as unpredictable and scary.  Standing on a sidewalk watching everyone saunter by, no one is paying you any mind.  The streets are flooded with silent, expressionless figures staring at their cell phones and moving at a snail’s pace.  That’s the entire outside world, and the heavy breathing we hear is Emily’s.  This world only is no reprieve from the persistent idea that something is very wrong.  A poster says to say positive, but after viewing it an alarm sounds and a ceiling collapses, negative stimulation at every corner.

 

Right from the start screen we’re offered two things that, depending on context, can present as either pleasing or haunting: smiles and piano music.  Haunting is the goal here, and the game succeeds, employing both the music and the smiles with great effect throughout.  While selecting options, a smile crosses the face of the monster (which is not to be ignored and already present before the game even begins…more on that later) when hovering over the option for Play; while hovering over Level Select, the smile vanishes.  Lesson number one - attempting to assert some control over your choices by selecting a level perturbs the monster; play (with evil connotations) on the other hand involves less control for us, more for it, and thus a smile.  Control is a theme loses no significance throughout the game.

 

Across four chapters, Emily takes us through how her mind perceives the world, and regardless where she is or what she’s doing, a monster accompanies her.  The monster, a depiction of mental illness, is presented as a black figure with a white, ovoidal head, complete with unblinking eyes and that creepy smile. 

 

It thrives under chaos.  Different imagery has it holding on to Emily tightly one time and casually strolling by with hardly a glance another.  As a player, you being to ask yourself questions, as Emily undoubtedly has - Does it want you, or doesn’t it?  Do I have some control, or none?  Must like the Senior Director of my department at work (take that, Laura!) the monster understands that chaos opens opportunities to have someone believe one thing one minute and another thing seconds later, depending on what’s beings said or done.  Maintaining a certain level of instability in Emily’s head enables the monster’s control.

 

And it is never far away.  During a rainstorm, writing on the wall reads how Emily enjoys the rain as a distraction, though a clap of thunder reveals the monster clutching on to Emily in an unsettling embrace.  During a bit in a therapist’s office, picking up a magnifying glass and examining a nearby painting reveals the monster, a black smudge hiding among the colors.

I paused after looking at the painting and wondered why the game made me do that.  Why did I have to act in a way unrelated to advancing the story to find the thing that troubles Emily the most?  While I can’t answer for Emily, of course, I settled on this: sometimes you have to seek the monster, because knowing offers a bizarre form of comfort, as opposed to uncertainty.  Ignoring it completely and not thinking about it isn’t an option for Emily, I’d imagine.  That’s the rub, isn’t it?  Please go away forever monster, but since you haven’t yet and probably never will…where are you now?

 

One of the last things we see is a heart in chains.  As hopeless as hopeless metaphors get, perhaps, but  at this point the game begins to reveal that Emily is no longer the ‘unhappy’ little girl at the birthday party.  She has grown to be someone undaunted by this heart in chains, and we know this because she begins to fight back.  She has a bit of gusto and more understanding than she did during her childhood, and to complete the chapter, you must fight, and damage the monster by setting off different spurts of hot steam. 

The victory is not conclusive, however, and having it so is apropos (this isn’t some fairy tale).  The game ends with Emily looking into a piece of glass.  She sees the monster’s face reflecting back at her, and she asks, ‘Is this me?’.  Fade to black.

 

Believe it or not, the answer is yes.  Soon thereafter Emily makes us aware, with a few powerful statements, that she is keenly aware of her situation, and that she and the monster occupy the same space, and though we may feel hope is lost, it is certainly not.  She leaves us with some wisdom gleaned over the years: living with a monster makes you brave, carrying it makes you strong. 

 

Hope doesn’t only take the final bow; it also rather cleverly introduces the game.  If you consider the title, with its plural ‘Minds’ instead of a singular ‘Mind’, it reveals that Emily’s message is that no one with mental illness is alone.  Many fractured minds exist.  Discussions and experiences like this video game are key to fitting the pieces together and graduating timidity to recognition, and finally to acceptance.

 

BONUS BADGE

 

I forgot about this, but I did find a group of players to boost the Infallible trophy for Fall Guys.   

Edited May 31, 2021 by IntroPhenom

[AuroraHistoire]

I completed Kandagawa Jet Girls for the bonus badge. Two characters are always riding a PWC together; on drives while the other shoots the other racers with water guns. In every story mode (there are 8 different stories) always features 2 characters being companions through the whole story. 

[MattbluePT]

I played Abzû, as it was one of the recommended games I had in my library. It is a short and very relaxing exploration game, similar to Journey but underwater. The environment, the music and the aesthetic of the game are really calming and relaxing, it made me take a break from a very stressful month. I believe that this game, due to this calming vibe, is a great way to deal with problems as stress and anxiety.

 

For the co-op game, I completed Resident Evil 5, where you always have a companion, and I had to do a co-op boost for the versus mode dlc too.

[Dav9834]

I'm not gonna make it for this event

Sorry guys

We just put one of our dogs down today and I gotta be with family to keep things stable for them. And myself

 

I still plan on platinuming Senuas Sacrifice, it just won't be by the end of may

[ExistentialSolid]

For the #YouAreNotAlone bonus badge, I completed It Takes Two alongside one of my best friends (and artist behind this
event's badge designs), @Ellie-nyan! Whether we were bending time to escape a decrepit clock tower, fending off armies
of wasps with weaponry designed by war-hardened squirrels, or finding hilarious new ways to crush each other with household
objects, there was never a dull moment in this ridiculously creative co-op adventure. I had so much fun and would love to see
more games like this in the future! ?

Edited June 4, 2021 by ExistentialSolid

[Dr_Mayus]

#325-Persona 5: Royal

 

This is such an incredible game and replaying it again for the 3rd time still shocks me at how good it really is.

 

Why did I pick P5 Royal as my game for this event? It is because so many mental health problems start from a young age. P5 deals with physical, sexual, emotional and mental abuse in kids of all ages. While the game has its funny moments it never makes light of the abuse going on and the whole moral of the story is finding ways to overcome your grief and embrace it.

 

Now obviously trauma can't just be undone by "feeling better" but the game has several moments of characters realizing their past is with them and they will now use it to move forward with the help of their friends. Not to go into spoilers but one of the new features of Royal is an event where every person on Earth can eliminate all of their sufferings by just accepting a new reality...but by doing so they have to give up their free will. Our heroes realize that while this may seem like a good "escape" ultimately it is sacrificing too much.

 

Finally this weekend a horrible occurrence happened in Canada. The mass grave of 215 children was discovered on the grounds of a Residential School. That sort of trauma is in our nations past and I cannot even imagine how those affected by it can even cope with this news. Our nation has destroyed the lives of so many of our indigenous brothers and sisters and we need to start finding a way to a brighter future. That is why I am still donating $2 a badge to Main Street Project (an organization that helps mostly adults in this community) but also $1 a badge to the United Way Youth Fund to help children/young adults find a way forward.

 

Thank you everyone for participating in this event and sharing your stories. Thank you @Beyondthegrave07 and all of the rest of the people willing to donate their money and time to different charities. Finally if anyone ever needs to talk please feel free to reach out. Sometimes you just need to let someone else know what is going on to help find a way forward. Trust in your friends, family and most of all yourself.

 

 

 

[Weskerfan75]

I completed Mass Effect and began playing Mass Effect 2 so both requirements are fulfilled. 

 

There was so much I wanted to discuss about how being kind and forgiving in these games pays off but I’d be spoiling lots of things so I’ll talk about one minor thing. 

 

Minor spoilers for Mass Effect  and Mass Effect 2. 

 

Spoiler

 

In the first game you come across the captured queen of a rapidly reproducing yet nearly extinct species called the Rachni. She’s the last one, in fact. Her species was driven to extinction because they were ruthless, violent and would take over any planet they landed on. The remaining Queen realizes the stigma her species carries and since her life is now in your hands she asks for second chance not just for her but for her entire species, somberly remarking that she has already accepted her fate should you refuse to. It is here you can kill her, effectively exterminating an entire race of aliens or you can release her and give her kind a second chance in life, even if some of your companions protest. I decided to release her. She says that she will teach her offspring the same compassion and kindness you showed her and leaves.

 

Even though you’ve been told how violent they are and humanity wasn’t around during their reign of terror, I decided to let her leave and begin anew. 

 

Jump to Mass Effect 2. A woman tells you that she was saved by the Rachni you spared. They are now repopulating in a planet and are noted to be kind to the innocent while punishing the wicked. The woman crashed on their planet while escaping from some thugs. She was healed back to health by the Rachni and they fixed her ship. The thugs on the other hand were completely obliterated. The Rachni Queen thanks you for giving them another chance in life and reassures you that her words were not a desperate attempt for sympathy, she truly has taught her offspring a kinder way of life. The Rachni are now destined to become a race known for their helpful, fair and gentle nature. Not a race of savage bloodthirsty conquerors.

 

 

Moments like these made me realize how powerful forgiveness can be and how many people we give up on could thrive if shown love and given a second chance.

 

[SpaceCoresDad]

Spent a long while thinking on what to do for #Youarenotalone for the bonus badge. Quite a few games I finished this month fit the requirements, but I was never sure what to pick. It's the end of the months though, so I think I've finally made my decision.

 

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout

 

Really it seems like the perfect choice now that I think about it. This game is just so happy and wholesome, that even though it's a battle royale, it still seems like everyone is working together all the same. More importantly though, is how I got the completion of this. I've been playing since launch, and it's no secret that Infallible, the trophy for winning 5 games in a row, is next to impossible without some kind of trick. However, there was temporarily a glitch that allowed you to get it with custom games, so I rounded up all my friends and we all got it in mere minutes! It was truly us coming together that got everyone the trophies in the long run, and isn't that what not being alone is all about? By now everyone I started the game with has the platinum for it, and I think that's beautiful.

You know what's more beautiful though? This event. Well done setting this up, I didn't know May even was mental health awareness month until I saw the OP for this. Congrats to everyone else who played, and I hope everyone is doing well out there. 

[DamagingRob]

Well, I actually made it through Chaos;Child before the month ended. ? My job has kind of made me procrastinate writing about it, as I feel it is driving my own mental health into the ground... But yeah, finally going to write something. I'll try to be vague, but probably still will be spoilers for the story. And since it's a visual novel, that's really the only (good) reason one would play it. 

 

Spoiler

The game's premise is a serial killer is on the loose, and a bunch of highschool kids are trying to find out who the killer is. The murders are fairly gruesome (one was extremely shocking, and left me speechless), and that most likely has an effect on most of their minds. Then you have the protagonist who has these delusions a lot. Either disturbing, creepy, or perverted most of the time. Something is definitely not right in his mind. ? Probably caused by trauma from his childhood. Neglected by his parents, and then losing them in an earthquake at a young age.

 

Then there's the girls. I would say most of them had issues, as well. One is holding the protag's deceased corpse at the end of her route, still acting like he's alive and well. Another was subjected to cruel experiments, which her parents allowed. Most of her classmates would avoid her, because of how she looked from it. One is... just crazy. And that's all I'm gonna say. ? I don't know if I noticed much with the girl who doesn't talk much. Her route was bizarre. And the last one was also an experiment victim. 

 

I don't know if I really learned anything new, other than don't neglect your kids? But I wasn't really planning on having any, so... yeeeeah. 

 

I had to put Ryza on major hold, or I wouldn't have finished this. Lol. Probably get back to that now, after playing a pretty cringe VN after C;C. :/ Thanks @Beyondthegrave07 for having the event. ❤️

[Beyondthegrave07]

Last day is today! Like I mentioned before, I will leave this open in case people forgot to report back until Friday, but the game will need to be completed in May. For anyone who is donating, I would wait to donate until all badges have been distributed to make sure the total is accurate. I will tag them specifically and let them know the total once that's done.

 

I'll work with @Ellie-nyan to make sure our totals make sense, and we agree on it before posting. It's possible we overlook someone on the first go if we missed an edit or something like that so bear with us.

 

I'll also leave the event open for a little longer and plan to discuss having similar events like this in the future with everyone and ways we can improve on it and perhaps brainstorm on new ideas. Stay tuned!