This game hit me hard...

[RuinousOne25]

Has anyone ever played this game and felt like you can relate to the main guy closely with his life at where he's at? Not the suicidal part for me but just how he feels with everything else?

[damon8r351]

As someone who's been there, it made me wonder if I was that insufferable to deal with to the people that were trying to help me.

[audiopile]

I have had some dark moments, but not like the main character.  

 

Still, this game was heavy.  I enjoyed the writing immensely.  

[DaivRules]

As someone who's been there, it made me wonder if I was that insufferable to deal with to the people that were trying to help me.

 

As someone who's wife has been in the same way, trust me, you were. And the people who stuck around you have great respect and admiration for you for dealing with it and getting through it, even if they don't say it.

[StrickenBiged]

I related to him in some ways, but I got out of that mindset and circumstances a good few years ago now. I found it very moving and honest overall. And I loved the dark humour in the little monologues, etc. 

 

I can still have some of those thoughts, existential angst and what have you. I'm not surprised depression is apparently on the up across the developed world - when all you do all day is send bits and bytes travelling through the electric ether its hard to see how you're actually doing anything with your life. I'm not perfect, but I am able to recognise those thoughts for what they are now. I was never actually suicidal either. 

 

Honestly, I felt I could see more of some people that I know in the character than I saw myself now.

[HardXDXtraga]

Well, guess I gotta go play the game now...

[straysheep87]

Not in the slightest, whining and emerging myself in self-pity was never my style. I don't enjoyed the game at all, I only finished it because of the easy trophies.

[Terra]

Just playing through this brought back some bad memories for me. I ended up finishing this quickly just to get it over with. It was that depressing. 

[NetEntity]

Played through it just now, a very quick read, took a little over the hour. And... Can I relate? Hm... actually... no.

As someone who enters the state of the heavy "black mood" each season, and pretty much lives in a state of the perpetual depression, I should've theoretically felt at least something kindred, but no. I see only self-pity, self-pity, self-pity. Decision to stop struggling, let the world win and break you, which is pretty much the worst thing to do in this situation.

I should've died right after I was born, you know. I didn't.  And even though my body is falling me, I barely have any friends and need to drag myself through the studious hell to even have a shot at the semblance of normal life, I've snarled and fought and clawed my way upwards through life so far, and I'm going to fight even harder than before. Games and movies and music, the packs of loud, hungry ideas and visions that scratch and scream within my head, all the anonymous people miles and miles away that are writing to me and I'm writing to are keeping me from going off the deep end, and I fully trust that they will continue to do so.

Because I was given a chance at life all these years ago and I'll be cursed to throw it all away. Suicide is the easy way out. The coward's way out. I may sound as arrogant, uncaring, unfeeling bastard - maybe I am one, who knows - but I will forever see those who decide to walk it weak.

Edited October 11, 2016 by NetEntity

[RuinousOne25]

Hmmm... Okay maybe not where he's at, but like almost seeing myself in that position 20 years from now.

[punkrockrobot98]

Oh definitely. I've been struggling with suicidal urges and depression for quite some time now, but at least I'm slowly getting better. The game hit me pretty hard because of how closely I related to the main character.

[Dragon-Archon]

There were some things I can relate to in this game.

[AJ_Radio]

I've been through all the pressures and symptoms of the playable character in Actual Sunlight.

 

I'm in my late 20s now and I have improved a lot in dealing with depression. But when I was around 18 - 21 years old depression hit me real hard. It's best you guys don't know what I went through.

[SUPERVIRAL]

Man this game was messed up. I didn't know what it was about and just saw that it has easy trophies so I played it.

[Bullstomp]

Ok I gotta download it now . . .

[mrHappy10989]

This game hit me as well, in a different way
Being young (16) it kinda showed me that I need to motivate myself and do stuff
I got inspired to be something more after playing this and seeing just how depressing life was for this character
And the little monologue adressing younger players really hit me
The writing in this game was really great, kudos to those that made it

[DuckSwimmer]

Haven't played this game yet, although reading these comments is certainly encouraging me too.

[Bullstomp]

I played this today. It was very easy to get all the trophies without a walkthrough, just interact with everything/everyone.

Unfortunately I didn't have the emotional connection others seemed to have. To me the protagonist came across as a whiny, lazy malcontent who chose to accept unhappiness instead of doing something about it. Guess what kids? If you want something, ANYTHING in life, there will be some prerequisite effort required on your part. And if you don't invest time and effort in yourself don't expect anyone else will either.

So yeah, don't regret playing it for easy trophies but the story was meh. . .

[XX_FTW]

I played this today. It was very easy to get all the trophies without a walkthrough, just interact with everything/everyone.

Unfortunately I didn't have the emotional connection others seemed to have. To me the protagonist came across as a whiny, lazy malcontent who chose to accept unhappiness instead of doing something about it. Guess what kids? If you want something, ANYTHING in life, there will be some prerequisite effort required on your part. And if you don't invest time and effort in yourself don't expect anyone else will either.

So yeah, don't regret playing it for easy trophies but the story was meh. . .

While what you're saying is largely true (we do have to do for ourselves) when you're in this sort of depression, you literally can't. You have no ability to act. This sort of depression steals it from you. He is going to come across as whiny to you because you don't understand the sickness and therefore can't empathize with it.

[DaivRules]

While what you're saying is largely true (we do have to do for ourselves) when you're in this sort of depression, you literally can't. You have no ability to act. This sort of depression steals it from you. He is going to come across as whiny to you because you don't understand the sickness and therefore can't empathize with it.

 

For some people, it's literally impossible to understand.

[DaivRules]

To me the protagonist came across as a whiny, lazy malcontent who chose to accept unhappiness instead of doing something about it. Guess what kids? If you want something, ANYTHING in life, there will be some prerequisite effort required on your part. And if you don't invest time and effort in yourself don't expect anyone else will either.

 

Those people that have never dealt with depression nor had someone in their life dealing with depression don't understand how debilitating it can be. When someone has depression, the brain just does not let that person address and overcome things others wouldn't have any issue dealing with.

 

You know that aversion most people have to walking into a burning building, not to save someone, but just because? Imagine having that feeling about something like getting out of bed. Imagine having that same feeling about even talking to another person.

 

Depressed people do not choose unhappiness, even though it appears like they're doing so. The chemicals and electrical signals in their brains are literally stopping them from accepting happiness. Depression is not a choice as is being alluded to.

 

Again, for some people it's literally impossible for them to empathize because it's just as impossible for them to understand depression as it is for the depressed person to decide to just stop being depressed.

[MetaMunin]

As someone that has been through suicidal depression, at a young age, I didn't think it was particularly hard hitting. Though to be fair, I think this game is intended to enlighten those that haven't been through it and might not understand. If it can enlighten even one person, then I think it's done the job. Understanding and being able to identify these symptoms can change lives.

[Kittens Are Awesome]

I couldn't relate to the main character. In fact, I'm the complete opposite. However, i do know at least one friend who is kind of in a state of depression. Granted, not on the extreme that the main character is, but i see him go through some shit.

I don't judge at all though. I try to be a supportive friend and do what i can to make him feel better. Although, just like some have stated, i will never understand what it's like. I can just do the best i can to be a good friend when he needs me.

[HellcoreFire]

This game is like going on vacation somewhere with a different culture and thinking it opened your eyes and changed your life.

 

Only to be back in the same routine a week later.

[Alessandrock]

I can totally relate to the message the game try to pass. The apathy of the character, the boring routine of everyday, the thoughts, the problems at work...

I don't think a game hit me as hard as Actual Sunlight did. And this makes me even sadder, because I don't think I have the courage and determination to change myself.

 

Sorry about the depressive post.