Empathy Toy ( physical game)

The Empathy Toy is a blindfolded puzzle game designed to help players develop empathy, communication, and collaboration skills. It is played by having one player describe how to assemble a set of abstract wooden pieces while others, who cannot see the pieces, attempt to recreate the structure based on verbal instructions. My role in this game was the blindfolded player, and I found it extremely difficult to mimic someone’s creation without seeing it. At first, I was really frustrated and unable to assemble the puzzle correctly due to a lack of effective descriptions from my teammates and the overwhelming noise, as 3–4 members were talking at the same time. Honestly, at one point, I even screamed at them for speaking over each other. After trying for about five minutes, I managed to connect the main parts together, though I struggled with attaching the base. In the end, I was very proud of myself for completing the puzzle on time, especially since the other group was unable to do so. However, I discovered that each edge had different hinges that could be distinguished by touch, which I repeatedly pointed out to my teammates while trying to connect the pieces. I believe this experience shows that visually impaired individuals would be the best at describing a blindfolded puzzle, as they rely on touch and spatial awareness in their daily lives. This game reminded me of Sleep Deprived Mom, as both games relied on immersive experiences to make me understand someone else’s struggles. At the same time, Empathy Toy focused more on communication and teamwork, while Sleep Deprived Mom highlighted the personal struggles.

Spent (https://playspent.org/)

Spent game challenges players to survive a month on an extremely low income while facing real life financial struggles. Honestly, while playing this game, I felt deep distress and questioned how I could possibly survive under such hard and stressful conditions. For instance, in one situation, my child had a severe fever, and I had to decide whether to leave him home alone, send him to school, or stay with him, knowing that I only had three chances per month to miss work without a deduction. I chose to stay with him at home because the other two options felt inhumane; leaving my sick child alone or sending him to school, knowing he might get worse, could lead to even more serious consequences. Unfortunately, I lost on Day 27, and I was unable to make it through the full month. These days were incredibly harsh, and surviving under such harmful conditions felt nearly impossible. I felt that this game is very close to Single Mothers, as it shows struggling parents’ role, forcing me to make difficult financial and emotional choices. In addition, Single Mothers felt even more emotionally challenging, as the mother had to manage life alone after her husband’s disappearance, adding another layer of stress.

Syrian Journey (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-32057601)

It is a game that makes players experience the hard choices faced by Syrian refugees fleeing war based on real stories. While playing this game, the first thought that came to my mind was that the choices felt a bit limited. For example, the game insisted on going to Italy, which does not fully represent the variety of realities, as their destinations vary widely. However, despite this limitation, I felt sympathy for Syrian refugees whom I see usually, after playing. The game effectively stimulated and immersed me in Syrian refugees’ hardships. In comparison, Spent also created empathy by immersing me in a tough situation, but while Spent focused on financial survival, Syrian Journey emphasized life or death decisions, making it feel even more stressful. 

Bad news game (https://www.getbadnews.com/en#intro)

The game Bad News puts players in the role of Twitter bloggers, where the goal is to gain as many followers as possible while maintaining credibility, even through misinformation. At first, I found it exciting as my follower count rapidly increased. However, after about 15 minutes, the repetitive nature of the game made it less engaging. By that point, my credibility was low, but as I progressed, I attempted to balance credibility while still using misleading news. Although I won all the trophies: Impersonation, Emotion, Polarization, Conspiracy, Discredit, and Trolling, and reached 13.6K followers, I felt uncomfortable deceiving people for my own benefit. This game reminded me of Among Us for Teaching English, as both required me to pay close attention to small details to succeed. However, in Bad News, I was deliberately spreading false information, while in Among Us, I was analyzing clues to find the imposter, which felt much more ethical.

Sleep Deprived Mom (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScap1su2i270VXK3DtWGWA683lyU6UkXJer_cSpN2tl0rXCjQ/viewform?c=0&w=1)

It is a quick game developed by Dr Maha Bali to promote empathy with sleep deprived moms. I felt this game really challenged me as it highlighted the difficulty of balancing sleep with the many motherhood responsibilities. At first, I kept losing points because I prioritized other tasks over sleep. Eventually, I realized that by continuously doing so, I was unable to rest at all. I found the game enjoyable as it allowed me to step into a mother’s role and experience their struggles. However, I think the game could include more situational options, especially in the scenario involving the Skype friend. In reality, I would not necessarily sacrifice sleep to talk to an important friend, I could have called her at a more convenient time during the day. In contrast, Single Mothers, as both placed me in the role of a struggling mother trying to balance responsibilities. However, Sleep Deprived Mom focused more on the physical exhaustion of motherhood, while Single Mothers emphasized the emotional and financial burdens.

Among Us for Teaching English (https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1LIAkSEJW6hrU_GOsIZujJc8RI5VSeFoER_ad4WU55jI/view#slide=id.p)

It involves answering English questions and then analyzing details after selecting the correct answer. For example, I noticed while playing that certain keywords were underlined, which indicated the imposter. I found this game very interesting because it was easy to play and well organized. Initially, I felt that the questions were really easy, but as I progressed through the levels, they became slightly more challenging. However, I believe the difficulty remains suitable for most age groups. Actually, I was able to memorize the underlined keywords and identify the imposter on my first try. Moreover, I felt this game reminded me of , Bad News, as both required me to analyze small details to succeed. Conversely, Among Us for Teaching English focused on learning and problem-solving, while Bad News involved deception and manipulating others, which made me feel uneasy.

Single mothers by Merna Kostandy (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclN1Z-ia8kiEtTzjlhXLJU3D0q1ws2S7sw_jYCnYkHUfxUZA/closedform)

Basically, this game places players in the role of an Arab family consisting of a husband, wife, and two children. However, the husband suddenly disappears, and players take on the role of the mother, navigating life after the father’s death. While playing, I felt deeply responsible for my two children, especially given the limited amount of money I had. I chose to work from 8 AM to 5 PM and get paid as a part-time worker to be able to meet my children’s needs. One of the most touching moments in the game was when my child had a high fever, but I couldn’t stay with him during such a difficult time. The game presented me with two choices: either give my child medicine and go to work or stay with him, knowing that doing so would significantly impact my monthly income and, in turn, affect my family’s financial stability. This scenario felt so stressful, as it put me in the shoes of a struggling mother facing a stressful life. I believe that this game is really close to the game, Spent, as both games placed me in tough financial situations where I had to make heartbreaking decisions, while Single Mothers felt more personal as it is more focused on the emotional weight of being a single parent.

AI is used for revising grammatical mistakes and sentence structure mistakes.