1- Spent ->

I played this game multiple times, never really making it too far into the game before running out of money. The game was clear with the difficult, limited choices that could be made and it was very stressful trying to make the limited money last for just 1 month, making me empathize with people who have to do this for years, or even their entire life.

Suggestion: The game made you dive right into the choices and some felt confusing or gave limiting options, I think a more clear explanation in some of the steps could improve the game.

2- Syrian Refugees ->

This game was a very interesting experience due to how it ends. I played this game a few times and I was never able to reach a satisfying ending, I am not even sure if there is a good way to end the story. This really gave me a new perspective on the countless struggles that refugees constantly face, even though this game is just a very small glimpse of a much more difficult life.

Suggestion: With the game representing a real-world situation, I feel like it would be very beneficial to include more real-world statistics.

3- Skills Practice – A Home Visit ->

This game was very stressful due to the videos used being real videos and not animations or illustrations. The choices that had to be constantly made conveyed a strong message about the importance of being careful of what you say to someone in a stressful situation.

Suggestion: For every option, it always made you pick a different option if you didn’t pick the right one. I think it would be more insightful if the game allowed you to explore the “Incorrect” options to the end of the game so that their impact is more clear.

4- Fake It to Make It ->

I spent the longest playing this game. The full control over the fake news site and it providing explicitly that the goal is to make as much money as you can made it very interesting. It felt like a new perspective on how information spreads online, putting the spotlight on how money and fame influences the news and opinions we constantly see online. I also felt quite shocked at how accurately the game was depicting that people always support the news that matches their opinions and expectations.

Suggestion: Making this game depict real-world scenarios more obviously and not through vague headings could make this game a lot more focused on the morals and motives of people who spread fake news.

5- Losing A Parent ->

Out of all the games I played, this one felt the most personal and realistic. The experiences described and situations faced were clearly coming from first-hand experience. I personally chose to play this game over the others because I have very recently suffered a loss in my family, and playing the game was a very therapeutic experience. I thankfully haven’t lost a parent, but I definitely am experiencing a lot of the situations this game describes, which made me a lot more empathetic with the messages it was trying to convey. The game was a very strong reminder that grief does not disappear.

Suggestion: Some of the scenarios had very few options, I think a couple more might slightly improve the game.

6- Know Yourself ->

I found this game very interesting. It highlights the daily occurrences that people are always quick to judge and made me think twice before deciding a person’s motives or personality from a simple action. It shows that everyone has their own personal lives that affect what we see of them and we shouldn’t be quick to judge.

Suggestion: Maybe making some of the scenarios more connected and not completely separate events would improve the game.

7- Blindfold Game

When we played this game in class it was just a bit of fun for me. However, upon thinking back to it, it felt a lot more serious. I was blindfolded and handcuffed during the game, which was just a quick glimpse of two very common things (blindness and amputation). I struggled and eventually gave up at simply building a wooden toy, which made me more empathetic with people who live through these things daily.

Overall Reflection

The game Know Yourself was focused on the idea that you shouldn’t be quick to judge anyone because you don’t know the details of their life, however this was actually a message taught by every single on of these games. Some of these games focused on the stressful and life-threatening situations some people live in, while others focus on more long-term, physical and emotional features that can change someone’s life. This was a great experience as it demonstrates the vast differences of people’s experiences.