Reflection on the Games

I didn’t expect any of these games to make me feel so much. I thought they’d just be quick class activities But every single one of them hit something deeper. Each one forced me to see things I usually ignore or avoid thinking about.

Orphan by Heart
This game opened my eyes in a way I didn’t expect. You don’t just play as an orphan; you feel it. The loneliness. The unfairness. The constant fight to just be seen. It made me realize how much I take small things for granted, safety, love, family, even someone asking if I’m okay. It’s not dramatic; it’s real. I left that game thinking about how many people live that story every day without choice.

Know Yourself
This one hit different because it made me see myself. I caught myself judging the people in the game before I even knew their story. I didn’t want to admit it, but it showed me how often I do that in real life too. I assume. I label. I move on. It made me stop and think, how many people do I misunderstand because I don’t bother to look deeper? It taught me to pause before I judge.

Syrian Refugee
This game made me angry and frustrated. Every choice felt wrong. You want to survive but you keep losing something no matter what. It’s not fair. But that’s the point. It’s a small window into a life where every move is survival. I couldn’t stop thinking about how real people live that reality every day. It’s not just a story. It’s happening right now.

Losing a Parent

This one hit me the deepest. I felt everything. The pain. The emptiness. The way grief lingers long after people stop asking if you’re okay. It wasn’t just about losing someone; it was about losing parts of yourself too. What made my experience different from the game maker’s story was that I wasn’t just grieving; I was dying to be heard. I wanted someone to understand. To see the pain I couldn’t explain. I just wanted someone to tap me on the back and tell me it’s going to be okay. I wanted reassurance. That part of grief – the quiet, invisible part- is something the game made me face all over again.

Sucrose
At first, I didn’t even understand it. It looked like just a simple board game. But it ended up showing how teamwork really works. You can’t just think for yourself; you have to move with others. You have to talk. You have to trust. That’s something I struggle with. I find it hard to express my feelings or say what I want because it makes me feel weak. But this game made me see that staying quiet actually makes things harder, not easier.

Cloud 4
This one brought out the chaos in everyone. It showed how fast communication can fall apart. When people stop listening, the whole team collapses. It reminded me how much we depend on each other, even when we don’t admit it. You can’t win alone.

September 7th, 2020
 This game brought back memories from the pandemic. It puts you back into that strange time,  forgetting your mask, deciding whether to enter an elevator with someone not wearing one, thinking about safety vs kindness. It reminded me of how much fear and judgment filled that period. Everyone was stressed, and we forgot how to be patient with each other. Playing it now made me realize how different people’s experiences were during that time. Some were lonely, some anxious, some angry. It showed how even small choices , like letting someone in an elevator, say a lot about empathy, fear, and human nature.

The digital games showed me pain, loss, and how unfair life can be. They made me reflect on who I am and how I treat people. They made me see how powerful empathy can be when you actually feel it, not just talk about it.

The board games showed me something different. They exposed how I act under pressure, how I hold back, and how hard it is for me to open up. But they also showed me what happens when I do,  when I trust, communicate, and connect.

After all of them, one thought stayed in my head:
You never really know what someone is carrying. Everyone’s fighting something. Be kind. Be patient. And never assume you understand someone’s story just because you see part of it.

Comparing the Games

Each game showed a different side of what it means to be human.
Orphan by Heart and Losing a Parent both explored loss, but in different ways. One showed it from the outside looking in; the other from the inside living it.
Know Yourself and Sucrose focused on reflection and interaction. They made me look at how I connect with others and with myself.
Syrian Refugee and September 7th, 2020 connected to real-world experiences. They made me feel how small decisions can carry heavy consequences.
Many of these games would have been stronger with visuals. Orphan by Heart and Losing a Parent could use visuals to show emotion and atmosphere instead of only words.

 Syrian Refugee would benefit from showing the journey. A visual map or photo of destroyed cities could make the choices hit harder.
In September 7th, 2020, small visuals like a mask, an elevator, or a crowded street could make the tension more real.

Not every game worked. Several links were broken, like Depression Quest and others. That limited what we could explore and made the experience less exciting since most of the games i wanted to play werent working.