3 Video Games That Will Make You Feel Things (Vol. II)

Hello again! Here are three more games that are super fun but also may make you cry and examine your personal values. Enjoy! :)

Note about content warnings: For each game, I’ve provided a link to its page on doesthedogdie.com where you can find an extensive list of content warnings. These games feature pretty heavy topics so please be careful if you’re interested in playing.

Neo Cab (2019)

Neo Cab is an interactive visual novel set in the near future that incorporates survival elements, meaningful choices, interesting characters, and emotion-based gameplay. You play as Lina, a driver for a car service called Neo Cab, who has just moved to the city of Los Ojos to live with her estranged best friend, Savy. While she is hopeful that this move will be the new start she is looking for, Lina’s plans are interrupted when Savy immediately goes missing upon her arrival. For the next week, the player must help Lina navigate an unfamiliar city, maintain a high Neo Cab rating, keep her cool while driving challenging riders, and solve the disappearance of her missing friend, all without a place to live.

Neo Cab is primarily narrative-driven, heavily relying on character interactions to move the story along. In other words, I knew this game would be my jam the second I heard about it (Narrative therapist, remember?)  However, Neo Cab further touches my therapist heart by integrating the main character’s emotions into how she responds to the world around her. For example, if Lina is too sad or angry, some dialogue options won’t be available, which could block potential storylines. Also, Lina’s emotional state may prevent her from working, which puts her safety and overall well-being at risk (because capitalism). The developers really had something to say, and I’m so glad they said it.

Mental health-related themes: emotional well-being, loneliness, isolation, anxiety, depression, conformity, burnout, and self-care.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S40wdk03meg&ab_channel=GameTrailers

Platforms: PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch, Mobile

Content Warnings: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/936590

Tell Me Why (2020)

Tell Me Why is breathtakingly gorgeous, both in terms of it’s setting (picturesque Alaska) and it’s deeply emotional story. When it comes to video games featuring mental health related themes, this is an obvious pick. I loved this game pretty much immediately because of it’s beautiful visuals, but what really made it a favorite is its nuanced characters and creative take on storytelling, memories, and trauma. Tell Me Why is also the first AAA game to feature a trans main character, AND that character is played by a trans voice actor. The developers also collaborated with LGBTQ+ groups to make sure that they were honoring the lived experiences of actual trans folx.

Tell Me Why follows Tyler and Alyson, twin siblings who are reuniting after a decade apart. They were separated following their mother’s tragic death which resulted in one of the twins being sent away while the other was adopted by a local police officer. Now that Tyler and Alyson are adults, they are committed to putting their tragic past behind them, starting with cleaning and selling their childhood home. The player controls the twins as they explore their abandoned house while reckoning with their painful past. Along the way, the twins rediscover their telepathic abilities that allow them to share memories. Through this power, they learn that there is more to their history than they previously knew.

Mental health-related themes: LGBTQ+ issues, transgender issues, gender identity, sexuality, panic attacks, childhood trauma, abuse, parent loss, child loss, and memory.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KVrL_xirEk&ab_channel=IGN

Platforms: PC, Xbox

Content Warnings: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/703033

As Dusk Falls (2022)

As Dusk Falls is an interactive drama that requires players to make decisions that will have a lasting impact on the game’s storyline. While many games from the interactive fiction genre hype up the importance of player choice, there’s something different about this one. The decisions feel more nuanced, simultaneously pulling at your heartstrings while challenging your moral compass. The characters are well-written, complicated, messy, and you are constantly aware of what’s at stake for each of them as you learn more about their lives. This makes for a gut-wrenching yet mesmerizing play experience. As the player, you are asked to examine your values and sense of justice, while answering the question, “What Would You Do?”

As Dusk Falls is equal parts family and crime drama. The player follows two families whose futures become entwined after a botched robbery. Throughout the game, you primarily control three characters: 1) Vince, a husband and father who is moving his family across the country after losing his job, 2) Jay, the youngest son in a complicated family who is trying to overcome overwhelming debt, and 3) Zoe, Vince’s daughter who is working through childhood trauma. Each of these characters (and you) must make difficult choices in high-pressure situations that create different branching storylines. As you play, you will notice that some storylines are no longer accessible. This means you can replay this game many times before uncovering its full impact.

Mental health-related themes: generational trauma, familial abuse, complicated family dynamics, job loss, trauma, forgiveness, personal growth, and resilience.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXzxEBfBrcQ&ab_channel=Xbox

Platforms: PC, Xbox

Content Warnings: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/916243