Crumbling Alternatives

Despite the positive critical response to 2013’s Depression Quest, and despite its accessibility (just an hour to complete and free-to-play in any web browser), I still felt some reluctance to give it a go. In the limited time I reserve for frivolous button-pushing, I’m more inclined to fight shadow monsters than to reflect on the experience of mental illness. Probably it would have been easier if I didn’t think of it as a game. It may not be fun, but it certainly isn’t frivolous.

Depression Quest covers a lot of ground despite its aforementioned brevity (though to get the full experience, you really ought to explore the options over a few play-throughs). It offers lessons about treatment ranging from the power of maintaining relationships, to the danger of isolation, the potential of therapy, and the nuance behind medication. It even speaks to the experience of suffering by demonstrating the constriction of choice and the oppressive effect of guilt.

Critically, the developers packaged these lessons like a polished novella. It’s not a clinical article or (perish the though) online questionnaire.¹ If it were, most folks would be hard-pressed to recall the salient points in a few weeks’ time, much less truly internalize them. Depression Quest boasts strong writing and specific yet relatable context (e.g. slogging through a boring job, iterating on a personal project, developing a romantic relationship, and fumbling with familial ties). Adept storytelling justifies the use of the interactive fiction format and makes the experience memorable.

One aspect undercuts the story’s carefully-constructed message, though. When players make positive decisions, Depression Quest consistently rewards them by improving the player character’s well-being. Players rarely² experience a well-intentioned failure. Not only does this make the experience unrealistically predictable; it also suggests that recovery is simply a matter of knowing effective treatment strategies.

That said, this aspect doesn’t exactly warrant criticism. Simulating the cruelty of the universe would be more authentic, but it would also discourage afflicted players from trying to improve their situation. The developers clearly made the right call on what seems like a fundamental tension. Still, I wonder how they might have safely acknowledged that risks aren’t always rewarded.

Despite the potential this has to undermine the message, I think only the most cynical players would walk away with less respect for the disorder. Depression Quest deftly crams a bunch of important lessons into a tiny package, making it easy to recommend widely.