Wednesday's Child is Full of Woe: Depictions of Suffering in Games

I am a "Wednesday's Child". I have endured depression for the better part of my life, and therefore I am drawn to depictions of suffering.

Depicting suffering that arises from misfortune or the deaths of loved ones is a common theme in videogames. In this article I will go into four games that I feel depict suffering in sensitive and deeply moving ways.

1. To The Moon - This game is about two doctors' attempts to fulfil the last wish of a dying old man. The gorgeous piano-heavy music and the simple but evocative visuals transform an already moving story into something transcendent. I delve deeper into the game's mechanics and themes in this article. You can buy To The Moon here.
2. Persona 3 Portable - One of my favourite Persona games of all time (link contains a fairly minor late-game spoiler), mostly due to its moody, ominous atmosphere and the in-depth tackling of themes like terminal illness, family matters, suicide and apathy. You can buy Persona 3 Portable here.
3. Unrest - An unusual indie game that explores what it means to be a young girl in a society where arranged marriages are the norm, and how trying to fight against that norm can often lead to suffering many forms, e.g. social ostracisation and sexual harassment. The game also explores political upheaval and questions of faith, sometimes a little heavy-handedly, but mostly intelligently. You can buy Unrest here.
4. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd - Last but not least, a game I recently reviewed, that covers  suffering so comprehensively that it sets a new bar for other games wishing to tackle it. I mean, what aspect of suffering ISN'T covered in this game? Let me count the ways: guilt, abandonment, sexual abuse, torture, implied child prostitution, military experimentation (even on minors!), trauma - the list goes on and on. However, none of these themes EVER feel forced - they all arise naturally from the characters' backstories and they are all explored with a deep, deep sense of compassion and humanity. I applaud Falcom for daring to tread where few others would dare to, and I applaud XSEED for their absolutely brilliant localisation of what will surely be viewed as a classic, must-play Japanese role-playing game. If you loved Trails in the Sky FC and SC, do yourself the favour of buying Trails in the Sky the 3rd here. You will NOT regret it.

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Five Great Modern Adventure Games on GOG.com

The adventure genre has enjoyed a renaissance of sorts in the past few years, even if the adventure games of today are quite different compared to those from the '80s and '90s. Here are five titles that are especially great for people new to the adventure genre.

To The Moon

It's a short, sweet indie adventure with a narrative and beautiful music that will likely have you reaching for tissues to wipe away salty tears.

To The Moon on GOG.com

Broken Sword 5 -  The Serpent's Curse

This entry in the Broken Sword series is a return to form, in terms of the 2D graphical style and the series' humour and characterisation.

Broken Sword 5 - the Serpent's Curse on GOG.com

The Walking Dead:  Season One

This is a streamlined take on the adventure genre, and is based on Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comic series.  Plenty of tense situations, tough choices and heart-wrenching moments to be had.

The Walking Dead: Season One on GOG.com

The Wolf Among Us

Another adventure with Telltale's signature gameplay (i.e. lots of Quick-Time Events and the occasional impactful choice).  It's a well-written, engrossing prequel to the Fable comics.

The Wolf Among Us on GOG.com

Gone Home

This title's lack of overblown action sequences and direct character interaction have led many to deride it as a walking simulator.  However, I enjoyed the way it let me discover the story based around love and family at my own pace.

Gone Home on GOG.com

To The Moon - Quality Over Quantity

So many games these days are expected to deliver dozens or even hundreds of hours of gameplay. It's expected, sometimes even demanded by many gamers, a lot of whom profess themselves to be "hardcore gamers". There's nothing necessarily wrong with a lengthy experience, as long as its filled with worthwhile content and it's well paced.

However, there's also space for much shorter, and perhaps more poignant, games. Games that deliver a hefty emotional payload and multiple memorable moments. To The Moon is one of those games.

The gentle, twinkling opening theme eased me into the opening minutes, and soon I got to acquaint myself with the two protagonists, Dr Eva Rosalene and Dr Neil Watts. Their near-constant barbs and jabs at each other helped leaven the sometimes heavy emotional atmosphere of the story, even if they sometimes acted outlandishly. Ultimately, they stick with each other because of their shared determination to help an old man fulfil his wish of going to the moon (sort of). They remain loyal to each other because of their work relationship and their friendship, despite fighting along the way to their end goal.

As for the main story, it basically requires guiding the two protagonists backwards through the memories of the old man, Johnny, in order to find a way of fulfilling his dying wish. The things they find in those memories are extremely personal, sometimes disturbing, and often very moving. They end up seeing things they wish they hadn't, and having to make compromises they would rather not.

It's all worth it in the end, though. The final scene left a warm glow inside me, along with the enchanting twinkling of the piano and soaring vibrations of the violin. Many hard truths about the characters and about life were revealed in the game: being different is lonely, being ordinary can feel stifling and boring, sometimes sacrifices must be made for the sake of the ones you love, or for the sake of your passions. But some beautiful revelations were also offered: the importance of having family near you, appreciating the people who make you who and what you are, exercising compassion and empathy for all living beings, especially those who are different or are struggling inside.

To fail to be moved by anything the game showed me would have required a cold, barren heart. But move me it did, and left me with bittersweet feelings of melancholy, nostalgia, and hope.

You can buy To The Moon here.