The Shady Part of Me

I recently started playing this game, which is a 10/10. The game is set up like any normal puzzle game, but there is more to it. As you move through the game, questions or sentences on the walls show you the main character’s mindset. After finishing part 2, I think I understand what the game is supposed to mean.  There are 2 characters, a girl and her shadow. You switch between each character to finish puzzles to get to the next part of the story while collecting origami birds along the way. In the first clip, the girl is on a tree swing. The backgrounds change in session 2 to a more asylum look. The girl is scared of the light and must stay in the shadows. Back to the swing in the first part, that could represent the main character’s childhood where something happened that provoked the character to be in the asylum. I believe the game is a reference to therapy. Each part of the game is called sessions and the man’s voice that is heard sounds close to what a therapist might sound like when trying to help the girl. The girl is getting over her fear of the light through these sessions where she is trying to hide from it.  If you put her into the light, she sits down and you must rewind time to move on. Her shadow on the other hand is more confident, she can be in the light and doesn’t seem to be hesitant about her surroundings, this could be her true self that is buried under the depression. The game seems dull and bleak at first glance due to the colors used to make it up. The game can trigger some harsh feelings if the player is struggling mentally as the main character may say some things that are very negative or dark. Overall, the game was very good and I recommend it to those who are interested in indie games that explore mental health.

Author: Katelynn Kennedy

Hey there! My name is Katelynn (she /her), but I have many nicknames so call me whatever you see fit. I enjoy hanging out with friends, reading, writing, music, history, and other things that might correlate to that. I am all over the place even in my own brain so that might be seen throughout my posts. I hope someday to be a lawyer, but I also want to be a published author. View all posts by Katelynn Kennedy