Review: Zoe Quinn’s Depression Quest

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Depression Quest
by Zoe Quinn
2013
Hypertext / Twine Game
Steam / Play for Free


I know, the title doesn’t scream ‘thrilling-thing-you-want-to-do’ but bear with me for a second. Depression Quest is an interactive Twine game with collaborators Patrick Lindsey and Issac Schankler. You play as someone living with depression who is given everyday situations to navigate and choices as to what you can decide to do.

It is not a fun game.

It isn’t meant to be.

The purpose is to educate those who play so they have a better understanding of what living with depression entails, this can range from people struggling with the mental illness or those trying to support them. As you begin you are given snippets of information about your background such as your social circle and the fact you have a girlfriend called Alex.

The story is navigated via hyperlinks but additionally also has music which you are encouraged to listen to as you play. But you don’t miss anything if you do; I gather it’s there to provide some sort of ambience yet it’s rather just stereotypical sad piano.

Depending on which choice you take, others are struck through so you no longer have that option. You can see the most positive or logical option, you know it’s there, but you’ve chosen to ignore it or not pursue it for whatever reason. This element of the game in particular I found interesting, more evocative of real life frustration. You’ve made a choice. You can’t go back. You have to deal with what’s left.

However, a drawback for Depression Quest is that if you’ve dealt with or are dealing with depression you know how to get the ‘positive’ outcome. As with all games, you want to beat them, you want to achieve the best possible outcome and with this, it’s fairly simple to do. This part of the gameplay feels almost encouraging, that if you can manage it here there’s the possibility you can do it for yourself too.

Additionally, parts of the writing start to feel like it’s more of a personal account of their mental health, what choices they feel they had at that time so it can come across as very narrow in its scope, and slightly tedious.

Adversely you do get several chances to open up to the other characters, to change your progression if you’ve decided this isn’t quite the path you want. One thing that is beneficial is that the game provides something akin to stress relief. You can choose the most disastrous options but there is no fall out, no lasting damage, no broken friendships, etc. It’s all contained in cyberspace, waiting for the reset button.

In essence, it is an educational tool in a sea of thousands and there is no doubt that for some it has served its purpose. Depression Quest is a good attempt at trying to battle the stigma of mental illness through a more interactive, widely accessible platform and should be utilised more often.

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