As someone who knows this kind of grief, I'm very happy to see that you handled this topic so well without losing any of its depth. It's important that people can talk about it, and your game gives them a voice or at least some kind of 'virtual conversation partner'. It's wonderful, really. Once again you showed off how empathic you are, and there is something in this game that resonates with my inner self. I'm very happy that you made this game, and I'm wondering how you can achieve to do such masterpieces in the short time span of a game jam. I'm rooting for you and I hope that you'll get a high ranking, dear Angela! That's why I wrote a praising article about "YOU LEFT ME." and also uploaded a gameplay video, that leads to one of the five endings - I'd say it's my personal favorite, because it's hopeful. Thank you.
This was such amazing game, I fell inlove with story and the true lesson behind it. The music and the art was also amazing. and every nice to look at it. I would recommend this to anyone and I would play this million times if I have too.
Your game is truly amazing. I enjoyed the surreal and, creative art style you gave to this project! Felt the gameplay was neither too long nor, too short. You took a very serious subject such as, suicide and, loss turned it into a creative expressive outlet. I was however disappointed that I couldn't name the cycloptic cat Mr.Moo haha! Looking forward to more games from you!
Glad to see you made another game! Your art is lovely as always, and I really appreciate how you tackle mature themes using an abstract, unique style. It's a rarity to see and you execute it perfectly.
To be honest, I didn't expect this to hit me that hard. Frankly speaking, it's more like I didn't wantit to get to me. The feelings and thoughts of the character were too relatable so I had trouble playing without getting emotional. Repressing and denying certain feelings to numb one's self is a common tactic many are guilty of, and the way you painted the world just makes sense. There's a lot to say about the symbolic environment, but that's the shortest summary I can offer without rambling on too much.
Overall, this was a lovely and beautifully crafted experience. I'm sure others may interpret the journey differently or may even simplify it, but the message carries a heavy weight. As always, great job on making this!
Art style amazing as always, i love your work. This game has an amazing atmosphere and It somewhat touched me due to the fact of losing someone recently, thanks for making this piece of art.
This is in not way the game I thought it was when I first downloaded it but Holy Hell am I glad I did You Left Me is just Fu*king beautiful, the sound track alone is reason enough to play.
Beautiful.
Absolutely beautiful. If I were to describe the game with one word, that would
be it. The sense of style when it comes to the art is on a whole other level
here, just like with your other works, the art you present is phenomenal
and deserves a high amount of praise. It helps to create this surreal
atmosphere shrouded in mystery that is perfect given the underlying themes. The
music used throughout the game also adds to this sense of surrealism, and I
loved it.
The story is of course quite dark
and grim, as with any story involving loss of any kind. It's never easy to just
"move on" and look past things, people can try to understand what it
is you're feeling but they're on the outside looking in, only you can truly
understand your thoughts and feelings. What happens then when even you can't
understand your own thoughts and feelings? You might feel confused, angry, or
depressed. This is when you're the most vulnerable, and also when you're
the most alone. Some of those people on the outside looking in might take this
as an opportunity to push themselves onto you, such as in a work setting.
Others might see you simply as a thing to "cure". In the end though
it's up to you to try and sort through it all, and that's what I've taken away
from the story of this game. No one can force you to "give in" or
"survive" it's up to you to look within yourself to find that
strength that will hopefully lead you to the right answer.
I'm sorry if I got a bit rambly
there, the game certainly got me thinking a lot. Not just about what was
happening during the game, but in my own life, and that's how you know that
you've created something truly special.
In closing, this isn't just a
game, but an experience. You've created something magnificent here that I have
no doubt will speak to countless other people. I'm glad I got the chance to
play it.
I hope you don't mind but I made
a let's play of the game for my channel, where I believe I got every ending
though I'm unsure.
Thank you for this game, and seriously keep making these type of games to raise awareness. I love this game, though short I cried after the recording. I related so much, and really patched up some negative thoughts I have been having recently.
The game is very very deep and send a very good messege of suicide, loneliness, and depression. I really am loving the art style because it really suits the atmosphere of the game and I also want to know the music name. It really hits people that has suicidal thought, been suicidal, feeling depressed, and loneliness har because I always feel lonely at home and get really depress when get scold at for whatever reason that would be. I am the only child and has been living with my parents but when I'm in my room all alone and I feel lonely from time to time even though I am living with my parents. I have to have someone I could text, talk, call, and hangout(not all the time unless in the mood) ALL THE TIME. This game really hits me hard and I am happy that I play this wonderful game. ♥
The subtle movement of the interface and the depiction of the main character's environment strengthen her post-trauma view and experience; also written with such effective hints through the full scenario of her circumstance :")
This is a very good yet depressing game. The art style is unique and well done, the audio works well for the environment, and the writing is well done. When I first looked at this game I didn't know what to expect. The art style is crazy looking but after playing it, works so well for the environment of the world. For those wondering what this game is about, it may put some people off. The game puts you in the shoes of someone who has lost a loved one to suicide. But rather than you controlling the lost loved one. You play through the eyes of the other victim in this scenario. It's hard to think about who else may have been hurt in the event of something like this happening. But this type of scenario doesn't just effect the victim, but everyone around them as well. I enjoy playing these types of games in that the developer is passionate enough about this to the point that they create a unique and intense game to show their perspective. All in all a very intense and to the point story that gives you an alternate perspective in this particular tragedy. I did a video on my experience with the game if anyone is interested in seeing what this game has to offer.
I got the two good endings(I don't know if there are others, I will eventually go for them another time) at the first try. And I'm not saying it because I feel awesome or something, but because I went trough the same struggle. You have to keep trying, to remember the good things, especially if your pain is strongly related to the loss of somebody you cared about or loved. I don't agree with some people saying stuff like "you have to teach people meds are good and blablabla", that's not the point of the game, for me. The point is showing how someone feels when pain is too much, to show how this pain sometimes can even put you in confusion, struggling to stay put in reality and not in the awful living nightmare your mind is putting you in. So, this is from a victim point. Where nothing matters, and nobody can help you, in this nightmare. But if you continue to try, there's always a way, and you can be able to finally see it. And I'm really happy on how you can get the good ending, because those choices were absolutely realistic, and that's why I was able to finish it with no struggle at all since I've been living those feelings, too. I knew what to do to help her. Thank you for your beautiful work, and for dedicating this to people like us.
This game truly touched me. And the fact that it was made in only 48 hours is amazing! The art is beautiful, as well as the music. Thank you so much for making this game!
Played through the game 3 times! This game really is a beautiful piece of art in bits and as a whole! Just truly well done all around! I really loved the cat (My Dude!), and the shaken world altered reality vibe some go through after experiencing the loss of a loved one is really fleshed out here! Amazing work!
YOU LEFT ME is an artistic approach to point'n'click style adventure games with just enough of a surreal theme to keep things interesting throughout. The ability to pan the camera around the images has a nice feel to it, almost like the player is looking into a diorama of an emotional story unfolding. The music, while not necessarily to my taste, definitely worked well with the dreamworld surrealism going on. Overall, this was quite the experience, and I liked your way of conveying messages.
Good job on this. I've seen your art before, but never knew who it belonged to. You've a nice style.
Just like the previous 2 games that I have played of yours this one was also absolutely fantastic and touched upon even more heavier subject than the previous two.Artstyle and game mechanics were undoubtedly beautiful and really really good.I loved how things were portrayed in an artistic way to show how things were for the character when she is going through such a sad phase.Cat and the moon were good addition as it quite lightened the atmosphere though moon's jokes mostly went over my mind XD
I had a great and quite a serious time with this game and I hope to play many more games by you in the future =)
I haven't gotten all the endings yet, which I plant to do, but what I believe to be the true ending was really poignant for me. The art is gorgeous, and you captured exactly how it feels to lose someone who's especially close to you. Sometimes, it can feel like an abyss, but there's always a reason behind everything. I believe. Even the difficult stuff. Good job, developer.
this is such a well done game, especially considering this was done in 48 hours! thank you for making and sharing this with us, you are such a skilled artist and storyteller.
I really like the art style but I can't agree with the message the game is trying to portray.
The game clearly expresses that talking to those around you is useless, going to a professional/clinic will only have you be ridiculed and the GP said they don't know how to help them, at that point they would have given them a referral to a mental health professional. I know because I've been through this and so have my sisters; If a doctor doesn't know how to deal with a problem they send you to one that does know how to deal with it, so that protrayal of doctors was really inaccurate.
The game may have a good ending but it seems most routes end in suicide, which although may be a reality for a lot of people, for many others they end up at the end of the tunnel by talking to professionals and getting support from loved ones.
The way the game calls antidepressants "happy pills" is a really negative message considering antidepressants aren't supposed to be "happy pills", never have and never will be. They're to help people counteract depression and to help people dealing with depression get out of bed in the morning.
Overall, the game has a nice art style but the messages it communicates are either inaccurate or outdated. I know a decade or two back, perhaps this would have been the reality for those suffering from depression, but these days, it's really easy to find help since there's so many places you can go. The real problem is taking those steps and that's the message I expected from this game, but, it seems that the journey and the destination are worthless in this game.
Side Note: I know this game is in the perspective of someone who is depressed, so antidepressents may appear as happy pills to them, but when they went to see a professional that should have helped at least a little. Also, it seems they went to see a GP but a GP isn't authorised to prescribe antidepressants without a note from a mental health professional. They don't just hand out antidepressants to people they think may be depressed (remember, GP's are only very minimally trained in mental health but that's enough for them to know when they should refer someone to a mental health professional.)
I think you have a great argument and point to make. But I think you've interpreted the game as fact, as explicit, when the surreality implies to not take it at face value. I never said the happy pills were antidepressants, either, I just said they're to fight the pain - they could be benzos or opioids. The game's supposed to represent the despair, isolation, and emotions that a person might feel after losing someone. Help, yes, is crucial to healing. But sometimes you can't get help - maybe your parents refuse to believe your pain is real; maybe your friends tell you to get over it. Maybe you have nobody. I'll keep your point about medical professionals in mind - I personally have had terrible experiences with them, but I shouldn't let that blind me. Thanks for sharing your opinion. The fact that my game came across as such was not what I wanted, and I would revise it; however, this game has honestly been too emotionally taxing for me to make. I don't want to touch it again.
I'm sorry you had bad experiences with doctors. Whenever I or my sisters have gone to a GP for a mental health problem (we may not even know it's a mental health problem at first, it can be difficult to distinguish between the two sometimes) they usually give us two referrals: One to a counsellor and one to a doctor qualified to diagnose mental illness. This is of course after testing for deficiencies, but we always get to proper help in the end and we're a lot better because of it.
You make a strong point about depression skewing reality, which I like but the elements of reality and what's distorted is confusing for those playing. Making the player experience what the protagonist is feeling is important, but when it gets in the way of the core values of the game or miscommunicates something it can leave multiple, possible unwanted interpretations. In my case, I tried to interpret it in three ways.
One where the game was entirely in someone's imagination, one where everything was reality and one where it was somewhere in between. Your game falls somewhere in between meaning, like I said before, what is real and what is distorted is unclear and since you're the creator it's probably glaringly obvious to you but to those who don't have insight into who the creator is and their motives (such as your bad experiences with doctors) assumptions have to be made in order to reach a conclusion.
I understand how you can come into a project with so many hopes and aspirations and for the reservoir to be drained by the end, so you don't need to worry about touching the game again, especially since the various interpretations were due to miscommunication and not from morose intentions. As a word of warning, I think if you don't make a statement regarding the multiple interpretations it will continue to be perceived that way.
From what I could see while playing, the mental health professionals aren't all that helpful, but going to the clinic will give you the option to go to the grave if you give the right answers. And I found the conversation with the coworker, which for me ended with them offering to visit the grave with me and saying we should talk more, was a good way to show the benefits of reaching out.
I have to agree that if the majority of endings are suicide, then it is implying that the action you take leads to you ultimately ending yourself, which is not a great way to present people in this situation. Every time I played it lead to a suicide, and considering that the game is so inherently beautiful, I couldn't help but feel that it is glorifying suicide. That being said, the path to solace is not easy, and so "good endings" should not outweigh the bad ones, so I appreciate that greatly. The character committed without me expecting them to do so. Obviously, this game was only made in 48 hours, so there's limitations, but in future work it'd be great if the player had a bit more controll; for example, choosing to take pills shouldn't end in suicide. It felt like quite a big jump to go from "I'll take what the doctor gave me" to "I will use what the doctor gave me to die" it'd be good to have an option that was clearer, again, I understand that the game is emulating the effect of confusion and uncertainty, but I feel that it's implying that people in this situation have no choice or agency in their own lives
From personal experience, I feel that a more true depiction would be to come close to suicide multiple times, but ultimately returning to a state of repetition.
After all of what I've said, the game seems to've resonated with a lot of people, and they seem to've found it helpful, so I guess that my view is my own. I see that you said you don't want to touch the game again and that's very understandableI hope that what I've said doesn't come across to negative or damning, and simply acts as something fo you to think about if you ever consider this type of game again. Keep up the hard workand thanks for creating beautiful games
Amazing job as usual c: Gorgeous art, smooth interactions, cute and funny parts mixed in with the heavy topics. The way everything moves with the mouse really adds to the dreaminess. I liked how the happy pills are little smiley faces. My favorite pictures were the boss and the train.
[Possible bug?]
I'm not sure if it's part of the game, but, there's a part where I can't move forward anymore. I think it's at 11:23pm, after I've stayed late at work. There aren't any buttons and time doesn't pass. I can still open the menu so I'm wondering if I just haven't found what to click?
Thanks unlimitedjelly ^_^ (nice name haha) I can't seem to reproduce this; I tried doing some things that could've fixed it but are really shots in the dark. Lmk if you still get the bug.
An excellent selection of music and original graphics that extends into the field of art, like as you were being tickled by Salvador Dali's mustache actually, makes this game incredible attractive and sets the mood for the thematic intended to be discuss.
In my opinion, this game did not make it well regarding the theme for this LDJAM 41, unless of course, life and death were the incompatible things intended in this game to be mixed.
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As someone who knows this kind of grief, I'm very happy to see that you handled this topic so well without losing any of its depth. It's important that people can talk about it, and your game gives them a voice or at least some kind of 'virtual conversation partner'. It's wonderful, really. Once again you showed off how empathic you are, and there is something in this game that resonates with my inner self. I'm very happy that you made this game, and I'm wondering how you can achieve to do such masterpieces in the short time span of a game jam. I'm rooting for you and I hope that you'll get a high ranking, dear Angela! That's why I wrote a praising article about "YOU LEFT ME." and also uploaded a gameplay video, that leads to one of the five endings - I'd say it's my personal favorite, because it's hopeful. Thank you.
Best wishes,
Sebastian
This was such amazing game, I fell inlove with story and the true lesson behind it. The music and the art was also amazing. and every nice to look at it. I would recommend this to anyone and I would play this million times if I have too.
Amazing video game ! 10 /10
Hello Angela He,
Your game is truly amazing. I enjoyed the surreal and, creative art style you gave to this project! Felt the gameplay was neither too long nor, too short. You took a very serious subject such as, suicide and, loss turned it into a creative expressive outlet. I was however disappointed that I couldn't name the cycloptic cat Mr.Moo haha! Looking forward to more games from you!
Absolutely loved the art style of this and the ambience of it
Awesome! And depressing...this game caught me with so many feelings
ฅ/ᐠ｡ᆽ｡ᐟ \ ~Hello~
Glad to see you made another game! Your art is lovely as always, and I really appreciate how you tackle mature themes using an abstract, unique style. It's a rarity to see and you execute it perfectly.
To be honest, I didn't expect this to hit me that hard. Frankly speaking, it's more like I didn't want it to get to me. The feelings and thoughts of the character were too relatable so I had trouble playing without getting emotional. Repressing and denying certain feelings to numb one's self is a common tactic many are guilty of, and the way you painted the world just makes sense. There's a lot to say about the symbolic environment, but that's the shortest summary I can offer without rambling on too much.
Overall, this was a lovely and beautifully crafted experience. I'm sure others may interpret the journey differently or may even simplify it, but the message carries a heavy weight. As always, great job on making this!
Thanks! But didn't you post before? Please don't double post.
Art style amazing as always, i love your work. This game has an amazing atmosphere and It somewhat touched me due to the fact of losing someone recently, thanks for making this piece of art.
This is in not way the game I thought it was when I first downloaded it but Holy Hell am I glad I did You Left Me is just Fu*king beautiful, the sound track alone is reason enough to play.
Had to go with the Live ending.
This game is absolutely an amazing experience. Great job!
Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. If I were to describe the game with one word, that would be it. The sense of style when it comes to the art is on a whole other level here, just like with your other works, the art you present is phenomenal and deserves a high amount of praise. It helps to create this surreal atmosphere shrouded in mystery that is perfect given the underlying themes. The music used throughout the game also adds to this sense of surrealism, and I loved it.
The story is of course quite dark and grim, as with any story involving loss of any kind. It's never easy to just "move on" and look past things, people can try to understand what it is you're feeling but they're on the outside looking in, only you can truly understand your thoughts and feelings. What happens then when even you can't understand your own thoughts and feelings? You might feel confused, angry, or depressed. This is when you're the most vulnerable, and also when you're the most alone. Some of those people on the outside looking in might take this as an opportunity to push themselves onto you, such as in a work setting. Others might see you simply as a thing to "cure". In the end though it's up to you to try and sort through it all, and that's what I've taken away from the story of this game. No one can force you to "give in" or "survive" it's up to you to look within yourself to find that strength that will hopefully lead you to the right answer.
I'm sorry if I got a bit rambly there, the game certainly got me thinking a lot. Not just about what was happening during the game, but in my own life, and that's how you know that you've created something truly special.
In closing, this isn't just a game, but an experience. You've created something magnificent here that I have no doubt will speak to countless other people. I'm glad I got the chance to play it.
I hope you don't mind but I made a let's play of the game for my channel, where I believe I got every ending though I'm unsure.
Cheers and best wishes to you!
Killjoy
Thank you for this game, and seriously keep making these type of games to raise awareness. I love this game, though short I cried after the recording. I related so much, and really patched up some negative thoughts I have been having recently.
Much Love,
Shrekster 5000
This game is wonderful. Thank you.
The game is very very deep and send a very good messege of suicide, loneliness, and depression. I really am loving the art style because it really suits the atmosphere of the game and I also want to know the music name. It really hits people that has suicidal thought, been suicidal, feeling depressed, and loneliness har because I always feel lonely at home and get really depress when get scold at for whatever reason that would be. I am the only child and has been living with my parents but when I'm in my room all alone and I feel lonely from time to time even though I am living with my parents. I have to have someone I could text, talk, call, and hangout(not all the time unless in the mood) ALL THE TIME. This game really hits me hard and I am happy that I play this wonderful game. ♥
You can find the three songs of the game in the "About" section!
Thank you my dude :)
The subtle movement of the interface and the depiction of the main character's environment strengthen her post-trauma view and experience; also written with such effective hints through the full scenario of her circumstance :")
Many thumbs up for your great work ^^
This is a very good yet depressing game. The art style is unique and well done, the audio works well for the environment, and the writing is well done. When I first looked at this game I didn't know what to expect. The art style is crazy looking but after playing it, works so well for the environment of the world. For those wondering what this game is about, it may put some people off. The game puts you in the shoes of someone who has lost a loved one to suicide. But rather than you controlling the lost loved one. You play through the eyes of the other victim in this scenario. It's hard to think about who else may have been hurt in the event of something like this happening. But this type of scenario doesn't just effect the victim, but everyone around them as well. I enjoy playing these types of games in that the developer is passionate enough about this to the point that they create a unique and intense game to show their perspective. All in all a very intense and to the point story that gives you an alternate perspective in this particular tragedy. I did a video on my experience with the game if anyone is interested in seeing what this game has to offer.
Great comment! I like to think it's about losing someone in general, not just through suicide.
Such a strange game! Enjoyed it apart from the music blasting my ear drums into next month!
I got the two good endings(I don't know if there are others, I will eventually go for them another time) at the first try. And I'm not saying it because I feel awesome or something, but because I went trough the same struggle. You have to keep trying, to remember the good things, especially if your pain is strongly related to the loss of somebody you cared about or loved. I don't agree with some people saying stuff like "you have to teach people meds are good and blablabla", that's not the point of the game, for me. The point is showing how someone feels when pain is too much, to show how this pain sometimes can even put you in confusion, struggling to stay put in reality and not in the awful living nightmare your mind is putting you in. So, this is from a victim point. Where nothing matters, and nobody can help you, in this nightmare. But if you continue to try, there's always a way, and you can be able to finally see it. And I'm really happy on how you can get the good ending, because those choices were absolutely realistic, and that's why I was able to finish it with no struggle at all since I've been living those feelings, too. I knew what to do to help her. Thank you for your beautiful work, and for dedicating this to people like us.
Thanks for the beautiful game.
This game truly touched me. And the fact that it was made in only 48 hours is amazing! The art is beautiful, as well as the music. Thank you so much for making this game!
any chance to upload the whole project please i really like your work and love to learn from you
Played through the game 3 times! This game really is a beautiful piece of art in bits and as a whole! Just truly well done all around! I really loved the cat (My Dude!), and the shaken world altered reality vibe some go through after experiencing the loss of a loved one is really fleshed out here! Amazing work!
YOU LEFT ME is an artistic approach to point'n'click style adventure games with just enough of a surreal theme to keep things interesting throughout. The ability to pan the camera around the images has a nice feel to it, almost like the player is looking into a diorama of an emotional story unfolding. The music, while not necessarily to my taste, definitely worked well with the dreamworld surrealism going on. Overall, this was quite the experience, and I liked your way of conveying messages.
Good job on this. I've seen your art before, but never knew who it belonged to. You've a nice style.Just like the previous 2 games that I have played of yours this one was also absolutely fantastic and touched upon even more heavier subject than the previous two.Artstyle and game mechanics were undoubtedly beautiful and really really good.I loved how things were portrayed in an artistic way to show how things were for the character when she is going through such a sad phase.Cat and the moon were good addition as it quite lightened the atmosphere though moon's jokes mostly went over my mind XD
I had a great and quite a serious time with this game and I hope to play many more games by you in the future =)
I haven't gotten all the endings yet, which I plant to do, but what I believe to be the true ending was really poignant for me. The art is gorgeous, and you captured exactly how it feels to lose someone who's especially close to you. Sometimes, it can feel like an abyss, but there's always a reason behind everything. I believe. Even the difficult stuff. Good job, developer.
this is such a well done game, especially considering this was done in 48 hours! thank you for making and sharing this with us, you are such a skilled artist and storyteller.
I really like the art style but I can't agree with the message the game is trying to portray.
The game clearly expresses that talking to those around you is useless, going to a professional/clinic will only have you be ridiculed and the GP said they don't know how to help them, at that point they would have given them a referral to a mental health professional. I know because I've been through this and so have my sisters; If a doctor doesn't know how to deal with a problem they send you to one that does know how to deal with it, so that protrayal of doctors was really inaccurate.
The game may have a good ending but it seems most routes end in suicide, which although may be a reality for a lot of people, for many others they end up at the end of the tunnel by talking to professionals and getting support from loved ones.
The way the game calls antidepressants "happy pills" is a really negative message considering antidepressants aren't supposed to be "happy pills", never have and never will be. They're to help people counteract depression and to help people dealing with depression get out of bed in the morning.
Overall, the game has a nice art style but the messages it communicates are either inaccurate or outdated. I know a decade or two back, perhaps this would have been the reality for those suffering from depression, but these days, it's really easy to find help since there's so many places you can go. The real problem is taking those steps and that's the message I expected from this game, but, it seems that the journey and the destination are worthless in this game.
Side Note: I know this game is in the perspective of someone who is depressed, so antidepressents may appear as happy pills to them, but when they went to see a professional that should have helped at least a little. Also, it seems they went to see a GP but a GP isn't authorised to prescribe antidepressants without a note from a mental health professional. They don't just hand out antidepressants to people they think may be depressed (remember, GP's are only very minimally trained in mental health but that's enough for them to know when they should refer someone to a mental health professional.)
I think you have a great argument and point to make. But I think you've interpreted the game as fact, as explicit, when the surreality implies to not take it at face value. I never said the happy pills were antidepressants, either, I just said they're to fight the pain - they could be benzos or opioids. The game's supposed to represent the despair, isolation, and emotions that a person might feel after losing someone. Help, yes, is crucial to healing. But sometimes you can't get help - maybe your parents refuse to believe your pain is real; maybe your friends tell you to get over it. Maybe you have nobody. I'll keep your point about medical professionals in mind - I personally have had terrible experiences with them, but I shouldn't let that blind me. Thanks for sharing your opinion. The fact that my game came across as such was not what I wanted, and I would revise it; however, this game has honestly been too emotionally taxing for me to make. I don't want to touch it again.
I'm sorry you had bad experiences with doctors. Whenever I or my sisters have gone to a GP for a mental health problem (we may not even know it's a mental health problem at first, it can be difficult to distinguish between the two sometimes) they usually give us two referrals: One to a counsellor and one to a doctor qualified to diagnose mental illness. This is of course after testing for deficiencies, but we always get to proper help in the end and we're a lot better because of it.
You make a strong point about depression skewing reality, which I like but the elements of reality and what's distorted is confusing for those playing. Making the player experience what the protagonist is feeling is important, but when it gets in the way of the core values of the game or miscommunicates something it can leave multiple, possible unwanted interpretations. In my case, I tried to interpret it in three ways.
One where the game was entirely in someone's imagination, one where everything was reality and one where it was somewhere in between. Your game falls somewhere in between meaning, like I said before, what is real and what is distorted is unclear and since you're the creator it's probably glaringly obvious to you but to those who don't have insight into who the creator is and their motives (such as your bad experiences with doctors) assumptions have to be made in order to reach a conclusion.
I understand how you can come into a project with so many hopes and aspirations and for the reservoir to be drained by the end, so you don't need to worry about touching the game again, especially since the various interpretations were due to miscommunication and not from morose intentions. As a word of warning, I think if you don't make a statement regarding the multiple interpretations it will continue to be perceived that way.
From what I could see while playing, the mental health professionals aren't all that helpful, but going to the clinic will give you the option to go to the grave if you give the right answers. And I found the conversation with the coworker, which for me ended with them offering to visit the grave with me and saying we should talk more, was a good way to show the benefits of reaching out.
I have to agree that if the majority of endings are suicide, then it is implying that the action you take leads to you ultimately ending yourself, which is not a great way to present people in this situation.
Every time I played it lead to a suicide, and considering that the game is so inherently beautiful, I couldn't help but feel that it is glorifying suicide.
That being said, the path to solace is not easy, and so "good endings" should not outweigh the bad ones, so I appreciate that greatly.
The character committed without me expecting them to do so. Obviously, this game was only made in 48 hours, so there's limitations, but in future work it'd be great if the player had a bit more controll; for example, choosing to take pills shouldn't end in suicide. It felt like quite a big jump to go from "I'll take what the doctor gave me" to "I will use what the doctor gave me to die" it'd be good to have an option that was clearer, again, I understand that the game is emulating the effect of confusion and uncertainty, but I feel that it's implying that people in this situation have no choice or agency in their own lives
From personal experience, I feel that a more true depiction would be to come close to suicide multiple times, but ultimately returning to a state of repetition.
After all of what I've said, the game seems to've resonated with a lot of people, and they seem to've found it helpful, so I guess that my view is my own. I see that you said you don't want to touch the game again and that's very understandableI hope that what I've said doesn't come across to negative or damning, and simply acts as something fo you to think about if you ever consider this type of game again.
Keep up the hard workand thanks for creating beautiful games
Amazing job as usual c: Gorgeous art, smooth interactions, cute and funny parts mixed in with the heavy topics. The way everything moves with the mouse really adds to the dreaminess. I liked how the happy pills are little smiley faces. My favorite pictures were the boss and the train.
[Possible bug?]
I'm not sure if it's part of the game, but, there's a part where I can't move forward anymore. I think it's at 11:23pm, after I've stayed late at work. There aren't any buttons and time doesn't pass. I can still open the menu so I'm wondering if I just haven't found what to click?
Thanks unlimitedjelly ^_^ (nice name haha) I can't seem to reproduce this; I tried doing some things that could've fixed it but are really shots in the dark. Lmk if you still get the bug.
The artwork is stunning. Wrote a review to let our fans know about your work =].
https://peachscastle.com/games/adventure/you-left-me/
Very the beautiful visual part of, a pity that a short. As well 5/5
How do you save?
You are killing it with your games, I would love to work with you in the future, I 'm really interested in bringing surrealism to games.
I want to lay down and cry!
This game is BEAUTIFUL and PERFECT!
Congratulations to everyone involved on this project!
Thank you very much guys for the experience.
An excellent selection of music and original graphics that extends into the field of art, like as you were being tickled by Salvador Dali's mustache actually, makes this game incredible attractive and sets the mood for the thematic intended to be discuss.
In my opinion, this game did not make it well regarding the theme for this LDJAM 41, unless of course, life and death were the incompatible things intended in this game to be mixed.