F2P Friday: DEPRESSION QUEST

Julia Roth

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Depression Quest is a narrative chose driven game that educates players on mental health.

Welcome to this week’s installment of F2P Friday, where we highlight our favorite video games that are Free-2-Play. The video game market can be a little oversaturated and sometimes hidden gems can fall through the cracks. This is where we do all the digging for you and bring you a new F2P game every week that we think you will enjoy. So get ready to dive in!

RELATED: Check out more from our F2P Friday Series!

Depression Quest

Depression Quest opening describing the player's state of mind.

The Basics

To help bring awareness to Mental Health Awareness Month, this week we are sharing Depression Quest. This interactive fiction story game is from indie developers Zoe Quinn and Patrick Lindsey, and the music that accompanies the reading was created by Isaac Schankler. The game gives players a look into the mind and daily life of someone who is struggling with depression. They suggest if you are currently struggling with depression or easily triggered by the subject matter, do not play. Depression Quest released on PC through Steam in August 2014.

The gameplay is simple yet can become overwhelming at times. Each chapter works to tell a portion of the story to help give the player an understanding of the mindset of the main protagonist. After each section, the player chooses which direction to progress forward from a list of choices. This is where the player can truly understand how depression can affect a person’s life. Depending on the protagonist’s state of mind, some choices will be unavailable to choose from.

RELATED: What Happened Leads Us on a Journey Through a Troubled Teen’s Mind

Why You Should Play It

Depression Quest really shines as a way to educate players on the struggles of depression. It is not an exact interpretation of everyone’s struggle with depression. What it does right is help show that sometimes the “easy” answers and the “right” answers are not a choice depending on someone’s state of mind. Just understanding that sometimes the simple choices are the hardest can make understanding depression easier.

For those who enjoy a choose-your-own-adventure-style game, this will feel right at home. The choices the player makes are meaningful and have depth. They continue to have a sway on future choices in the story and can lock the player out of certain endings at times. The game is short but leaves a strong impact on those who have played.

Screenshot from Depression Quest where answered are blocked out depending on the characters mental health.
Depression Quest

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Julia Roth
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