Eliza

The unsettling part isn't that AI can imitate humans. It's that humans can become its mouthpiece.

Eliza really surprised me. I didn’t expect a game from 2019 to feel this relevant, but it actually hits very close to what we’re dealing with now, with AI, with mental health, with ethical choices. This game found me at the right time, because it talks about things I’m struggling with right now. It was really interesting to see what the game thinks about where all of this is going and what the possible outcomes could be. All characters felt real, relatable, empathetic. It really felt like I'm not just dealing with fictional characters, but peeking at someone's work. It was often painful to see the replies of Eliza during sessions, I almost wanted to talk to the screen, saying "nooo, what are you doing, dumb AI". I never had this urge before with any other game. I mean, it was necessary for the story that you feel that way and it worked exactly how it should. Brilliant! I also really enjoyed going through different endings and seeing where they lead. I just wish there were more achievements, because it made me want to explore everything. Even after seeing every ending, I still haven’t decided what I would choose if I were Evelyn. It feels like every option makes sense for the story, but at the same time, I feel like none of them really matter. And well, isn't it how Evelyn felt the whole time? Or is it just me projecting?

[도전과제 100%] AI가 슬픔의 '증상'을 완화해줄 수는 있어도, 슬픔의 '의미'를 채워줄 수 있는 건 결국 인간뿐이지 않을까? --------------------------------------------------- AI might be able to alleviate the 'symptoms' of grief, but in the end, isn't it only humans who can fill that grief with 'meaning'?

[h1]Generative[/h1] TL;DR: A poignant visual novel that explores what drives us individually and as a species, and what it is to find meaning in a world of suffering and chaos.[hr][/hr]As the above blurb should have made explicit, this visual novel deals with some heavy concepts. As such, I don’t recommend tearing into it unless you have some emotional space to process the story and themes. Having recently returned from a trip to Seattle, where [i]Eliza[/i] is set, I went into it largely blind, thinking it would be fun to explore the setting virtually too. I’ve been processing some heavy personal stuff, and thought it might be a fun distraction. [b]This is not that kind of experience.[/b] I noped out after less than an hour into my first session because it became clear that I was not in the right headspace for it. Luckily, after doing some real-life work, I was able to return to it, and I deeply appreciate it for what it is. [i]Eliza[/i] is the story of Evelyn, a tech developer just returning to the world after a self-imposed hiatus of almost three years. Her backstory is not made explicit right away, but she is clearly dealing with trauma from her past. She takes a new job as a proxy for Eliza, an AI-based therapy service featuring humans who relay the computer’s words to clients, giving the technology a human touch. Without further spoiling the story, she quickly gets swept up in new opportunities, the chance at building real human connections, and her search to find meaning in the fruits of her former labors. As with all VN’s, this game is all about the narrative, and the writing on display here is excellent; this is a character-driven experience with a cast who all feel relatable, real, and driven by their own motivations and histories. It explores a deeply human story against the backdrop of the increasing encroachment of technology into our everyday lives, and somehow manages not to paint any of the varied personalities as explicit villains. By guiding Evelyn through its tale, [i]Eliza[/i] provides the player a structured environment for beginning to grapple with some very real questions that face each of us as we are expected to interact more with AIs and the for-profit organizations that create them. This game doesn’t revolutionize or defy its genre. It is a visual novel, wonderfully executed with brilliant art, writing, and voice acting. If you categorically don’t enjoy VN’s, you won’t like this game. If you find yourself exploring every path, relationship, and ending, the game (I’m sure) has the classic weakness of breaking apart once you see how it works, losing its impact. There is no wrong way to enjoy a game, but I strongly recommend meandering through Evelyn’s journey of self-discovery, choosing what feels right in the moment, reaching one of its conclusions, and sitting in the space that creates for you emotionally and philosophically.

Eliza is a visual novel with an interesting story that goes deep into the use of AI and how the data we share could be used in the future. The game has a really nice artstyle that grabbed me instantly when I was looking for a good visual novel game. The voice acting is also well done, I could feel the emotions really well as they were read, I think the voice acting gave life to the characters, making them feel so real. Especially the main character, Evelyn who we play as, being in the role of a "proxy" to the clients for an AI therapist, it felt really immersive. The story was super engaging even though there wasn't lots of gameplay, it deals with the concept of a world without suffering and how sometimes AI isn't the answer to real problem that people may be facing. At the end of the game, I think most players start questioning themselves and will have to make an opinion or whether something is morally right or wrong. It's a fascinating game that I would recommend. I did enjoy playing the kabufada solitaire minigame too which I spent most of my hours trying to get the achievement.

Maybe the best piece of media ever about tech culture, burnout, AI, enterprise software, and what it looks like to see your own code in the world. The author has clearly been on the inside of a tech company, and if you haven't been, I don't think you can know exactly how on-the-nose this is. Tech is very easy to make fun of, but unlike so many other attempts, this is not a cheap satire -- they came by this one honestly. Still so funny and touching and relevant. I play this on a flight every couple years and every time it makes me laugh and makes me pensive. And then at the end I always have Evelyn become a lesbian DJ. What other sane choice can a person make in this world?

Hard to believe how timely this seems even now. I can see parts of this storyline becoming reality. Maybe it already has. My first Zachtronics game, I will have to check out the others.

Keep in mind folks that this was written in 2019!

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Beautiful visual novel that makes you think and the voice acting is superb. I'm a sucker for philosophical debates about mental health, AI, dreams, the future of humanity and what it means to be happy. This hit close to home and I can see myself in the shoes of the MC. Special thanks for introducing me to the kabufuda solitaire - I got the achievement and learned something new, but oh my god it really hurt my brain.