Hope's Journey: A Therapeutic Experience

I started playing this game hoping for something that I could use with clients. I was deeply disappointed and frustrated as it misuses therapeutic techniques in ways that can actually be harmful by teaching people that they and their thoughts are a problem. The way they use already problematic versions of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is bad. The game itself is utilizing rigid, AKA Black and White thinking. There are no "good" nor "bad" feelings and classifying thoughts as bad is also harmful to people's therapy and healing as it deepens distrust in themself. The cute music and cool game play and small glimmers of what this could have been are not close to enough to save this game for me. As a licensed mental health professional I would NOT recommend this as a game for people seeking a game to educate them about their thought processes. **5/4/2022 Update** I've played more of the game and continue to have the same issues with the content and writing of the game despite some attempt at nuance the game still fails to teach these concepts properly. It is not hard or high level to use proper terminology (uncomfortable or judgmental thought instead of bad). Moreover I reached the fake library in should must tower and there is no way forward. I don't know if my game is glitched or what but the design aspect of this room is poor as there is little direction and when you figure out the trick, there is no way to get to where the 3rd item is so you are just eternally stuck with no way to finish the level. Most of the game play itself is cool. The music is really nice. The overall vibe has promise which makes it disappointing that the experience is ruined by the writing. The lack of settings is rough and might be a total deal breaker for anyone with sight issues (colors are not always well defined even when they are key to figuring out the puzzle) or photosensitivity (the game gets and starts very bright and flashes without warning). On a culture note this game is also clearly meant for an affluent White Euro-American audience and there was no thought to how the game would work with people not in that demographic. This leads to the game temporarily endorsing yet more harmful stereotypes and norms to later use them to have Hope learn a lesson when other examples teach the lesson better. This approach is problematic because players from those groups will just be frustrated with the use of these harms when they are unnecessary given all the other better examples.

A fun calming game to play with clever relaxing ideas .. I enjoyed playing it.

This is such a good game! I definitely recommend getting it because while it may not be the same as therapy it does go over stuff that helps. The game puts these complex emotions in a very creative way and it is very informative. I hope it helps you as much as it does to me. 11/10 would recommend.

So far I've only played through Chapter 2. I will update this review to properly reflect my views once I've completed the game. The main complaint I have with the game is lack of accessibility features. The main screen is extremely bright, which is not good for those with photosensitivity issues. I would also like to see the game bring in features that make it more accessible to those that are color blind. There are also no options that allow you to turn down the game sound, which even with my volume at 10 was a little too loud for me. I also feel that some of the writing could be changed to make it more accessible to younger teens as well. It feels like it was written for those with some understanding of mental health already. I want to get a copy of this game for my 12 year old to play, but some of it seems a little too advanced for him at the moment. That said, as far as the game itself: I love the art style of the game and the music definitely adds to the atmosphere. The story also pulls you in. I feel it does a pretty good job of putting you in Hope's shoes. There are points in time that I forget I'm playing a game and it makes me think on my own thoughts and experiences, which is what I was hoping for in a game about therapy. I love the boss fights especially and how the game teaches us about mind ghosts and how our negative thoughts affect us.

[h1]꧁ NAWET GIT GRA TERAPUETYCZNA ꧂ [/h1] jednak dlaje tego typu gry sa żadkie a jeszcze rzadrze by był grywale o dziwo to jest [h1]Fabuła[/h1] dziewcyzna ma ogrom neagtywnych mysli gada z nacuziclem w szkole który zpoaznaje ja z podsawa nurtem psychologi poznawczo-behawioralnej no i oczyscie jest intrga powiecmy ze jets gituwa [h1]GRAFIKA[/h1] nieszczeny mejkre ale rozumiem ze ianczje nie mogło by to zorbione bo jest to zorbione przez 2 facetów 1 który profisjonlanie zmauje sie taerpia a drugi ezisuta gra wienc okej [h1]Muzyka[/h1] jest zmuzyczka tylko szdkoa ze nima dub az sie prosi [h1]Rozgrywka[/h1] Lazimimy ywkonujemy co gra nam mówi głownie ucmzy sie technik dotyczaych sfery poznawczej wraz z boahterka [h1]Podsumuwjąć[/h1] Szkoda ze gra czasem nie mówie wyrazie gdzie poszukaci ale czesame bardoz pomoga wienc gitj ak nam sie nie uda x razy itemów wykoananie taie sie ale w sumie peirwszy raz widze z dobrze przykonowanie pod wzyeldem metorycznyma gre napewno warto zekranic na proudkcje :) ✂---✂---✂---✂---✂---✂---✂---✂---✂---✂---✂---✂--- Szukasz więcej recnezji lub zastnawiesz się czemu tyle błedów ? Zapraszam do obserowania i przecyztania opisu na mojej grupie kuratora https://store.steampowered.com/curator/7690491-Aga-i-my/

great game so far, relaxing and helps you understand and stop your bad thoughts in fun way. recommended 10/10

I really enjoyed playing this game. I learnt a lot about myself from playing this game. If you would like to see more gameplay of this game please fell free to check out my channel. :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHng78B5ygE&t=984s

I love this game. This game is a very relaxing game from the music to the art style its very nice and modestly made and i recommend it for everyone who's having a bad day. even on a good day to make it better.

A very interesting game, it may not be the most fun or action packed, but I think it's entertaining enough. However, the highlight here is the therapeutic elements, and for me they've been mind blowing. I mean the ideas presented are so simple, yet they explain so much about how our feelings come to be... highly recommended!

I learned in the first hour of this game more than I had during months of therapy. The ideas presented make a lot of sense to me. What I really like is that the game uses simple language and doesn't try to sound too smart or treat the player in a condescending way... Which is how I felt during some therapy sessions...