Sometimes to Deal with the Difficulty of Being Alive, I Need to Believe There Is a Possibility That Life Is Not Real, developed by Jeremy Couillard and Ireneo Mercado and published by Akupara Games, is a deeply unconventional digital experience that sits at the intersection of interactive art, simulation, and philosophical exploration. Released in 2019, the title intentionally defies traditional gaming structures, offering no explicit goals or linear narrative. Instead, it invites players into a surreal, open-ended world where discovery, observation, and personal interpretation take precedence over conventional gameplay mechanics.
The game’s world is composed of a series of interconnected environments, each filled with objects, spaces, and interactive elements that encourage curiosity and experimentation. Players can wander through abandoned buildings, stumble upon playable mini-games, or explore hidden areas such as secret lairs or live performances within the game itself. One of the game’s intriguing aspects is its multiplayer functionality, where players may encounter others and are left questioning whether they are interacting with humans or AI. This deliberate ambiguity reinforces the game’s overarching theme of questioning reality and exploring the boundaries between perception and existence.
A central feature of the experience is the depiction of three NPC survivors of a post-human apocalypse. These characters engage in repetitive, often absurd routines, attempting to reconstruct society through cycles of creation, destruction, and mundane activities. Their behavior includes everything from gossiping, meditating, and sending emails into the void, to inventing technology that produces artificial intelligence only to self-destruct. Players can observe these cycles from multiple perspectives, choosing either to intervene, engage, or simply watch. This creates a dynamic, evolving narrative that unfolds organically, allowing for moments of reflection, humor, and existential curiosity.
The design encourages passive and ambient interaction, transforming the game into a kind of living installation. It can run continuously in personal spaces, galleries, or social environments, operating independently of player input while still remaining a source of fascination and discussion. This open-ended functionality allows the game to act as both an art piece and a social experiment, prompting questions about the nature of existence, identity, and human behavior. By providing an interactive, continuously evolving environment, the game encourages long-term engagement in a way few traditional games attempt.
Visually, the game employs a minimalist and abstract aesthetic. Simple shapes, muted textures, and stylized animations are used deliberately to focus attention on the conceptual and philosophical aspects of the experience rather than realistic depiction. This abstraction creates an uncanny, contemplative atmosphere that aligns with the game’s existential themes, reinforcing the feeling that the player has entered a world governed by its own internal logic rather than conventional rules.
Sound design plays a subtle but crucial role in shaping the experience. Ambient music and environmental sounds create a meditative and reflective tone, complementing the game’s visual simplicity and open-ended mechanics. The audio reinforces the sense of immersion, allowing players to become absorbed in the environment and encouraging moments of introspection as they explore or observe the NPCs’ routines.
In conclusion, Sometimes to Deal with the Difficulty of Being Alive, I Need to Believe There Is a Possibility That Life Is Not Real is an experimental and thought-provoking work that challenges traditional definitions of video games. Its open-ended structure, philosophical undertones, and focus on passive observation create a contemplative and immersive experience that is as much about reflection as it is about interaction. While it may not appeal to players seeking clear objectives or structured gameplay, it succeeds as a unique exploration of existential themes, offering a rich, meditative experience that lingers long after the game is turned off.
Rating: 8/10
