Lost Words: Beyond the PAGE processes grief and loss in a fantastic setting
Genre: Platformer Adventure Developer: Sketchbook Games Platform: STADIA, NINTENDO SWITCH, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Release: 06. April 2021 Mental Health Themes: Death, Grief, Depression
- It’s about it in Lost Words
- How is the game dealing with the Mental Health Themes?
- For whom is this game suitable?
- Conclusion of the editors
Lost Words: Beyond the Page is about Izzy, which leads diary and wants to become a writer himself. From the point of view of her grandma, who is very close to the girl, Izzy is already this, because an author is a person who writes – and does their granddaughter. This aspect of the game is likely to be the heart of many typing.
The mediation of content on books and the sentences spoken by the main character, which are written in the game world and emerge in the picture, it is what Lost Words characterize. Stylistically, this is about what Remains of Edith Finch think, while optics and game mechanics remind of Ori and the Blind Forrest.
Content warning: The articles of Mental Health Week deal with different aspects of mental health and sometimes include examples of negative emotions and unhealthy behaviors that can cause negative reactions in some people. Please be careful with texts that potentially contain triggering topics for you.
* Important note: * If you have depression or self-destructive thoughts: you are not al1. Please get help. For example, in the German Depression Help under 0800/33 44 533 or free advice centers.
It’s about it in Lost Words
In the game, we move in two worlds: Izzy’s real everyday life is conveyed over her diary sides. There, the girl tells a lot of her grandmother and her shared experiences until the old lady suffers a stroke. In these passages, there are simple puzzles in which we push and assign individual wordcasters over the paper and other beautifully animated, simple diary interactions. A drawn miniature edition of the protagonist must hop in Jump’n’Run Manier about the sentences and turn up for us.
The other part from Lost Words plays in Izzy’s minded world ESTORIA. Here we control a heroine, whose name, appearance and interests we can choose from three options, and then considered in the further course of the story, but change nothing at the output. This heroine is the new guardian of your village after the village elves pass this task to you.
What the heroine resides in Estoria reflects the emotional state of Izzy: At the beginning, the world ESTORIA is very harmonious (as Izzy’s real life). But then your village is attacked by a dragon and the fictional world is wavering – at the same time as Izzy’s grandma has to go to the hospital. While it is always worse in the real world and Izzy is also arguing with her mother, the protagonist of Estoria must fight through a gloomy flame world and master other threats.
How is the game dealing with the Mental Health Themes?
The game is mechanically very easy and always goes positively with the topic of loss. It is empathetic, life affirmation and describes the different phases of grief based on Izzy and their parents. Izzys Processing about your diary and the trips to Estoria happened sensitively and understandable.
Some of the real world scenes are also very oppressive and let us feel. However, these are usually kept shortly, because Izzy quickly flees to their fictional history. “Escape” is actually the wrong word, because Esttoria actively helps her work on her feelings.
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For whom is this game suitable?
Anyone who likes the pretty colorful design and engage in some kind of losing a loved one could find comfort in Lost Words. But all those who just want to experience a beautiful story will like to find pleasure to Lost Words. Through the warm, loving staging, it is also suitable for younger players. The game is pleasantly short with a season of five hours. Unfortunately, despite its child-friendly orientation, only in English voice output (with German text and subtitles) is available.
Per
- __Empathetic history
- __Gut for mourning management
- __Apvasible, Simple Gameplay
- __Beautiful design
Contra
- __NUR English language output
Conclusion of the editors
Nele Wobker
@ Elenrekbow
In this game, I was at first quite scared, because at first glance, a little like a breeze looks like. In just one night I played it through and was constantly melting away. Not only Izzy’s story in itself let me feel and shed one or the other tear, also what is said about life as a writer touched me because it’s just as true.
I keep hearing writers about themselves like things like “prospective author * in” say what I think in most cases wrongly, because what Izzys grandma’s care is right: as soon as one wrote texts, is one * e author * in. This also applies to Izzy. The better I get to know the girl and their great grandma and realized how many similar interests we share (marine biology, Vikings inside, environmental protection, write), the more I also liked Lost Words. I enjoyed the excursion to Estoria very much.
An important request: Since our articles from the Mental Health Week are more sensitive topics that have partially requested us a lot while writing, we ask you for a friendly and understanding comment culture at this point. Thank you and have fun reading!