Kim Peters
Another Day is a narrative driven game that portrays the daily struggle experienced by those living in isolation in a claustrophobic environment during lockdown while suffering from depression and anxiety. Try your hardest to stay on top of an ever-increasing list of daily tasks as you battle your internal conflicts.
The game intends to portray what it is like to live with depression and anxiety on a daily basis, with the aim to educate those who have not experienced mental illness so that they may gain a better understanding of it, and to dispel some of the stigma surrounding it. Due to the nature of mental illness, everyone's experiences will be different, however the game aims to provide a relatable experience for those living with depression and anxiety, with the hope that they may derive comfort from knowing that they are not alone in their experiences.
Notable Achievements
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This was a group development project in my 1st year at University. The game won ‘Best First Year Game’ by public vote at the Games Academy Expo 2021.
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Another Day is part of mental health charity ‘Safe In Our World’s’ list of mental health related games and apps. The team was approached by the charity for an interview regarding our motivation for making the game. Read the article here.
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Another Day was featured in the Cornwall House exhibition during the G7 Summit in 2021.
Narrative Content
In-Game Text
The player can interact with the character's computer and their phone. From these the player can read various texts and emails that give the player insight into the characters life.
Environmental Storytelling
In Another Day, the environment the player can explore is small so minor changes are noticeable for the player. Throughout the week the apartment gets visibly messier with dirty dishes and clothes piling up. This is a reflection of the player character’s deteriorating mental state.
Interactable Objects
The player can interact with many of the objects in the apartment. This will display the character’s thoughts at the bottom of the screen. Every interactable object has multiple variants on what the character is thinking, and some interactions change depending on what day of the week it is. This acts as flavour text to provide the player insight into how the character is perceiving the world.
Collectibles
Throughout Another Day there are multiple collectibles for the player to find. These collectibles are books or video games consisting of cover art and a brief synopsis. The intention of including these in the game is to offer the player some light relief from the oppressive atmosphere created inside the apartment. They can be found in the apartment across the week, with different titles appearing on different days.
Voice Acted Sequence
At the end of the game, the player character receives a phone call from their mum. The ending is meant to be ambiguous but uplifting. Their mum encourages them to step outside, stressing that while there is no ‘quick fix’ for overcoming mental illness but that with the right support, things can get better.