We’re not exactly inundated with games on the Xbox that explore mental health. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice handled it superbly, but few have done it sensitively or at all. Perhaps the topic feels like a minefield to publishers, or it’s not seen as a commercial proposition. It’s a shame, as it’s something that’s estimated to affect a quarter of us. In steps Untitled Darkness, a narrative adventure game from developers 8 Bit Pxl Games.
It has borrowed a game structure that’s conventionally been used by horror games like Stay and Clea, and used it to explore one man’s depression. You move left and right through a 2D space, encountering memories from the man’s life – various anxieties and disappointments – and attempt to put them behind you.
The solo developer of Untitled Darkness wants to convey feelings of depression through this experiential narrative game. It’s not the first time that they’ve attempted to make this game: Untitled Darkness is a remake of a student game that they planned to revisit with a more mature standpoint.
Looking at screenshots and trailers, Untitled Darkness looks minimalist but effective, with long, slender-man figures scattered about the game. If Hellblade has taught us anything, it’s that mental health can be explored through a horror lens and be hugely impactful, so Untitled Darkness might be supremely effective.
We’re less sure about what you actually do in Untitled Darkness, as there’s no clear indication of whether it incorporates puzzles, evading monsters or simple exploration. We’re eager to find that out in a future review. Regardless, this is an extremely budget release, no more than a few bob to buy, so perhaps we shouldn’t expect Hellblade levels of interaction.
Untitled Darkness is out now on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S and starts at £3.29 from the Xbox Store, with a reduction to £2.63 for launch. It’s optimised for Xbox Series X|S too.
Game Description:
Untitled Darkness is a short game that deals with depression. Depression can leave you powerless, feeling there is no way to escape it. While it has you trapped, it only allows you to see its darkness, hiding any light from you. In the game, you experience someone’s struggle with depression. You witness how it distorts how they feel about themselves as they struggle to escape it. A few years ago I released a similar themed game about depression. While it was my 1st game and wasn’t perfect, I was proud of what I had accomplished. Over the years I have gotten better with art, animation, and general game design. Looking back at it, I felt a need to revisit that game with more mature eyes. This is a retelling of that game.
