Background: College student J.J. traipses across ethereal landscapes while surmounting various platforming puzzles that each incorporate the central mechanic of inducing J.J.’s corporal dismemberment and using her limbs in a variety of almost morbidly humorous ways. As J.J. follows in pursuit of her elusive friend, Emily, the intricacies of her beleaguered mentality and personal relationships are gradually revealed through the occasional exchange of text messages, which, in summary, detail J.J.’s struggle to affirm her identity and future. Straining beneath the cumbrous pressure of her rigidly traditional mother, who discovers and condemns her emergent gender expression, J.J. attempts to commit suicide. The main adventure therefore transpires within the constructed esoteric realm of J.J.’s dreams as she confronts physical and emotional obstacles on her elucidating path towards the “awakening” of her self-actualization.
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This was a beautiful and emotionally poignant journey conveyed in a unique and fascinating way. I can’t personally speak to the accuracy of J.J.’s tribulations, but I would imagine the presentation of her despondency, desperation, and the acerbic brutality of her mother’s words will be immensely resonant with people who have endured similar difficulties accepting who they are, especially when others will not. Representation is of exceptional importance, and, at least from my perspective, it was depicted here with tact, understanding, honesty, and sympathy. There is a vast and immeasurable diversity to human experience, and all stories deserve to be properly told.
As for the other elements of this game, I appreciated how the cycles of destruction and reconstitution of J.J.’s body seemingly emulated her internal struggles with feeling broken and unsure in her own skin. The text conversations augmented the sense of J.J.’s personality and the pain which predicated her actions. I do wish that, perhaps, some of the set-pieces included additional instances of visual storytelling that further reflected her mentality and experiences, as most of the narrative appeared to be relegated to text dialogues which necessitated interruption of the gameplay flow to read. I think the story might be more compelling throughout its entirety if it were better paced, and the profound interiority of J.J.’s journey to self-acceptance was externalized and demonstrated symbolically in the environments she traverses.