More Than A Choice

A and D to move, space to jump, press R if you get stuck during the level to restart the level

Recommended to play full screened

This game was made for the class "diversity and social justice" it is an artivism project centered around addiction

Each level signifies a stage of drug abuse. Level one focuses on the beginning of addiction, the players path is blocked and they cannot pass until they use. The second level shows how the people you surround yourself with guide your decisions. This shows that community is a huge part of who we are. The third level focuses on the game mechanics and how it feeds into dependences. At this point the player HAS to use. Level four begins with intense screen shaking showing the “need” for substances, however as you collect positive community this fills the bar that was previously filled by drugs until the pill turns to a heart

The statistics in between levels show how addiction and oppression are related

The game features three main game design choices to show the impact of addiction on an individual. When the timer goes below 10 within a level, the screen begins to shake. Depending on how low the timer gets, then it has a greater shaking effect. In the last level, the level begins with a large amount of shaking and as you gain support it decreases. The timer is another design choice, in the beginning it starts out slow showing how using may appear to be a choice, however as levels progress substances are a “need”. The last level has the followers instead of picking up substances, this shows that community support is the beginning of sobriety

Asset packs were used and the music is not my own