Hello friends! Loss and grief are never fun feelings to talk about. In fact, it can be hard to cope with. Gaming is a coping strategy I use all the time to cope with loss and grief, and here are 5 games that have helped me cope with loss and grief. Loss can come from many things, whether it’s losing a beloved family member or pet, or even a breakup.
Spiritfarer
Cost: $29.99
Spiritfarer is a management game about dying. You play as Stella, the new ferrymaster for the deceased. You start off with a small boat, but you can quickly build the boat to become more like a cruise, complete with cabins for every spirit you pick up. The goal of the game is to pick up lost spirits, make them as happy as possible, and then send them off to the Everdoor, where they peacefully pass on. When a spirit passes on, there is a small flower in their cabin. I played this game about a year after my father passed away, and it was very eye-opening and helped me cope with my grief better than I ever could.
Florence
Cost: $5.99 (currently on sale for $1.67)
Florence is a story game about a girl named Florence Yeoh, a 25 year old corporate office worker who dreams of becoming an artist. During the game, Florence meets a celloist named Krish, and the two begin a relationship shortly after. This game is quite good as it deals with a breakup, when Florence and Krish have their first argument after six months together, and they end up breaking up after a year. This helped me get through my time apart with my partner, as the story in Florence is very similar to what I went through.
Memories
Cost: Free
Memories is a sapphic visual novel about a girl who loves dressing up. However, each outfit holds a painful memory of a failed relationship. The girl finds out she has a crush on one of her friends, and eventually asks her out. However, the other girl’s parents find out and force her to go to a new school. This is a heavy game based out of grief because of the forced breakup, but it is also a sad, sappy game.
Gris
Cost: $14.99
Gris is a game about a young girl named Gris, who has lost her mother. It is a platformer where the world changes colors according to the level in the game you are in. Gris is a very beautiful platformer detailing what it’s like going through the process of grief, and provides a powerful lesson at the end. The lesson learned at the end of the game is that even though your person is gone, you can still feel their love.
What are your favorite games about loss and grief?