LudumData

Mental Space by pauljs

[raw]
made by pauljs for Ludum Dare 54 (JAM)

TW: Depression, Mental Health.

Mental Space is a game about Mental Load where you play as Eva. Eva will talk with her entourage, and for each dialogue, you have a choice: - Either take the mental charge of what was told to you and remember it. - Or not take it and assume the consequences of forgetting it.

Then you will let Eva speak.

Each dialogue, taken or not taken will have consequences on Eva's mental health and her interactions with her entourage, this will result in different endings.

Controls: Mouse drag and drop F for FullScreen

Credits: Aglou - Visuals, Design and Prog PaulJs - Design and Prog

All the sound and music used are open-source sounds, we did not make them.

Itch (HTML5) https://aglou.itch.io/mental-space
Original URL https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/mental-space

Ratings

Overall 28th 4.324⭐ 39🧑‍⚖️
Fun 477th 3.543⭐ 37🧑‍⚖️
Innovation 62th 4.216⭐ 39🧑‍⚖️
Theme 9th 4.662⭐ 39🧑‍⚖️
Graphics 81th 4.459⭐ 39🧑‍⚖️
Mood 3th 4.622⭐ 39🧑‍⚖️
Given 53🗳️ 49🗨️

Feedback

EvoGenGames
02. Oct 2023 · 19:55 UTC
Wow! This went deep. Well done on making such a touching story that is a 100% fit with the theme.
Also the drawings are beautiful!
Impressive!
LDJam user 299757
02. Oct 2023 · 20:00 UTC
Very good take on anxiety, the story is lovely! Love the art and the gameplay is quite fun! Good game
biospheremusic
02. Oct 2023 · 23:27 UTC
Wow got me reflecting on my own mental space after, very nice atmosphere and take on mental health!
WeeFairyFabi
02. Oct 2023 · 23:32 UTC
This was absolutely amazing. I just... am speechless haha, I wish I could write a lot more about how much this game impacts but... The story really hits where it hurts the most and the art and music are a perfect match. Just stunning
Janet Lin
04. Oct 2023 · 03:22 UTC
I felt this.
Ategon
04. Oct 2023 · 06:52 UTC
Thanks for submitted the game to the stream!

If you wanted to watch it again in the future heres the vod timestamped to your game

https://youtu.be/09NnjP74yFU?si=AO_I41NRpgjhuse2&t=2340
Gorglomux
04. Oct 2023 · 07:22 UTC
Hey, it definitely hit a heavy note on me. Fantastic work, it's always hard for me to play heavy games like this, but this one felt very special to me.
Rincs
04. Oct 2023 · 11:09 UTC
Quite deep, and I hope that this made some people realize that they need to have some good boundaries and take time for themselves.
Portalis
04. Oct 2023 · 19:47 UTC
Thank you for the wonderful story and the very special melancholic mood! Plus special thanks for the macOS version :)
egggrass
05. Oct 2023 · 04:35 UTC
Impressive depiction of mundane suffering.The background music also fits will. Nice work!
Aviv Levy
05. Oct 2023 · 11:39 UTC
Oh wow this is a special one. I tried to make "safe" runs and always ended up with the mirror scene. I'm not sure if there's actually a way to get a better ending though. I did some test runs to see what happens and when you don't care about stuff and wow... The consequences are there. I keep doing more runs cause I want to see what happens, and to maybe find a way to help Eva :)

Totally impressed with this, such an interesting concept and great use of the theme. Congrats
🎤 pauljs
05. Oct 2023 · 11:42 UTC
@aviv-levy Thank you! So the end is always the mirror scene but what you will tell yourself at the mirror (from pretty depressing to hopeful) will change depending on the dialogue you choose to remember!
merdeboi
05. Oct 2023 · 15:55 UTC
Definitely a unique take, love the art and music. Very thought-provoking and meaningful.
khaotom
05. Oct 2023 · 16:12 UTC
Yikes. That's got some feels.
hotaloca
05. Oct 2023 · 16:24 UTC
This is a very special one, and in a super nice delivery. Thank you very much, it was a nice experince. The situations were very familiar and nicely written... I love the art style too - congratulations
EPA
05. Oct 2023 · 16:28 UTC
Great concept, well executed.. gj!
p_zzz
05. Oct 2023 · 23:05 UTC
Very interesting interpretation of the theme limited space. I like the color gets darker as there are more mental loads.
Troy Korns
06. Oct 2023 · 01:11 UTC
Whoah. I like the different endings and the take on the theme. Really mastered the story telling to in a simple manner.
robobarbie
06. Oct 2023 · 03:54 UTC
Always love a well done and creatively expressed narrative game. Great job! And nice art style too!!
Taldius
06. Oct 2023 · 14:46 UTC
Great concept and good execution, also now I'm sad :(
LDJam user 372635
06. Oct 2023 · 17:27 UTC
I found this game to be really deep and intense. The overall narrative really hit me, as a person who deals with anxiety and mental illness everyday. It's such a hard thing! Loved the way you have expressed it, both narrative and gameplay experiences were really great. It's bitter like life could be, and is very impressive how much real this was. I tried to get a good ending but didn't managed and this actually made me question if there is even one. Gotta say, a really really solid game. Congratulations for the work!
Natano
07. Oct 2023 · 14:41 UTC
Dude, this is certainly a pearl of this ludum dare, please develop this game more and more, it can't stop. It's simple, but the idea is effective and profound. It makes you want to test different possibilities, the calm music in conflict with the chaos gives the game a special touch. You end up feeling stressed about the character's situation, you put yourself in her shoes. A magnificent work, here are my 5 stars.
Kerdelos
07. Oct 2023 · 14:56 UTC
Very moody entry. I think the graphics are really beautiful and convey very well this introspective and intimate atmosphere. Gameplay wise it was interesting that there never seemed to be enough room for everything that mattered altough I would have liked to reply "no" to people instead of just acknowledging and forgetting. Also is there different ending ? In one run I had hoped to manage not quite badly all the obligation but the ending was still the shattered glass.

Overall, really nice entry, congrats :)

ps : I know you didn't made it but the music fits perfectly, nice choice !
🎤 pauljs
07. Oct 2023 · 14:59 UTC
Thank you everybody for the great comments!

@kerdelos @hinamarina As I said in another comment: the end is always the mirror scene but what you will tell yourself in the mirror (from pretty depressing to hopeful) will change depending on the dialogue you choose to remember!
Kerdelos
07. Oct 2023 · 15:05 UTC
Oups yes I read that afterward ^^ (I try not to read the other comments before writing mine so as no to be too much biased)
moonlightbomber
09. Oct 2023 · 00:20 UTC
Things sure take a darker turn, isn't it?

Since you've commented on my game, I checked yours, and I understood how psychologically dark it is. But your writing will help me improve mine, as I will finish my game, Occhiolism, this month.
Doot
10. Oct 2023 · 14:06 UTC
What a nice experience ✨ The art is really well done and the game loop just feels a little bit too real. Thanks for this 💖
annoyed_galaxy
11. Oct 2023 · 16:36 UTC
This is really well done. I love the replayability in trying to get a better outcome for Eva everytime. My first playthrough, I messed up and got the worst ending possible where she lost everything. It was so real and close to my own mental health problems. Therapeutic in a way almost.
Agraffs
14. Oct 2023 · 09:59 UTC
A very good submission ! The whole experience is really well put up and I'd say speaks to most of us. Also the graphics and music work very well together. Well done for this
entry !