Depression Quest

 PC
User Score
1.5

Overwhelming dislike- based on 298 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 35 out of 298
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 298
  3. Negative: 252 out of 298

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  1. xRenx
    Sep 21, 2014
    4
    Way too simplistic, it has the most common shortcomings of amateur and commercial visual novels regarding choices being fairly straightforward and easy to exploit and "telling, rather than showing".

    I can't say that I perceive this game as educational in any way - even though to educate was apparently the authors' intention - I do get the distinct impression that those who claim it    Way too simplistic, it has the most common shortcomings of amateur and commercial visual novels regarding choices being fairly straightforward and easy to exploit and "telling, rather than showing".

    I can't say that I perceive this game as educational in any way - even though to educate was apparently the authors' intention - I do get the distinct impression that those who claim it opened their eyes are those who would look at some piece of contemporary art and claim they see the depth of it just because they're afraid of being ostracised for not "getting it" or for not being sensitive enough. In short: the king is naked and this game is below mediocre at best, but the only dissenting voices I see over here are of those who feel content in filling their reviews with references to **** and disparaging the game just because it doesn't offer game play in the most widely accepted and most traditional sense of the term rather than trying to at least explain why the story is so lacking in their opinion.

    I played through it and realised that most of the choices were fairly easy to exploit: either you are honest and open with others and try to socialise a bit, or you close in your cocoon and further spiral down in worse and worse depression. Which elicited a "Well, duh! No **** Sherlock!" from me every time I chose. I saw the path to a positive ending as completely lit up from the start. It would be just as easy for me to go after a much more grim ending.
    I'd like to believe it's because I'm a genius, but I suspect it's more because of the simplistic treatment the story has been given.

    For those who are in any way familiar with VNs, this is the most common pitfall: the choices are there only to make it so it's at least decently easy to collect all the endings, which is usually the point of the exercise. Clearly, that shouldn't be the case here, but it ends up contributing, with the already stale narration, in making this feel like a mockery or at least a lazy over-simplification of the problem. I wonder if anyone will ever make the equivalent of the original Deus Ex for this topic, it would be quite interesting to see if it would help immersion more and actually spread awareness outside of the circle of converted this game seems to be preaching to.

    Personally, I think it would have benefited a lot from making use of images and colours and a heavier use of music. It did feel a lot more like a prototype than a fully developed concept. I also found it a bit weird that there wouldn't be more motivation for the character's depression than some hazily painted pressure from their parents and a general displeasure for being in a menial job. That could have been a good starting point, but the development felt rushed and forced. I know that it doesn't take being beaten up M/W/F for years to be depressed, but the protagonist really is painted like someone who has a typical case of malaise, rather than depression. That is because the inner monologues, the repetition, the patterns that are only in the depressed person's head simply need more time and attention to be described than they've been given here.

    I can recognise a hint of some of the behaviours that are common in depressed subjects in the text, but these feel always like they're spelt out as if they were collected from a Wikipedia article rather than to serve the story that is being narrated. It's nice that someone bothered to use the media to talk about depression, because it is an issue that's often misunderstood as people simply being too lazy to do things and blaming it on external factors, but from what I've seen this game obtained exactly that effect for a lot of people. It convinced people who were already convinced or were open to being convinced and inflamed everyone else. I don't feel like I could use it to help me explain to others what I've personally gone through - not because it just doesn't perfectly match with my particular case but, rather, because it does such a rushed job at developing its points in a way that might help immersion for someone who's likely to dismiss me as someone who just has to "get over" themselves. I certainly don't feel like it helps me cope, either. If anything, it made me feel like I was being talked down in the same way I have from people who have absolutely no idea what it feels like and spout advice that is way too easy to give.

    After having played something like this, I feel even more respect for people like Darren Aronofsky and their ability and skill in painting things like obsession in such an effective way. I feel a lot less respect for whoever decided that this was worth some awards as I looked at those and I expected something at least decent, albeit controversial.    … Expand
  2. GodotIsW8ing4U
    Sep 13, 2015
    3
    The writing style is bland, the presentation is completely unengaging, the music is grating, and despite all its attempts to present itself as a game about depression, one gets the sense that while the writers may have read about depression once and maybe even had it at some point, they have no idea how to communicate this fact outside of simple description of symptoms, and have an evenThe writing style is bland, the presentation is completely unengaging, the music is grating, and despite all its attempts to present itself as a game about depression, one gets the sense that while the writers may have read about depression once and maybe even had it at some point, they have no idea how to communicate this fact outside of simple description of symptoms, and have an even weaker understanding of the concept of a "game".

    A far better approach, if you really want to understand what depression is like, is to read Allie Brosh's now-famous account of her own struggles with it, or if you prefer to do so in the form of a video game, try playing Winter Voices. For all bugs and interface problems Winter Voices struggles with, it does a far better and more engaging job of portraying depression and grief, by taking advantage of the fact that it is a video game in order to represent things more abstractly and truly draw in the player, trying to make them actually engage with the subject matter. Another option, of course, would be to play Spec Ops: The Line, but everybody already knows that game is amazing, so I thought I'd open with one of my personal obscure favorites because I'm an obnoxious hipster douche like that.

    Depression Quest is like reading the most boring and linear Choose Your Own Adventure book ever printed, one where all paths lead in roughly the same direction to roughly the same ending and the serious subject matter is treated so blandly that there's just no reason to give a **** unless you are so incredibly new to the concept of video games being art that you've never heard of Planescape: Torment or any of the other countless games since the 90s that have been fighting to prove that THEY are the true Citizen Kane of gaming and everything since then has merely been a pretender to the title.

    3/10: bug-free, playable, and costs $0, therefore it's already got several legs up on Aliens: Colonial Marines, but otherwise just not worth anyone's time, even as a curiosity.    … Expand
  3. titust
    Apr 22, 2014
    3
    The few mechanics used are simple yet effective, but it's apparent Quinn has never been to a creative writing workshop. Specificity and player character development are sacrificed for broader relatability, which would have actually been accomplished with more specificity and character development.
  4. edxtan
    Jan 12, 2023
    3
    By trying to explain depression to people who don't have it, Depression Quest often alienates those who do.
  5. Bdthemag
    Aug 19, 2014
    2
    A short, simple game that takes a clumsy stab at detailing what having depression is like, but ultimately comes off as an oversimplification of a serious subject. Controversy regarding the creator aside, it's a very simplistic, linear story with little to no choice that feels as if it was made by someone who just skimmed over a summary of a few average depression cases and made a short,A short, simple game that takes a clumsy stab at detailing what having depression is like, but ultimately comes off as an oversimplification of a serious subject. Controversy regarding the creator aside, it's a very simplistic, linear story with little to no choice that feels as if it was made by someone who just skimmed over a summary of a few average depression cases and made a short, simple game out of it. It's not ground-breaking or particularly well written and would probably feel somewhat insulting to people who actually have diagnosed depression, while at the same time seeming completely non-informative to people without it. It definitely doesn't deserve to be on steam, as the steam-release would simply be a re-branding of an already free, complete browser game.… Expand
  6. Qualex
    Jan 17, 2015
    2
    Bad. Poorly written, nothing to keep your attention, an annoying flicker effect that I believe is deliberate, and the handling of the subject matter is like you would read in a fan fic or on tumblr. However, it is free so you have nothing to lose by downloading it, but even then you might play through the first 10 pages before you want to stop
  7. Zhorge
    Oct 7, 2015
    2
    This may be her depression, but it's not mine or anyone that I know who has ever been depressed. It's much more of a self-indulgent sado-masochistic romp through wallowing in victimhood than anything I, or anyone I've known, has experienced.

    Even worse, it plays like was written at the last minute by some HS slacker who stayed up the night before and rushed it out the door.
  8. perydwyn
    Aug 23, 2014
    1
    I managed to get this when it was being offered for free on Steam, and even getting it for free made me feel ripped off. This isn't a game, it is a fan fiction quality piece of 'interactive' fiction. I have suffered from depression when I was younger and if I had played this at the time, I would have felt really patronized. The story comes across more like an ego piece than an explorationI managed to get this when it was being offered for free on Steam, and even getting it for free made me feel ripped off. This isn't a game, it is a fan fiction quality piece of 'interactive' fiction. I have suffered from depression when I was younger and if I had played this at the time, I would have felt really patronized. The story comes across more like an ego piece than an exploration of what mental illness means in modern society. Poor writing. Poor design. Annoying, elevator music. An insight into the mind of a narcissist more than a game...Avoid (or download for free and then regret the hour of your life you will never get back).… Expand
  9. Tubey
    Mar 3, 2015
    1
    Meh... I put off reviewing this one, as doing so puts me on one side of "the fence" or the other. But controversy aside, let's review this as a game.

    There's absolutely nothing wrong with the idea for Depression Quest. I believe gaming can address social issues and be a power for good. The problem is here... well, it does none of that. In fact, it cheapens depression by treating it as a    Meh... I put off reviewing this one, as doing so puts me on one side of "the fence" or the other. But controversy aside, let's review this as a game.

    There's absolutely nothing wrong with the idea for Depression Quest. I believe gaming can address social issues and be a power for good. The problem is here... well, it does none of that. In fact, it cheapens depression by treating it as a paint-by-numbers condition that you can detail in a "Press X to continue" interactive novel, filled with bad writing and cliches.

    It's actually a torturous experience to play through as it's borderline offensive to me - not in that it challenges my beliefs or anything, but because it treats the subject matter with a selfishness and arrogance that is unforgivable. It's also exceedingly tedious, as it's an interactive novel, not a game.

    Just give it a miss, basically. Disregarding the controversy, the title on its' own merits simpy isn't worth your time.    … Expand
  10. Metatarsals
    Aug 19, 2014
    1
    I give it an A for the idea, but an F for everything else.

    I played this one on steam thinking it might be insightful or something, but no, not really. It was quickly cobbled together, the game mechanics weren't thought out at all, and I don't even know where to go with the story. This person is obviously mocking people with serious mental illnesses or just never learned how to write.    I give it an A for the idea, but an F for everything else.

    I played this one on steam thinking it might be insightful or something, but no, not really. It was quickly cobbled together, the game mechanics weren't thought out at all, and I don't even know where to go with the story. This person is obviously mocking people with serious mental illnesses or just never learned how to write.

    Which is why it gets a 1. Wonderful idea, but extremely sloppy execution, no story, no gameplay and even worse no refunds. Hopefully the creator takes this as a learning experience and works harder on polishing up their next game before they release it for sale.    … Expand
  11. decaf_cobra
    Aug 19, 2014
    1
    I really didn't enjoy this. It's got flawed mechanics in many ways. Sure, it could be considered some 'art game' but really it should not be a game due to how ignorant it is. People actually suffer from depression and this cheapens the experience they're getting.

    Also a lot of reviews on here are pointing out how the creator actually paid journalists with sexual favors. So, theres that.    I really didn't enjoy this. It's got flawed mechanics in many ways. Sure, it could be considered some 'art game' but really it should not be a game due to how ignorant it is. People actually suffer from depression and this cheapens the experience they're getting.

    Also a lot of reviews on here are pointing out how the creator actually paid journalists with sexual favors. So, theres that. But it would take a whole lot more than sexual favors to make this game any good.

    I give it a 1, because it does technically launch, but not else works.    … Expand
  12. Underfire777
    Aug 19, 2014
    1
    Depression Quest is a "game" made by someone who has absolutely no grasp on the subject matter. Good intentions combined with horrible mocking execution = this disgusting mess of a "game".
  13. SlaineBerserker
    Aug 28, 2014
    1
    The irony of this game is that it was so depressing I couldn't finish it. My inertia was just too pronounced to click through the reams of stereotypical teen-fiction. If you want to 'learn more' about depression just do literally nothing for 3 days. It's a slightly longer winded version of this game but, trust me, it works. And you don't have to pretend to know everything about depression anymore.
  14. RobbingWilliams
    Sep 1, 2014
    1
    "I give it an A for the idea, but an F for everything else." Covers it for me, chief.

    You know, I used the think the worst thing in life was ending up alone. It's not. The worst thing in life is to be Zoe Quinn.
  15. Fhqwhgads
    Mar 21, 2015
    1
    Does a horrible job at representing what depression is like. If you are depressed and people claim to know how it feels because they played this please spit in their face.
  16. Alexis_Gnacab
    Sep 30, 2017
    1
    A game, before it makes a statement, must captivate. Attention of the audience must be caught mostly by the gameplay and less by the game's theme. Though both a needed to create a good impact, this game leaves to much of it's worth on it's exterior. it's musings on depression sound like they come from an angsty teenager and the games just lacks charm in general.

    I rarely condemn game    A game, before it makes a statement, must captivate. Attention of the audience must be caught mostly by the gameplay and less by the game's theme. Though both a needed to create a good impact, this game leaves to much of it's worth on it's exterior. it's musings on depression sound like they come from an angsty teenager and the games just lacks charm in general.

    I rarely condemn game publishers, especially on their first game. But this tough treatment is needed for a publisher to improve. to be fair, i give it a 1 for playability.    … Expand
  17. NukeItStartOver
    Jan 20, 2020
    1
    The concept of this being a video game is utterly laughable. The authour is also an utterly repellent human being who harassed a man into suicide simply for more woke victimhood publicity. If being bullied to suicide is how you would like to work on your depression issues, you may find some value in this bland awful product produced by a wretched waste of oxygen who should beThe concept of this being a video game is utterly laughable. The authour is also an utterly repellent human being who harassed a man into suicide simply for more woke victimhood publicity. If being bullied to suicide is how you would like to work on your depression issues, you may find some value in this bland awful product produced by a wretched waste of oxygen who should be imprisoned. You could also just read a far more interesting choose your own adventure book or try and find some hope in your life. This "game" will not help with that.… Expand
  18. Nekator
    Sep 13, 2014
    0
    a lame text game, which fails at the high goal of introducing depression to the public. Without the questionable publicity besides the game it wouldnt have any publicity at all.
  19. TeutonicTank
    Aug 30, 2014
    0
    I wouldn't really call this a game. More like a watered down choose your own adventure web text book. It's supposed to represent what you go through when dealing with depression but I honestly feel like all the options are just a kind of crybaby way of getting through depression. It doesn't have anything related to what I would, and that is just disappointing
  20. zayne88
    Feb 28, 2015
    0
    It's a choose your own adventure book. I can see how this could help someone that is close to the edge but no different than just reading a book would.
  21. Jurjee
    Aug 19, 2014
    0
    An insult to anyone who is actually suffering from depression. Made to cash in on Robin Williams' death.

    Features little to no gameplay and the 'story' is downright trash.
  22. ViceT
    Aug 20, 2014
    0
    The quality of the writting is extremely poor and there´s no gameplay to speak of,it´s a choose your own adventure in it´s most basic form,and a waste of time for anyone looking for a meaningful experience.
    You won´t find one here.
    It´s free but there are plenty of other more interesting things you can do with your time,such as watching paint dry or funny internet cat videos,both of    The quality of the writting is extremely poor and there´s no gameplay to speak of,it´s a choose your own adventure in it´s most basic form,and a waste of time for anyone looking for a meaningful experience.
    You won´t find one here.
    It´s free but there are plenty of other more interesting things you can do with your time,such as watching paint dry or funny internet cat videos,both of these experiences have considerably more depth than Depression Quest.    … Expand
  23. fearmear
    Nov 3, 2014
    0
    I think this game is waaaay too innovative for it's time. Just like when EA released soulless free to play Dungeon Keeper cash grab on mobile devices they said: "I think we might have innovated too much"...
  24. Safilpope
    Aug 25, 2014
    0
    As a sufferer of depression, I thought I'd take a look at this game thinking it may have some interesting insights into my condition. Boy was I disappointed. The creator of the game seems to have little grasp of the condition and I feel it was poorly represented here. What I actually found more offensive was how the death of the great Robin Williams was used to promote this.

    Ultimately    As a sufferer of depression, I thought I'd take a look at this game thinking it may have some interesting insights into my condition. Boy was I disappointed. The creator of the game seems to have little grasp of the condition and I feel it was poorly represented here. What I actually found more offensive was how the death of the great Robin Williams was used to promote this.

    Ultimately the creator has produced a 'game' (It would be more accurate to call it a 'digital create your own adventure book') which is not very coherent and has little grasp of any kind of reality. Even if it is free, I don't recommend you spend any time on this thing.    … Expand
  25. Apparentn00b
    Jun 14, 2015
    0
    one of the worst games of all time **** this game **** this developer ****ing **** ass game dont ****ing buy it dont ****ing even think about it **** this game ****ing hell i mean really this game is ****ing **** and thats all that there is to it
  26. leaveit
    Aug 20, 2014
    0
    Basically the whole reason why there will never be a successful third-wave-feminist-friendly video game in one production. Game is incredibly dull, story is vague and nondescript, using scenarios probably written after the author read a Wikipedia article or lived an entire life blaming others for her problems, and to top it all off the pseudo-feminist (i.e. external-locus-of-controlBasically the whole reason why there will never be a successful third-wave-feminist-friendly video game in one production. Game is incredibly dull, story is vague and nondescript, using scenarios probably written after the author read a Wikipedia article or lived an entire life blaming others for her problems, and to top it all off the pseudo-feminist (i.e. external-locus-of-control whining about banal difficulties in a white middle upper class life in a developed country) "developer" hypocritically contradicted her rhetoric by manipulating her boyfriend and cheating on him with 5 gaming journalists so that at least 5 people would think that her "game" is interesting or remarkable in any way. Being uneducated saps and virgins, as gaming journalists typically are, this strategy was almost effective. Unfortunately for everyone involved, aggregate review sites exist.… Expand
  27. JOGRS
    Aug 20, 2014
    0
    This game makes a 'game' of a serious problem. Free or not, playing this is spitting in teh face of everyone who has ever actually suffered real depression.

    Also, the creator tried and failed to link her game to, Robin Williams just a few days after he died. That is disgusting.
  28. Brandonb1
    Aug 20, 2014
    0
    Just like Gone Home, this is not a game, its not even worth your time. It offers no insight, its equivalent to a very poor blog post. How a bad game that would have been blamed on newgrounds got on steam is beyond me.
  29. Marsonra
    Aug 25, 2014
    0
    Depression Quest. This is a game...wait a minute, this isn't a game!!! This is an interactive story! You know, it's funny, just a few weeks ago, I reviewed a game that nobody has heard of on the Nintendo DS. It was called Marvel Super Hero Squad. I thought it was the worst game I have ever played, and I still urge you not to play it (see my review of that game for more details). However,Depression Quest. This is a game...wait a minute, this isn't a game!!! This is an interactive story! You know, it's funny, just a few weeks ago, I reviewed a game that nobody has heard of on the Nintendo DS. It was called Marvel Super Hero Squad. I thought it was the worst game I have ever played, and I still urge you not to play it (see my review of that game for more details). However, after playing this...thing (let's be honest, it really isn't even a game) all I can say about Marvel Super Hero Squad is this: all is forgiven! If you can comprehend this, this thing is even worse than Marvel Super Hero Squad! This thing was released on Steam, and it is free, however, that's actually a problem with this thing because you don't even need to download it off of Steam to play! Whoever thought it would be a good idea to release an already free browser based thing on Steam for free must be dumber than a sack of hammers, and that's being polite. That's right, you don't even need to download this thing off of Steam to play it! You can literally just go on the internet and Google it, and the first thing that appears should be this very thing! That's exactly what I did the moment I found out this got on Steam. I had actually heard of this thing before its Steam release, and believe it or not, I wasn't even sure it was real before I found out it was released on Steam. So I looked it up on the internet as soon as I found out it was real! Sure enough this thing was on the internet, not as a Steam release, but as a fully released free browser based thing! I played that version instead of the Steam version, and if this version is anything like the Steam version, then I absolutely refuse to touch the Steam version! So, why does this thing make you depressed after playing it rather than with its story? Let's find out. The gameplay of this thing...there isn't any! I kid you not! There is literally no gameplay in this thing at all! The closest thing you get to actual gameplay in this thing are little choices you get to make that affect how the story plays out! That's all there really is to this thing's gameplay, as there is literally nothing else to do, other than read this thing's so-called story! If you think that is fun, then something must be terribly wrong. There is absolutely no fun to be had in a thing based on depression! Yes, games with depressing atmospheres can be awesome, but not when depression is the center-piece of the whole thing! Heck, Metal Gear Solid 4, Mother 3 (for those in the U.S. that have played it somehow), Half-Life 2, and BioShock 1 all had depressing atmospheres that made you feel like all hope was lost, and yet, all four games still manage to be four of the greatest video games ever made! In fact, in those cases, the depressing atmosphere actually helped the games greatly. It gave you a reason to keep playing the games (all those games being insanely fun also helps)! Here, depression is the center-piece of the whole thing, and it just isn't any fun at all. The gameplay of this thing is about as bad as it gets, because believe it or not, there isn't any! As for the graphics, there aren't any of those either! The closest thing you get to graphics are little pictures that appear above certain parts of the story. However, those pictures are so blurry that sometimes you can't even make out what is in the picture! That, and there is nothing too depressing about these pictures, there is literally no point to them! They are literally just there to "enhance" this thing's so called story! I put enhance in quotation marks, because the story is all there is to this thing, and it is absolutely terrible! When I say the story is the best part of this thing, that really isn't a compliment, because even it still manages to be terrible. The funny thing is, the only compliment I can give to this thing over its story is "It may not have gameplay and graphics, but at least it has a story!". That's it, the only good thing I can say about this thing's story is that at least this thing has a story! However, the story sucks. The author claims to know something about depression, but really, the only thing about this thing that I think is depressing besides how bad it is, is its music. The music is the only really depressing thing about this thing, so he has completely failed! It's also not the most depressing soundtrack I have ever heard, so there is literally nothing this thing does right. It's things like this that make me ask, why was it released on Steam? It is just so terrible. Nobody wants to play through something this depressing (that is, if you don't die of boredom first). There are so many more bad things I can say, but I have just about reached the character limit, so I won't. Take my advice, and just don't play this thing, no matter what!
    Gameplay: 0/10
    Graphics: 0/10
    Story: 1/10
    Overall: 0/10    … Expand
  30. FauxEden
    Oct 23, 2014
    0
    Alright, so first of the game is free on steam, great. How it got through the greenlight is beyond me, but that has probably got something to do with game journos telling their sheep warriors to get it done. Secondly the game doesn't even work, constant errors when installing and going to the steam forum for the game got me instantly banned straight away for asking why it didn't work. So IAlright, so first of the game is free on steam, great. How it got through the greenlight is beyond me, but that has probably got something to do with game journos telling their sheep warriors to get it done. Secondly the game doesn't even work, constant errors when installing and going to the steam forum for the game got me instantly banned straight away for asking why it didn't work. So I decided to look up what it was and last but not least, the game isn't even a game, it's basically a spreadsheat with pre determined phrases that resembles a choose your own adventure book, but with no adventure and a story that makes you want to kill yourself, which is hilarious given the title of the "game".… Expand
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Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. ActionTrip
    Sep 2, 2014
    50
    While it does an okay job presenting what it is really like to have depression, it sets the player down the exactly same depression path, no matter what is chosen.
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