That Dragon, Cancer

 PC
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 39 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 39
  3. Negative: 1 out of 39
  1. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Feb 11, 2016
    3
    This should go down in textbooks on marketing as an example of how you can monetize the death of your own kid. [Issue#206, p.72]
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  1. Ars Technica
    Jan 11, 2016
    While it's not new for indie and experimental games take on ambitious, emotional concepts and existential crises, never has one come along that has been so frank, so nakedly autobiographical, and so imbued with its creators' spiritual identities.
  2. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    Jan 12, 2016
    That Dragon, Cancer is an important game because it tries, but not because it succeeds.
  3. The A.V. Club
    Jan 11, 2016
    That Dragon, Cancer is smart about presenting that tragedy through a series of stylistically disparate interactions to prevent itself from becoming dull or numbing.

Awards & Rankings

100
#100 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
92
#92 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 104 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 46 out of 104
  2. Mixed: 28 out of 104
  3. Negative: 30 out of 104
  1. drizzoo
    Jan 13, 2016
    10
    In response to the claim that That Dragon, Cancer is not a game. Who cares if That Dragon, Cancer is a "game"? Seriously? It doesn't have toIn response to the claim that That Dragon, Cancer is not a game. Who cares if That Dragon, Cancer is a "game"? Seriously? It doesn't have to fit the narrow definition of "game." It has to be played, that makes it a VIDEOgame. Pretty simple really--you play it, therefore its a vidoegame. I am pretty tired of this discussion of what is and isn't a game.

    Anyway, I think TDC is a great example of why, as the medium of videogames has evolved in terms of artistic sensibility, its really weird to grade them on old rubrics like difficulty, replayability, and fun factor. Critics keep doing this in their reviews though even though most people have eschewed the categories themselves.

    What you need to know about TDC is that it is incredibly compelling, incredibly heartfelt, and incredibly emotionally challenging in all the right ways. Its not mechanically challenging or even mechanically novel, however, its mechanics poetically illustrate the value of grief, something I have never experienced in a game before. This game wrecked me. It made me feel for the Greens, more than that, it made me determined to love people who grieve. How does one possibly grade that experience on a 10 point scale? You can't really, or at least it feels very weird to experience that and shave off 2 points for a couple glitches and floaty platforming mechanics.

    If your rubric keeps you from experiencing the emotional power of a game because of these types of things, your rubric probably needs to be thrown out. Start from scratch. Experience things as a human being before you experience them as a "gamer."    … Full Review »
  2. kuehnau
    Jan 13, 2016
    2
    That Dragon, Cancer makes an attempt at discussing something as serious as dealing with the horrible, horrible loss of a child; my heart goesThat Dragon, Cancer makes an attempt at discussing something as serious as dealing with the horrible, horrible loss of a child; my heart goes out to the family.

    Unfortunately, That Dragon, Cancer, is about as much of a game as is The Stanley Parable or any other "games" that make an attempt to to make some sort of commentary on life, love or the state of the industry.

    Further, it also doesn't excuse the product from criticism, regardless of the message, no matter how personal or emotional.

    As a digital product, advertised as a "game" (and I use that term loosely), That Dragon, Cancer suffers from a hodgepodge of bugs, glitches and other technical difficulties.

    The reality is, this product does nothing new, it has nothing revolutionary about it. And I simply cannot review a product based solely on the level of emotional attachment some people may develop for this product.    … Full Review »
  3. RaidenDP
    Jan 12, 2016
    1
    Just because this game tackles a subject as serious as the life of a child dying of cancer through the eyes of his parents, that doesn'tJust because this game tackles a subject as serious as the life of a child dying of cancer through the eyes of his parents, that doesn't automatically excuse its numerous failings on both a technical and creative level.… Full Review »
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