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| from the Kickstarter site |
I heard about That Dragon, Cancer on NPR through Google Now. Immediately I thought of Extra Life. I knew that I HAD to play even though I did NOT want to play. If we hadn't done it last year, I would have missed this extraordinary experience.
That Dragon, Cancer is about the Green family and their journey as 5-year-old Joel Green fights a recurrence of brain cancer. It is intensely sad while being a surprisingly enjoyable experience. Everything feels completely thought out.
The settings are full of surreal beauty while still being realistic enough that I was taken back to visiting friends in Arkansas Children's hospital several times. (Side note: do all children's hospitals look the same?)
The balance of sadness, happiness, and neutral everyday events was perfect. I would catch myself laughing at snippets of joy with their kids or the silliness of a race, then have a flash of guilt just like real life.
The gameplay was frustrating at the time, but even that was great. It wasn't difficult since it was all just clicking at objects, but there was no warning that I was about to be in control and the cursor was light so it was hard to tell what I could interact with or what that interaction would be like. The confusion was just enough like that helpless feeling when someone you care about is hurting and you can't help that it deepened the whole experience. I really feel like I have some tiny glimpse into how parents with sick children feel.
My favorite part was when the cards from people who have lost family and friends were strung up around the hospital. It felt so much like being at a hospital with a sick kid. Most of your time is spent sitting and thinking until you can feel all the people who have been there before you. The memory of their hopes and thoughts hang in the air, just like those cards full of thoughts, hopes, and memories. I could only read a few before I knew I would cry too hard to continue. I intend to go back and read each one.
The only complaint I can think of is that the religious themes can be heavy in a distracting way at times. Religion is a vital part of the story, so I agree that the game needs this to reflect Ryan and Amy's struggle. If you have a negative view of or experience with Christianity, I would approach with caution.
