ESA (USM Game Studies, mmpress)

Author/Designer: mmpress

ESA is a game created to simulate the thoughts of a cat while their owner is going through a deep depression. While seeing the limited world of a life of an indoor cat, one must connect the signs of what the human is going through. As conditions worsen, the perspective makes it clear that an animal might sense sadness or fear, but they will never be able to fully understand the actions or emotions of the ones who care for them.

This short game was inspired by my cat, Ember, and the significant impact she had with helping me through my own experience with depression. The purpose of ESA is to spread a thought process that could help save someone, as it did with me. That being said, this is not a happy story, but it is an important one.