YOUTH (QijunLi)

YOUTH is an attempt to tackle the issues of anxiety, worry and self-doubt in our younger years.

These are problems we all face growing up, however there are things we can do to help us through our journeys, we hand people by our side, we have our families and friends. Loved ones.

The game is a metaphor for our journeys through life, to over come our own demons. I the game we are transported into the mind of a child, we battle through these problems, with the help of new aid, our support network. Ultimately finding relief in our friends, family and finding our way through life. 

Please enjoy!!!

Movement controls:

WASD to move

Spacebar to dash 

Mouse to aim

Left Mouse to use melee attack 

Right Mouse for ranged attack 

(attacks are unlocked as you play)

*note, there are some collider issues

https://vimeo.com/705928513

==== SPOILERS AHEAD =====

Youth

 

Stress, worry, conflict… all within my mind, who am I? who am I supposed to be?

 

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” they say, parents, teachers… peers.

“Do you really think you’re good enough” I think to myself.

“Are people attracted to me?”

“Do people like me?”

It’s all so overwhelming, these thoughts constantly running through our minds. From a fear of not achieving great grades, the ability to make friends and form relationships, to simply not wanting to play sports because you suck at them. What can I do to overcome these emotions and thoughts? Am I alone in this journey? I don’t think people notice my pain, as I hide it well.

 

A journey where I hope to overcome these anxieties is about to begin, how can I even begin to overcome such a minefield of emotions and concerns…

 

There must be someone who can help me, surely, I’m not alone. Something close by must be able to help to overcome the demons and fears. It is hard to understand what emotions we are feeling when we struggle on our own, whenever these hard feelings overcome us, what can we do to seek relief. Help is close at hand, we have our closest and dearest, our mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers… family.

They can help overcome our demons at close by…  

 

Families and people, we regard as our family, are our first port of call when we have issues, they are the most similar to ourselves, they share the same genes, same cultures. They can understand us.

Even with our families help its sometimes hard to still break through these gates and walls blocking us on our journeys through life.

 

Once we’ve overcome one hurdle there always seems to be another… opened up to people, broken down some of our own barriers, slain some of our demons.

 

Yet, there are more and more thoughts running through our minds, all these worries constantly going round and round in our heads.

 

Life seems so complicated, how am I meant to find my way…

 

 

Things are looking better, now I feel like I have found some kind of direction, I’ve found my way.

 

Things are looking good now, it seems like our lives might flourish, we’re on our way to overcoming our own emotions and doubts.

 

But our families enough to support us through this journey? They can help defeat our troubles that are close, but what about other demons, I’m sure there are more. Life throws enemies and worries our way at such a fast pace, its hard to keep up with just a close support group of our families, we need to also look beyond for help, there must be more people who can understand us…

 

Our friends can help too. They can help in issues that are a little further away.

 

With the help of our families and friends, I’m sure we can overcome any demon that life throws at us. They help us understand who we are, guide us through difficult periods in life, they are our support networks when we are lost, when we have doubt in ourselves, they can help carry us through.

 

Our families and friends are here by our side.

 

They can help us in our battles, they have had their own experiences, which they’ve learnt from and grown stronger.

 

They are here to lend a hand but ultimately our biggest demon is ourselves…

 

Once we see that it’s been ourselves holding us back though life and come to the realisation that our family and friends are here to help, the anxieties of youth become far simpler. Once we understand ourselves from the wisdom of our loved ones, we begin to be the beauty within ourselves.

 

We learn to love ourselves.

 

I can do this… we can do this…