Neverending Nightmares Fights the Stigma of Mental Illness Through Psychological Horror

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Sarah LeBoeuf	1 POSTED: 20 Jun 2014 10:50
	Neverending Nightmares Fights the Stigma of Mental Illness Through Psychological Horror Infinitap Games' Matt Gilgenbach has created a memorable game by drawing on his own experiences with OCD and depression. Read Full Article

zombiejoe	2 POSTED: 20 Jun 2014 11:14
	Consider me interested. I love what the game seems to be trying to do and explore, and while I do have some worries about how the gameplay might actually turn out, the game has had my attention for some time, and I look forward to its release.

Skeleon	3 POSTED: 20 Jun 2014 14:47
	I backed the Kickstarter and haven't regretted it yet. The developers are very receptive to community input and suggestions. I'm curious what else they can do with this beyond the alpha build, but so far all the levels have been different in their own ways, so I'm hopeful/confident they can pull this off. Great to see The Escapist provide a bit of publicity to this game!

Kieve	4 POSTED: 20 Jun 2014 16:23
	What I also found successful was how Gilgenbach managed to relate the terrible aspects of OCD through gameplay. Gilgenbach suffers from intrusive thoughts, which are "terribly unpleasant images that your mind comes up with in order to upset you." People with OCD can't just shrug off these images; "once they get in your head, they are difficult to get out." Haunted by thoughts of self-harm for over a decade, Gilgenbach put these images directly into the game, including one particularly disturbing scene that the player experiences in first-person. NOW you have my attention. My whole life, I've had "intrusive" memories of events that sparked regret, embarrassment, fear, or pain. Those "if I had a time machine, I would go back and fix" moments - and they would come crashing in out of nowhere and refuse to leave. I've taken to making weird noises for a bit just to get my mind to "shut up and settle down," but that's hardly a healthy response. I did not, however, know this was an actual thing. The game itself doesn't look much like something I'd play (though I can appreciate the Edward Gorey aesthetic), but the approach of creation-as-therapy/outlet for mental instability is something I can fully support.

Imperioratorex Caprae	5 POSTED: 20 Jun 2014 16:27
	As a fan of Edward Gorey, and one who's dealt with the stigma associated with mental illness, this game has sparked some interest. Neverending nightmares is a good title for a game of such subject matter, at least in my view. Having lived most of my life with insomnia, nightmares, and night terrors alternating, sleep is generally something I don't look forward to. Thats not the extent of my own personal madness, just the tip. I look forward to this game...

Sarah LeBoeuf	6 POSTED: 21 Jun 2014 11:21
	Kieve: What I also found successful was how Gilgenbach managed to relate the terrible aspects of OCD through gameplay. Gilgenbach suffers from intrusive thoughts, which are "terribly unpleasant images that your mind comes up with in order to upset you." People with OCD can't just shrug off these images; "once they get in your head, they are difficult to get out." Haunted by thoughts of self-harm for over a decade, Gilgenbach put these images directly into the game, including one particularly disturbing scene that the player experiences in first-person. NOW you have my attention. My whole life, I've had "intrusive" memories of events that sparked regret, embarrassment, fear, or pain. Those "if I had a time machine, I would go back and fix" moments - and they would come crashing in out of nowhere and refuse to leave. I've taken to making weird noises for a bit just to get my mind to "shut up and settle down," but that's hardly a healthy response. I did not, however, know this was an actual thing. The game itself doesn't look much like something I'd play (though I can appreciate the Edward Gorey aesthetic), but the approach of creation-as-therapy/outlet for mental instability is something I can fully support. As a mental illness sufferer, I spent DECADES thinking I was alone in my weirdo anxiety habits. When I realized there were many others with the same problem, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted. It was the first step in a long process of getting help and getting healthy for me.

KazNecro	7 POSTED: 21 Jun 2014 12:19
	Skeleon: I backed the Kickstarter and haven't regretted it yet. The developers are very receptive to community input and suggestions. I'm curious what else they can do with this beyond the alpha build, but so far all the levels have been different in their own ways, so I'm hopeful/confident they can pull this off. Great to see The Escapist provide a bit of publicity to this game! Same here. I can't wait to get my hands on this! I have to thank The Escapist for running an article spotlighting this game when it was still being Kickstarted. I was immediately interested in it and backed it just as quickly. Thanks guys!

Fdzzaigl	8 POSTED: 21 Jun 2014 12:28
	The style looks amazing, not sure if it will actually manage to scare me though. But still, it's worth a look.

Neurotic Void Melody	9 POSTED: 21 Jun 2014 13:19
	This is very fascinating, as a person with serious mental health issues, i find the thoughts within myself much more frightening than any attempt at horror. This being put into a game with a style that bleeds with despairing creativity, can only be a great thing. Perhaps a cult classic!

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