Lately, Steve and I have been taking more frequent mental health walks around our neighborhood. During one walk, I started telling Steve about how I could not understand why the indie video game Kind Words wasn’t more popular – especially in the “cozy” social media spaces I have been lurking in. After talking, over it a bit I decided to write my review of this 2019 game and let you decide for yourself the quality of this one-of-a-kind game experience with strangers.
I really, really love this game and I promise to stop mentioning it soon. However, I need you to understand that when I say I love this game, I mean it was the ONLY game I played on my PC for a few years. Sorry not sorry, Steam sales and gamer elitists. Kind Word (LoFi Beats to Write to) was released in 2019 by an American indie video game developer Popcannibal – the duo of programmer and designer Ziba Scott and artist Luigi Guatieri. I got my copy from one of the many Humble Bundles Steve has donated to over the years.
Kind Words’ video game experience requires the use of a desk and was uniquely released during the beginning of COVID-19. The isolation that wrecked the globe was what brought me to my desk to write letters into an abyss. In this game the player has the ability to have a space to reflect in – customizable by your interactions via collectable stickers. There is a PostDeer named Ella that delivers or sends letter out for words of encouragement and they greet you at the window of the bedroom view you’re in. Players can either: respond to other’s requests, send simple paper airplanes flying across the screen, or request their own letters. The playlist of lofi-beats creates the perfect background for leaving this game idle while working or studying.
Kind Words’ two main focuses are anonymity and writing for mental health. For some, writing and receiving letters without knowing who is in the conversation, can cause anxiety. Especially when the “kind words” you may receive from a request actually don’t feel so kind to you. This is one of the game’s biggest assets, I feel, because it becomes a practice in trying out perspectives you may not agree with. Occasionally a response left me feeling the deep urge to defend myself in a reply, so I understand where this may be a drawback for some. The game experience feels like it has a deep connection to writing for understanding and the game’s community of moderators care deeply about free speech and the protection of mental health. With over three years of playing Kind Words, I have yet to encounter a mean-spirited troll. I have been left with the deep feelings of “I need to understand these people better” and “humanity is so kind and generous and I am so grateful.”
One of my favorite examples of this is when I requested some kind words during one of the many, many burnout phases I had while teaching. Thanks to a recent update from the devs, I can now share with you my favorite letter. In this letter, the person is sharing their favorite teacher story and through the lines I could connect with the teacher they were describing fondly. The writer describes a fun trip exploring abroad, the reader (me, a fellow teacher) understood the responsibility of the caretaking and the panic from the educator’s point of view. When I read this letter, I remember laughing right out of my blues. I will cherish this game for moments like this, more so than any that I may receive from those who may understand my experience less.
It seems insane that I am defending that a penpal-type game is better when you can’t respond more than once – but it’s true. Kind Words has within it’s own game a wealth of resources to get help if you or someone you know is struggling with a mental illness or a strong tribulation of their life. They offer links and quick access to hotlines and resources like TakeThis and USA 24hr Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The science behind the importance of written reflection and how it can benefit mental illnesses such as depression backs up the entire foundation of written reflection within the game. You have to be sure you’ve said exactly what you’ve needed to say in a 17-line style formatted request and you have to be careful with your generalizations when writing to strangers who are having a hard time. Additionally, since the game is available in multiple countries, I have found that logging into the game just to read requests can be disheartening. Another interesting point about this game is that often times you can witness an overall “mood” to strangers requests. Sometimes all the requests feel too hard to answer, and other times the letters all have reason to celebrate. This feels very familiar to life itself and sharing it with close friends and this is the only game I have ever felt this cozy with.
If you enjoy writing, or are needing a pick-me-up letter from strangers, I strongly recommend giving Kind Words a try!
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