I really like the concept but I have to agree with some other people in the comments below, the ping from the mouse targets were a little distracting.
We all suffer from depression differently, so I cant really connect with this as much as I was hoping because I dont feel it is this way for me at all. Im sorry it is for you though.
Keep your head up guys!
i agree with hohlram his points are valid and spot on. The bright pings completely contradict the mood of the game and that was in poor choice in my opinion. Once you choose a tone, you want to stick with it, and enforce it, until you are ready to resolve it later in the resolution THEN bring in the brightness. In my mind, i would see this piece utilizing more creep art. Like dead eyes, eyes filled with doubt, sad faces, but then again its not my art. and these things i did not take into consideration when scoring you. However the following effected your score:
A CRITICAL contradiction, is that in one scene it states "every one tells me what to do but NO ONE helps" then in the next immediate scene SOME ONE HELPS who is a "rock". When you are trying to convince some one that depression is real, and not just some one choosing to be negative, its a hard task and contradictions like this are fuel for rebuttal.
Another thing left unanswered is why is the person even in the water? why DOESN'T he just get out? is the current of the water to strong? Is the river too deep and the walls to tall to climb? was he thrown into the river? these are possibility which make good analogies.
you get 50% grade for missing these extremely important points. However, i am strict in grading art because the grade lies solely on the ability to effectively communicate the message. These points could have been added easily, and i felt were critical enough to drop you the score.
Damn. That hit pretty hard.
Even though not perfect i like the idea and the general feel to it. Maybe you could re-create the game or go even deeper than depression with the same kind of concept. Apart from that a really good try and a really good little game well done!
Liked the narrative, wish squeaky sound from the button didn't make it seem funny. The people not looking like people makes it feel even less depressing.