Wednesdays review — Trauma in an interactive medium

Video games have always had a bit of a stigma for just being ‘bad for you’ with no reward or learning opportunities. Most mainstream news will target kids who play video games as ‘wasting their lives’ and being cut off from the world around them with no real benefit. This view has always been really shallow in my opinion, and makes me believe that these researchers look at the medium at a surface level.I’ve played plenty of titles that have pushed my way of thinking and helped me understand perspectives I never would have been privy to otherwise. A great example of the strength of this medium is through the indie title Wednesdays, a short visual novel that raises awareness about child sexual abuse.

I can see why players would be steered away from this game, as this topic is very heavy and approaches some uncomfortable topics. However, I think it’s important to at least push yourself to consume this type of media. Wednesdays is special in how it’s a game that makes perspective accessible through interaction rather than just plain consumption. It’s easy to watch the news and feel sympathy and anguish, but having the player click through scenarios and even choose whether to approach these topics makes for a lasting impact. The developers of this game feel passionate about their endeavour, as they made a point of making their game free today in honor of World Children’s Day. I won’t spoil any content here; I’ll just go over presentation and gameplay features, but I would encourage you to at least give it a go, as it’s a beautiful game with really poignant yet hopeful messaging, presented through some stunning visuals and intuitive storytelling mechanics.

Wednesdays has the main character, Tim, wander through his memories of when he was young, meeting various people in his life that shaped him. Instead of simply just clicking through episodes, however, Wednesdays presents the memory web as a rollercoaster tycoon game called Orco Park, where Tim will construct attractions that unlock specific memories. You’ll generate income (shells) through your attractions, which will guide you through memories. These can be played in any order, but the more complicated memories will require a higher number of shells, providing a loose guide on what should be viewed in which order. These scenarios being quite mismatched works in the storytelling’s favor, as it gives the player a lot to chew on after the 2nd or 3rd memory. The game even suggests you revisit memories to reveal more context and piece together what happened in Tim’s childhood. Concerning the subject matter, this approach to storytelling works really well, easing players into heavy material without shoving it in their faces. You can also make some customization choices in the game, including building some mini decorations that generate more income, or you can tidy up trash on the shores to do so, too—this mainly acts as a cooldown between some heavy-hitting chapters.

The bulk of the story is the snippets of Tim’s life and how he comes to terms with what has happened to him and how other people may react. Wednesdays isn’t just a game about incest but is incredibly nuanced about other subjects like power imbalances through age gaps, responsibility, survivor’s guilt, exposure to porn from a young age, and many others. The game is thoughtful about these characters' whole experiences, rather than singling out one aspect. Obviously, this material comes with a lot of trigger warnings, but the game does a great job in making sure its players are comfortable and are able to switch content on and off. Memories will be categorized so you know how heavy each one will be, and you can click on the exclamation icons to show what trigger warnings are present, so you’re welcome to skip some if you’re unsure. However, that’s not to take away from how hopeful Wednesdays is. It isn’t just a tragedy where you’ll finish the game with a pit in your stomach; it’s a game that is full of heart.

Its great storytelling is also complemented by downright stunning visuals, separated into the pastel pink retro amusement park—that I would not say no to a whole game about—and the artistic graphic novel-inspired presentation of the game’s memories. Each scenario was drawn in detail and was a feast for the eyes, but even in simplistic chapters, the style is striking and paired well with some haunting and powerful dialogue. Another powerful artistic choice is the portrayal of the victims themselves, having been drawn with squares for heads unlike other characters who are normal. There is a specific chapter that is simply a satellite floating high above planet Earth, and it made me shed a few tears.