Review | Finding Paradise video game review: players take emotional ride through a dying man’s memories
Kan Gao’s point-and-click game about two doctors granting a man his dying wish by accessing and manipulating his memories is beautifully drawn, low-key and touching, with plenty of humour
Finding Paradise
Freebird Games
For much of their history video games have inspired conversations about emotions such as loneliness, regret, or the nagging sense of time wasted.
Usually, these discussions occur in the form of stories about why some people seek solace in games. They also speak to the potential indirect effects that can arise from dwelling in virtual worlds for too long. Seldom, however, are such emotions addressed head-on in games save for a cutscene that might show a character going through a rough patch.
Notable outliers include games like Dear Esther, Night in the Woods , and Lydia, which deal with themes of alienation. Other exceptions include the games of Kan Gao. Gao’s work explores how some people deal with loneliness or disappointment. They are also among the more life-affirming titles out there.