Created by famed game designer and critic, Dys4ia is social commentary in the form of a game. It’s a mix of Warioware-esque games that chronicle the experience of transitioning from male to female. This pixelated autobiography is rendered in retro graphics and bright colors and a great soundtrack. A lot of the scenes and games are staged well in such a way to elevate the fears and anxiety of transitioning. It’s a prime example of using gameplay mechanics as a method to enhance story telling and emotional responses instead of merely being a vehicle for plot.
Anna Anthropy describes the story of Dys4ia as
dys4ia is the story of the last six months of my life: when i made the decision to start hormone replacement therapy and began taking estrogen. i wanted to catalog all the frustrations of the experience and maybe create an “it gets better” for other trans women. when i started working on the game, though, i didn’t know whether it did get better. i was in the middle of the shit detailed in level 3 of the game, and at the time i had no idea what the ending would be; it was hard to envision a happy ending.
You should most definitely give Dys4ia a shot if you’re looking to understand the T in LGBT or if you’re looking for a short game with a compelling story.
Read more about Anna Anthropy here
Tags: anna anthropy, flash game, gay-nerds, transexual, transexual game, Transgender
