Sym
By Michael Lafferty,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Clever puzzler addresses social anxiety disorder.
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Sym
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What’s It About?
In SYM, the protagonist, Josh, is a kid with social anxiety disorder. He feels the world is watching and judging him. To deal with his external and internal fears, he creates two alter egos, Caleb and Ammiel. Caleb lives in the real world and is assailed by fears of being judged. There also are other things to be worried about, such as monsters and deadly flowers. Ammiel lives in the dark world, which is Josh's internal world. This world contains tricks that his mind has created, and it can be just as hazardous. Josh is aware that though his alter egos struggle through these worlds, his life has to change, which is conveyed through text posted on each level. On the surface, this is a platform-puzzle game that requires some problem-solving to get Josh from Point A to the doorway, which is Point B, to leave the level. There are 44 levels in all, but the game comes with an editor option that allows players to build their own levels.
Is It Any Good?
Although Sym may appear to be too easy at first glance, it actually has a great deal of challenge and depth. Sure, you can fly through some puzzles at the start, but to fully explore the game you'll need to use some keyboard dexterity and problem-solving skills. That's particularly true as you try to navigate both the white world (which represents reality) and the dark world (which represents the mind) across the game's 44 levels.
Sym doesn't rely on heavy special effects; its black-and-white presentation looks childlike, but the jumping between worlds is a nice touch and handled quite well. As players move between worlds, the sound changes. The music is more muted when Josh is in the dark world, but music and other noise is much louder in the white world. The positive-reinforcement messages on each stage also are a nice touch. If there are any drawbacks, the game is awfully short, but the level editor can help prolong the experience. Sym is a solid platformer that elevates itself through the issue it addresses. What may seem simple at the onset is actually a nice little gem of a game.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what social anxiety is. Can you come up with ways for people who have fears to deal with these problems in constructive ways?
Discuss what constitutes a good puzzle game and which skills may be needed to come up with solutions to the puzzles.
Game Details
- Platforms: Mac, Windows
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: problem solving, solving puzzles, Creativity: making new creations, producing new content, Self-Direction: personal growth, self-assessment, Emotional Development: handling stress, identifying emotions, self-awareness, Responsibility & Ethics: learning from consequences, Health & Fitness: mental health
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Atrax Games
- Release date: May 7, 2015
- Genre: Puzzle
- Character Strengths: Empathy
- ESRB rating: NR for No Description
- Last updated: August 24, 2016
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