A new game released on Steam attempts to tackle the issue of child sexual abuse by offering players hope.
Wednesdays is written by Pierre Corbinais, who previously worked on Road 96: Prologue, Haven and Bury Me, My Love.
According to its developer, the game “seeks to raise awareness about child sexual abuse through a surprisingly uplifting story”.
The game revolves around Tim, a man who was victim of sexual abuse as a child, whose memories return as he plays Orco Park, a video game from his childhood.
As Tim, the player will play Orco Park, a theme park simulator game where you build rides and add decorations. As the game is played, Tim’s memories will be unlocked. Players can also play as Tim’s relatives as they “try to piece together the tangled memories of his past”.
“His memories will come rushing back along with a flood of questions,” the game’s description reads. “How could this have happened? Who knew? How has it shaped him? What does ‘normal’ even mean?”
Wednesdays is designed not to be graphic or taboo, and attempts to handle a difficult topic in a way that provides the player with hope.
“Wednesdays doesn’t just aim to break the silence around child sexual abuse, it also provides a platform for several of its team members to have their voices heard, as artists, and as victims,” the developer says. “The game does not include any graphic representation of sexual abuse, and even if its topic might sound grim, Wednesdays is above all about trust, hope and healing.”
The game’s description on Steam adds the following disclaimer: “This game addresses the topics of incest, sexual abuse of minors, and more specifically living on as a victim following these crimes.
“Though it does not depict sexual abuse in any way, some scenes do suggest consensual sexual relationships between minors of the same age. Any scene may be skipped at any time through the Pause menu by pressing the Escape or B key.
“Timothée’s experience is that of a victim whose family believed him and supported him, who was not traumatized, and who managed to pull through. This may be particularly troubling for victims who have had a different experience.”
Wednesdays is available now on Steam and on itch.io, at a reduced introductory price of $8.99 / £7.64 until April 1.
