Described by developer Dylan Carter as, “A short game. Well more like a short film. Well more like an experimental short film in ever-so-slightly interactive of a format,” Alz is an exceptionally brief but memorable exploration of the experience of living with Alzheimer’s disease.
Created in just four days by Carter, a 21-year-old animator with no previous coding experience, for Stencyl Jam 2014, Alz takes about two to three minutes at most to complete. Using the right and left arrow keys to move and spacebar to interact, the player controls a man with a blank face who goes out for a stroll. As with real Alzheimer’s, however, what should be a simple, straightforward day becomes unfamiliar, confusing, and strange.
Alzheimer’s is a progressive type of dementia that causes brain cells to degenerate and die, affecting various facets of cognitive functioning, including memory – particularly semantic memory, which stores information about meanings and concept relationships. Behavior also becomes altered, with depressive symptoms and apathy being among the most commonly observed effects. Current treatments can only delay, not permanently halt, progression of the disease, and a cure has yet to be found. According to a report from the Alzheimer’s Association, as of this year one in nine Americans aged 65 or older has Alzheimer’s.
Alz promotes not only awareness of the disease but understanding living with the reality of it, inviting gamers to talk a walk in the shoes of an Alzheimer’s patient. As the game instructions read, “Enjoy your walk. Interact with your surroundings. Or don’t. Have a forgotten, but hopefully not forgetful, experience.” Carter’s own grandfather, who passed away before Carter was born, suffered from the disease.
You can play the game online for free at Newgrounds.com.
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