While you probably don’t usually associate mobile gaming with helping you deal with illness, death, and loss, that’s exactly what Part of Me is all about. This award-winning, interactive mobile game is designed to help people – especially young people – deal with grief in a safe space.
Are the features of this game really helpful and can they support you through the process of grief? Here’s what you’ll find when you play Part of Me.
What Is Apart of Me About?
Apart of Me is a completely free mobile game, without ads, and can be played on both Android and iOS. The game revolves around your character, you give him a name, and you land on a magical, peaceful island.
On the island, you will meet a guide and several friendly creatures who help you throughout the game. To entertain young people, Apart of Me includes many other aspects of adventure games that are common: you can earn XP as you explore, complete quests, and collect items.
However, games are also meant to help you through difficult times, no matter what they are. This is where the event comes into play. These activities include listening to other people’s stories, completing tasks, reading advice, learning emotional knowledge, and participating in guided meditation practices.
Apart of Me was designed by grief experts and is based on real experiences of loss by young people. Whether you’re grieving over the loss of a pet or dealing with a serious illness, this is a great example of an exciting mobile app that can help you cope.
Download: Apart of Me for iOS | Android (Free)
What Can You Do on the Island?
This island is full of interesting elements and you can take part in many different activities. Many quests require you to explore and collect specific resources, or chat with specific island creatures. At the same time, the guide gives you real-world missions that you need to record in the mission log in order to move forward in the game.
If you just want to relax for a few minutes, the calm nature of the game is paired with gentle sounds and scenery, making it the perfect choice. But the element of the game is more than just relaxation. The following features also provide opportunities to deal with grief through loss guidance and learning:
Quests
There are many tasks involved in this game. While each task requires a little patience to complete, it is still quite simple. Once you’ve completed the first few adventures, you’ll have the hang of the game and learn how it works.
As soon as you arrive on the island, your guide will give you a map to help you find the places you need to go. When a mob on the island has a mission for you, a star will appear on the map. The movement in the game is simple; Either tap where you want to go, or hold down your finger and continue moving in a specific direction.
When you see a lit object, you can simply click on it and interact with it. Some of these objects require you to find a specific island creature so that they can help you interact with it. For example, when you spot fireflies on an island, you’ll need a net to catch them, but you can only collect the net from one of the islanders.
Eventually, when you catch a firefly, each firefly tells you about the different emotions you might experience in your grief.
Exploration
As you play, you can explore the entire island. But there are specific sites to explore that have unique experiences. For example, your first task is to find the cave that now belongs to you. In the cave, there is a bookshelf where you accumulate all the audio stories and diaries you found during your adventures on the island.
You can visit this cave at any time and listen to these stories over and over again. Touchingly, each story is about a real experience that a young man went through. These powerful messages from others can help you put your grief into words and successfully get through it.
The next spot you come across is the guide’s cottage. If you feel overwhelmed, you can come here. When you find it, the guide will give you a list of links that you can access if you need help outside of the game. These support sites include Child Bereavement UK, Winston’s Wish, The Good Grief Trust, and more. Clicking on one and more information about your organization will appear next to the corresponding link.
Another area you may find is the rock pool. There is a special rock next to the waterfall that your guide will tell you that it contains a relaxing crystal. Smash the rocks with a hammer and collect the crystals. Once you’ve placed them in a rock pool, these crystals allow you to participate in guided relaxation or meditative breathing exercises. More rocks can be found on the island and there are more crystals inside.
Island Creatures
The island is dotted with several creatures, including meeting your guide as soon as you get off the hot air balloon. Each creature is unique, but completely friendly and eager to help you on your journey. Overall, the characters are cute, thoughtfully designed, and helpful for your tasks.
Can Apart of Me Help People Cope With Grief?
Apart of Me is a well-designed concept that uses its peaceful island to provide young people with a safe, private space where they can learn more about their feelings. In this virtual space, you can learn to be a guide yourself, which in turn helps others who are grieving. It’s not a game to rush to finish, it’s something you can work on over time.
Since The App of Me is very gameplay-light, you can use the time you want to spend on missions and missions. The game encourages you to keep coming back to the island when certain feelings or emotions arise.
Some of the most influential features of Apart of Me are shared stories. By listening to these stories, you can learn what helped different people in their situations, and perhaps, you can use these techniques in your own life. While the game’s creators are targeting younger audiences, it may be best suited for older kids. Adults can certainly get a lot of things out of the game.
Use gameplay to improve your health
Apart of Me “Mobile Games is one of the few interactive games that helps people cope with grief and other major emotions. It’s very unique, completely free, and well made and impressive. Download it and give it a try when you feel confused or overwhelmed by feelings of sadness, and you may find that it helps you feel calm and healed.
