Monster in the family
Alko is the national alcoholic retailing monopoly in Finland. The actual propaganda from the dangers of the substances is also part of their charter. Using games as tools for propaganda is an older thing than most think, the long lost game ‘Promille’ was just found from the forest (not kidding) and some adults might still remember the game called Hup-peli (1987). Lydia is a fresh addition and it’s controversialism generated some debate while back. The game received its place in hall-of-fame in the Finnish Gaming museum. The game deals the family and its substance abuse which generates unimaginable fears to the small girl Lydia. Partly surrealistic depictions convey an important message to the player and show that games can deal with serious issues.
Game information
Name: Lydia Publisher/Developer: Alko/Platonic Partnership Ltd.Platforms: PC (Steam), Android, iOS Type: Point&Click, propaganda
Age ratings: PEGI 12 (Google Play), 17+ (App Store), Game developer suggest for 18+
Reviewer: Rami
Pictures and links:
Trailer
Adventuregames review
Washington post
Metacritic
From the perspective of the gamer?
Lydia is an old-fashioned adventure game. Point and click adventure doesn’t need much of a skill, which is good because the game has been aimed at the adult population. Lydia herself escapes parents drinking with her Teddy to a closet with the imaginary world. The story is strongly allegorical and thought-provoking. At the dialog, Lydia has three choices and some critical choices forward the story.
Finnish version, Steam offers the game in English.
Perspective of the ratings?
Google play content rating is PEGI 12 from Horror and Mild swearing. App store gives 17+ for Frequent/Intense Alcohol, Tobacco, or Drug Use or References and Frequent/Intense Horror/Fear Themes.
Lydia has excellent BGM and effects. The dark overtones are pretty much what you would expect the child fears to be. Finnish age ratings wouldn’t give age rating for swearing and for the narcotics the deciding factor is if the depictions are glamorizing the abuse. As this is the case, we can look at the criteria for fear. The 12 age rating would need distressing elements like slight child abuse and surreal depictions. The critical factor which divides 12 from 16 age rating is that 12 ratings are short and the depictions are not dominating through the audiovisual program (or game in this case). The 16 age rating would demand intensity, attempts to shock and strong supernatural horror. For example, Final Destination movie is age rating 16 for the threat of death dominating through the film.
I would daresay that Lydia, which is about as long as a standard movie, is dominant with the depiction of the parents' abuse of substances while the child's fantasy world is close of supernatural fantasy. So-called ‘threat of mentally breaking down’ is present and the ending isn’t that cathartic.
So would the depiction fill criteria number 23 “Shocking and distressing?” Maybe. The goal of the game is to make adults think of their alcohol use. So, while I can see 12 age rating being suitable the Lydia has strong elements and storytelling which hint towards the Finnish age rating 16. So, in this case, I think App Store rating would be closer to the truth than Google Play. It’s a story with morals to the adult population.
Once again Lydia is one of those games every parent should play. It’s a well-made game with a clear theme and many elements that can be interpreted number of ways. The problem with propaganda is that people turn automatically against it. However, Lydia is a personal story of the kid growing up in a family like this. Every player knows from the start what is the monster but how children would depict it is interesting. For me, the most touching scene was when Lydia wanders around the party and talks with people. It’s not the children's job to question ones drinking, but adults.
“Lydia is not an educational game about harms of alcohol, but good and safe miserable game. Its goal is to provoke feelings and thoughts” Developer Jussi Loukiainen tells in the STT interview.
I’m thinking like him, we need excellent and safe games that make us miserable, and it would appear the game has been already provoking some deep thoughts.
I would daresay that Lydia, which is about as long as a standard movie, is dominant with the depiction of the parents' abuse of substances while the child's fantasy world is close of supernatural fantasy. So-called ‘threat of mentally breaking down’ is present and the ending isn’t that cathartic.
So would the depiction fill criteria number 23 “Shocking and distressing?” Maybe. The goal of the game is to make adults think of their alcohol use. So, while I can see 12 age rating being suitable the Lydia has strong elements and storytelling which hint towards the Finnish age rating 16. So, in this case, I think App Store rating would be closer to the truth than Google Play. It’s a story with morals to the adult population.
Parents and game education?
Once again Lydia is one of those games every parent should play. It’s a well-made game with a clear theme and many elements that can be interpreted number of ways. The problem with propaganda is that people turn automatically against it. However, Lydia is a personal story of the kid growing up in a family like this. Every player knows from the start what is the monster but how children would depict it is interesting. For me, the most touching scene was when Lydia wanders around the party and talks with people. It’s not the children's job to question ones drinking, but adults.
“Lydia is not an educational game about harms of alcohol, but good and safe miserable game. Its goal is to provoke feelings and thoughts” Developer Jussi Loukiainen tells in the STT interview.
I’m thinking like him, we need excellent and safe games that make us miserable, and it would appear the game has been already provoking some deep thoughts.
Things to talk about...
- So, how much am I drinking. And do kids need to see or suffer from it?
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