Today I Die



"dead world full of shades today I die"

Describe Today I Die here.

Well, I could, but it would ruin the experience for you, and it doesn't take that long to play. So why not try it first, then come back here?

Go on, do it. It'll make you a better person. I'll wait.

Okay, back? Here, need a tissue?

A game by Daniel Benmergui that uses pixelated metaphors and morphing poetry to explore the journey back from the brink of suicidal depression, aided by an excellent soundtrack by Hernan Rozenwasser. Winner of the Nuovo award from the Independent Games Festival. Others have found the symbolism anvilicious.

Benmergui has also created I Wish I Were The Moon, an experimental game very loosely based on the short story "The Distance of the Moon" from Calvino's Cosmicomics.

""[adjective] world "full of [nouns]" "today I [verb]""
 * Adaptation Expansion: The iPhone version changes some of the scenes and has a little build-your-own-poetry mini-game.
 * Bizarre Puzzle Game: Today I Die is one of these, and a beautiful one at that.
 * Disappears Into Light: Subverted. The Disappear is the protagonist's return from suicidal depression.
 * Driven to Suicide:
 * Earn Your Happy Ending: The protagonist must fight her way through the shades of herself, swimming with a rock tied around her waist.
 * Light'Em Up: Your main 'weapon' throughout the game.
 * Mad Libs Catchphrase: This forms the skeleton for the game's poem:


 * Multiple Endings: The protagonist can swim away with a young man, or on her own.
 * The Power of Love: In one of the possible endings, the protagonist swims away with a young man.
 * Our Mermaids Are Different: The shades and the protagonist.

"free world full of beauty today I swim until you come/better by myself"