
Freshman year. What a time to be alive, at the bottom of the totem pole once again. With freshman year comes the freedom to make many regrettable decisions, forget to do some homework, occasionally get a little too tipsy, and dance the night away with your friends. It’s a year for many choices and many lessons learned.
Freshman Year has been my favorite game so far. While not a typical game, in the sense that there is no real action taken or controls, it grabbed my attention immediately. I think part of the reason why I liked it so much was because I felt a personal connection to the situation. I make those same choices with my friends, I send some of those same texts, I have that same fear. Though I have not been taken advantage of, it is a very real situation for girls; a girl gets a little too drunk, a boy is right there to ‘make sure nothing happens to you.’ Right when the bouncer popped up onto the screen, I knew what was going to happen. It’s just the mind of a girl I guess.
I played this game twice. The first time, I chose the prompts I would choose if I was her. The second time, I chose the other ones. Both times, the result was the same. However, I did enjoy the aspect of choice. Every day we are faced with choices that we have to make, and sometimes they determine the outcome of a circumstance. Because I played it twice, I got to know more about Nina’s story, which was interesting. Her thoughts were some of the same ones I’ve had with my friends. It was scary.
Out of curiosity, I made one of my male friends play the game. The choices he made astounded me. He was so oblivious to what was going on and at one point even said, “I feel bad for the guy (the bouncer).” I became really irritated with him. I decided not to say anything. I’m glad I didn’t because right when Nina is taken advantage of, he shuts up and his face is one of horror. “I didn’t expect that” he said. As a male, he didn’t understand the situation that was unfolding right before him. I asked him what he thought and all he could say was that it was sad.
Freshman Year definitely pulls at a player’s emotions. It tells a story, one that is ever so real, and that’s what got me interested. Though it may seem like a lame game with terrible graphics, it brings to light an issue that is usually viewed by society as ‘normal’. However, I do think that my opinion is a bit biased being that I am female. I thought of the game very differently than my male friend who had no idea what was going on. Though this may be, I still think it is worth a play for anyone.