The most depressing ZX Spectrum games ever?

[R-Tape]

That said, I wouldn't want to enter "shameless plug" mode, honest, but I believe the most depressing Spectrum game ever is that short text adventure I created for the CSSCGC 2015, The Trunk, based on Dalton Trumbo's Johnny Got His Gun movie. What I put at the beginning explains it all: This game is bleak, painful and unpleasant - just like war itself. Don't say you weren't warned.

You take the role of a hospitalized American WWI soldier who, after having been hit by artillery fire, lost his limbs and is blind, deaf and dumb, and so heavily sedated that he suffers from religious-themed hallucinations (there is a short cutscene in the middle of the game reflecting this).

I put some touches of black humor here and there (e.g. the doctors' dialogue at the beginning), but I think the final result is altogether very sad and depressing. Again, just like war itself.

Spoiler

The game does not end, or better said, it freezes when you are finally aware that no one will put you out of your misery and you will spend the rest of your life lying in a hospital bed as a human trunk, hence the title.

The Trunk isn't depressing - it's harrowing!

[Alessandro]

The Trunk isn't depressing - it's harrowing!

Sorry Dave, could you please explain the difference? Do have patience, I am not a native speaker and such nuances could be lost on me

[R-Tape]

Sorry Ale - I take harrowing as distressing and shocked, depressing as subdued, can't summon the energy to get out of bed.

The Trunk manages to cover both bases though, initially distressing the player, then leaving them in a depressed state

[Nomad]

I think the term does not translate well into Italian. It depends on context.

Harrowing can be thought of as either...

Heart-breaking - straziante

Spoiler

In Afrikaans its the same .. hartverskeurende

Desperate - alla disperata

Tragic - alla tragica

I don't think there is a real way to explain harrowing as all of these translations mean different things. There has to be a German world for it that explains much better

I think of it as an experience that happens to someone that is difficult/changeling but that has a positive effect on the character after.

You would not want it to happen to you but afterwards you are a stronger person for it.

Depressing there is no growth after. I guess that is why its better to have a harrowing experience rather than it just being depressing.

[Vampyre]

Ah, the vagaries of the English language. The late, great Dave Allen explains it best (NSFW: swearing).

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IfoUM6a4bA[/media]

[Ralf]

Depends where you grew up in the UK during the 80s

Okay, now when I think more, growing up in a small postindustrial town may be depressing, even if you live
in one of (theoretically) richest and most influencial countries in the world like UK.

That's what the first mentioned game - Urban Upstart talks about, I guess.

And you have this rainy, misty, cold wheather most of the time

I wonder if it's the same all around the world or there are countries more happy than others. We should ask Einar how it is in Brazil
Do some people find their live depressing there or is it sun, samba, carnival and dancing in the streets all the time

[Einar Saukas]

Depends where you grew up in the UK during the 80s

[...]
We should ask Einar how it is in Brazil

In Brazil, 1980s was the last decade of a long military dictatorship, and the first decade of a hyperinflation so high it peaked over 4100% per year in 1990. Money at the time was loosing value so fast, the government had to replace tons of money with a new currency every few years. Now 1 real (our current currency) literally corresponds to 2,750,000,000,000 cruzeiros (our currency in early 1980s) or 2,750,000,000,000,000,000 reis (our currency until 1942).

[Morkin]

I believe the most depressing Spectrum game ever is that short text adventure I created for the CSSCGC 2015, The Trunk, based on Dalton Trumbo's Johnny Got His Gun movie. What I put at the beginning explains it all: This game is bleak, painful and unpleasant - just like war itself. Don't say you weren't warned.

You take the role of a hospitalized American WWI soldier who, after having been hit by artillery fire, lost his limbs and is blind, deaf and dumb, and so heavily sedated that he suffers from religious-themed hallucinations (there is a short cutscene in the middle of the game reflecting this).

I've been meaning to watch that film for years, as I think it featured in Metallica's 'One' video..?

Do you have to know morse code to 'solve' the adventure by any chance?

[Alessandro]

Do you have to know morse code to 'solve' the adventure by any chance?

No. (The solution is included with the game file anyway.)