The internet can be a pretty toxic place regardless of where you lurk. People literally used to get cyber bullied on Club Penguin and Netopia. I mean, these are websites with cute little animal avatars you can accessorize with bowties. Is anyone really safe? Case in point, the online gaming community which, despite having a lot of interpersonal interactions, has some serious bullying, trash talking and misogyny in its pixelated space.
This is why MMO game, “Kind Words” stands out. The entire gameplay incentivises being, well, kind. Since its release last year, hundreds and thousands of letters have been sent and it has received tons of positive reviews from veteran game players who take relief in a rare online safe space.
Here’s how the gameplay goes: When you start the game, you have an option to choose whether you want to respond to messages or receive them. Then, you write a short summary of what you’re going through in life. There’s no real objective to the game aside from writing letters, but boy is it an experience.
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Its full screen title reads, “Kind Words (lo fi chill beats to write to)” and that is exactly what it delivers. Each day you boot up the game, you get a new chill beat to listen to while you write away. The soft visuals, lo fi beats and supportive game mechanics are topped off with a pleasant visitor: A mail deer delivering a new letter from kind strangers.
If you’re an experienced gamer looking for a safe space or a casual player who needs a pick me up, go ahead and download the game here.
Photo from Official header of “Kind Words”