"Eating disorders are an incredibly sensitive topic, so I was wary when I learned about Consume Me, a game that turns a teenage girl's insecurities into minigames and resource management. After completing the story, however, I'm so glad it exists. Consume Me is a touching, hilarious, occasionally visceral experience told from a perspective video games don't touch on as often as they should."
"The game opens with an interesting content warning, not just pointing out the story's potentially troubling subject matter, but clarifying that Jenny's dieting behavior - the primary gameplay mechanic - is not something to be replicated. I have never played something like this: It's a game about how gamifying real life isn't always a good idea. Jenny, based on the game's creator with the same name, is a high schooler about to start her senior year."
Consume Me centers on Jenny, a high school senior who begins dieting after a remark about her weight and meticulously tracks food and exercise. Gameplay revolves around microgames and resource management, including fitting Tetris-like food pieces onto a lunch plate, and balancing chores, money, and homework. The game foregrounds its content warning and clarifies that dieting behavior in-game is not to be emulated. The experience blends touching, hilarious, and visceral moments while offering meta commentary on the dangers of using game systems to measure complex, real-life issues. The ending is described as disappointing despite the game's personal resonance.
Read at Game Informer
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