This New XBox Game Lets You Literally Battle Cancer
'I, Hope' follows a little girl set on wiping out the illness
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Video games are an important tool for some when it comes to dealing with terminal illnesses or death, as Numines Games’ That Dragon, Cancer demonstrated when it debuted on PC earlier this year. It took an extremely emotional and tumultuous experience and turned it into a powerful adventure anyone could relate to.
In turn it became a resource for others, further demonstrating the sheer power video games can possess. I get the same vibe from the upcoming indie title I, Hope, which is unique in that 100 percent of its profits upon release will be donated to children with terminal illnesses as well as their families.
The brainchild of Arconyx’s Kenny Roy, development and training laboratory ANOMALIA and the GameChanger charity, I, Hope is an upcoming release with one goal in mind: Helping kids conquer cancer in their own ways.
It will be available on ID@Xbox, Microsoft’s self-publishing program for indie developers, home to a landscape of unique games from smaller creators who may otherwise never have been able to get their titles on a major platform.
The game’s aimed specifically at children going through long, scary treatment courses and hospital stays. It features a little girl named Hope who trying to defeat Cancer — literally.
Rather than an illness, it’s a creature that’s caused a blight on her homeland. Hope is tasked with heading out to several different islands, defeating the evil forces on each, and restoring her home to its former glory.
It’s an interesting metaphor for kids looking for a way to deal with their illnesses while having fun in the process. Hospital stays and news about ailing health is scary for cancer sufferers at any age, but I, Hope wants to give kids a little fun during what could otherwise be a bleak period in their lives.
Beyond its younger target audience, I, Hope should appeal to anyone who enjoys a classic action-adventure game. It looks like a solid, The Legend of Zelda-inspired journey, and it’s set for a 2017 release exclusively on Xbox One.
