Before diving deep into “Consume Me,” consider this a preliminary recommendation. (Note: The title’s a reference to the game, not a personal invitation to overindulge!) I felt compelled to spotlight this remarkable game immediately, especially since its Steam performance suggests it might be flying under the radar.
It’s a snappy, emotionally charged indie role-playing game centered on Jenny, a high school student juggling weight loss with the typical teenage pressures of academics, chores, social life, and a demanding mother. The gameplay mainly revolves around completing everyday tasks and navigating coming-of-age moments, all presented as fast-paced, Wario Ware-esque mini-games. Expect to fold laundry with precise timing, maintain composure on a dreadful date, apply makeup with the flair of a Kid Pix masterpiece, and strategically arrange food on your plate, subtly passing unwanted portions to your comically plump dog.
The game’s creators – Jenny Jiao Hsia, AP Thomson, Jie En Lee, Violet W-P, and Ken “coda” Snyder – offer a crucial warning: “Consume Me is partly based on real experiences and explores themes like dieting, unhealthy eating patterns, and body image issues. If you’ve personally struggled with these, ‘Consume Me’ could be a triggering or unsettling experience. It’s perfectly okay to skip this one.”
While I haven’t personally battled an eating disorder, I can relate to the feeling of self-critical mirror moments. In “Consume Me,” the mirror embodies these inner demons, with Jenny receiving her tasks from a hilariously harsh reflection. My initial hour with “Consume Me” was filled with laughter, though I anticipate moments of sadness ahead. Regardless of the outcome, even a less-than-ideal ending among the thirteen possibilities, I believe the journey will be worthwhile.
“Consume Me” blends its humorous visuals with a surprisingly strategic resource management system, which also serves as a commentary on the trend of gamifying self-improvement. The game is structured around days, divided into scripted and unpredictable events like shopping trips, chance encounters, and, most importantly, mealtimes. During meals, the challenge is to fill Jenny’s “Gut” meter sufficiently without exceeding her allotted “Bites.” Initially, my approach involved haphazardly stacking food items, but after Jenny consulted a diet magazine, the eating mini-game evolved into a Tetris-like puzzle of fitting food blocks together.
Overindulgence might lead you to exercise in Jenny’s room, where workouts involve manipulating a stretchy Jenny with your cursor to achieve various poses. Many mini-games and cutscenes feature comedic distortions of Jenny’s body. It’s both amusing and a bit uncomfortable to watch. “Consume Me” effectively blends Looney Tunes-style humor with a clear undercurrent of self-deprecating feelings.
Managing resources is key – you’ll need to monitor energy (for tasks like walking the dog), mood (highly affected by hunger), and money (for things like buying a swimsuit for the neighborhood pool party). While the mini-games may seem simplistic, there’s strategic depth in efficiently allocating time and unlocking activities, perks, and outfits to boost your stats. Again, this feels more like a critical examination than a genuine endorsement of equating self-improvement with leveling up. The developers warn that despite mastering these life-hacking strategies, Jenny’s situation might still worsen.
The game’s art style and interface are delightfully quirky, with chunky Walkman-style buttons and a color palette reminiscent of virtual pet games – which, in some ways, it is. The audio is equally impressive, featuring unique music for each part of Jenny’s day, and sound effects that perfectly complement the visual humor. Crucially, “Consume Me” maintains a brisk pace. Even when tackling serious topics, like a mother’s critical comments about appearance, scenes rarely linger for more than a few sentences.
You can find this engaging, slightly unsettling game on Steam. For another perspective, Oisin shared his initial thoughts on the demo back in May. A potential reason for “Consume Me’s” subdued launch is its release alongside several other experimental titles.
Notably, there’s “Baby Steps” from Bennett Foddy and colleagues, which addresses similar themes from a vastly different angle. I’ve previously discussed how that seemingly depressing game actually celebrates the experience of inhabiting an awkward, ungainly body. I believe “Baby Steps” and “Consume Me” would make excellent companion pieces. We anticipate sharing more thoughts on both in the future.