Essays on Empathy

Lore & Background

Essays on Empathy was developed by Valencia studio Deconstructeam, a trio of writer and designer Jordi de Paco, artist Marina González, and musician Paula Ruiz. The compilation, containing titles developed between 2015 and 2021, aimed to give the studio's short games a wider audience, as they had received less attention. It was assembled as a side project and therapeutic exercise during a creative hiatus, after the studio paused work on a larger title, The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood, due to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, which had a negative psychological impact on the developers. The title was chosen to reflect the different characters depicted in the various games and the overarching design process, with de Paco noting that the team began purposefully developing games with a heavy narrative focus over time to explore complex situations requiring players to put themselves into the game. Most of the games were previously developed and released for short-term game jams including the Ludum Dare, and were largely presented as originally released in terms of content. The compilation was announced on 30 April 2021 with a trailer for release on May 18.

Reader's Guide

Essays on Empathy received generally favorable reviews upon release, according to review aggregator Metacritic. Critics praised the narrative and themes of the various games, with MeriStation considering the narrative design the strong point in its sensitive treatment of social and intimate themes from diverse perspectives. Digitally Downloaded noted each game explores a narrative of coping, balancing humor and poignancy. Game Rant described the games as poignant and confronting due to heavy subject matter, providing players a chance to step into the shoes of different people. Eurogamer found the themes terribly real and raw, though noted concepts were not fully matured due to short lengths. Many critics acknowledged the games, developed during game jams, were limited in scope as short experiences, with The Escapist considering some too simple. De Tres Al Cuarto received specific praise as a highlight, with PC Gamer UK commending its mature depiction of a gay relationship and believable characters, though finding comedy sections less effective due to sound design. Digitally Downloaded considered its deckbuilding mechanic to communicate aspiration rather than strategy, conveying questions of value and self-worth. MeriStation assessed it as the most refined work, depicting a very human romantic dilemma. Vandal wrote it demonstrated the studio's mastery in giving life to unique characters in credible situations. The behind-the-scenes additions were generally praised for deepening the connection between player and developer and providing interesting context for artistic decisions, though Vandal noted the menu text was poorly readable and videos lacked playback controls. Several reviewers identified bugs and quality of life issues due to games being presented in their original state, with Checkpoint Gaming noting all games lacked menus, save states, and pause functions, though considered these of little consequence. Digitally Downloaded speculated technical issues reflected packaging exactly as they were at the end of their game jams, with UI quirks and typos left in. Non-English sources lamented the game did not include localization.

Did You Know?

• The compilation was created as a side project during a creative hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
• Most of the games were originally developed for game jams including the Ludum Dare.
• De Tres al Cuarto was the only new title developed specifically for the compilation.
• The games are presented in the state they were at upon original release, with UI quirks and typos left in.