Though I'm only 27 years old, the advancements in video game technology since I was a kid have already far surpassed anything I ever thought possible. It's easy to take technology for granted, but if you really take a step back and think about it, it's pretty damn mind blowing what game developers have been able to do in recent years, crafting games that look like live-action movies and even ones that are controlled by our body movements. But what about a game that's controlled by something else? What about a game that's controlled not by our movements, or our button mashing abilities, but rather by our fear?
Described as a puzzle horror game, Nevermind is the brain-child of developer Erin Reynolds, and your survival in it is literally dependent on how afraid you are while playing it. Players are hooked up to heart monitors and then tasked with traversing warped and disturbing worlds, and met with bizarre and horrifying imagery. If the fear levels go up, and your heart rate increases, so too does the intensity and difficulty of the game. On the flip side, if you remain calm, and your heart rate slows down, the game gets a whole lot easier.
As Reynolds describes, Nevermind isn't just about scaring people and providing a unique video game experience, but it's also about calming people down and helping them to deal with anxious situations in their real lives, by imparting valuable stress reduction skills. "Our hope is that you'll be able to take those skills into the real world," she says, "and use them in everyday situations."
Below you'll find a concept video explaining more about the game, and you can keep tabs on its progress over on the Nevermind website.