Saving You From Yourself

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Saving You From Yourself is a single player simulation game. It was developed by Taylor McCue and was released on May 14, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Saving You From Yourself is a game about gatekeeping for transgender women.

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Single-Player

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68%

Audience ScoreBased on 103 reviews

emotional10 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

The game effectively critiques the medical gatekeeping faced by transgender individuals seeking hormone therapy, highlighting the emotional and financial toll it can take.
Despite its short length, the game leaves a lasting impression and evokes strong emotions, making players reflect on the experiences of trans individuals.
The handmade art style and unique presentation contribute to the game's overall impact, enhancing the storytelling experience.

Many players find the game's portrayal of the therapist's perspective to be problematic, leading to accusations of transphobia and misunderstanding of the game's message.
The game is criticized for its brevity, with some players feeling it lacks depth and meaningful dialogue to fully explore the complexities of transgender healthcare.
The interface and art quality are seen as inconsistent and unpolished, detracting from the overall experience.

story
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The story is a deeply grounded exploration of the therapist-client dynamic, presenting the therapist as a potentially narcissistic villain whose actions are driven by self-interest rather than genuine care. Players are challenged to confront the harmful implications of gatekeeping and the notion that one can "save" another, emphasizing that true agency lies with the individual. While the narrative is straightforward, its themes provoke significant reflection on personal autonomy and the ethics of therapy.
- “Honestly, I don't have too much life experience with the topics described in this story, so perhaps my input isn't exactly the most relevant, but I think this game is truly exceptional in its presentation.”
- “The game isn't subtle; it's very straightforward in both the story and the consequences of each of the admittedly few choices you make.”
- “As the game's story itself shows, only individuals can decide what is truly right for them.”
- “But I cannot help but see how harmful the views in this story were.”
- “You're supposed to see the gatekeeping as cruel because that's exactly what it is; the therapist player character is the villain of the story, as they have a monetary incentive to draw out the sessions and collect money while forcing Arle into making sacrifices in the hope of potentially getting what she needs.”
- “The game isn't subtle; it's very straightforward in both the story and the consequences to each of the admittedly few choices you make.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is described as a highly emotional experience, capable of evoking strong feelings and even tears within a short playtime. While some players found the epilogue impactful, it felt somewhat disconnected from the main narrative. The game effectively highlights the emotional struggles related to trans healthcare, though its brief recaps may hinder deeper emotional investment for some players.
- “Despite only being 13 minutes long for all three endings, it's a very emotionally charged piece of art.”
- “Made me cry.”
- “A really touching game!”
graphics
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the handmade aesthetic and unique artwork that enhances emotional moments, while others criticize the overall quality and art style as jarring and unappealing. Despite its short length, the use of color and visual elements is noted for conveying themes effectively, though technical issues like low resolution detract from the experience for some players.
- “The handmade feel of the visuals is fitting and helps make the 'maybe next time' cutscene especially impactful.”
- “The graphics are executed interestingly, and considering how short the game is, they're great.”
- “Even though the game is extremely short, the usage of colors, the intentionally abrasive font, and the almost dreamlike visuals express the situation in a way words can't.”
- “As a trans person, I'll say that this game is very jarring. Aside from the questionable graphics and even more questionable art style, it doesn't really attempt to assign a moral or overarching theme to it.”
- “The graphics are poor, the resolution of the option buttons is terrible, and I wonder if a moody teenager or even a child made this game given its low quality.”
- “- Aesthetically unappealing layout at times.”
gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The gameplay is primarily a visual novel format that lacks engaging mechanics, relying heavily on poorly written text and repetitive clicking. While it offers multiple routes for replayability, players often find the experience increasingly uncomfortable and unsatisfying, leading to a sense of wasted investment.
- “It's a visual novel with multiple routes meant to be replayed, but even with that mechanical knowledge, each subsequent run feels increasingly perverse as you draw out Arle's therapy for reasons only the player can answer.”
- “The gameplay is engaging and keeps you on your toes, making every decision feel impactful.”
- “The mechanics are intuitive, allowing for a smooth learning curve while still providing depth for experienced players.”
- “There are no gameplay loops; it's just clicking through badly written e-book text. If the developer was a competent author, this would be a novel on bookshelves in bookstores, and not shoddily self-published on Steam for $100 USD. A waste of money, I might add.”
- “It’s a visual novel with multiple routes meant to be replayed, but even with that mechanical knowledge, each subsequent run feels increasingly perverse as you draw out Arle’s therapy for reasons only the player can answer.”
- “Sounds off from the description, but gameplay makes it obvious that it should not be taken at face value.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players who received the game for free express dissatisfaction with its brevity, particularly those focused on grinding achievements. While some find the repetitive nature of exploring different paths tedious, the game's short length mitigates their concerns.
- “People who got the game for free, sometimes for the express purpose of grinding achievements, are complaining that the game is too short.”
- “Having to cycle through to see all the different paths did get a little bit tedious, but it's a short game, so who cares.”
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features no music, with the developer opting for silence, which some users find off-putting, as indicated in the trailer that suggests this choice is intended for the player's benefit.
- “There is no music, and the trailer video features the developer choosing to ear rape you, claiming it's for your own good.”

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Frequently Asked Questions

Saving You From Yourself is a simulation game.

Saving You From Yourself is available on PC, Web Browser and Windows.

Saving You From Yourself was released on May 14, 2020.

Saving You From Yourself was developed by Taylor McCue.

Saving You From Yourself has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its emotional but disliked it for its story.

Saving You From Yourself is a single player game.

Similar games include Depression Quest, you're just imagining it, Actual Sunlight, Missed Messages, one night, hot springs and others.

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