STAY ALIVE MY SON (VR): A True Story About A Father's Relentless Search For His Son

About

"Stay Alive My Son" is a VR game spanning 45 years, based on the true story of Yathay Pin, a survivor of the Cambodian genocide. Players witness Pin's harrowing journey of family separation, survival, and resilience, navigating decisions that unfold his poignant narrative. This immersive experience, honored with awards, bridges the past, explores human endurance, and celebrates the power of love, forgiveness, and healing.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

STAY ALIVE MY SON (VR): A True Story About A Father's Relentless Search For His Son screenshot

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 33 reviews

story14 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

Stay Alive My Son offers a deeply emotional and immersive storytelling experience, effectively conveying the tragic narrative of a father's struggle during the Cambodian genocide.
The graphics and sound design are exceptional, creating a hyper-realistic environment that enhances the emotional impact of the story.
The interactive elements and first-person perspective allow players to feel a strong connection to the characters and their experiences, making it a powerful educational tool.

The game suffers from performance issues, requiring high-end hardware for optimal experience, which may limit accessibility for some players.
There are reports of rough optimization and frame rate drops, which can detract from the immersive experience.
The game may feel more like an interactive movie than a traditional game, which could disappoint players looking for more gameplay mechanics.

story
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
67%
6%
The story of "Stay Alive My Son" is a deeply emotional and immersive experience that follows the true journey of Pin Yathay, a father searching for his son during the Cambodian genocide. Reviewers praise its powerful narrative, exceptional attention to detail, and the way it effectively utilizes VR to enhance storytelling, making it a standout in the genre. The game is recommended for those seeking a meaningful and heart-wrenching story that resonates long after the experience ends.
- “For those who are sensitive: this story is a rollercoaster ride of deep emotions that keeps you wanting more despite wanting to stop many times.”
- “The story is the heart of this game, dealing with themes of loss, family, guilt, and acceptance, all told through an adaptation of an autobiography about the Cambodian genocide.”
- “The game tells a heart-wrenching story about a father's fight to find his son during the Cambodian genocide.”
- “I warn other viewers that this is a heavy story, albeit the hope and optimism that it leaves the viewer.”
- “The story is the heart of this game, dealing with themes of loss, family, guilt, and acceptance all told through an adaptation of an autobiography about the Cambodian genocide.”
emotional
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is profoundly impactful, with players describing it as a touching and heart-wrenching experience that explores a father's desperate journey during the Cambodian genocide. The narrative is praised for its depth and educational value, leaving players feeling deeply connected and introspective long after the experience. The combination of immersive storytelling, detailed graphics, and a powerful musical score enhances the emotional engagement, making it a memorable and moving journey.
- “I was blown away - educational, touching, powerful, and grounded in history.”
- “And when the inevitable happens, when you are forced to make impossible choices with heartbreaking consequences, it's like a punch to the gut.”
- “The game tells a heart-wrenching story about a father's fight to find his son during the Cambodian genocide.”
graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
33%
20%
The graphics in this VR experience are widely praised for their hyper-realism and stunning detail, creating an immersive environment that enhances the emotional storytelling. Reviewers highlight the visuals as some of the best in VR, with breathtaking scenes that evoke strong feelings and a deep connection to the narrative. However, some users noted the lack of graphical settings, which could limit customization for different players.
- “This VR experience is next-level, with stunning graphics making every moment real and multi-layered sound design that pulls you right into this man’s world, thoughts, and emotions.”
- “The graphics are so real, and you really feel like you're right there with the father and son as they struggle to survive.”
- “The narrative is gripping and beautifully told, making you feel every bit of the protagonist's pain and hope, and the visuals are some of the best of the best in VR, with some scenes that are genuinely mind-blowing.”
- “Unfortunately, there are no graphical settings or settings of any kind for this experience.”
- “I would say this experience is a walking simulator, like Dear Esther, but with updated visuals for 2024.”
- “The storytelling of these real memories mixed inside real-time graphics walking in these worlds is kind of mind-blowing.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with users noting that it requires high-end hardware, such as an RTX 5090, for satisfactory performance, even on powerful setups like the RTX 4090. While it supports native Oculus drivers for improved performance, many players have experienced rough performance, particularly on Windows 11, indicating a need for further optimization.
- “This app supports native Oculus drivers for optimal performance.”
- “Also, performance was rough even on my 4090, but I lived with it.”
- “Update 5/18/2024: it seems the optimization issue is for Windows 11.”
- “However, it needs to be better optimized.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
40%
40%
The gameplay is characterized by intuitive light mechanics that seamlessly enhance the narrative, maintaining emotional immersion without feeling forced. Players appreciate the blend of cinematic storytelling and interactive elements, making for an exceptional VR experience that eases them into the game/movie atmosphere.
- “I was lucky enough to experience 'Stay Alive My Son' by Victoria Bousis for the first time at FIVARS in 2023, and I have nothing but praise for it as an exceptional VR experience that blends cinematic storytelling with interactive gameplay.”
- “The light gameplay mechanics are intuitive and enhance the narrative without being inauthentic to the story, so I was never taken out of the emotion.”
- “I was impressed by the mechanics, and the initial part of the story helped ease into the experience of being in a game/movie.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music and sound design in the game are widely praised for their breathtaking quality and emotional depth, significantly enhancing the overall experience. Many users draw comparisons to iconic scores, such as those by Hans Zimmer, highlighting how the music effectively conveys the gravity of the narrative, particularly in relation to the historical context of the Cambodian genocide.
- “Truly breathtaking experience, amazing music and sound design.”
- “The music in the background gave me a Hans Zimmer/LOTR (Battle of Helm's Deep where all hope is lost but regained) feel that allowed one to feel the hurt of Pin Yathay and the truly impossible decisions he faced during an impossible time, the Cambodia genocide.”
- “The sound design, particularly the musical score, plays a crucial role in amplifying the emotional intensity of the experience.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its emotional depth and exceptional art direction, leaving a lasting impression on players.
- “Incredibly moving story, phenomenal atmosphere and art direction; I'll be thinking about this for a long time.”