That Dragon, Cancer

That Dragon, Cancer is a tragic tale and an everlasting tribute to all those who have suffered from cancer and despite the rather loose-feeling controls, it’s still worth your time.

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An immersive, narrative videogame that retells Joel Green's 4-year fight against cancer through about two hours of poetic, imaginative gameplay that explores themes of faith, hope and love.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,908 reviews

story281 positive mentions

gameplay35 negative mentions

Incredibly touching and emotional experience that resonates deeply with players, especially those who have faced loss or cancer in their lives.
Beautifully crafted with a unique art style and heartfelt voice acting, making the story feel personal and genuine.
Offers a profound perspective on life, love, and loss, encouraging players to appreciate their loved ones and reflect on their own experiences.

Gameplay is minimal and often feels more like an interactive story than a traditional game, which may disappoint players looking for more interactivity.
The heavy religious themes throughout the game can alienate non-religious players and detract from the overall emotional impact for some.
Controls can be clunky and frustrating at times, leading to moments of confusion and breaking immersion in the story.

story
1,191 mentions
24 % positive mentions
74 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The story of "That Dragon, Cancer" is a deeply personal and emotional narrative that chronicles the real-life battle of Joel Green, a young boy with cancer, and the profound impact on his family. Players experience the family's journey through a mix of poignant storytelling, visual metaphors, and voiceovers from the Greens themselves, evoking a range of emotions from sorrow to reflection. While the game is praised for its heartfelt narrative, some players find the heavy religious themes and gameplay mechanics detract from the overall experience, making it more of an interactive story than a traditional game.
- “The story of Joel, a little boy with brain cancer that proves untreatable, and his family is elegantly and touchingly told through visual metaphors and voiceover narration, often voiced by real people involved such as Joel's parents.”
- “This game tells a story, one too familiar to too many people.”
- “The story touches your heart, rips it to pieces, leaves you lost, and finally, restores you with hope over the journey of life.”
- “The immutable essentials, the story of a dying child and the parents who loved him, are not up for debate; I just wish 'That Dragon, Cancer' had kept its eyes on them, not turned them to the heavens.”
- “The unintended plot becomes 'if Jesus cared about Joel, this game wouldn't exist', instead of 'here is our beautiful child, here are all the things he loved, here is what made him happy and here is how cancer completely destroyed the fabric of our life'. In fact, I think there is more talk about Jesus and stories about Jesus than there are stories about who Joel was.”
- “Sadly, the story quickly strays from the themes of cancer and death, taking a strong turn into religious propaganda.”
emotional
772 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "That Dragon, Cancer" is overwhelmingly powerful, with players describing it as a deeply touching and heart-wrenching experience that often leads to tears. The game effectively conveys the struggles of a family dealing with a child's terminal illness through personal storytelling, poignant visuals, and raw audio, creating an emotional rollercoaster that resonates with anyone who has faced loss or grief. While some players noted mechanical issues that detracted from immersion, the overall consensus is that the game's emotional impact is profound and unforgettable, making it a must-play for those seeking a meaningful narrative experience.
- “The story of Joel, a little boy with brain cancer that proves untreatable, and his family is elegantly and touchingly told through visual metaphors and voiceover narration, often voiced by real people involved such as Joel's parents.”
- “These deeply human moments carry an emotional weight that is almost impossible to imagine in any project not so profoundly personal and rooted in a lived experience.”
- “This game is an emotional and spiritual journey roller coaster.”
gameplay
317 mentions
11 % positive mentions
78 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "That Dragon, Cancer" is minimal and often clunky, primarily consisting of point-and-click interactions that serve to advance the narrative rather than provide traditional gaming mechanics. Many players found the gameplay frustrating and repetitive, with some describing it as almost non-existent, yet the emotional weight of the story and its powerful themes resonate deeply, making the experience memorable despite its flaws. Overall, those seeking a gameplay-heavy experience may be disappointed, but fans of narrative-driven games will appreciate the heartfelt storytelling.
- “The gameplay is truly excellent at conveying the narrative.”
- “Simple mechanical interactions integrate perfectly with a minimalistic aesthetic and a muted color scheme in order to create imaginative visual and interactive metaphors that explore the game's themes and establish emotional connections with the characters.”
- “The little gameplay to be found is made up with enthralling moments, amazing storytelling, incredible art and sound, and probably one of the best stories I've read/experienced in some time.”
- “Gameplay is non-existent.”
- “The gameplay itself can be quite frustrating as well sometimes.”
- “But honestly, this game is almost utterly devoid of gameplay whatsoever.”
graphics
198 mentions
37 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics of "That Dragon, Cancer" are characterized by a simplistic, low-poly art style that some players find charming and effective in conveying the game's emotional narrative, while others view them as bland or unremarkable. Despite the varied opinions on the visual quality, many agree that the graphics serve their purpose by enhancing the storytelling and emotional depth of the experience, often described as more of an interactive artwork than a traditional game. Overall, the visuals are appreciated for their ability to evoke feelings and complement the poignant themes of the game, even if they don't showcase high-end graphical fidelity.
- “This, complemented with a stellar soundtrack, some of the best sound design I've ever come across that really elevated the experience to another level, incredible voice acting, gorgeous graphics despite the low polygon nature, along with keeping the interest of 'not just another walking simulator' with cuts to other forms of gameplay made for a game that I will never forget.”
- “The graphics, though simple, are often very beautiful.”
- “The graphics and level design of the game overall magnificently accentuate the thoughts and emotions that the game is attempting to convey.”
- “Graphics are horrible.”
- “As a game, the graphics were very simple, gameplay a bit clunky.”
- “The artwork, while initially charming, eventually loses its beauty, becoming a confusing miasma of fractured textures and unimpressive design.”
music
112 mentions
48 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its emotional depth and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers highlighting the beautiful, melancholic soundtrack and excellent sound design. The compositions, often featuring tender piano melodies, effectively complement the narrative and visuals, creating a powerful atmosphere that resonates with players. Overall, the music is considered a standout element, contributing significantly to the game's emotional impact and immersive quality.
- “The soundtrack is just... beautiful, touching, fitting, it's perfect.”
- “The music is lovingly composed and you don't really notice it until you're sobbing into your keyboard.”
- “The music, the strong writing, and the visuals all fall into place in that dragon, cancer to create a gut-wrenching, heart-ripping-out-of-your-chest story that will definitely stay with me for a while.”
- “It's mostly some sad, background music with voice recordings on top of it.”
- “The music is most of the time serene piano playing, which is why I have a hard time recalling memorable characteristics about it other than that.”
- “In the novelist, I did not care about the characters, the voice acting was average to bad (it was boring) and the sound design and music was lacking.”
humor
22 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is intricately woven into its narrative, balancing moments of laughter and sorrow as it explores themes of grief through the lens of a family's experience. Players find themselves laughing at the absurdity of the situation while also connecting deeply with the emotional weight of the story, enhanced by the authentic voice acting of the actual family involved. This blend of humor and heartfelt moments creates a unique and poignant experience that resonates with players on multiple levels.
- “This game made me laugh and cry like no other game has.”
- “Honestly, that was pretty funny.”
- “However, I found myself smiling, even laughing as I played with Joel.”
stability
19 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and stuttering that render it nearly unplayable for many users. While some players note that it runs smoothly without crashes or frame rate drops, the overall experience is marred by laggy controls and technical issues typical of an indie project. Many reviewers recommend avoiding the game due to these persistent stability problems.
- “Very good and beautiful story, but the game is sadly unplayable. There's so much stuttering everywhere, and in the chapter 'Joel the Baby Knight,' when the dragon hits him with a fireball, the camera simply freezes and doesn't let me do anything, so I had to skip it and watch it on YouTube.”
- “It just glitches, and I have to restart the entire chapter in order to try again, which is quite annoying.”
- “It was very buggy, although the initial set of fixes had been applied.”
atmosphere
19 mentions
89 % positive mentions
11 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by an excellent soundtrack, ambient sounds, and a compelling art style that complements the narrative. Reviewers highlight the emotional weight of the story, which, combined with the atmospheric elements, creates a unique and touching experience that resonates deeply with players. Overall, the game is recommended for those who appreciate atmospheric, story-driven experiences.
- “Music is excellent and ambient sound in general, builds a great atmosphere.”
- “Not only is the writing great, but the score, art style, and overall atmosphere is absolutely stunning.”
- “However, I believe the subject matter, personal nature of the family’s struggle and general unique atmosphere and drama of the title lends it weight that few other games have ever matched.”
optimization
11 mentions
36 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting significant stuttering and freezing issues that render it nearly unplayable, particularly during key moments. While the narrative and voice acting are praised for their emotional depth, the technical performance detracts from the overall experience, making it difficult for players to engage fully with the game.
- “The dialogue is beautifully poetic and somber, and the dramatic impact is further reinforced by wonderful music and superb vocal performances.”
- “[A breathtakingly immersive peek into a real-life struggle with mortality, atmospheric audiovisual presentation bolstered by some truly heartfelt voice acting performances.]”
- “In contrast, That Dragon, Cancer is less performance (I think that as a game, performance is a necessary part) and more conversation.”
- “Very good and beautiful story, but the game is sadly unplayable. There's so much stuttering everywhere, and in the chapter 'Joel the Baby Knight,' when the dragon hits him with a fireball, the camera simply freezes and doesn't let me do anything, so I had to skip it and watch it on YouTube.”
- “In contrast, that dragon, cancer is less about performance (I think that as a game, performance is a necessary part) and more about conversation.”
- “In contrast, that dragon, cancer is less about performance (I think that as a game, performance is a necessary part) and more about conversation.”
replayability
8 mentions
0 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The game is generally considered to have very low replayability, with users comparing it to the experience of watching a movie, as it lasts only 2-3 hours and offers little incentive to play again beyond showcasing it to others.
- “It has zero replayability except to show it to others and lasts 2-3 hours.”
- “The game has as much replayability as watching a movie, in my opinion.”
- “Replayable: not really”
grinding
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often likening it to a mindless cycle of random clicking that detracts from the overall enjoyment. This has led to feelings of regret about purchasing the game.
- “Some elements are just a festival of random clicking; this is tedious.”
- “I was weeping, grinding my teeth and hating myself for buying this game.”
monetization
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Many users feel that the monetization strategies of certain games prioritize profit over player experience, leading to disappointment when the promised emotional engagement and character attachment fall short. This has led some to label these games as mere cash grabs.
- “Some people see this game as a simple cash grab.”
- “There are games where advertisements or reviews promise an emotional journey and how you’ll get attached to the characters, but after playing the game, you only get a small part of those feelings or maybe none at all.”