That Dragon, Cancer

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 948 reviews
  • story
  • emotional
  • gameplay
That Dragon, Cancer Game Cover
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.

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Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 948 reviews
story140 positive mentions
stability9 negative mentions
  • Incredibly touching and emotional experience that resonates deeply with players.
  • Beautiful art style and soundtrack that enhance the storytelling.
  • A heartfelt tribute to the Green family's journey, providing insight into the struggles of dealing with cancer.
  • Gameplay is minimal and can feel clunky, often leading to frustration.
  • Heavy religious themes may alienate non-religious players and detract from the overall experience.
  • Short playtime for the price, which may not justify the cost for some players.
  • story593 mentions

    The story of "That Dragon, Cancer" is a deeply personal and emotional narrative that chronicles the real-life experiences of the Green family as they navigate their son Joel's battle with cancer. Through poignant visuals, voiceovers, and symbolic storytelling, the game captures the profound grief, hope, and faith of the family, resonating with players on a deeply human level. While the narrative is powerful and moving, some players found the heavy religious themes to detract from the overall experience, making it a polarizing journey for those who may not share the same beliefs.

    • “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 about a family's struggle with their young son's illness, offering a deeply personal experience.”
    • “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 TDC 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'.”
    • “While I have no doubt that this narrative matches the developers' real-life story, the extent of the religious content of this game was not at all clear from the descriptions and really took me out of the immersion because I could no longer relate to what they were going through.”
  • emotional385 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 a profound emotional connection that resonates with many, especially those who have faced similar experiences. While some players noted mechanical issues that detracted from immersion, the overall consensus is that the game's emotional impact is significant and lasting, making it a must-play for those seeking a meaningful narrative.

    • “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.”
  • gameplay158 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 challenges. Many players found the mechanics frustrating and repetitive, detracting from the emotional impact of the story, which centers on a family's experience with cancer. While the gameplay is not the main focus, the heartfelt narrative and strong voice acting resonate deeply, making it a unique, albeit imperfect, experience for those seeking an emotional journey rather than gameplay depth.

    • “The gameplay is very simple, just point and click.”
    • “The gameplay, outside of a few sections, continues the trend of non-intrusive interaction.”
    • “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.”
    • “Don't go into this expecting much gameplay, however, because there is very little to be found.”
    • “But honestly, this game is almost utterly devoid of gameplay whatsoever.”
  • graphics99 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 reviewers appreciate how the graphics serve to enhance the storytelling rather than detract from it, creating a unique and immersive experience that resonates deeply with players. Overall, the visuals are described as beautiful and poignant, effectively reflecting the game's themes of loss and hope, even if they lack the technical polish of more mainstream titles.

    • “The graphics, though simple, are often very beautiful.”
    • “The visuals evoke many of the game's deeply human concepts effortlessly, whether it be mentally in the minds of Ryan, Amy, or Joel, or through the depiction of a story accompanied through dialogue and more.”
    • “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.”
  • music56 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, touching soundtrack and excellent sound design. The combination of serene piano melodies and poignant voice acting creates a powerful atmosphere that resonates with players, often evoking strong emotional responses. Overall, the music is considered a standout element that significantly contributes to the game's narrative 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.”
  • humor11 mentions

    The game's humor is intricately woven into its narrative, balancing moments of laughter and sorrow as it explores themes of grief and family. Players appreciate the authentic voice acting from the actual family, which adds a heartfelt layer to the comedic elements, making the experience both touching and amusing. The blend of everyday moments and the absurdity of the situation creates a unique emotional resonance, prompting genuine laughter amidst the poignant storytelling.

    • “This game made me laugh and cry like no other game has.”
    • “Witnessing how a father and a mother desperately try to wrap their minds around such a tragedy while attempting to perceive some insane message of an inexistent fantasy figure with a long white beard that for them just *needs* to be a really cool guy while he's murdering their child with his invisible superpowers made me laugh and forced me to shake my head about so much idiocy.”
    • “Honestly, that was pretty funny.”
  • stability9 mentions

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs, glitches, and performance issues that hinder gameplay, such as freezing and stuttering. While some users noted that the game runs smoothly without crashes or frame rate drops, the overall consensus leans towards a frustrating experience due to its technical shortcomings.

    • “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 has technical glitches and all of the hallmarks of an indie project.”
  • atmosphere9 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its excellent music, ambient sounds, and art style, which together create a stunning and immersive experience. Reviewers highlight how the atmospheric elements enhance the narrative, making it a compelling choice for fans of story-driven games. Overall, the game's unique and emotionally resonant atmosphere sets it apart from others in the genre.

    • “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.”
    • “It is a great atmospheric experience that really envelops the player.”
  • optimization5 mentions

    The game's optimization is severely lacking, with reports of significant stuttering and freezing issues that hinder gameplay, particularly during critical moments. While the narrative and audio elements are praised, the technical performance detracts from the overall experience, making it unplayable for many users.

    • “The dialogue is beautifully poetic and somber, and the dramatic impact is further reinforced by wonderful music and superb vocal performances.”
    • “In contrast, That Dragon, Cancer is less about performance (I think that as a game, performance is a necessary part) and more about 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 performance (I think that as a game, performance is a necessary part) and more conversation.”
  • replayability4 mentions

    The game is generally considered to have low replayability, with users comparing it to 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.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often likening it to a mindless exercise in random clicking that detracts from the overall enjoyment. Many express regret over their purchase due to the excessive grind required.

    • “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.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism, with some players feeling misled by promotional materials that promise an emotional experience but fail to deliver, leading to perceptions of the game as a cash grab.

    • “Some people see this game as a simple cash grab.”
    • “There are games where advertisements or reviews promise an emotional journey and a deep attachment to the characters, but after playing, you only experience a small part of those feelings, or maybe none at all.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

78% average critic score

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Play time

2hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
2-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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