Game Critiques

Duru

Game Critique of Duru

My Gameplay Experience

I chose to play Duru as my mentor game. At first, the gameplay seemed simple. You move, explore, and interact with the environment. After a while, I realized the goal was not very clear. The game gave me freedom to experiment, but I was unsure what counted as progress. This was both confusing and interesting. Over time, I became more comfortable moving around and started to see patterns. For example, I noticed how objects could be used in a certain order to solve puzzles. Learning this made me pay closer attention, but I still wondered if I was really moving forward or just exploring.

Other Player Experiences

Reviews on Steam and blogs said many of the same things. Players liked the art style and the emotional story. They also said the goals were hard to understand. One review said the game “makes you slow down and think differently. It is not about beating a level, it is about making sense of it.” Another review said the story made them think about mental health. These reviews helped me see that the unclear goals were not a mistake, but part of the design.

Documentation

From my research is looks like Duru does not have much written about it, but I found interviews with the designers. They said the goal was to raise awareness of depression and social issues while still making the game fun to play. This showed me that Duru is a serious game and not just for fun. The mechanics and story are meant to make players think and reflect.

Understanding Game Elements

Based on my play and research, Duru is best understood as a serious game. It was designed with a purpose beyond entertainment. The developers wanted to raise awareness about depression and social issues and they used story and puzzles to reach that goal. The game has clear rules and challenges but does not use external rewards like points or badges. Instead, it builds motivation through story and empathy. This makes it different from gamification, which would only add game-like features to outside tasks.

Choice

Players must decide how to move through the environment and what objects to interact with. For example, you can choose different ways to push or place items to solve a puzzle. These choices affect progress and give a sense of agency.

Reflection

By looking at Duru through its elements, I can see how it works as both a game and a teaching tool. The mix of choice, skill, and uncertainty makes it engaging, while feedback and story tie the gameplay to a deeper purpose. These elements show why Duru fits the definition of a serious game and how it uses design to connect learning with play

Critiquing Learning

Identity

In Duru, the player takes on the role of Tuli, a small creature navigating a difficult world while struggling with depression. The game invites you to step into this identity and see the world through Tuli’s perspective. This role gives meaning to every puzzle and interaction, showing how identity can support empathy and understanding. By putting you in Tuli’s shoes, the game encourages you to think and feel in ways you might not outside of the game.

Pleasantly Frustrating

The puzzles in Duru often feel unclear at first, but they are never truly impossible. For me the challenge pushes you to experiment with objects and think through the problem until the solution appears. This balance creates the “pleasant frustration” Gee describes. You know that if you keep trying you will figure it out. This type of design kept me focused and engaged and it matched the sense of persistence needed when facing challenges in real life.

System Thinking

Duru requires you to understand how different parts of the environment interact. Moving one object affects access to another, and solving one puzzle often sets up the solution for the next. Over time you do begin to see the game as a system of rules and interactions rather than just single tasks. This kind of systems thinking is central to learning, because it helps players grasp how small decisions and variables connect to larger outcomes.

Duru Reflection

How do game elements and Gee’s principles help learning?

Game elements like choice, skill, and feedback make players active in the game. When these connect to Gee’s ideas, players learn by doing. For example, identity lets you step into a role, and frustration pushes you to keep trying. These moments help players practice problem-solving and see how systems work. That makes learning feel natural instead of forced.

How does accessibility affect a game’s value for learning?

If a game is too hard to control or the goals are unclear, players may quit before they learn. A good game should be easy to start but still give challenges that are possible to solve. Clear directions, simple design, and fair chances keep players motivated. When more people can play, more people can learn.

How can these insights shape future educational games?

In the future, I would look for games that give real choices, build skills through practice and include some challenge to keep players curious. I would also check if the game follows Gee’s ideas, like giving players a role or showing systems clearly. Next time I choose a game I would make sure the game is easy to access so every learner can take part and grow.