This week, we explored the online “Passage” game and, at first, I had no clue what was happening. The shapes on screen felt more like strange blobs than avatars, and the overall abstract, fleeting visuals were difficult to make out. Eventually, though, the image pieced together—once the symbols clicked and I realized these were supposed to be characters, I had room to think about the game’s deeper meanings and mechanisms.

I don’t feel like I “failed” at playing the game before, but it was eye-opening to see how a simple tweak, like switching the main avatar from male to female, could carry such weight. It felt like a metaphor for shifting power—a woman stepping forward in a traditionally male-coded role. This reminded me of the kind of metaphorical moments I want to create in my own hack. As I am exploring adversarial design, I aim to create a game that’s simple to play but addresses complex issues. I’ve brainstormed some initial concepts—like plastic surgery dolls and an immigration-themed Chutes & Ladders—but I’m still working through the execution details. Researching more examples of subversive games has helped point me in the right direction, and I expect to gain even more clarity as I dive deeper into the project.

LF