## Description
_Psychiatric Evaluation_ was created for the 24th Ludum Dare competition with
the theme “evolution” where it took fifth place. The player controls a patient
confined against his will in an asylum. He wants to escape, but has become a
clinic case and he does not find a way out. The evolution theme is apparent in
various gameplay elements. At the start of the game, at the lowest level of
sanity, it is played as a text adventure. Nothing but a console is shown and
the player inputs text commands to proceed. By talking to doctor the amount of
sanity is raised, altering the visual presentation. The game keeps the same
environment, but changes into an environment with ASCII characters, next into
an 8-bit style game, and finally in the most polished version with retro pixel
art. The game’s music is adapted accordingly as well.
By talking to other patients or ghosts, or by standing or walking around, the
sanity level drops and the game returns to a lower visual presentation. The
technique of switching styles needs to be applied to progress in the game, as
certain actions are only available in specific sanity stages. For instance,
only in the text adventure mode is it possible to look around and receive
information about the surroundings and the type of room the patient is in. It
is a short game and the player has to find a way to leave the asylum by
bending the rules.
Psychiatric Evaluation