A haunted house, shadowy creatures, and a mission to rescue your grandmother might seem like the setup for a typical spooky adventure game. But MindLight, developed by PlayNice, goes beyond the ordinary—it's an action-adventure game designed to help children manage stress and anxiety through the use of biofeedback.
What is biofeedback? It's a mind-body therapy that can enhance physical and mental well-being. In MindLight, your emotions directly influence the gameplay. When you're calm, the dark mansion brightens up, but if you're anxious, the environment remains shadowy and eerie.
MindLight was co-developed by Dr. Isabela Granic, co-founder of PlayNice and the lead scientist behind several randomized control trials that tested the game with over a thousand children. The results were striking: kids who played MindLight saw their anxiety levels reduced by at least half.
The game's storyline is straightforward yet engaging. You play as a child exploring your grandmother’s mansion, which has been engulfed by shadows. Using a headset, the game monitors your brainwaves or heart rate in real-time. The light you generate helps you navigate the mansion and ward off terrifying creatures.
Although primarily tested with children aged 8 to 12, PlayNice reports that even older kids and parents have found the game enjoyable. Since MindLight adapts to each player's unique stress response in real-time, the experience remains personal and dynamic, regardless of the player's age.
To start playing MindLight, you'll need two things for yourself or your child: the Neurosky MindWave 2 EEG headset and a subscription to the game. There are two subscription options available—one for a single child, and another for families with up to five players.
You can download MindLight from the Google Play Store, Amazon store, App Store, or directly from PlayNice’s website.
For more gaming news, check out our coverage of Wuthering Waves’ Version 2.3 and its first anniversary events.
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