Uma história curta, mas comovente. Pensar que muitas pessoas tem sua existência constantemente questionada, enquanto só são afirmadas a partir de uma sexualização nojenta é realmente muito triste.
whenever I am on bus all ppl are thinking of me is aw omg she’s so cute she’s so thinspo proana pinterest nyc andro model coquette waif skater girl grunge-adjacent math-rock enjoyer brandy melville regular ditzy hippy vibes she’s so marianne from normal people she’s so cute I love her ^_^
one time I was waiting for the train and some guy just approached me and said “you’re dumb” and then got on the train :3
one time I was waiting for the train and some guy just approached me and said “you’re dumb” and then got on the train :3
eh idk. it was a neat concept but the execution was boring. just felt like wading thru an atmosphere of annoying neolibs n boomers. also, the ending i got when i played it was the main character saying taht even tho she won't pass, that she didn't transition to pass, EVEN THO EVERYONE I MET DIDN'T MISGENDER HER. weird ass ending
Do I Pass? is a short game about a trans girl that isn't sure she passes as a CIS woman or not, and uses a mystical spell to read the thoughts of people on a bus trip to see if anyone notices she is trans. It's a good way to gamify social interactions and how you can be viewed by society.
Largely the game does a lot with a little, and while I think having more visuals in terms of sprites and maybe a few beep boop sounds along the way would help with finding endings or driving a point home; ultimately the game sets out what it needs to do. It's a bit frustrating on getting every ending as really there is no clear indicator on what to do, but that also kinda feeds the point of the game. Would have liked to see this be expanded on or refined more, but an experience none the less.
Largely the game does a lot with a little, and while I think having more visuals in terms of sprites and maybe a few beep boop sounds along the way would help with finding endings or driving a point home; ultimately the game sets out what it needs to do. It's a bit frustrating on getting every ending as really there is no clear indicator on what to do, but that also kinda feeds the point of the game. Would have liked to see this be expanded on or refined more, but an experience none the less.
This review contains spoilers
A beautiful little game that says a lot with just a little. The premise is a concept that I can't imagine any trans person hasn't wished they could do at one point or another - read the minds of those around you to see if you actually "pass" or people are just being nice to you.
You play as the disembodied ghost of a trans girl riding the bus. The beauty of this game lies in the multiple endings, each depending on which people you "talk" to. If you encounter people who can tell you are trans, she walks away sad that she doesn't pass but vows to keep trying. If you encounter people who just think she's cis, she walks away happy that she passes, but with the caveat that maybe she got lucky and the next person she meets could be the one who can tell. Lastly, if you only talk to people who aren't thinking about her at all one way or the other, she comes away still wondering whether she passes, but with the relief that random people aren't actually thinking all that much about you and have their own concerns to deal with.
This last one feels like the "true" ending to me, insofar as there is one, but the real point is that each of the endings is just as true as they are false - even if we could astral project around and read people's minds, it's impossible to ever truly know if we fully pass or not. The people on the bus are the same in each playthrough, the only difference is whose opinion we actually hear. It speaks to the arbitrary nature of "passing" itself, and how the sole pursuit of it as a basis for a successful transition is an unattainable goal.
Despite being just a little homebrew Game Boy game that I played 2 years ago, I keep coming back to this game in my mind, especially when I'm feeling self conscious about passing myself. Even it's something you could know definitively, does it really matter? Does it truly change anything? I consider this one of the essential transfem indie games along with Secret Little Haven. I'm glad it exists.
You play as the disembodied ghost of a trans girl riding the bus. The beauty of this game lies in the multiple endings, each depending on which people you "talk" to. If you encounter people who can tell you are trans, she walks away sad that she doesn't pass but vows to keep trying. If you encounter people who just think she's cis, she walks away happy that she passes, but with the caveat that maybe she got lucky and the next person she meets could be the one who can tell. Lastly, if you only talk to people who aren't thinking about her at all one way or the other, she comes away still wondering whether she passes, but with the relief that random people aren't actually thinking all that much about you and have their own concerns to deal with.
This last one feels like the "true" ending to me, insofar as there is one, but the real point is that each of the endings is just as true as they are false - even if we could astral project around and read people's minds, it's impossible to ever truly know if we fully pass or not. The people on the bus are the same in each playthrough, the only difference is whose opinion we actually hear. It speaks to the arbitrary nature of "passing" itself, and how the sole pursuit of it as a basis for a successful transition is an unattainable goal.
Despite being just a little homebrew Game Boy game that I played 2 years ago, I keep coming back to this game in my mind, especially when I'm feeling self conscious about passing myself. Even it's something you could know definitively, does it really matter? Does it truly change anything? I consider this one of the essential transfem indie games along with Secret Little Haven. I'm glad it exists.
I wasn't really bothered to get the other ending because remembering which sprite I have to talk with and which ones to avoid seems kinda tedious.
Not really much of a game, more so a story told in the format of a video game. It had a cool concept but I think the way it was done made the overall message feel kinda not as impactful as it could've been.
Despite that I do think the message it is trying to tell is a good one; doing something because you feel it's right for you and allows you to be yourself, instead of relying on others for validation in your identity.
Not really much of a game, more so a story told in the format of a video game. It had a cool concept but I think the way it was done made the overall message feel kinda not as impactful as it could've been.
Despite that I do think the message it is trying to tell is a good one; doing something because you feel it's right for you and allows you to be yourself, instead of relying on others for validation in your identity.
Need more games about people thinking about me on the bus
charming little game
Um jogo curtinho mas com uma ideia bem interessante. Faz refletir como é a experiência de ser uma pessoa trans em locais públicos e que tipos de reações isso pode arrancar de pessoas cis.
Aparentemente tem três finais mas não descobri os outros dois.
Aparentemente tem três finais mas não descobri os outros dois.
i agree with this game's message and enjoyed my super brief time with it! unfortunately the third ending (there are three endings) is chance-based, and you can't skip dialogue, so i didn't have the patience to refresh until i got it. worth playing, though!