That Dragon, Cancer Reviews
A genuinely affecting love letter
That Dragon, Cancer tells a valuable story despite its uneven delivery.
That Dragon, Cancer is a beautiful experience, if one that would have benefited considerably from having content cut to improve the flow, pacing and tone.
So, from a subjective standpoint, I would argue that, despite not being a great product, That Dragon, Cancer is still very good at what it does – forging a link with its audience and delivering a love-filled, mercilessly sad, story. It's being sold as a product, it should be criticized for that, but it should also be praised for the things it does so very well.
That Dragon, Cancer does not excel in its gameplay, but the story of Joel Green is one that players will remember for a while. This is as genuine as storytelling gets in video games.
The emotional core of That Dragon, Cancer is real—so real, in fact, and so personal, that I ended up feeling like an outsider looking in. I pitied the Greens for having to endure this awful series of events, but I did not come away feeling connected to their experience, or enlightened by it. This was not because the game tried but failed to connect with me, but because it didn't.
A very brave attempt to use video games to inspire empathy and share grief over one of the most sensitive subjects imaginable.
The minimalistic approach and slow pace That Dragon, Cancer takes won't appeal to everyone, but it does contain some fiercely moving moments and a very unique overall experience.
Story of a kid who passed away because of cancer, it is impossible not to cry while playing this game. It's a bitter experience for those who don't know anything about this dragon (cancer). Hats off to those patient and brave families who are victims of this dragon.
Review in Persian | Read full review
A beautiful game but not quite successful for me as a social experiment.
Like inventing and describing a new color, That Dragon, Cancer tries to describe something indescribable, and does an admirable job of it.
For every high concept, there's this underlying truth that grounds That Dragon, Cancer: the battle the Greens are facing is not the mere act of mourning, but how to mourn. Amy turns to God, while Ryan struggles with God. They get in fights, then reunite, then fight again. At the same time, you're coming in and out of the picture as the curious and helpless observer as they plead to God, each other, and Joel. When it came time for the credits to roll, I couldn't help but appreciate the game and the story the Greens want to tell the world.
An understandably personal work, That Dragon, Cancer's sentimental excesses place a minor dent in a powerful, brave game.
That Dragon, Cancer is the best of games. It reveals to us what it means to be a fellow human being finding the strength to survive terrible circumstances. It shares through words, pictures, sounds and actions. The actions give us a sense of the pain of others. They show, rather than tell. This story is unique in that it tackles the most dreaded of human experiences in the form of a video game. If you play this game, it may change you.
[Note: This review contains spoilers] I've been wondering when a game would make me cry, and that changed over the weekend. A few games have made me teary eyed, but that's about it. That Dragon, Cancer not only made me weep, but I had to stop playing it a few times.
That Dragon, Cancer is an important game because it tries, but not because it succeeds.
Amy and Ryan Green's autobiographical work deals with their son's terminal illness, and it's one of the hardest things to which I've ever borne witness in a game
Make no mistake: The game is a bruising experience. It fully commits to sharing a hard, unsentimental exploration of what it means to watch your child suffer, and ultimately succumb to illness. That Dragon, Cancer is smart about presenting that tragedy through a series of stylistically disparate interactions to prevent itself from becoming dull or numbing.
You might not relate to everything the Greens have to say, but you won't forget it.
That Dragon, Cancer obviously won't be to everyone's tastes, but it's a powerful and touching game that tugs on the heart strings.