School shooting video game isn’t what you think
For the past two and a half decades, edgelords have made video games in their mother’s basement about school shootings. In 2007, some troll made a flash game that was hosted on Newgrounds about the shootings at Virginia Tech. That game was mostly made for the attention, and the game’s creator tried extorting money from the internet to take it down.
Then in 2013, that same troll made another flash game, this time about Sandy Hook. At the time, the game’s creator stated that it was made in support of gun control, despite the fact that the objective was to play as Adam Lanza and shoot as many teachers and children as possible.
And how could we forget about the 90s SNES-style role playing game that was made about Columbine? The game, created in the early 2000s using RPG Maker and available for free to download, was presented by its creator as an attempt to spark a conversation about bullying and school shootings. However, anyone with common sense who played the game could see it was more of a disturbing tribute to the Columbine shooters than a meaningful dialogue. Not to mention, at least two school shooters that come to mind were known to be fans of the game.
I’m sure there have been others, but these are the ones that immediately come to mind.
And again, the games I mentioned were playing fast and loose with the definition of a video game. These games were not made by some well-known game studio and then carried on the shelves of Walmart or GameStop. But, I digress.
However, in the games I’ve previously mentioned, you play as the shooter. Now, someone has made a game where you play as a student, trying to escape the shooting.
Joaquin Oliver was 17 when he lost his life at the school shooting at the school shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Joaquin’s parents have made a video game called The Final Exam. Manuel Oliver, the game’s creator, said that he and his wife made this game to reach young people and teach them that there are laws that can help change things.
According to CBS Miami, here’s how the game is played…
While playing the game, users will find information lodged in books, school boards and maps about school shootings. It will also reveal five pieces of legislation that could prevent future tragedies like the assault weapons ban, secure storage also known as Ethan’s Law, the banning of high-capacity magazines, conducting universal background checks and raising the minimum age to purchase a weapon.
I commend the Olivers for addressing such a problematic issue through the medium of video games. If you do want to reach high school students, this is how you do it. I mean, it’s obvious our current spate of politicians isn’t going to do anything about gun control, so maybe the next generation will.
So, what is it like to actually play the game?
First off, it’s a free download from the game’s website at thefinalexam.us. For those who aren’t very familiar with computers, installing the game can be quite confusing. When you click the download link, a 2.8GB zip file is saved to your computer. As far as I know, the game can only be played on a Windows computer. Once the file is saved and unzipped, it’s unclear which icon to click on to get the game started, as none of them are marked with the game’s name. However, trial and error won’t do any damage to your system.
The game doesn’t install to your storage drive, but instead is played directly from the unzipped folder. It can be played well on just about any Windows PC. It worked fine on both my gaming laptop with discreet graphics and my work laptop that just has integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics. You can also play with either a controller or a keyboard and mouse. I found the play experience to be better with a controller.
When the game starts, your character wakes up in a school locker room after a school shooting has already started. You can hear gunfire and distant screams while you get your bearings. Again, the goal of the game is to escape the school without being caught by the shooter.
The game consists mainly of Quick Time Events (QTEs). For example, in one part of the game, the player has to tap a series of buttons to regulate their breathing while they’re hiding in a locker from the shooter.
While the game may sound easy, you will die in the game, and when you die, you’re greeted with a statistic about many of the most horrific school shootings in recent history. When you reach the checkpoints in the game, you’re rewarded with a graphic showing you one of the five laws the game’s creators believe would severely limit school shootings in the future. This is meant to be an educational game, after all.
The game took me about 30 minutes to finish.
While I appreciate the game’s message and effort, I do have a few critiques.
I think there should be some customization to the main character. I don’t necessarily mean a full character creator, but the player should at least be able to name the character and choose their gender. Since the game is played through a first-person view, these little changes could make the player feel more connected to the main character, giving the game just a little more impact.
In the game, you sometimes come across items that supposedly belonged to students who were victims of the fictional shooting. However, these items feel too clean, there’s no dirt, wear, or anything that makes them seem like they’ve been through something traumatic. To make these moments more impactful, the items should show signs of wear, grime, or distress, adding a layer of realism that would enhance the emotional weight.
Another aspect that detracts from the game’s immersion is its sterility, particularly in the absence of other characters. The game features only two people: the shooter and the survivor. The school itself feels empty, almost devoid of life. While it’s clear the developers were careful to strike a balance between sensitivity and realism, the lack of non-playable characters (NPCs) makes the environment feel less engaging. Without them, the game misses out on the opportunity to convey the chaos and fear inherent in such an event.
That said, it’s not necessary to make the game overly graphic to deliver its message. If I were involved in the game’s design, I would push the boundaries of sensitivity just a little further. I’d include some NPCs, such as a few frightened students running past the player in desperation. Additionally, placing a few victims on the floor, while subtle, could add a haunting realism that drives home the gravity of the situation.
Finally, considering the game’s simplicity, I would suggest making it browser-based instead of a downloadable file. This way, it would be accessible to a wider audience, regardless of their device, making it easier for more people to experience and reflect on its message.
Despite its limitations, the game’s creators deserve praise for taking such a bold first step in addressing a sensitive and important topic. Their attempt to convey the emotional impact of school shootings through an interactive medium is commendable, especially given the difficult balance between realism and respect. While there’s room for improvement in terms of immersion and depth, the game clearly aims to raise awareness and spark conversation, which is no small feat. It’s an impressive effort that lays the groundwork for further development in this genre, and I hope to see more thoughtful, impactful games like this in the future.
