Choice: Texas
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Author(s): Carly Kocurek, Allyson Whipple
Genre: Educational
Website: http://playchoicetexas.com
Language: en
First Publication Date: 2014-05-14
Forgiveness Rating: Merciful
Rating: 5.0 (based on 1 rating)


ABOUT THE STORY

  Choice: Texas is an educational interactive fiction game addressing
  reproductive healthcare access in the state of Texas. Play as one of five
  Texas women attempting to navigate the state's reproductive healthcare system.
  Although billed as interactive fiction, Choice: Texas is based on extensive
  research into healthcare access, legal restrictions, geography, and
  demographics, and is reflective of the real circumstances facing women in the
  state.


EXTERNAL LINKS

  Play online <http://playchoicetexas.com/>
    At the game’s website
    Play this game in your Web browser.


EDITORIAL REVIEWS

  Paste Magazine
  <http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2014/06/choice-texas-review-pc.html>
  > "Choice: Texas seems unlikely to revolutionize videogames even though it has
  > more to say than most of them. Since going live on May 14, this text-based
  > game about abortion has received very little attention despite numerous 2013
  > press announcements, including a Christian Post headline that said the game
  > would “encourage” players to get abortions (in the game). Perhaps the game’s
  > lack of self-important and divisive politics has turned some people off —
  > it’s nowhere near as controversial as predicted. In a gaming world where the
  > shock tactics of Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes and The Walking Dead
  > translate to phony relevance, Choice: Texas is respectfully profound.
  > 
  > Political animals of all stripes might be disappointed when they find that
  > their generalizations about abortion and women aren’t confirmed in Choice:
  > Texas. In the vein of the underrated 9.03m, Choice: Texas avoids both
  > advocacy and insensitivity. More universal than a political manifesto, the
  > game is a reminder that humans are defined by their response to struggle.
  > Choice: Texas emphasizes that a pregnant woman’s decision — as well as the
  > responses of family and friends — is guided by conflicting emotions,
  > practical concerns, and spiritual questioning, not by the philosophical
  > ramblings of loudmouths in the U.S. abortion debate."

  Emily Short's Interactive Storytelling
  <http://emshort.wordpress.com/2015/01/13/choice-texas-carly-kocurek-allyson-whipple-grace-jennings-the-spare-set-rob-sherman/>
  > As fiction, “Choice: Texas” sometimes works well — the story of Leah, the
  > assault victim, contains some awful scenes in which she is unable to
  > confront her attacker directly, and in general her experience is treated in
  > a way that is quietly horrifying but not sensationalizing or leering.
  > Several of the side characters are also well sketched. Sam, Leah’s
  > take-charge sister, comes off as competent, a bit pushy, but ultimately also
  > necessary to Leah. Eric, Alex’s irresponsible teenage boyfriend, is
  > thoroughly punchable. Etc.
  > 
  > But sometimes the story is a bit too obviously about Example Women rather
  > than fully-fleshed-out characters, or goes for a generic Tell rather than
  > Show.