Vampire Therapist Review: Surprisingly Educational With Some Warnings Required

is much more than just a visual novel video game. Developed and published by Little Bat Games, the unique tale is as much an educational tool as it is a game, through offering a focus on mental health and teaching about cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). As players take on the role of an immortal vampire named Sam who has a penchant for introspection and a good heart, they learn the ins and outs of therapy techniques and how to spot cognitive distortions in their own thinking as well as others, while enjoying a fun story.

Many video games offer difficult themes, like choices that might tread the line, which can often spark some introspection and deeper thoughts if a person chooses to think about it. takes a different approach, by looking at the aftermath of some choices and the mental health cognitive distortions that happen in a person's brain. Its vampiric theme offers a chance to look at these hard themes from a distance, allowing a separation between the fictional story and the real-world applications of the CBT methods. Similarly, the vampire undercurrent adds a bit of levity in parts to help break up serious conversations.

While does open the game with a screen warning of potential triggers regarding historical violence and oppression, there is much more than that for players to be aware of. This game does not shy away from difficult topics and offers realistic depictions of how people might feel about them. Things such as addiction, suicide, narcissism, religion, sex, guilt, death, and many more equally heavy topics are frequent themes throughout the game. Throughout the story there are also many explicit sexual themes used and strong language, which is not for the faint of heart.

It is vitally important that a player pays close attention to their own feelings and stays grounded in the real world while playing

looks at these heavy topics from a therapeutic angle by teaching the cognitive distortions that can be associated with these difficulties, and can