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High school is a time of drastic change. Ideally, it’s a period of growth where one is figuring out their personal style, navigating new social pressures, deciding what they want to do after graduation, and pretending that they have it all together. The reality, of course, is that high school is stressful, anxiety-inducing, and an uncomfortable time for physical and emotional growth. Jenny+AP's Consume Me is an exploration of the awkward teen phase that offers an important and eye-opening conversation about eating disorders and struggling with body dysmorphia. The game tackles difficult subject matters with aplomb while wearing its heart on its sleeve, albeit with a few flaws.
The story begins with Jenny on summer vacation, ready to enjoy her well-earned summer. But when her mom points out that she has been gaining weight, Jenny becomes self-conscious of her appearance and begins to talk to herself in the mirror. Her reflection cruelly tells her that she’s looking a bit more round and hasn’t been taking care of herself, and suggests she go on a diet. Jenny begins her quest to slim down, learning about how to manage her weight, as well as work through her other obligations, such as chores and summer reading. As the game progresses through Jenny's life, more difficult challenges begin to weigh down on her, such as a long-distance relationship with her boyfriend, her school rival, and prepping for college.
[caption id="attachment_176168" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The dread is real.[/caption]
It's important to note that Consume Me's story is very uncomfortable, especially for anyone who has ever struggled with an eating disorder or fatphobia. However, how it is portrayed in the overall story feels realistic. The story unfolds in six chapters, each set at a different point in Jenny's life, and at no point does the narrative lose its momentum. This is largely because the writing does an amazing job of balancing the difficult subject matter with humour. Jenny is also a fantastically written character who players can relate to, especially in her struggle to find balance, her determination to succeed, and the anxiety that clouds her overall goals. Given that this is a semi-autobiographical story, the authenticity of Jenny's life experiences, her relationships with friends, family, and herself, is what keeps the story engaging from its simple beginnings to its emotional conclusion.
Part of navigating Jenny's day comes in the form of her to-do list. There is a specific routine each day, and it will always include lunch and some free time. During lunch, players will have to play a fairly challenging version of food Tetris, where Jenny needs to fill in each hunger spot without overeating. What looks simple is anything but, as Jenny will be given three food items to slot in. Though the mouse controls can be a bit fiddly, food can be rotated, but not switched out, meaning the player has to hope and anticipate that the right food item will come along to fill the gap. Calories are referred to as "Bites," and each food item has a bite amount to help the player track how much food is on Jenny's plate. Since there is very little flexibility, it's surprisingly hard to make a perfect plate, as the random food gods are often not in the player's favour. While Jenny can feed her dog an item, such as a high-value treat like a cookie, it's still a matter of luck as to which foods will appear and if they will fit. Failing to get the perfect lunch will cause Jenny to still feel hungry, and going over her bite goal will cause her to feel too full, and not having a balanced diet can easily change the priority of the player’s day.
[caption id="attachment_170754" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Food Tetris is hard.[/caption]
Consume Me's systems are a challenging balancing act, as the player must find a way to manage Jenny's mood, energy, guts (how full she feels), and her bite intake. Exercise comes in the form of minigames, such as home aerobics or walking the dog. In the aerobics minigame, wherein Jenny moves like she is one of those inflatable waving arms one sees on the side of the road, players must match Jenny's hands and head to the perfect spot within a time limit. It's a minigame that is addictive and fun to play once the player has the rhythm. Similarly, if Jenny is walking her dog as a form of exercise, it will require the player to click different spots along the road to help Jenny collect cash, but also avoid stepping on bananas and dog poops. This game is a bit harder to navigate, as the dog likes to do its own thing, but much like the exercise minigame, once a rhythm is found, it becomes easier over time.
There are also other activities Jenny can do in her free time, including her chores, such as cleaning the bathroom or folding laundry, both of which are fun. Folding laundry sees Jenny having to match the fold lines perfectly, while cleaning the bathroom requires her to make sure it is perfectly spotless using a toothbrush (which is made much easier by purchasing a sponge to use instead). If Jenny does her chores to the satisfaction of her strict mother, she gets quite the payout. A lot of the mandatory items in Jenny's to-do list require her to either make money or spend money, so getting used to doing chores becomes important to success. These minigames are the right level of challenge, though it does get repetitive doing the same thing over and over again.
[caption id="attachment_176167" align="aligncenter" width="640"] She got moves like Gumby! She got the mooooooooves~[/caption]
Although many of the minigames are repetitive, there are tons of benefits to doing them beyond just completing Jenny’s tasks. Performing tasks can net Jenny new outfits, each with unique bonuses to performing certain activities. For example, Jenny wearing her cleaning attire provides a bonus of being paid extra for doing her chores. During free time, Jenny has a certain amount of time to spend before the day ends, though as the game progresses, there are ways to add more time to the day, such as staying up late.
Each task that Jenny performs takes a numerical amount of time, so it's important to pay attention and ensure that time is being used wisely, especially if she is over her bite count for the day. If Jenny goes past her two cheat days or fails her mandatory tasks, it's Game Over. Thankfully, Consume Me isn't cruel in this approach, as getting a game over allows the player to either go back a day or redo the whole chapter with a bonus, such as more energy, guts, or mood. Taking advantage of any bonus the game gives the player is a must, as it's easy for Jenny’s day to start well, only to have to pivot because she hasn’t eaten enough, or her mood and energy are low. Consume Me is a game about managing so many expectations at once, and it simulates life's stresses in a way that reminds one how easy it is to get overwhelmed.
[caption id="attachment_170755" align="aligncenter" width="640"] There is too much to do and I am overwhelmed![/caption]
Consume Me has a very distinct visual style, and one that truly fits the joy and chaos of teenage life. Cutscenes, particularly anytime Jenny and her mother are on screen together, are very expressive, doing a great job highlighting the absurdity of their day-to-day life. There is a great use of colour and animations pop off the screen in a truly delightful way that makes working through the story that much more intriguing. Players will want to see how Jenny's life changes, and the visuals do a lot to help complement the story and the gameplay, especially in later chapters where more drastic change occurs. The soundtrack is decent, with only a handful of tracks, and what's there does a decent job of accompanying the narrative and visuals. There is not a lot of voice acting, but what is there is chatter that is akin to adults talking in The Peanuts, and while that may not work in other games, it adds a lot of charm here.
I have reviewed a ton of life-sim titles here at RPGamer, but I can say with certainty that Consume Me is a unique one. I found myself both completely invested in Jenny’s story, wanting to help her find success, and yelling at myself whenever I failed her goals. While the gameplay has some blemishes, the overall experience is as stressful as it is fun, especially in its short runtime of six hours to complete. Consume Me is a heartfelt look at personal struggles, finding courage, and finding compassion in a world obsessed with physical appearance. Consume Me is a difficult, hopeful experience worth playing, reminding anyone going through these motions that they are not alone.
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Disclosure: This review is based on a free copy of the game provided by the publisher.
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