Would you like to play a game? A Look at “A Mortician’s Tale”

We’re used to seeing and hearing about death in video games. The way it usually works is whoever is dead is killed in some kind of combat. The new game, “A Mortician’s Tale,” is something entirely different. This game isn’t about killing. Instead, it’s about death and what happens next. We’re not talking about the afterlife; we’re talking about the steps that are undertaken (pun intended) to handle the body — from embalming to burial or cremation.

A Mortician’s Tale is unabashedly about death and the realities of the industry that exists around it. How does the old saying go? ‘In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.’ Death is big business. It’s an uncomfortable fact but a fact nonetheless. So when I heard about A Mortician’s Tale, the idea of it seemed very intriguing. Could death — and even more, being a funeral director — actually be fun? Educational, sure, but it still had to be a game; most of the games I listed earlier are viewed as fairly fun and have quite a fanbase. Read the full story

The premise of the game is that the player assumes the role of Charlie, a recent funeral school graduate. Charlie is put in a variety of scenarios which allow her to learn the ins and outs of the industry. The game has gotten generally good reviews (PCGamer.com gave it an 82) but the accolades have also been tempered by complaints about the simplified graphics and the fact that it’s quick to master and offers no benefit in reply. But it has drawn particularity high marks for approaching death with a “death positive” attitude.

“Death positive” is a movement committed to helping people face their fears of death in order to accept death as a natural part of life. In fact, according to the game’s developers, it was inspired by Caitlin Doughty and The Order of the Good Death.

A Mortician’s Tale, created by Laundry Bear, is available for PC and Mac and retails for $14.99.

More information on the Death Positive Movement:

• Death Positive Movement: Order of the Good Death
• The Death Positive Movement
• What is the Death Positive Movement