This game is best experienced without spoilers. If you want some background and thoughts on the game, keep reading after you've played it (here).

This game draws on some personal experience with trying to get friends or family members interested in running, but the subject can definitely be generalized to a lot of different experiences. The computer signifies the character's safe space. It's got games, things to explore, and it's certainly more fun than running. But breaking off of it, shutting down the computer, quitting the game, is inevitable. How you choose to do so is up to you.

Alex, in this game, is a collection of conversations and thoughts I've had about my hobby, as well as some unique traits. Alex is quite pushy, and I wouldn't suggest being like them in real situations, but it's still observable that they simply have the player's best interests in mind, at least from their point of view.

I like to think that going for a run is something the player will eventually do, tying itself to the theme of delaying the inevitable. I thought it was important to give the player the option of not going, as I don't like to take away the agency of choice from the player, but I still believe that eventually the character will concede, because it's something they do clearly, to some extent, want to do. They just need to decide to actually do it, and push past the discomfort.

The other games are also tied to the theme. My first game idea was an endless runner about the inevitability of death, but I deemed it too dark. My second idea revolved around trying to build a skyscraper that would eventually fall and crumble, but it seemed too stressful and unrewarding, lacking a real win state. Ultimately, I could incorporate those concepts into a game that explores making the inevitable be something good, but which requires commitment, and can sometimes be difficult.

Update 1.0.1

Fixed an issue where the browser game didn't reset its speed after death. Thanks to @zsharpfire for pointing out the bug, and @games-by-tom for letting me know that such issues can be fixed after submission.