I Don't Want To Be a Good Woman: An Iranian Walking Sim That'll Hit You Right in the Feels
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Rock Paper Shotgun highlighted a new walking simulator, *I Don't Want To Be a Good Woman*, that tackles the tough realities of being a young woman in Iran. It's a sobering reminder that games can be powerful tools for empathy and awareness.
Right, so Rock Paper Shotgun (cheers to Edwin Evans-Thirlwell!) just flagged a game that's less about high scores and more about… well, reality. It's called *I Don't Want To Be a Good Woman*, and it's a walking simulator, but not the kind where you're strolling through a sunny meadow. This one's set in a kind of abstract, molten-grey Iran, dealing with the experiences of young women under Islamic law.
We're talking about some heavy stuff here, mate. According to the UN, Iran operates a system that fundamentally discriminates based on gender. The game throws you into this landscape populated with faceless figures, floating symbols, and blocks of text, all drawn from the developers' (We Remember) own experiences, or stories they’ve gathered. They've wisely decided to stay anonymous, which, given the Iranian government's track record for censorship, is probably a fair call.
The game tackles themes like forced hijab, limited reproductive rights, and state violence. It's not about flashy graphics or intense action; it's a narrative exploration from the perspective of a victim. No explicit imagery, mind you, but it's definitely mature territory. The developers stress that they aren't trying to promote hate, but to raise awareness through empathy. Fair enough, I reckon.
It’s available on Steam, and it's worth checking out if you're after something that'll make you think. It definitely shines a light on issues that are often overlooked in gaming.
Speaking of Iranian game development, this isn't the first time it's popped up. Adam Smith (RIP) wrote about *1979 Revolution: Black Friday* back in 2013, an adventure game where you play a photojournalist during the Iranian Revolution. There's also a cracking article by Arash Hackimi over at Game Developer that delves into the history of Iranian game development, from bootlegged Atari 2600s to modern mobile games. It's a surprisingly diverse scene, going way beyond what many of us in the West probably imagine. Think puzzle games about unrolling carpets, and you're halfway there.
All this, of course, challenges any preconceptions we have from games like Prince of Persia. And that's a good thing, yeah? Games can be more than just escapism; they can be a window into other worlds and other experiences. *I Don't Want to Be a Good Woman* seems to be doing just that.
Tags: walking simulator, iran, social commentary, indie games, narrative
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun