Simulating Emotional Connection — Mystic Messenger Critique
Goodnight texts.
Midday reminders to take care of your health.
3AM calls to listen to a friend’s current troubles.
Like many people, users of the app Mystic Messenger participate in these kinds of digital activities, but in this case, rather than real people the recipients of this are fictional characters.
Launched in the summer of 2016 by South Korean indie developer Cheritz, Mystic Messenger splashed into the mobile visual novel scene, quickly garnering attention. This was not Cheritz’s first foray into the genre. Prior to the release of Mystic Messenger, Cheritz released two other titles: Dandelion and Nameless, but Mystic Messenger has far surpassed them in downloads. In 2017, it ranked at number 2 on Tumblr Fandometrics’ Year in Review.
Mystic Messenger’s success is often attributed to its immersive storytelling which leverages common digital activities such as texts and calls. Most of the story is told through chatrooms, where the user interacts with the five main characters, members of a fundraising organization, via text. Depending on the user’s responses, characters develop affection for the user, and, after a certain point, depending on which character has the most affection, the story branches to focus in on that character.
This kind of storytelling is especially immersive in the current time of social distancing, where many day to day interactions are digital. The texts from the characters blend right in with texts from real friends.
“…so much of contemporary relationships carried out over screens, there’s not much difference between playing Mystic Messenger and having an actual real-life boyfriend.” — Annie Lord, i-D
At the same time, the game isn’t afraid to break the fourth wall and poke fun at the fact that it is a simulation.
A key aspect that enhances this immersive effect is the use of time based storytelling. Chatrooms appear during certain times of day and if missed can only be accessed by spending in-game currency. In-game currency can also be spent to advance the story faster, but arguably reduces the authenticity of gameplay.
This implementation of time enables users to build rituals around their use of the app. Friends I know who’ve played the game joked about setting alarms for 3AM to make sure they could complete the chats. (Even as I joke about this right now, I’m currently considering starting a play through tonight at midnight so I can complete the first day 1 chats. Talk about building a ritual.)
This is where many contradictions of the reality of the game comes in to play. The characters will tell the user “Don’t stay up too late”, but some chats can only be unlocked at unholy hours. This contradiction is especially salient when pursuing the character Yoosung, a college student who has developed a gaming addiction as a way to cope with the loss of a loved one. Throughout the storyline the user encourages Yoosung to have healthier habits by themselves staying up late playing the game.
This is another key innovation of Mystic Messenger. It has essentially gamified emotional labor. I actually recommended the game to a friend who ended up dropping it saying it was too bothersome to constantly be catering to the desires of the character she was pursuing. In order to progress towards the good end of the story, the user needs to help the characters work through their troubles. If users select a few wrong answers or stop showing up to chat they will trigger a bad ending. This is a key talking point for many reviews, including this article from The Gamer.
“…it seems Mystic Messenger believes a good girlfriend is one who can be readily available for romance, in light of their own personal activities and interests.” — The Gamer
Mystic Messenger is without a doubt a gendered game. The main character is definitely a woman. It seems the developers intended for users to feel like they are the main character rather than viewing the character from afar. When creating an account, users can choose from a selection of profile pictures or upload one of their own, and illustrations of the main character are drawn without eyes.
Despite this these illustrations default to one character appearance. By choosing to represent the main character in this way, Cheritz implicitly guides users to see the main character as someone other than themselves.
Perhaps this distance is a good thing. In an already incredibly immersive app, the extra layer of distance can help remind users of the distance between the game and reality.
Sources:
https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/a35qbp/otome-games-online-love
https://kotaku.com/hit-dating-game-mystic-messenger-makes-a-game-out-of-em-1787296199
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/78k7qe/mystic-messenger-review
https://www.thegamer.com/mystic-messenger-emotional-labor-essay-otome-mobile/
