In a year such as this one, it can be easy to be weighed down with how incredibly hard the world sucks. With so many horrific acts of violence, and a vomit-inducing election cycle, it can be tempting at times to shut down. But there is still good in the world, and Pictochic’s collection, Lovin’ Buttons, reminds us of that. In three little games, Lovin’ Buttons communicates the beauty and kindness of the connections we make with each other, on our phones, over the internet, and in person.
Sunday In The Park With Dogs
Yep, it’s exactly what it sounds like. You walk around with your dog, pet your dog, play ball with your dog, and pick up your dog’s poo. Along the way you can talk to the other people (and dogs!) in the park. Not everyone is happy, and not everyone is nice, but the game is sweet all the same.
Affectionet
Affectionet shows how using your phone to interact with people can make your whole life more fulfilling, keeping you engaged with people who care about you wherever you go, and pushing you forward to new and interesting situations.
Connect
Connect has you drag videos and pictures to different social media and messaging avenues showing how friendships develop online. Together, the games show how the variety of relationships you create and maintain make a life worthwhile.
One moment in Connect really encapsulates the whole of what I think Lovin’ Buttons reveals to us about the human experience. One of the friends you’ve made is crying. You can’t touch them to physically reassure them—their distance is signified by the impenetrable box they are huddled in. But you can stay around them on the outside, and drag memes and videos and content over to them. After a while they thank you, and say you helped. We can’t fix everything for each other, but we can make things a little nicer.