I Write Games Not Tragedies’ is a narrative-driven rhythm game that pays homage to British emo and goth subcultures.

In the game’s narrative levels, the player experiences the story of Ash, from baby bat in the 2000s to elder emo in the 2020s via a period of addiction in the 2010s, with awkwardness, humour and romance along the way.

‘I Write Games Not Tragedies’ features rhythm levels with three original songs composed by the developers and members of their community. In these rhythm levels, ‘I Write Games Not Tragedies’ gives the player the opportunity to exorcise their own teenage angst. In the verses, there is a distinctive rhythm game mechanic, where players don’t just hit beats, but important lyrics, informed by the developer’s musical training. In the choruses, players are invited to sing or scream into the microphone, and the louder they vocalise, the higher their score.

Dubbed, “exactly the glorious emo cringefest it sounds like” by TheGamer and featuring themes of addiction, alienation, and queer romance that will be relatable to many, ‘I Write Games Not Tragedies’ is a raucous love letter to subculture with themes that go beyond the “alternative” to the universally “human.”