I strongly relate to the concept of walking as a form of meditation. Through walking the same path every day, I feel like I latch on to the minute changes that happen day-to-day, whether that be the grass getting mowed or the smell of the air around me. This deeper connection I form with my environment through walking invites me to be present in the moment and consider life and its problems from a refreshed perspective. Thus, I can see why walking simulators have such an inward focus.

The notion of “perma-life” connects with Salter’s notion that taking away agency from a player allows a work to better explore the complexities of mental health. In games where dying is possible, there is inherently agency in that taking the “wrong” actions as the player will lead to death as a means of losing the game. But this agency also leads to the obvious fact that the player will be able to retry sections in which they die. Walking simulators, by taking away death, add severity and weight to each development made in the story. The character, and by extension the player, get no do-overs when something goes wrong. This setup accurately mirrors the nature of mental turmoil: things inevitably go wrong in life, which leads to distress, but the only thing that can be done is to face the situation directly. By not allowing players a chance to avoid bad things from happening via a death mechanic that promotes player mastery as a method of solving problems, walking simulators are able to focus fully on the idea of persisting in the face of trauma.

An interactive element within a piece of digital media is most effective at engaging the user whenever it is situated within the larger context of the story being told. This is important because it suggests that immersion within a digital world is paramount to the feeling of satisfaction which agency brings.