Self-exploration to ease stress and anxiety can sometimes feel heavy and unapproachable, but Betwixt sets itself apart as a mental health game that makes the journey fun by turning players into the heroes of their own stories.

With this immersive alternative to mindfulness and journaling, players explore a dreamy world and as the fantasy text-based adventure game unravels, they’re relieved from what weighs heavily on the mind and body. This gamified therapy experience gleans from emotional regulation techniques, CBT, and other modalities to encourage self-compassion, resilience, and enhanced mental health and well-being.

According to one independent study, “playing for two weeks can reduce anxiety and stress from moderate to normal levels—equivalent to eight weeks of daily meditation with one of the most popular apps on the market.”