In 2006, Hopelab released Re-Mission, a game for young cancer patients designed to give them confidence and courage in the face of their disease. (You can read PlaySavvy's review of Re-Mission here.) The game stars Roxxi, a nanobot that travels through the bodies of cancer patients zapping baddies and helping them deal with painful side effects.
According to HopeLab's own studies, "playing Re-Mission improved treatment adherence and produced increases in self-efficacy, and cancer-related knowledge for adolescents and young adults with cancer." You can read more about this study, which was published in Pediatrics medical journal, here.
Now Re-Mission is getting a makeover with help from dev studio Virtual Heroes, the folks behind America's Army and the upcoming Astronaut: Moon, Mars & Beyond, an online game from NASA.
Gamesutra talked to HopeLabs' Richard Tate and Virtual Heroes' Jerry Heneghan about the update. Heneghan says, "We want to make the in-the-body environments a richer sensory experience, enhancing both the visuals and the sound based on the biology of the body. We're also putting the player front and center, shifting the perspective from a third-person to a first-person shooter. Kids have told us that they want to shoot cancer, and they want to win."
Tate later adds, "Based on our research on the first Re-Mission, we believe the gameplay experience does more than just convey a message or deliver information; it causes a shift in attitudes and emotions that leads to better health behavior."
The game, which is free, is available for download at http://www.re-mission.net. The site also offers users gaming tips, the chance to share their own art and poetry about their experiences, and links to other sites that offer support and info for young patients.
