It’s not often that game advertising themselves as funny are actually funny, is it? But Don’t Give Up is genuinely hilarious. I proper laughed out loud all the time, despite the often very serious subject matter. It’s also very accurate and often poignant. There’s a scene where the main character has to go to a party, and gets progressively drunk and has increasingly weird and awkward interactions with people that is absolutely fantastic. In between these bits you get involved in battles, preceded by bouts of smack talk (where if you insult them too much you might get ’em psyched up for the fight). You then watch for their attacks and move around a grid of four squares to avoid them, taking your chance to attack them in turn, or deflect their attacks if your speed and button-pressing is up to scratch. The bosses, too, are very funny, and all the interactions feel very unique. The fight you get into at the party, you have to dust off while drunk. Honestly, a thousand mea culpas for not shouting about this game more.
