Five years ago, a neighbor of game designer Arash Negahban committed suicide. He committed suicide because he had bought cars for his other siblings but not for his brother," Negahban said in the developer's diary for his new game "What Happened," which was inspired by the event.

"I could never understand these people. Suddenly, unreasonably, we had a human being who had committed these acts. However, upon closer examination and consulting with psychologists, we learned that these people were going through situations we could not even imagine.

"What Happened" is an attempt by Negahban and his studio, Genius Slackers, to understand this kind of psychological trauma "in a way that anyone can understand."

There is no shortage of first-person psycho-horror games for the PC, but those rooted in actual events are few and far between.

In this game, you play as a high school student "trying to lead him into the light against the will of the demons that control his troubled mind." The developer describes the game as "a unique first-person perspective on an individual's journey through anxiety and depression" and promises that "the empathy you show for the character will subtly affect the outcome of his journey."

While "What Happened" is certainly intriguing, will it take a nuanced and thoughtful approach appropriate to the subject matter, or will it simply use psychosis as a prop, as many other horror games have done over the years?

It is encouraging that the developers explain that the ultimate goal of the game is to remind players of "the power of unity and empathy." When the game is released on July 30, we will know if it succeeds.

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (USA), Crisis Services Canada (California), Samaritans (UK), or Lifeline (Australia). If you are outside of these areas, check this list for hotlines in your country.