(It would be pretty amazing if it turned out there were a series of long-term easter eggs based on eventually, after 1,825 days or so of this school cycle, moving out and maybe going to college. I guess weekends and summers would need to be handled differently, too. Has anyone kept at it for a full week?)

It’s sort of a neat mechanic, the self-esteem meter, maybe especially so because the bullies simply will not kill you; it’s not their goal. Which goes some way toward turning this dire game into something a bit hopeful. Because the outcome is pretty much entirely in your hands.