Onionhead (Gamified Advertising for BetterHelp)

ONIONHEAD is a conceptual 2D game created for the BetterHelp brand, where Oli confronts the emotional wounds hidden inside her own mind. Like peeling an onion, each layer reveals something deeper beneath the surface. In this chapter, she faces Lady Guilt — a monstrous personification of a mother whose words are loaded with guilt and emotional manipulation: *“Why couldn’t you bring me a piece of cake?” “You never think of me.” “You are so ungrateful.” As Lady Guilt speaks, her words materialize as explosive projectiles, turning the emotional damage of hurtful language into a physical threat. Oli cannot fight these words with violence. Instead, she uses BetterHelp as a shield, protecting herself from the attacks and creating space between the words being thrown at her and the way she experiences them. ONIONHEAD transforms the invisible impact of harmful words into a playable mechanic — showing that sometimes protecting yourself starts with learning how to face what has been said to you.