Universal Credit

Universal Credit Game is a short 2D narrative game built in Godot that explores the emotional and bureaucratic realities of applying for social security in the UK. The project attempts to translate the often invisible experience of navigating welfare systems into something players can feel through interaction.

Players attempt to complete an application on behalf of a fictional claimant, Sara Gosberg, using fragmented notes and incomplete information to interpret what is required. As the game progresses, the hypocracy of the system becomes more overt, and the disconnect between the systems that are meant to support created by those in power without the same lived experience becomes clear. The design intentionally recreates forms of systemic friction commonly reported by claimants, including unclear instructions, repetitive processes, missing information, and uncertainty about whether actions are correct.

Particular attention was paid to the cognitive difficulty these systems can present for people with learning disabilities or limited digital literacy.

The core creative challenge was simulating bureaucratic frustration without making the game simply feel broken or unfair. Instead, confusion becomes a deliberate mechanic used to reveal how systems can unintentionally exclude the people who rely on them most. The project tests the hypothesis that interactive simulation can help audiences understand structural barriers in civic systems more effectively than explanation alone. Early playtesting suggests that players quickly recognise the emotional fatigue and anxiety produced by administrative complexity, creating opportunities for empathy and critical reflection through play.