Faculty of Arts & Science

Digital Futures

Dania Khan

The Boy Who Counted Stars

The Boy Who Counted Stars is an interactive narrative game created in Texture Writer that follows eleven-year-old Yusuf as he navigates the devastation of war-torn Gaza. Through a series of text-based choices, players step into Yusuf’s perspective, experiencing moments of loss, fear, and fragile hope. The game emphasizes emotional immersion over traditional gameplay, using branching storytelling to reflect how constrained and complex decision-making becomes in crisis, where every path is shaped by forces beyond one’s control.

“This project explores the illusion of choice within conditions shaped by conflict, emphasizing how agency is often constrained by circumstance. By placing players in Yusuf’s perspective, the game invites reflection on resilience, grief, and humanity amid violence. It aims to move beyond statistics and headlines, offering an intimate, story-driven experience that foregrounds empathy and the emotional realities of living through war.”