There’s no question that video games get a bad rap. You only need to scroll down to read about a Police Commissioner and State Premier accusing games of being addictive and inciting violence. For fans of games it’s both depressing and infuriating, not just because of the stereotyping and public judgement devoid of any fact or evidence, but because at heart we’re well aware of the positive benefits of gaming.

Stories like the one behind Papo & Yo and its creator Vandar Caballero are a reminder of the positive side of games.

Papo & Yo is an adventure game about a young boy and his friend Monster, who’s a giant monster. You have to navigate a dream like South American country and solve puzzles using Monsters abilities. Unfortunately Monster likes to eat Poisonous frogs, when he does he transforms from friendly and helpful into violent and unpredictable. Managing these facets of Monsters personality are a big part of the game.

Caballero, formerly a designer for EA Games with credits on Army of Two and Need for Speed, went independent to create Papo & Yo, a very personal project. The inspiration for the relationship between the boy and Monster is Caballero’s relationship with his own father growing up, a man who suffered from severe alcoholism who was prone to violent rages when drunk.

For the young Caballero playing games was an escape, a way to enforce control in imaginary worlds through playing while in the real world he felt powerless. In his own words, "When I played games, I felt I was in control and that I was protected".

It’s become a familiar story that games can be a therapeutic benefit to people suffering high levels of stress, trauma and depression. Often when a youth is reprimanded for playing too many games it’s the game playing that’s considered the source of their depression or anxiety, when in actual fact it’s an expression of another problem entirely. You can imagine the added trauma of taking away the security blanket of a virtual battlefield or fantasy world.

The goal of the game is to find a cure for Monster’s addiction to poisonous frogs, something Caballero always hoped to discover for his own fathers addiction. Unlike real life the player can be successful and lock up Monsters dark, violent side forever.

It’s an idea that’s both touching and upsetting and an amazing example of taking a real life social issue and personal experience and exploring it through the realm of fantasy gaming.

Papo & Yo will be released on August 14.