This Indie Game Simulates the Experience of Being on Your Phone

I often wonder if I’m the only one who can’t help but endlessly open and close apps, as if browsing through digital shop windows gives me a sense of being productive.

There’s this intriguing scenario proposed by IAIYWOYP where you’re basically mimicking the act of using your phone. The site occasionally sends you prompts and tasks to complete, such as:

“Raise your eyebrows and then frown.”

You’ll find yourself tapping on circles as they appear, swiping whenever prompted, and even cleaning your screen from time to time. It’s a mix of actions that perfectly tricks those around you into believing you’re deeply engrossed in your phone, rather than covertly listening in on conversations at the next table.

The fascinating yet slightly unsettling part is how enjoyable these activities actually are. I find a strange pleasure in double-tapping a pink circle or thoughtfully touching my lips. Perhaps it’s the element of pretending, or maybe this simple interaction provides the same satisfaction I derive from my phone’s usual functions. Despite being a habitual phone user, I don’t have much to show for it aside from nearly 2,000 wins in Sawayama Solitaire.

So, when a gimmicky phone game becomes as momentarily engrossing as aimlessly scrolling through Bluesky, I have to ask myself what exactly I’m doing here?