Content warning: mentions of suicide and graphic violence
The game “Detention (返校)” was released in 2017 by Red Candle Games. The story takes place in 1960s Taiwan during the White Terror period. For context, following the end of the Chinese Civil War — fought between the Kuomintang government of the Republic of China and forces of the Chinese Communist Party in December 1949 — the ROC retreated to Taiwan. Even though the war had ended, tensions between the two parties persisted. As a result of this tension, the “Declaration of Martial Law in Taiwan Province” was enacted by Chen Cheng, chairman of the Taiwan Provincial Government, on May 19, 1949, in order to “suppress Communist and Taiwan Independent activities in Taiwan.” Thus began one of the longest impositions of martial law in history, lasting from May 19, 1949, to July 14, 1987.
While having knowledge of Taiwan’s White Terror period is important for understanding the game, it is not thoroughly explained because the game’s target audience is Taiwanese. However, this knowledge is not necessary for comprehending the game’s central themes of remembrance and guilt, which are embodied by the two main characters, Wei Chung-Ting and Fang Ray-Xin. Spoilers for the game will be discussed in the following content.
The game follows Fang Ray-Shin, a high school student who must unlock memories surrounding a decision she made that led to the arrest, death and exile of others. The game begins with Wei Chung-Ting finding Ray in the auditorium of their school, attempting to leave and subsequently returning as the bridge near the exit is destroyed. The scene blackens as Ray is returned back to the auditorium with Wei, who is now hanging from the ceiling. As the player controls Ray, they must explore the now-transformed school, solve codes and encounter supernatural creatures based on Taiwanese folklore and history.
The game features vengeful ghosts known as the Lingered, from wangliang in Chinese mythology, which players must hide from by holding their breath. They are considered evil spirits who can have different appearances based on their terrain or purpose. Within the game, they take on the appearance of students, wearing the same school uniforms as Ray.
To progress, players must open a lock using a code from the ancient Chinese divination text, the I Ching(易經). This leads to a secret room where hands reach out for Ray and players are transported into her past. Ray expresses not wanting to end up like her mother and her parents fighting in the cutscene. The next task is to help Ray go through the gates of the Heibai Wuchang, two deities in Chinese folk religion responsible for escorting the dead to the underworld. The White Guard is named Xie Bi’an (谢必安), which is interpreted as “Those who make amends will always be at peace,” while the Black Guard is named Fan Wujiu (范无救), which means “Those who commit crimes will have no salvation.”
After passing the gates, players are taken to another area on the school ground where they must find puppets for a puppet show. Traditionally, these puppet shows were performed at important events like weddings. However, in the 1950s the Kuomintang government used puppetry as a propaganda tool to promote “patriotism.” This was evident in the changes made to the puppet’s clothing, which went from colorful traditional clothing to military uniforms. In the game, the puppet show is a reflection of this situation. One of the puppets is dressed in military uniform and shoots two other puppets on stage with bags over their heads. A key appears from the puppets, helping players progress further. The key obtained unlocks Ray’s memories. One of the key memories unlocked is of Ray asking Wei for the secret book club’s reading list and inquiring about the relationship between the two teachers, Mr. Chang and Ms. Yin.
The game then takes us on a journey to the past through flashbacks triggered by changing a radio station featuring songs that were banned during the 1960s. We learn more about Ray’s family troubles and how it leads her to confide in her school counselor, Mr. Chang. They developed a short-lived romantic relationship, during which Ray becomes jealous and resentful towards Ms. Yin after mistakenly believing she’s involved with Mr. Chang.
It is implied Ray turned in a book club list she got from Wei to military officer Instructor Bai to get Ms. Yin out of the picture — not intending to ruin everyone’s lives. The story is presented in a non-linear manner, leaving us to make sense of the events alongside Ray. After the hallucinations end, we return to the auditorium stage where we encounter a version of Ray’s soul asking a series of questions to determine if Ray and her soul are one and the same. Before the last question, we learn the fates of all the characters: Ray committed suicide, Ms. Yin fled Taiwan, Mr. Chang was executed and Wei was sentenced to hard labor. The final question asks about Ray’s beliefs on life. Choosing “take hold of your destiny” leads to the true ending, where the two Rays become one. However, choosing different answers results in a different ending where Ray remains stuck in a cycle of purgatory until she accepts her guilt. The White Guard represents the true ending — “Those who make amends will always be at peace” — while the other endings represent the Black Guard: “Those who commit crimes will have no salvation.”
Ray’s character highlights naivete and the challenges of living under an authoritarian government. Her highly militarized school and the censorship of books and other media, like music, demonstrate why Ray was naive about the implications of her actions — a lack of access to differing knowledge. During the White Terror period, reporting “communists” was deemed patriotic, further contributing to Ray’s naivete. The people under these regimes are placed in a double bind because if they reported another person they were considered patriotic by the government, but to everyday people, they were betraying their fellow citizens. However, the game’s format evokes sympathy for Ray by introducing her character first and providing context for her actions. The story’s impact is significant because it depicts how children and young adults are most affected by authoritarian military regimes.
Additionally, Ray’s guilt stems from political repression and social turmoil caused during the White Terror period in Taiwan, which created a culture of fear and suspicion. This guilt is a product of that culture, forcing Ray to betray her classmates and friends to save herself (seen more clearly in the film adaptation). Through Ray’s character, the game explores the psychological impact of the White Terror on individuals and society, demonstrating the long-lasting effects of guilt and trauma while providing the solution of seeking forgiveness and taking responsibility for one’s actions to aid in the healing process for individuals and nations. By addressing this period in Taiwan’s history, the game encourages players to reflect on the painful legacies of political violence and injustice.
The ending credits of the true ending, now present day, show Wei, now an older man, returning to the now-abandoned high school. He was pardoned from his 15-year sentence when the White Terror period ended. Going to the desk he and Ray once sat at together at the beginning of the game, we see her ghost appear. Wei is, in many ways, the flipped version of Ray. Instead of being caught in a double bind like Ray, he is in direct opposition to authoritarian rule. He actively questions it and seeks out knowledge that contradicts what is being said. He ultimately risks his own life to seek this limited knowledge. Wei’s perseverance and coming back to the high school at the very end of the game almost serve as an acknowledgment of the White Terror period. His reappearance represents a reminder of not forgetting what happened and of continuing to live after tragedy. The theme of preserving history in “Detention” makes evident the importance of remembering and acknowledging the past, as well as the role of education, storytelling and cultural heritage in preserving historical memory. This is shown throughout the game through the multiple interjections of cultural heritage like puppetry, music and literature, which were heavily impacted by this period, thereby immersing players in the historical context of Taiwan and encouraging them to reflect on the complex legacies of political violence and social injustice. Wei’s presence at the end also provides hope — hope that life can continue after tragedy, like in a quote written in a photo Ray found in her trash: “Remember, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”
Daily Arts Writer K. Rodriguez-Garcia can be reached at karodrig@umich.edu.