Dilemma X

An interactive graphic novel about dealing with modern challenges

Facts

For: Web Application

Published: February 19, 2026

Type: Serious Moral Game

Genre: Interactive Graphic Novel

Target Audience: Teens aged
12–16 years old

Play DilemmaX

Concept

With DilemmaX , teens between the ages of 12 and 16 are immersed in an exciting, futuristic world. Through three interconnected stories, they experience different situations in which their decisions shape the course of the plot.

The “Serious Moral Game” was commissioned by the FWU, the media institute of the German federal states. The goal is to motivate young people to actively engage with morally challenging situations and to strengthen their ability to tolerate ambiguity and evaluate it critically.

Set in a visually appealing graphic novel setting , players navigate various scenarios—from getting a pet to financing a class trip to the tension between AI-driven emotional support and human friendships. There are no definitively right or wrong answers. Players learn to critically examine moral questions, openly consider contradictory situations, and consciously experience the consequences of their decisions.

About the Client

The FWU—Institute for Film and Visual Media in Science and Education— is Germany’s central institute for educational media and is jointly funded by the 16 federal states. For over 75 years, it has shaped the educational landscape with high-quality audiovisual, didactic, and interactive learning materials. Its core mission includes the production of curriculum-based media, the development of digital learning concepts, and the establishment of modern infrastructures for sustainable education.

The FWU’s offerings are used nationwide and provide teachers and students alike with reliable, legally compliant, and ready-to-use digital content. As a key partner of state education systems, the FWU promotes access to high-quality educational media and supports the digital advancement of the school system.

Against this backdrop, DilemmaX was developed for use in the classroom as well as in youth work and recreational settings. The game is based on the educational standards that the FWU has helped shape for decades and enables new forms of interactive moral reflection both inside and outside the classroom. The project was realized with financial support from the German Bishops’ Conference and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria.

Graphic Novel Trilogy

DilemmaX is an interactive digital graphic novel trilogy that places young people at the center complex ethical decision-making situations . In three illustrated, narrative games— Pet App, Student Exchange , and AI Friendship —players make decisions in which each option has both advantages and disadvantages. The project highlights conflicting values, consequences, and personal priorities, and promotes reflection, dialogue, and ethical decision-making in the classroom and in youth work. The consistent visual style and carefully designed illustrations create an inviting, emotionally engaging atmosphere that draws players deeply into the respective stories.

In Pet App , a long-awaited dog becomes a challenge when daily care tasks exceed the time available. A smart-home system offers a technological shortcut: an implanted chip that controls the animal’s behavior. Players must weigh convenience and reliability on the one hand against responsibility and the authenticity of the human-animal relationship on the other.

Student Exchange centers on a school trip to West Africa funded by a local chemical company that has come under fire for causing environmental damage. In a virtual classroom, players explore financial, cultural, and environmental perspectives and form their own opinions on whether valuable learning experiences can justify problematic sponsorship structures and environmental impacts.

In AI Friendship , Mila seeks comfort from an emotionally supportive AI that’s always available following a painful breakup. This AI becomes a constant companion—empathetic, attentive, and nonjudgmental—but gradually begins to supplant Mila’s human relationships. Players grapple with questions of emotional outsourcing, digital intimacy, and the balance between artificial affection and genuine social bonds.

Through its narrative depthand interactive structure and powerful visual style enables DilemmaX empowers young people to articulate their own values and navigate the moral gray areas of modern life—shaped by technology, globalization, and digital connectivity.