What is an “Essential Experience”?
In the context of a game design document (GDD), the “essential experience” refers to the core emotional or experiential takeaway you want players to have as they play the game. It’s the defining element of what the game should feel like from the player’s perspective, regardless of specific mechanics, graphics, or narrative. This concept helps keep the development focused on delivering a cohesive, impactful experience and serves as a guiding principle when making design choices.

The Essential Experience for my game: I want the player to navigate the emotional journey of loss and overcoming grief.