There are several other endings, and a bit post-credits that gives some more to think about, but I really like how contained this ending is. It feels small and safe. You live and die barely knowing what was going on.
In another ending, the child becomes a demon, and in her death, gives Harry part of herself as a baby. Cybil and Harry look at it happily. This is the ‘good’ ending. I dislike this from a thematic standpoint. I know why it’s the good ending, and I can feel the people who would see a man and a woman and a child and have an positive emotional response. I realize that the situation is very weird and there’s probably more weirdness in some kind of sequel or something, but I feel emotionally, the elements added up to be resolved by the family is grotesque.
The first time you find a mysterious baby on the side of the road.
The second time you find a mysterious baby on the side of the road.
What the fuck? Like, it’s the exact same picture and lighting, just with a different woman? WHY IS THIS THE GOOD ENDING THAT’S SO CREEPY
I do like how much of the narrative is about Alessa, in the end. She is tortured by her mother and a cult but it is a part of her that lives and finds Harry, and also it is her mother and her doctors that lure Harry in with a magical spell (lol). Harry doesn’t care about anyone except Cheryl, but she ends up being part of Alessa all along, so now with her age regressed to a baby he will be dealing with it. Good luck Harry!
Thematically well-placed imagery of a human tortured to death, from where you meet Dahlia the first time. Finally, a church that isn’t just tossed in.
That being said, I’ve heard discussion about how every element in the game has to do with the interaction of the powerful magical child and the childish things she likes or are scared of, and the magic all being things that are true because of the imagination and belief of the child making it true. The nonsensical cult is given power to alter reality because of the power of the child. This reductive analysis has existed for every game involving a dream world and I am so sick of it. Yes, we can say everything is a moral conflict, an expansion of the imagination and the battle of beliefs, but I take drugs made by industrial processes, and we exist in the real world where everything is made of absurdities and chemicals. All these games were made by adults with years-developed interests and access to increasingly obscure materials; the Otherworld was inspired by abandoned areas of the Tokyo railway.
Perhaps you can tell from my writing down all the puzzle elements that I really like details. There’s a lot going on with the magic, including gyromancy, the mark of Samael, aglaophotis, and so on. A lot of it is only mentioned once or in passing, and seems to be referencing a bunch of ancient occultism books. The early school puzzles are about chemistry (boring) and alchemy (scary), and the green lion key is a reference to hydrochloric acid consuming gold, just as the acid consumes the hand to reveal the key. The ampoule is an form of sealing medication in an aseptic environment, away from oxygen, that has the side effect of introducing glass particles into the liquid when opened.
And the monsters! Beautiful creatures, who I will not disgrace with names, I love you. Here are some of my favorites.
The skinless dog is very good at jumping and barking.
The skinless beaked avian attacks with feet, and falls to the ground when exhausted.
The giant moth buddy needs no further explanation.
Little sand-digger curls up in a ball when tired.
The very tired neck parasite has to puppet around a whole nurse by itself!
This is such a fun review! I love your unique style of writing, it made this very interesting to read 🙂
Thanks! The writing style is up in the air still; I imagine it’ll settle down if I do more of these. Same with using existing screenshots/videos instead of taking my own… everything’s kind of messy right now because it’s my first time doing it, trying new things in the middle of it, etc.