Anyone Else Find This Game a Little Depressing..?

[the_game_nerd]

As the title says.

 

I found it kinda depressing, a reminder of the unrelenting march of time. 😟  ...and no the ending didn't help.

 

Was going to play through a second time with the PS4 version but don't think i will now.

 

I also spent more time putting underwear in a draw during this game than i have in real life.....my entire life.

 

Glad it was free with plus, would have been pissed if i paid for this. 🤪

[ThatMuttGuy]

No, I thought it was a cheerful take on different stages of someone's life. Guess it really depends on how you view it. 

[DrBloodmoney]

It’s got a certain bittersweet tone to it, for sure - though I guess any game that deals in showing a whole life will inevitably have that sense, given that it shows the march of time.
 

The part where she’s moving in with the abusive boyfriend is legitimately depressing, and obviously the fact that she seems to suffer some ill heath towards the end of the game - ditching the athletic gear and the appearance of the cane and the back pain medication - but she does seem to have found a life partner at the end, so it’s not a full downer or anything.

 

I took it more as simply a look at the ups and downs of a life - which I guess can be depressing and affirming at the same time!

[the_game_nerd]

4 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

It’s got a certain bittersweet tone to it, for sure - though I guess any game that deals in showing a whole life will inevitably have that sense, given that it shows the march of time.
 

The part where she’s moving in with the abusive boyfriend is legitimately depressing, and obviously the fact that she seems to suffer some ill heath towards the end of the game - ditching the athletic gear and the appearance of the cane and the back pain medication - but she does seem to have found a life partner at the end, so it’s not a full downer or anything.

 

I took it more as simply a look at the ups and downs of a life - which I guess can be depressing and affirming at the same time!

Oh wow, I didn't really put 2 and 2 together with the cane, and meds!  I thought the cane was weird.

 

That makes sense now.

[jh7459]

I liked it a lot, but yeah it was a bit of a downer at times. I remember in the part with the boyfriend the only place she could put her diploma was under the bed. He had left nowhere for her to show off her accomplishments. The game did a good job telling a story with no words.

 

Also, as a dude, I had never put away so many bras in my life. 😄

[the_game_nerd]

8 minutes ago, jh7459 said:

I liked it a lot, but yeah it was a bit of a downer at times. I remember in the part with the boyfriend the only place she could put her diploma was under the bed. He had left nowhere for her to show off her accomplishments. The game did a good job telling a story with no words.

 

Also, as a dude, I had never put away so many bras in my life. 😄

Yeah that was sad with the diploma.

 

Initially i had it hanging above the toilet as that was the only wall space, i remember thinking that was pretty bad, then it wouldn't allow it and i spent a bit of time thinking "where the hell does it go then"....until it clicked...under the bed. 😕 

 

I think above the toilet would have been better, at least he would have to stare at it every time he took a piss.

[BigHungryDonk]

so with you dude, it may be an easy plat but its just sad. 1/10 would not play again lol

 

[Gooboid]

I wasn’t expecting it to be so emotive. It’s definitely a unique game worthy of a playthrough.

[Ashande]

It definitely has its depressing moments - moving in with the boyfriend being the worst. Not only for the diploma situation, but the cramped and overpacked nature of that level makes it feel like there’s just no room for the player character, that she’s burying herself in a corner to be as unobtrusive as possible. Maybe I only think that because I’ve been there, though.

 

I still think it’s a really well-done game, telling a story that’s largely about subtlety and sub rosa reactions to certain things rather than just telling you those things, which always impresses me. If you can turn off your brain (and turn on the “stuff can go anywhere” option) it turns into a fun little zen exercise, as well.

[Mr_Fluffy_Pants_]

18 hours ago, the_game_nerd said:

As the title says.

 

I found it kinda depressing, a reminder of the unrelenting march of time. 😟  ...and no the ending didn't help.

 

Was going to play through a second time with the PS4 version but don't think i will now.

 

I also spent more time putting underwear in a draw during this game than i have in real life.....my entire life.

 

Glad it was free with plus, would have been pissed if i paid for this. 🤪

I thought exactly the same lol debating spending $30 Canadian on it several times, glad I didn’t lol 

 

the ending kinda bugged me, maybe I’m a pessimist or something but I don’t see why everything needs a happy ending. 

18 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said:

It’s got a certain bittersweet tone to it, for sure - though I guess any game that deals in showing a whole life will inevitably have that sense, given that it shows the march of time.
 

The part where she’s moving in with the abusive boyfriend is legitimately depressing, and obviously the fact that she seems to suffer some ill heath towards the end of the game - ditching the athletic gear and the appearance of the cane and the back pain medication - but she does seem to have found a life partner at the end, so it’s not a full downer or anything.

 

I took it more as simply a look at the ups and downs of a life - which I guess can be depressing and affirming at the same time!

why did you think the boyfriend was abusive? Not arguing or anything just generally curious, I didn’t pick up on that. 
 

I know there was nowhere to put the diploma, but that hardly signifies an abusive relationship 

[DrBloodmoney]

59 minutes ago, Mr_Fluffy_Pants_ said:

why did you think the boyfriend was abusive? Not arguing or anything just generally curious, I didn’t pick up on that. 
 

I know there was nowhere to put the diploma, but that hardly signifies an abusive relationship 

 

Maybe me reading into things (though, I suppose, that's pretty much the entire point of wordless stories like this one - different people read different things into the implications!) 😂

 

For me, the fact that she's moving in (alone, without any help) and he's literally not made a single bit of space for her stuff in his sterile, American Psycho-style grey-scale apartment among his dumbbells, massive generic hotel-canvas art, and douche-bro stuff is kinda red-flaggy....

 

...but more so is the the lack of space for her diploma. Not so much the fact of it - but the implication of the gameplay limitations around it.

 

What I mean is, it's not so much that there isn't space for it already made - I agree, that only indicates he's a douche bag, not abusive - but the fact that you, as the player, can't make room for it. 

 

I don't know - the fact that she can't (or won't) just move one of his poster to make space for it seemed a little more sinister to me than simply the fact that he clearly didn't make room for her.

Like, maybe she is afraid to, for fear of upsetting him?

[Ashande]

12 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

 

Maybe me reading into things (though, I suppose, that's pretty much the entire point of wordless stories like this one - different people read different things into the implications!) 😂

 

For me, the fact that she's moving in (alone, without any help) and he's literally not made a single bit of space for her stuff in his sterile, American Psycho-style grey-scale apartment among his dumbbells, massive generic hotel-canvas art, and douche-bro stuff is kinda red-flaggy....

 

...but more so is the the lack of space for her diploma. Not so much the fact of it - but the implication of the gameplay limitations around it.

 

What I mean is, it's not so much that there isn't space for it already made - I agree, that only indicates he's a douche bag, not abusive - but the fact that you, as the player, can't make room for it. 

 

I don't know - the fact that she can't (or won't) just move one of his poster to make space for it seemed a little more sinister to me than simply the fact that he clearly didn't make room for her.

Like, maybe she is afraid to, for fear of upsetting him?

I don’t know what specifically gave me the vibe, but I got the impression the boyfriend was abusive (or at least potentially abusive) as well. Part of it was the “no space” issue (both the diploma and in general) but I could have sworn there was something else nagging at me that gave me that impression.

[DrBloodmoney]

1 minute ago, Ashande said:

I don’t know what specifically gave me the vibe, but I got the impression the boyfriend was abusive (or at least potentially abusive) as well. Part of it was the “no space” issue (both the diploma and in general) but I could have sworn there was something else nagging at me that gave me that impression.

 

I think there is potentially a reading of that section that indicates she may be giving up hobbies she likes - the sporty, athletic stuff - around that time (and obviously, giving up things you love right around the time of a new relationship is not a great sign, especially when coupled with his clear dominance in the relationship based on her trying to gingerly fit her own life around his, and not wanting to alter his set-up at all)...

 

...though personally, I think that one is more indicative of the longer term health issues she seems to suffer, rather than specifically a red-flag.

 

Of course, the health stuff is only really apparent after progressing further in the game though, so during a first playthrough, that could also add to the pattern of more sinister elements at the time?

[sacrifice_002]

On 9/21/2023 at 11:59 PM, Mr_Fluffy_Pants_ said:

why did you think the boyfriend was abusive? Not arguing or anything just generally curious, I didn’t pick up on that. 
 

I know there was nowhere to put the diploma, but that hardly signifies an abusive relationship 

In the stage where she went back to her parent house she hide a picture of her with her ex-boyfriend, when you tried to put at the desk or board it will give flashing red.

It gives a vibe that the relationship ended up badly, and she probaly still kinda likes him but she knows she has to move on from him

[the_game_nerd]

18 minutes ago, sacrifice_002 said:

In the stage where she went back to her parent house she hide a picture of her with her ex-boyfriend, when you tried to put at the desk or board it will give flashing red.

It gives a vibe that the relationship ended up badly, and she probaly still kinda likes him but she knows she has to move on from him

Yep, and when you do put it on the pin board she/you put the pins in the eyes of the ex-boyfriend. Nice little touch. 

[CottonModem]

The way I see it, any work that makes you feel genuine emotions has succeeded as art. Especially if it's a mix of emotions.

[RedDevil757]

No but I'd avoid it if you suffer from OCD. That game really wasn't good for me at all

[J-Isoniemi]

I'm so tired after every level, can't do more than one per day.

So this will take many weeks.

I assume 40min platinum times are cheaters? One level alone takes double of that with a guide.

0/5 game.

[Infected Elite]

15 minutes ago, J-Isoniemi said:

I'm so tired after every level, can't do more than one per day.

So this will take many weeks.

I assume 40min platinum times are cheaters? One level alone takes double of that with a guide.

0/5 game.

it's called using the setting that lets you place any item anywhere. The more you know....

[Ashande]

31 minutes ago, J-Isoniemi said:

I'm so tired after every level, can't do more than one per day.

So this will take many weeks.

I assume 40min platinum times are cheaters? One level alone takes double of that with a guide.

0/5 game.

 

I don’t know how you’d be spending an hour and a half on a single level, even without a guide. There’s some less than intuitive items - the diploma being first among them - but even then there just aren’t that many things to diddle. But no, speedy completions are not indicative of cheating; either good organizational and logic skills or the use of the “Items Go Anywhere” menu option that lets you just put stuff wherever you want if you’re only in it for the trophies rather than the thought exercise and gleaning the story from the items.

 

I can understand it not gelling with some folks, and that’s fine… but it’s definitely not a 0/5.

[PIOTREK27-1982]

Nope. Never. Boyfriends are temporary. GameCube is eternal.

[TheDarkKratos]

On 9/21/2023 at 7:08 AM, the_game_nerd said:

I also spent more time putting underwear in a draw during this game than i have in real life.....my entire life.

This made me chuckle😄

Edited October 16, 2023 by TheDarkKratos

[Jeanolt]

It is, for sure. I fear death a lot so seeing years and years passing in seconds is really depressing for me, it's like burning stages and seeing my own life passing before my eyes.

 

I haven't even finished it and I feel the same.

[Rejim]

Depressing not really, life as it is with its different ups and downs. The lack of space with the boyfriend was annoying indeed (mostly in terms of gameplay rather than his personality haha). For me, I felt mostly nostalgic, some items of the 90s brought back good memories and in general each time you change homes and try to make it yours.

 

Simple game, but lovely.