That genre was in literature for ages now, it was just a question of time. Now that games are starting to be accepted as an interactive art form, genres from literature start to manifest in the shape of a game's core idea. I think game devs avoided slice a life because they thought "why would someone play a game about another person's mundane life?" Fearing that their game won't be sold. But when bigger titles manage to do it, it kicked drive into those indie devs showing them there is a fanbase in it.
Very nice video, thanks! As a brazilian student of literature it was dificult to see this video and don't think about the book Quarto de Despejo (Trash Room, in the english translation) writen by Carolina Maria de Jesus. It's a diary writen by this woman who lived in a slum in São Paulo in the 1950's, narrating her daily life. Her work is to wander around the city searching for recyclable material to sell. The text has this repetitive pacing of a life almost entirely devoted to survive through a poorly paid job. She travels around the city searching for recyclable material to sell. Maybe the only major aspect of the book that don't have correlation with the your description of the game is that she also reflects a lot about the social relations between the people of the slum. I highly recommend this book for you! Besides the social aspect, the book has its own literary merits. Greetings from Brazil!
Aww man, they ever look for people online? Ive been interested in game development for years but getting my degree toward Software Development. Ive tried finding people before but the search sucks so much ;-;
I'm only a lowly student and not an expert, but I think your best bet is to get plugged into the community/industry and make games on your own in the meantime. It's more accessible than ever.
not going to lie, I thought I'd find one of sundae month calling you out or something like that guy during that smash tourney, where the one announcer said the other guy didn't do his physics homework...
Aaaahhh! So proud of my friends who made this game! I watched them struggle through their last years of college to make this game a reality, and it almost brings a tear to my eye to see them covered by a channel I respect so much. Great work, devs, and great work, Errant Signal. I always love seeing your work, but this video is particularly personally gratifying for me :)
This is why I watch this channel, to find out about beautiful games I might never have known otherwise. This looks like a game that I could fall in love with.
I can relate to the gender dysphoria mechanic. I find it very difficult to work if I'm feeling at odds with my identity. It can be hard to be in public, let alone be performing specific tasks or activities, when you're not feeling yourself. The weight of dysphoria seems to be well represented in this game. As a writer myself, I do wonder where a character would get hormone medication from if they went off on some space adventure. It's not a topic that's convenient to traditional story-telling, so it's a question not often asked in fiction. That said, I think the fact that this game uses it as a barrier to progression is a good stand-in for real life dysphoria. It's fucking shitty to feel restricted by the truth of who you are and your needs, no matter how frivolous they seem to other people. Sometimes opportunities that may be open to cisgender people may not be open to you - not even because of discrimination (though that is also a problem), but because of the world not accommodating your needs. Spaceport Janitor could have easily replaced the name of the mechanic with something less touchy, but the deliberate choice of using gender dysphoria says a lot about what the game is trying to say. I dunno, maybe I'm not the smartest person to be talking about it. I just know that dysphoria is very stigmatised and hard to relate to, and that is an intentional decision.
***** I mean, sometimes dysphoria is like that. It's not always this 'woe is me, i'm trapped in my body' thing - it can just feel like an extra chore to deal with it. I think any long term issue can feel a bit like that. You just want to get on with your day, but it's another thing you gotta remember. I have to take my hormones every day. I don't get upset about it, but knowing that I'll have to take them every day for the rest of my life is kind of tedious to think about - it's another thing on top of everything else.
***** That is a fair point. I guess it's more like... it's a mechanic that's another micro-managing thing on top of everything else, and I guess choosing to call it 'gender' is interesting. Maybe it's not entirely parallel to the IRL experience, but it definitely feels like an intentional choice.
As I've mentioned in my own comments, the mechanic certainly isn't _exclusive_- it serves as a workable stand-in for chronic illness, depression or other mental illness, and HRT. I absolutely appreciate that it specifically goes out of its way to include dysphoria and trans health under its umbrella, and I don't think that being, mechanically, an umbrella rather than a more specific or simulationist approach is bad. The game, clearly, has broader goals in mind than simulating specifically "trans-ness"- that your protagonist is dysphoric is indeed just another thing they have to juggle in the rest of their life below the poverty line. It's really the exact opposite of what some people seem to be complaining about- games that "shove identity politics down your throat" (although we all know that people who say that _really_ mean "games that involve any sort of nonstandard-identifying characters"). Your character _happens_ to be some alien trans genderfluid girlbeast- that's just one aspect of their lives that contributes to their marginalized experience. It's a nice, respectful approach to inclusion. I like it, and it makes me more excited about and interested in purchasing the game than I already was.
Samantha Callahan Hi Samantha. I'm sorry that you feel you have to take your anger out on other human beings. Maybe you should see a counsellor? Either way, I hope things work out. Happy holidays!
Speaking as a trans person, when I played this game, I really did feel like the Gendershift system was an apt metaphor for what gender dysphoria is like for me. Everything around you feels just...wrong. Because you feel wrong. It's hard to focus on anything, even simple things like listening to people talk or reading a menu at a restaurant. This game is ridiculously well put together, and it inspires a real sense of hope for the future during the course of play while it also constantly emphasizes the feeling of being a poor and marginalized person who is unlikely to be able to pull out of their situation any time soon, if at all. It's oppressive, but in a way that gives you room to grow and try to live a decent life. I, for one, got very good at dodging into alleys when guards were marching toward me. I'm getting a little long-winded here, but my point is that I absolutely adore this game. It's a beautiful experience and is very good at making you actually feel the emotions the Janitor is also meant to be feeling.
Now that I've said all that(and have read other peoples' comments on the subject), I feel the need to come back and be clear that, even though I think the representation of what dysphoria feels like for me is interesting and accurate to my experiences, I think that having it as a sort of mechanic that just requires taking a single "pill" every so often can undermine how overwhelming it really is. I think that the general sense of what it is like feels perfect to me, but making it feel like a one-and-done sort of thing the way the game does is inaccurate at best and potentially harmful at worst. I don't want to act like I'm uncritical of this game, because it has a lot of problems, that idea being one of them. I adore it, but I think enjoying something so much makes it even more important to be aware of the issues it has.
While i def agree that a simple mechanic like this doesn't capyure being trans, i can't describe the absolute joy of being told my gender was now dirt and the subsequent spending of most of my days food budget buying new gender pills. Because that's very much a thing i really would do if my gender pills worked that fast
@@egirlSkeletor honestly i thought i was a binary trans woman when i wrote that 5 years ago but now, as a professional gender disaster? i could not agree more
Me too. I was disappointed about the games themes personally, but Ive actually been contemplating on making a game with this exact same art style and was blown away that someone thought of the same idea and implemented it.
WolfGr33d Gameplay seems very not-fun shamefully. But it's a style that should be rather easy to implement and just looks really nice, quite raw in a sense.
See thats the big issue with this game. Even though im not for the themes of trans stuff, I feel like the game flops on itself for totally different reasons. Its a slice of life simulation game.. about having a sucky life of poverty as an NPC. Slice of life meets simulation overall, i think is a formula for failure. The fact that its about leading the life of poverty is just salt on the wound. Slice of life (if im not mistaken) is supposed to be a narrative about a specific persons life and experiences along with the people they meet and goes through a sense of growth and change or perhaps progress is more accurate, whereas a simulation is supposed to be more mundane, more repetitive, more universal and says "this is what its like on average to be a(n) [x] ". Basically the two concepts are colliding against each other. Its like oil and water, they dont mix. Edit: Well perhaps they dont mix well, is what I should say. Animal Crossing I think proves me wrong on the idea of Simulation x Slice of Life dont mix. Still, I think theres something off with the way the game executes it and it irritates me because I cant put my finger on what it is. To put it stupidly, in general it feels like slice of life meets simulation meets dysphoria is a bad overall concoction
WolfGr33d It's tricky but I think there are way better ways to convey certain things than just drag a player through the same bad experience. There's also the case that after an hour or two you'll get the point but this game is a lot longer. I think it actually might work better when blowing it up to some "larger than life metaphor" (depression and a planet that's going to crush into earth in "Melancholia"(unpleasant movie bit it conveys its message well)) where this in the end is not much more than a change in setting and becomes the same mundane experience. I don't think exploring negative aspects of life in art is a bad thing but what exactly do we _gain_ from this. An alternate and more extreme version of a life that we don't need understand for because it's probably _very_ recognizable to nearly everyone. I don't see this helping with coping with it either.
+PauLtus B Yeah thats the thing I struggle analyzing. Having art focused on negative themes isnt necessarily bad art, but generally speaking art is supposed to give something to the audience and I cant see what this is trying to portray other than "Life sucks for some people".. as if its assuming our lives are so privileged that we cant comprehend the concept that life isnt a picnic outing. At the same time I find that pretty offensive towards people who are actually in poverty because no one from that lifestyle is going to feel overjoyed hearing someone say "I played this video game on my expensive computer and now I understand what its like being in poverty." Again its hard to analyze why, but this game feels like its just a disappointment. I could see something very similar being incredibly enjoyable to play and experience, but something about this games overall balance feels lack-luster with misused potential.
Even though this game has interested me for a long time, I was unsure whether actually playing it would be something I got sick of too seriously. Not only did this review convince me that the long-term struggle would be up my alley, it was so in-depth, interesting and tasteful in its own right that you’ve earned a like, favorite and subscription from me. Can’t wait to see what else is explored on the channel, so I won’t. :3
I'm glad that there is a game that acknowledges genderfulidity outside of games that's just about it (Though I don't get disphoria from my genderchange.) hopefully we'll be able to get games with autisitc protagonists and other mentally disable/ill protagonists.
I don't know, why would I, an autistic person, would want to play as an autistic person. Also mentally disabled/ill people are aware of their disablity/illness, and understand it better than you neuotypicals ever will.
For most people games are about gameplay, rather than identity politics. For those who are interested in putting identity politics into gaming, for it to reach the mainstream they have to find ways to make such topics ludically interesting. The gender stations in this game sound a bit clunky imo, the existential dread of gender dysphoria is simply whittled down to a constant annoyance, another hunger bar to keep topped up. As for autism and the like it's also hard to make it fun in a ludic sense. I do like what they did with low intelligence characters in fallout, where your character will talk like a moron if his intelligence is low enough. Otherwise I struggle to think of good examples where mental disability is turned into a fun game... maybe you could do (or imagine) something with games like surgeon simulator or something??
Yeah that low intellgence thing in fallout? That's a pretty ableist depiction of mental disability. (Hell the idea of an objective measure of intelligence is pretty ableist.)
I really love this game. You can't really get anything it offers from anywhere else, from the kooky alien world to the mundane yet engaging trash-duty game-play. It puts a new perspective on what in most games would be the hub town for questing, looting and shopping. Here you don't quest, you loot garbage, and you never have enough money to buy stuff. It reminds me of modern Marxist criticism, looking at a story from the perspective of everyday workers or the economy rather than the hero on their journey. Like the Death Star is cool and all, but people had to build that thing, people have to run and repair that thing, where are they? This game is one of the few works I've seen that question the prices of adventuring goods, or the absurd weapons and magical spells that exist in fantasy games. If you aren't the adventurer, how much does that level 1 sword cost? What use are all these weapon and magic shops to regular people, and how are regular people treated in a world with such a focus on the highly profitable job of adventuring? Imagine Skyrim if you were just the no-name guard who stands outside Whiterun until something happens, never doing anything special, constantly dealing with the abuse of shitty players and never leaving that one spot, forever. This game manages to capture that idea without being boring as hell, and still offering player freedom and interpretation, which I find impressive.
On a meta-note : That was an awesome bit of vid, both in relation to distant past episodes and especially related content in general. Whatever Chris has been doing lately to step up his game, it feels like it's really working - at least for me. Props and applause.
Reminds me of when I was playing Fable 2 where I couldn't understand why there were beggars on the street when there's a job openings at the tavern and the blacksmith that can pay thousands in gold if you work long enough at it.
It would be interesting to use trainer or cheats to see if that adventuring gear is implemented properly. If it was, it would make core message of the game stronger.
If it was up to me to make the game, I'd make it so that as soon as the player saves up some money, events happen that reduce it - bad prices, getting robbed, and so on. Whether the items being implemented even though they will never be interacted with by the player actually strengthens the message of the game is more of a phylosophical question, I feel. Wow, that sentence came out convoluted.
It would work if as soon you get it you realize you have no use for it. Say, you get the amazing gun and when you are going to equip it: "Permission to use the Awesoblaster Mk 3 Million pending, please contact local authorities"
uh, sure. i'm not sure if this is the sort of game for me, but ultimately i'll take it over more clones of what isn't too far from a walking simulator since the game is afraid of the Player not winning 100% of the time or whatever. eventually, been there done that enough times that it wears itself out pretty well.
Having to change your gender is one of the funniest game mechanics I've seen, I picture a sci-fi RPG where you change genders like you change jobs in final fantasy.
soalsoalsoal I do really like that artstyle yes, and I would like to walk around in that world. But the work seems very annoying. I've had fun with "Papers Please" but the gameplay here seems a lot more boring.
Game looks really cool though. Reminds me a bit of Beyond Good & Evil as filtered through Bernband or Proteus. Speaking of which, would you like to do a video on Bernband? It's a little like this, except you're a tourist instead of a janitor so you have no obligations.
This sounds really neat! I was already interested back during the call for beta testers and such- the idea of wandering around this scuzzy spaceport trying to survive while dreaming of leaving was a good hook. I'll definitely look into giving it a spin now, though- I especially appreciate the effort it makes in providing some sort of analogue to trans issues!
If you don't mind me asking how is this such an analogue beyond calling the name of the issue? I sorta get that when the character's being unable to function properly represent all the problems this would cause to a real person but as Campster said this feel like it could apply to anyone with an issue. And hell I'm doing a huge assumption here but isn't changing's one gender supposed to fix that issue?
Francis-Olivier Toba Transitioning isn't actually a "do it once and get it over with" procedure- hormone replacement therapy is an ongoing process where you need to take estrogen or testosterone supplements for the rest of your life, which, if that isn't covered by healthcare where you live, can be a very costly need. (That also doesn't get into other aspects of transitioning, such as hair removal treatments, which again aren't an "all at once" thing and on top of that almost certainly _aren't_ covered even if the hormones are...)
Francis-Olivier Toba Ultimately, though, I'm happy to see any sympathetic portrayals of trans issues, which is what this game has made; why specifically tie the character's chronic illness to gender dysphoria if it isn't meant to be read as gender dysphoria?
VonEror That's really rather debatable. Given the game specifically ties it to dysphoric episodes relating to a chronic medical need, I see no problem taking it as face value. Is it a 100% accurate in-depth simulator of being trans? No, of course not. But it is a sympathetic use and shout-out to the issues trans people face, which I'd love to see more of.
The art style of this game is fucking gorgeous and the gameplay loop looks interesting. I'd be lying if I didn't say that the gender aspect doesn't interest me as well! I'm worried, though, that this game's treatment of dysphoria is too....'gamey' if that makes any sense. I'll definitely play the game to find out!
Same here about the gender system. It seems like they use gender dysphoria as only a label. I don't see how this in-game system manages to differentiate dysphoria from any other generic ailment, which is why I'm thinking they used it as more of a trendy idea instead of better translating the effects of dysphoria into the game. feeling gender dysphoria is a very large and complex state of mind and it's quite hard to abstract down into game systems centered around button presses... But I haven't played the game, so I might be wrong and they did do it justice!
An obvious possibility with this game is less socially-driven than people think. What is it like being a random town NPC in a video game? Also, Jesus, all the bitterness in the comments. We're here to discuss game design, games as a medium, not argue about class politics and get all bitchy over a game most of us haven't even played. I know poverty intimately, and I absolutely see the value of this game's narrative, of the slice of life it offers. If it doesn't seem to have any value to you, move on, it isn't for you, and that's okay. There are plenty of other games out there, and plenty you will love.
For real... two comments about poverty, a billion comments about transexuality, and only near the very bottom I find the first address of the game itself.
There's a game I tried playing about a year ago that hits on the same sentiment; it's called Always Sometimes Monsters. It's way more grounded (takes place in west coast USA and is about a struggling writer who got a big break but can't capitalize on it), and definitely falls closer to "sad porn." It's got a lot of flaws actually. The writing and dialogue is really sloppy and overly mean-spirited at times (the game's made with RPG maker, which I've noticed that is a common trend among those kinds of games). But it hits that same aura of desperation and fear of a single misstep that can completely ruin you. There are several points in the game where you wander a city for a place to sleep because you're homeless, and you could die suddenly (game over!) because you hadn't eaten in days, or slept in some shady back alley where a psycho murdered you in your sleep.
If anyone wants some spoilerific tips and tricks. I've played through this game twice now. I think there is a lot in this video that is built on inexperience. Though, I do appreciate its tackling of the narrative.
I really love the art direction and style of this game, makes me wish more games looked like this. Reminds me a bit of Beyond Good & Evil mixed with Psychonauts and a bit of that really forgotten HL2 mod Shantytown. However the the story/message of this game is a bit all over the place as you alluded. It seems to tackle two-three different issues at once and focus more on one place while lacking in the others. It's a game I probably something I would try if somebody gifted it to me, but not outright buy, even if I do really love the style.
These are the kind of games that speak to me, but that I'd also not want to play. I sort of worry that "this game is a simulation of depression" type games aren't all that useful simply because people who can't relate to that won't play them, and people who can won't want to relive it.
There is a reason these kind of games exist and ha e a following. There are those who don't relate at first and play it and come out with a little more understanding of others. And there are those who bask in the tears and sadness the game causes.
Although I haven't played this game, it seems to have a striking resemblance to 'Always Sometimes Monsters', in its slice of life structure and its fatalistic attitude. It's way easier to get stuck without enough money and have to literally go back to an earlier save than anything else. I still found it extremely engaging though. I dunno
As someone who played and finished the game, it is not worth it. The game doesn't effectively convey its theme, which is a problem when that is the entire point of experience.
How do you usually find out about these kinds of unique, story-driven indie games? I've played my fair share of them, but I find it difficult to find more.
Personally I find a weekly share of them by walking a swamp of other, poorly made ones. Sadly these games are either overshadowed by big bulky triple A or very hyped kickstarter projects or overshadowed by a sea of just plainly bad games slapped together in a few hours.
I usually look up certain buzzwords on steam, or go to weird games I really like and look through the "similar games" tab. I did find one really odd game by doing this, called "spinnortality".
Interesting exploration of poverty..... But from the review it looks like they missed a big opportunity to take it anywhere....to say anything other than "this sucks". Yes poverty sucks, yes it is crappy when you can't live in the way others do and you envy them (adventurers)....but those feelings and those situations are part of life.....eventually you find peace with your situation and begin to focus more on what you DO have. The game could have let you meet friends or join a club of something the character was interested in.....even just "you begin meeting up with these people after work to pretend you are adventurers and have fun together". Eventually having the work part of the game be something you work past so you can get those few hours each night or every few days to do something besides work. Even the poorest of the poor still find some time to relax and enjoy the little bits of life there is. You touched on it a tiny bit (listening to music), but it didn't really seem they were overly focused on those smaller joys and trying to shift the narrative beyond "my life sucks". That lack of an arc, that single note it seems to just keep hammering....it seems flat to me (not something that I would want to play). What is really compelling you forward? Just surviving? Again, being poor sucks....but there is more to live for than just a dead end crappy job.
Not having played the game or the other game you mentioned myself, I kinda get the impression from this video that maybe its conclusions are a bit too bleak for their own good? It kinda seem to give off the vibe that "this is just how life is" and that there truly is no escape out of poverty or dysphoria whatsoever, when the reality of the situation is probably that the key to help prevent it is on a political and societal level rather than a personal level on a broader level. Subverting the "American dream" objectivist wet dream is grand, and their oppressive gloomy (under)tones seems appropriate for sure, but not showing any positive or at least marginally better possibilities in the process seems somewhat nihilistic, which isn't really helpful. Hoping to see one of these slice of life games someday that also tries to tackle why and how people are stuck in these terrible situation and what could potentially be done to make it better rather than just on the act of being stuck in a terrible situation itself.
Having played the game, this is a problem with the game. What little story there is about how being poor sucks. However, the game never explains what we (in the real world) should do about that. As such, the game just wallows in misery without much purpose or meaning.
I'm not sure what I think of the gender-pill station thing. My girlfriend is non-passing mtf transgender, and she is dealing a lot with dysphoria every day. And I dunno, but here it's just kind of reduced to an annoyance and a moneysink, and kinda like "take this pill and all will be grand". And well, a lot of trans people can't just take a pill and be grand. I just feel like if you're going to include something like this, you need to treat it a bit more seriously. No hate pls, it's just my 2 cents.
JWtheMighty Yeah, it feels kinda like a weird mix of satire and empathy; it's genuinely hard for the Player Character, in ways that are immediately felt by the player.... but it's simultaneously trivialized as heck. Thing is, it seems to me that the same holds for the poverty bits of it; it feels like satire and empathy together. For some reason, my instinct says that trans issues are more important than poverty, but that's pretty irrational. Maybe it's about trans people being openly bashed and judged; our culture hasn't eliminated the hatred for poor people, but we have learned that it's not ok to do that openly, and that ideally we would empathize with them.
It seemed like one of the devs was trans (would be my guess) and wanted to work the theme into the game somewhere.....but maybe was too afraid to focus more on it besides a little "this is annoying, take a pill". Better to attempt and fall a little flat than to just ignore it all together.
I agree that the game could have dealt with it better. However, the game deserves some praise for showing it existing at all. The devs could have gone with a disease that needed this pill to keep the symptoms at bay, but instead thought "This issue is important, we should portray it, though the game might get bashed or lose the hit of the message if we focus on it too much..."
I would say _Lisa: The Painful RPG_ and _Harvester_, which are games that boast their darker themes. Some would also argue The Cat Lady is this (due to its themes of depression and terminal illness, as well as its grey art style), but I personally think it has enough humor (and moments of happiness and accomplishment) to not fall into the trap of being "sadness for sadness' sake." (I highly recommend The Cat Lady if you like adventure games, btw.)
I love Lisa the Painful and The Cat Lady :D I would say Harvester is more of a dark comedy, and satire of the "games are violent, won't somebody think of the children" mentality.
If you're interested in the theme of 'working your ass off while still being trapped in a cycle of poverty', I'd recommend reading George Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London.
Hey, new to this channel. Just wanted to say that you make some really solid analysis videos and I've been marathoning a lot of them recently. Keep up the good work, because I'm totally subscribing to this. Also, if I could make a suggestion of a game you might like to check out, I'd recommend you take a look at Nier. It's a game I think covers a lot of ideas you'd be interested in, and since the next game in the series comes out in a few months, I guess it's a good enough time to see if you might be willing to give it a look. Once again, great content.
As someone who have worked shitty jobs like this I will never understand people who likes to play this sort of stuff. I mean DANM how easy do you have it? I wish I would need a game to teach me to understand the struggles of someone who is at the lower end of the ladder and didn't have to learn it the hard way. Honestly these games are becoming the new charity, most people play them so they can say they understand and care, but really only a fraction will find any meaning and even less would actually care. The difference between this and charity, is that charity actually helps in some cases, this changes nothing. On the off the off chance you do work a damn boring job and go home and play this and love it. Great, good for you I guess personally the last I want to be reminded of is work, but hey, you do you.
This game hits pretty close to home- but that just makes me want to play it _more_. It's affirming- this is a story about people like me and you, little looks at our lives filtered through a more fantastical and even maybe a bit optimistic lens. That's nice.
doesn't look like it but I think that's meant to be the whole point. for people like the janitor, there is no endgame, just an endless loop of trying to scrape by
Compared to something like Papers Please, does it waste your time? Game length is especially important if the point of a game is to convey unhappy feelings and circumstances...
This is actually a good point and I am sad nobody commented on it. Game length is fundamental to these genre, particulary when you start using tedium to convey a feeling. Lack of gameplay for its own sake can only take you so far, and it is kind of tricky to balance it with good content.
The game took me 11 hours to beat. However, a glitch that forced me to reset the game. So presumably, the game would take you around five to six hours if you don't have to reset.
I actually feel like the game failed at its goal. I didn't actually get the sense that the Janitor's life was that terrible. This is probably because there is no way to lose or sense of urgency unlike "Paper, Please" (which I felt did conveyed a sense of poverty much better).
@@MxGerryNava Except it is. The game begins with the protagonist miserable. It ends with the protagonist miserable. In addition, there was never a point of the game where I got the sense the Janitor isn't miserable.
Very interesting concept, but it looks as fun as hitting your balls with a hammer several times. A game to watch in a video like this, not a game to play myself. Thanks for the video.
I'm trans and living in what feels like inescapable poverty in a world of things I cannot afford and adventures I cannot go on. I think I probably wouldn't like this game because it'd be too close a feeling to my own experience, rather than the escapist power fantasies I prefer to play. I like that it exists though, maybe some people might play it and kind of learn something from it.
I'm not sure I like how easily treatable gender dysphoria is in this game. It just seems to trivialize it a bit with how easy it is to alleviate. Maybe as an alternative have it so taking those pills only gets rid of a certain amount of problems IE you can read the text; everything is still slightly askew but its more visible. I do think this game is a success overall, but it could've approached gender identity in a smarter way.
Interesting game and needed as a way for most (in middle class) to realize the struggles, pains and monotony of poverty. I have to say that while i think it's true that the escapism asociated with most adventure videogames and all the progress, power and some kind of """privilege""" to have adventures is related to this images of the american dream; it's sounds very stupid to to try to get videogames to do otherwise. Who the hell wants their own "let's try to not think about my problems" games and other entertainment to be about a vale of tears, being in a spiral of filth, poverty and depression, about not achieving anything in life? I'm sure practically no one would want to play or develop games if this was the norm. That's why we play (or read, or watch): to live the life of other more charismatic people, to have interesting not-normal experiences, to go through enthralling stories and worlds. So any commentary about escapism in videogames wasn't some kind of privilege or consumerist conspiracy; it wasn't intended at all.
I think this game, in part, argues that if we make games about lots of things other than and including power fantasies, they will be more interesting as a medium, and more people would play. I agree with that.
You could become a yoga master without a cent to your name, but somehow I don't see that motive getting into a social justice game genre (and somehow real poor people don't seem to care about staying fit that much - it's easier to suppress their "depression" with booze and cigs than with some exercise because they must carry on the Victims of the System identity, I guess?)
Chemtrail Dreams I'm talking about "poor" people who are in large part responsible for their own misery (something which is strangely missing from leftist narratives).
Problem: I love to watch your videos but hate spoiling the game for myself if i haven't played it. Suggestion: Release a small video (like one or two minutes long, as minimal production value as possible) before the normal video just letting us know about what game you gonna make the next video about, so we can have a chance of checking it out ourselves.
Hey Errant, love the video! I was curious though if you have ever played through a game called Kentucky route zero. If not I would highly recommend it. If you do play it for sure look into the story behind the game and the episode releases and what they did between them. It's the kinda game that really stays with you.
after getting on HRT, I really do feel the gender mechanics of my own life lol. I take prescription testosterone every 3 months and if I delay my injection by even a week, I start getting nightmares of having a period again.
"Every level one character is a temporarily embarrassed level 99 character". Ok that was really clever. I really enjoyed this video.
Not even kidding: I love that "slice of life" is a game genre now.
Same thing, it's just an atmospehric experience and it can convey so much things
It was ought to happen, thank goodness. The market is there, considering books and movies of that genre are rather old.
That genre was in literature for ages now, it was just a question of time.
Now that games are starting to be accepted as an interactive art form, genres from literature start to manifest in the shape of a game's core idea.
I think game devs avoided slice a life because they thought "why would someone play a game about another person's mundane life?" Fearing that their game won't be sold. But when bigger titles manage to do it, it kicked drive into those indie devs showing them there is a fanbase in it.
Very nice video, thanks!
As a brazilian student of literature it was dificult to see this video and don't think about the book Quarto de Despejo (Trash Room, in the english translation) writen by Carolina Maria de Jesus. It's a diary writen by this woman who lived in a slum in São Paulo in the 1950's, narrating her daily life. Her work is to wander around the city searching for recyclable material to sell.
The text has this repetitive pacing of a life almost entirely devoted to survive through a poorly paid job. She travels around the city searching for recyclable material to sell. Maybe the only major aspect of the book that don't have correlation with the your description of the game is that she also reflects a lot about the social relations between the people of the slum.
I highly recommend this book for you! Besides the social aspect, the book has its own literary merits.
Greetings from Brazil!
one of the guys who made this game grades my homework
Any idea on how he found a team to develop with?
I'm pretty sure he met them all here at game school
Aww man, they ever look for people online? Ive been interested in game development for years but getting my degree toward Software Development. Ive tried finding people before but the search sucks so much ;-;
I'm only a lowly student and not an expert, but I think your best bet is to get plugged into the community/industry and make games on your own in the meantime. It's more accessible than ever.
not going to lie, I thought I'd find one of sundae month calling you out or something like that guy during that smash tourney, where the one announcer said the other guy didn't do his physics homework...
Aaaahhh! So proud of my friends who made this game! I watched them struggle through their last years of college to make this game a reality, and it almost brings a tear to my eye to see them covered by a channel I respect so much. Great work, devs, and great work, Errant Signal. I always love seeing your work, but this video is particularly personally gratifying for me :)
This is why I watch this channel, to find out about beautiful games I might never have known otherwise. This looks like a game that I could fall in love with.
I can relate to the gender dysphoria mechanic. I find it very difficult to work if I'm feeling at odds with my identity. It can be hard to be in public, let alone be performing specific tasks or activities, when you're not feeling yourself.
The weight of dysphoria seems to be well represented in this game. As a writer myself, I do wonder where a character would get hormone medication from if they went off on some space adventure. It's not a topic that's convenient to traditional story-telling, so it's a question not often asked in fiction.
That said, I think the fact that this game uses it as a barrier to progression is a good stand-in for real life dysphoria. It's fucking shitty to feel restricted by the truth of who you are and your needs, no matter how frivolous they seem to other people. Sometimes opportunities that may be open to cisgender people may not be open to you - not even because of discrimination (though that is also a problem), but because of the world not accommodating your needs.
Spaceport Janitor could have easily replaced the name of the mechanic with something less touchy, but the deliberate choice of using gender dysphoria says a lot about what the game is trying to say. I dunno, maybe I'm not the smartest person to be talking about it. I just know that dysphoria is very stigmatised and hard to relate to, and that is an intentional decision.
***** I mean, sometimes dysphoria is like that. It's not always this 'woe is me, i'm trapped in my body' thing - it can just feel like an extra chore to deal with it. I think any long term issue can feel a bit like that. You just want to get on with your day, but it's another thing you gotta remember.
I have to take my hormones every day. I don't get upset about it, but knowing that I'll have to take them every day for the rest of my life is kind of tedious to think about - it's another thing on top of everything else.
***** That is a fair point. I guess it's more like... it's a mechanic that's another micro-managing thing on top of everything else, and I guess choosing to call it 'gender' is interesting. Maybe it's not entirely parallel to the IRL experience, but it definitely feels like an intentional choice.
As I've mentioned in my own comments, the mechanic certainly isn't _exclusive_- it serves as a workable stand-in for chronic illness, depression or other mental illness, and HRT. I absolutely appreciate that it specifically goes out of its way to include dysphoria and trans health under its umbrella, and I don't think that being, mechanically, an umbrella rather than a more specific or simulationist approach is bad.
The game, clearly, has broader goals in mind than simulating specifically "trans-ness"- that your protagonist is dysphoric is indeed just another thing they have to juggle in the rest of their life below the poverty line.
It's really the exact opposite of what some people seem to be complaining about- games that "shove identity politics down your throat" (although we all know that people who say that _really_ mean "games that involve any sort of nonstandard-identifying characters"). Your character _happens_ to be some alien trans genderfluid girlbeast- that's just one aspect of their lives that contributes to their marginalized experience.
It's a nice, respectful approach to inclusion. I like it, and it makes me more excited about and interested in purchasing the game than I already was.
DarkestMirrored I think this is what I was trying to put across - thanks for wording it so well.
Samantha Callahan Hi Samantha. I'm sorry that you feel you have to take your anger out on other human beings. Maybe you should see a counsellor? Either way, I hope things work out. Happy holidays!
The whole "what it's like to be an ordinary citizen in an RPG world" angle reminds me of recettear.
One year later and I still think that it is one of your best videos.
A genderqueer alien girl in a working class job in a colorful pixel world? Finally! A game for me!
Redlettermedia? Is that you?
They wish they could find this much joy in a quirky little indie game.
You're an alien?
You're?!?!?!?!
Speaking as a trans person, when I played this game, I really did feel like the Gendershift system was an apt metaphor for what gender dysphoria is like for me. Everything around you feels just...wrong. Because you feel wrong. It's hard to focus on anything, even simple things like listening to people talk or reading a menu at a restaurant.
This game is ridiculously well put together, and it inspires a real sense of hope for the future during the course of play while it also constantly emphasizes the feeling of being a poor and marginalized person who is unlikely to be able to pull out of their situation any time soon, if at all. It's oppressive, but in a way that gives you room to grow and try to live a decent life. I, for one, got very good at dodging into alleys when guards were marching toward me.
I'm getting a little long-winded here, but my point is that I absolutely adore this game. It's a beautiful experience and is very good at making you actually feel the emotions the Janitor is also meant to be feeling.
Now that I've said all that(and have read other peoples' comments on the subject), I feel the need to come back and be clear that, even though I think the representation of what dysphoria feels like for me is interesting and accurate to my experiences, I think that having it as a sort of mechanic that just requires taking a single "pill" every so often can undermine how overwhelming it really is.
I think that the general sense of what it is like feels perfect to me, but making it feel like a one-and-done sort of thing the way the game does is inaccurate at best and potentially harmful at worst.
I don't want to act like I'm uncritical of this game, because it has a lot of problems, that idea being one of them. I adore it, but I think enjoying something so much makes it even more important to be aware of the issues it has.
@@ShivPlush I actually realised and accepted I was trans as a result of playing this game
While i def agree that a simple mechanic like this doesn't capyure being trans, i can't describe the absolute joy of being told my gender was now dirt and the subsequent spending of most of my days food budget buying new gender pills.
Because that's very much a thing i really would do if my gender pills worked that fast
@@egirlSkeletor honestly i thought i was a binary trans woman when i wrote that 5 years ago but now, as a professional gender disaster? i could not agree more
wow, this is probably a game I'd never play as it looks like a chore (and that's the point), but I'm glad it exists
I love the artstyle.
Me too. I was disappointed about the games themes personally, but Ive actually been contemplating on making a game with this exact same art style and was blown away that someone thought of the same idea and implemented it.
WolfGr33d
Gameplay seems very not-fun shamefully.
But it's a style that should be rather easy to implement and just looks really nice, quite raw in a sense.
See thats the big issue with this game. Even though im not for the themes of trans stuff, I feel like the game flops on itself for totally different reasons. Its a slice of life simulation game.. about having a sucky life of poverty as an NPC.
Slice of life meets simulation overall, i think is a formula for failure. The fact that its about leading the life of poverty is just salt on the wound.
Slice of life (if im not mistaken) is supposed to be a narrative about a specific persons life and experiences along with the people they meet and goes through a sense of growth and change or perhaps progress is more accurate, whereas a simulation is supposed to be more mundane, more repetitive, more universal and says "this is what its like on average to be a(n) [x] ".
Basically the two concepts are colliding against each other. Its like oil and water, they dont mix.
Edit: Well perhaps they dont mix well, is what I should say. Animal Crossing I think proves me wrong on the idea of Simulation x Slice of Life dont mix. Still, I think theres something off with the way the game executes it and it irritates me because I cant put my finger on what it is. To put it stupidly, in general it feels like slice of life meets simulation meets dysphoria is a bad overall concoction
WolfGr33d
It's tricky but I think there are way better ways to convey certain things than just drag a player through the same bad experience.
There's also the case that after an hour or two you'll get the point but this game is a lot longer.
I think it actually might work better when blowing it up to some "larger than life metaphor" (depression and a planet that's going to crush into earth in "Melancholia"(unpleasant movie bit it conveys its message well)) where this in the end is not much more than a change in setting and becomes the same mundane experience.
I don't think exploring negative aspects of life in art is a bad thing but what exactly do we _gain_ from this. An alternate and more extreme version of a life that we don't need understand for because it's probably _very_ recognizable to nearly everyone. I don't see this helping with coping with it either.
+PauLtus B
Yeah thats the thing I struggle analyzing. Having art focused on negative themes isnt necessarily bad art, but generally speaking art is supposed to give something to the audience and I cant see what this is trying to portray other than "Life sucks for some people".. as if its assuming our lives are so privileged that we cant comprehend the concept that life isnt a picnic outing. At the same time I find that pretty offensive towards people who are actually in poverty because no one from that lifestyle is going to feel overjoyed hearing someone say "I played this video game on my expensive computer and now I understand what its like being in poverty."
Again its hard to analyze why, but this game feels like its just a disappointment. I could see something very similar being incredibly enjoyable to play and experience, but something about this games overall balance feels lack-luster with misused potential.
I LOVE how they used z-fighting textures aesthetically.
I HATE how they did that. It's a pain to look at, actually I think thats what made me refund it
are those the flickering pink and yellow screens?
@@MaakaSakuranbo I believe a later patch lets you turn them off.
This is a game I would never have found from anywhere else. Thanks for discussing this game.
Even though this game has interested me for a long time, I was unsure whether actually playing it would be something I got sick of too seriously. Not only did this review convince me that the long-term struggle would be up my alley, it was so in-depth, interesting and tasteful in its own right that you’ve earned a like, favorite and subscription from me. Can’t wait to see what else is explored on the channel, so I won’t. :3
I'm glad that there is a game that acknowledges genderfulidity outside of games that's just about it (Though I don't get disphoria from my genderchange.) hopefully we'll be able to get games with autisitc protagonists and other mentally disable/ill protagonists.
I don't know, why would I, an autistic person, would want to play as an autistic person. Also mentally disabled/ill people are aware of their disablity/illness, and understand it better than you neuotypicals ever will.
I'll go flaunting my disabilities for you then, also Raiden from metal gear rising is clearly mentally impared and yet everyone loves him.
For most people games are about gameplay, rather than identity politics.
For those who are interested in putting identity politics into gaming, for it to reach the mainstream they have to find ways to make such topics ludically interesting.
The gender stations in this game sound a bit clunky imo, the existential dread of gender dysphoria is simply whittled down to a constant annoyance, another hunger bar to keep topped up.
As for autism and the like it's also hard to make it fun in a ludic sense. I do like what they did with low intelligence characters in fallout, where your character will talk like a moron if his intelligence is low enough. Otherwise I struggle to think of good examples where mental disability is turned into a fun game... maybe you could do (or imagine) something with games like surgeon simulator or something??
You just need to enter politics - presto! mental disability turned into a fun game.
Yeah that low intellgence thing in fallout? That's a pretty ableist depiction of mental disability. (Hell the idea of an objective measure of intelligence is pretty ableist.)
I really love this game. You can't really get anything it offers from anywhere else, from the kooky alien world to the mundane yet engaging trash-duty game-play. It puts a new perspective on what in most games would be the hub town for questing, looting and shopping. Here you don't quest, you loot garbage, and you never have enough money to buy stuff.
It reminds me of modern Marxist criticism, looking at a story from the perspective of everyday workers or the economy rather than the hero on their journey. Like the Death Star is cool and all, but people had to build that thing, people have to run and repair that thing, where are they? This game is one of the few works I've seen that question the prices of adventuring goods, or the absurd weapons and magical spells that exist in fantasy games. If you aren't the adventurer, how much does that level 1 sword cost? What use are all these weapon and magic shops to regular people, and how are regular people treated in a world with such a focus on the highly profitable job of adventuring? Imagine Skyrim if you were just the no-name guard who stands outside Whiterun until something happens, never doing anything special, constantly dealing with the abuse of shitty players and never leaving that one spot, forever. This game manages to capture that idea without being boring as hell, and still offering player freedom and interpretation, which I find impressive.
This sound like one of the most depressive games ever made, I'm going to play it.
On a meta-note : That was an awesome bit of vid, both in relation to distant past episodes and especially related content in general. Whatever Chris has been doing lately to step up his game, it feels like it's really working - at least for me. Props and applause.
I never regret clicking on one of your vids, top stuff
Reminds me of when I was playing Fable 2 where I couldn't understand why there were beggars on the street when there's a job openings at the tavern and the blacksmith that can pay thousands in gold if you work long enough at it.
Wow. Weird seeing a game made by some people I know getting covered here.
I had the same reaction haha
I really want their game! Tell them that a stranger on the internet thinks what they've done looks great!
Tell them TWO strangers on the internet think what they'be done looks great!
It would be interesting to use trainer or cheats to see if that adventuring gear is implemented properly.
If it was, it would make core message of the game stronger.
If it was up to me to make the game, I'd make it so that as soon as the player saves up some money, events happen that reduce it - bad prices, getting robbed, and so on.
Whether the items being implemented even though they will never be interacted with by the player actually strengthens the message of the game is more of a phylosophical question, I feel.
Wow, that sentence came out convoluted.
It would work if as soon you get it you realize you have no use for it. Say, you get the amazing gun and when you are going to equip it:
"Permission to use the Awesoblaster Mk 3 Million pending, please contact local authorities"
uh, sure. i'm not sure if this is the sort of game for me, but ultimately i'll take it over more clones of what isn't too far from a walking simulator since the game is afraid of the Player not winning 100% of the time or whatever.
eventually, been there done that enough times that it wears itself out pretty well.
im kinda mad that this is a one shot game. i want more semi-depressing adventures about keeping this alien persons head above water.
I love that they used z-fighting bug for those panels visual effects :)
Having to change your gender is one of the funniest game mechanics I've seen, I picture a sci-fi RPG where you change genders like you change jobs in final fantasy.
I mean, it is not that rare. You have, for instance, DS2 genderswitch coffin.
It's an interesting idea. But I don't really a lot of worth in actually playing it for hours.
soalsoalsoal
I do really like that artstyle yes, and I would like to walk around in that world.
But the work seems very annoying.
I've had fun with "Papers Please" but the gameplay here seems a lot more boring.
Game looks really cool though. Reminds me a bit of Beyond Good & Evil as filtered through Bernband or Proteus. Speaking of which, would you like to do a video on Bernband? It's a little like this, except you're a tourist instead of a janitor so you have no obligations.
This is basically Slumming:The Video Game.
This sounds really neat! I was already interested back during the call for beta testers and such- the idea of wandering around this scuzzy spaceport trying to survive while dreaming of leaving was a good hook.
I'll definitely look into giving it a spin now, though- I especially appreciate the effort it makes in providing some sort of analogue to trans issues!
If you don't mind me asking how is this such an analogue beyond calling the name of the issue? I sorta get that when the character's being unable to function properly represent all the problems this would cause to a real person but as Campster said this feel like it could apply to anyone with an issue. And hell I'm doing a huge assumption here but isn't changing's one gender supposed to fix that issue?
Francis-Olivier Toba
Transitioning isn't actually a "do it once and get it over with" procedure- hormone replacement therapy is an ongoing process where you need to take estrogen or testosterone supplements for the rest of your life, which, if that isn't covered by healthcare where you live, can be a very costly need.
(That also doesn't get into other aspects of transitioning, such as hair removal treatments, which again aren't an "all at once" thing and on top of that almost certainly _aren't_ covered even if the hormones are...)
Francis-Olivier Toba
Ultimately, though, I'm happy to see any sympathetic portrayals of trans issues, which is what this game has made; why specifically tie the character's chronic illness to gender dysphoria if it isn't meant to be read as gender dysphoria?
Gender swapping mechanic only relates to trans people by it's name, not in a way it affects gameplay.
VonEror
That's really rather debatable.
Given the game specifically ties it to dysphoric episodes relating to a chronic medical need, I see no problem taking it as face value.
Is it a 100% accurate in-depth simulator of being trans? No, of course not.
But it is a sympathetic use and shout-out to the issues trans people face, which I'd love to see more of.
Thank you for explaining this. I thought I was playing it wrong.
Must resist the urge to make Roger Wilco jokes...
Even though I didn't like the game as you described it, thanks for reviewing games I would otherwise not have heard about.
Really, really interesting concept, gotta try this one
The art style of this game is fucking gorgeous and the gameplay loop looks interesting. I'd be lying if I didn't say that the gender aspect doesn't interest me as well! I'm worried, though, that this game's treatment of dysphoria is too....'gamey' if that makes any sense. I'll definitely play the game to find out!
Gender Dysphoria is mostly bullshit anyway.
Nipah Auauau As someone with *very* personal experience with it I can tell you otherwise.
Nipah, it's scientifically proven that it's a thing that exists.
Just because tumblr transtrenders annoy you it doesn't mean gender dysphoria is bs.
JWtheMighty
I said "mostly bullshit" since 90% of comments about it come from Tumblr anyway.
Same here about the gender system. It seems like they use gender dysphoria as only a label. I don't see how this in-game system manages to differentiate dysphoria from any other generic ailment, which is why I'm thinking they used it as more of a trendy idea instead of better translating the effects of dysphoria into the game. feeling gender dysphoria is a very large and complex state of mind and it's quite hard to abstract down into game systems centered around button presses... But I haven't played the game, so I might be wrong and they did do it justice!
most depressing holiday video award goes to errant signal
An obvious possibility with this game is less socially-driven than people think. What is it like being a random town NPC in a video game?
Also, Jesus, all the bitterness in the comments. We're here to discuss game design, games as a medium, not argue about
class politics and get all bitchy over a game most of us haven't even played. I know poverty intimately, and I absolutely see the value of this game's narrative, of the slice of life it offers. If it doesn't seem to have any value to you, move on, it isn't for you, and that's okay. There are plenty of other games out there, and plenty you will love.
For real... two comments about poverty, a billion comments about transexuality, and only near the very bottom I find the first address of the game itself.
Really interesting message and I like the concept
Don't you just love it when you get exactly the video you were looking for?
There's a game I tried playing about a year ago that hits on the same sentiment; it's called Always Sometimes Monsters. It's way more grounded (takes place in west coast USA and is about a struggling writer who got a big break but can't capitalize on it), and definitely falls closer to "sad porn."
It's got a lot of flaws actually. The writing and dialogue is really sloppy and overly mean-spirited at times (the game's made with RPG maker, which I've noticed that is a common trend among those kinds of games). But it hits that same aura of desperation and fear of a single misstep that can completely ruin you. There are several points in the game where you wander a city for a place to sleep because you're homeless, and you could die suddenly (game over!) because you hadn't eaten in days, or slept in some shady back alley where a psycho murdered you in your sleep.
Yep, from what I remember it was too railroady and contrived so I just ended up watching the endings on youtube instead of slogging through it...
Always Sometimes Monsters has the problem the game has nice mechanics ideas but it focuses too much in a poorly written story
I'm really interested in hearing your thoughts about VA-11 HALL-A
a game essayer *Errant Signal* inspiring a Game Journalist *BunnyHop*
_and today they are both stars_
If anyone wants some spoilerific tips and tricks. I've played through this game twice now. I think there is a lot in this video that is built on inexperience. Though, I do appreciate its tackling of the narrative.
nice vid! i have a very soft spot for this game so its nice to see some love for it
Came here from Extra Credits!
New sub, also: Gratz to your 100k!
When did Extra Credits reference Errant? I see comments saying similar things. However, I cannot find where they did so.
Capitalism: The Video Game
I really love the art direction and style of this game, makes me wish more games looked like this. Reminds me a bit of Beyond Good & Evil mixed with Psychonauts and a bit of that really forgotten HL2 mod Shantytown.
However the the story/message of this game is a bit all over the place as you alluded. It seems to tackle two-three different issues at once and focus more on one place while lacking in the others.
It's a game I probably something I would try if somebody gifted it to me, but not outright buy, even if I do really love the style.
Genderfluid poor character? Sign me up
These are the kind of games that speak to me, but that I'd also not want to play. I sort of worry that "this game is a simulation of depression" type games aren't all that useful simply because people who can't relate to that won't play them, and people who can won't want to relive it.
There is a reason these kind of games exist and ha e a following. There are those who don't relate at first and play it and come out with a little more understanding of others. And there are those who bask in the tears and sadness the game causes.
Although I haven't played this game, it seems to have a striking resemblance to 'Always Sometimes Monsters', in its slice of life structure and its fatalistic attitude. It's way easier to get stuck without enough money and have to literally go back to an earlier save than anything else. I still found it extremely engaging though. I dunno
Pretty festival music
But it is so beautiful and weird and feels like such a real place to go despite it's bizarre visuals.
Part of me feels like I will not enjoy this game. Part of me feels like I should play it anyway.
As someone who played and finished the game, it is not worth it. The game doesn't effectively convey its theme, which is a problem when that is the entire point of experience.
How do you usually find out about these kinds of unique, story-driven indie games? I've played my fair share of them, but I find it difficult to find more.
Personally I find a weekly share of them by walking a swamp of other, poorly made ones. Sadly these games are either overshadowed by big bulky triple A or very hyped kickstarter projects or overshadowed by a sea of just plainly bad games slapped together in a few hours.
I usually look up certain buzzwords on steam, or go to weird games I really like and look through the "similar games" tab.
I did find one really odd game by doing this, called "spinnortality".
Interesting exploration of poverty.....
But from the review it looks like they missed a big opportunity to take it anywhere....to say anything other than "this sucks". Yes poverty sucks, yes it is crappy when you can't live in the way others do and you envy them (adventurers)....but those feelings and those situations are part of life.....eventually you find peace with your situation and begin to focus more on what you DO have.
The game could have let you meet friends or join a club of something the character was interested in.....even just "you begin meeting up with these people after work to pretend you are adventurers and have fun together". Eventually having the work part of the game be something you work past so you can get those few hours each night or every few days to do something besides work.
Even the poorest of the poor still find some time to relax and enjoy the little bits of life there is.
You touched on it a tiny bit (listening to music), but it didn't really seem they were overly focused on those smaller joys and trying to shift the narrative beyond "my life sucks".
That lack of an arc, that single note it seems to just keep hammering....it seems flat to me (not something that I would want to play). What is really compelling you forward? Just surviving? Again, being poor sucks....but there is more to live for than just a dead end crappy job.
This is a problem I had with the game. It never evolves beyond "poverty sucks". The story has no real arc or character to it.
is there any game like Factotum Novel by Charles Bukowski?? your character life be like Henry Chinaski but set in high fantasy world..
Could you do an episode on presentable Liberty?
Not having played the game or the other game you mentioned myself, I kinda get the impression from this video that maybe its conclusions are a bit too bleak for their own good?
It kinda seem to give off the vibe that "this is just how life is" and that there truly is no escape out of poverty or dysphoria whatsoever, when the reality of the situation is probably that the key to help prevent it is on a political and societal level rather than a personal level on a broader level.
Subverting the "American dream" objectivist wet dream is grand, and their oppressive gloomy (under)tones seems appropriate for sure, but not showing any positive or at least marginally better possibilities in the process seems somewhat nihilistic, which isn't really helpful.
Hoping to see one of these slice of life games someday that also tries to tackle why and how people are stuck in these terrible situation and what could potentially be done to make it better rather than just on the act of being stuck in a terrible situation itself.
Having played the game, this is a problem with the game. What little story there is about how being poor sucks. However, the game never explains what we (in the real world) should do about that. As such, the game just wallows in misery without much purpose or meaning.
Hey great work ! did you ever consider making an episode about the narratives in Super Hot ? it would be a blast !
This sounds way to lise to my actual life to actually be fun.
After seeing this video i really want to see you make a video about papers please :)
Where do u find all these deep artsy games!?!?
congratz to exactly 94750 subs!
I would love to hear what you think of "A story about my uncle".
you should like Rob from comics explained
I'm not sure what I think of the gender-pill station thing.
My girlfriend is non-passing mtf transgender, and she is dealing a lot with dysphoria every day. And I dunno, but here it's just kind of reduced to an annoyance and a moneysink, and kinda like "take this pill and all will be grand". And well, a lot of trans people can't just take a pill and be grand.
I just feel like if you're going to include something like this, you need to treat it a bit more seriously. No hate pls, it's just my 2 cents.
JWtheMighty your example is a very good and personal one, and i think that apathetic view of medication is exactly what the mechanic is going for
JWtheMighty Yeah, it feels kinda like a weird mix of satire and empathy; it's genuinely hard for the Player Character, in ways that are immediately felt by the player.... but it's simultaneously trivialized as heck. Thing is, it seems to me that the same holds for the poverty bits of it; it feels like satire and empathy together. For some reason, my instinct says that trans issues are more important than poverty, but that's pretty irrational. Maybe it's about trans people being openly bashed and judged; our culture hasn't eliminated the hatred for poor people, but we have learned that it's not ok to do that openly, and that ideally we would empathize with them.
JWtheMighty I personally wonder if "gender" is a proper translation of the fictional alien concept our protagonist has to deal with.
It seemed like one of the devs was trans (would be my guess) and wanted to work the theme into the game somewhere.....but maybe was too afraid to focus more on it besides a little "this is annoying, take a pill".
Better to attempt and fall a little flat than to just ignore it all together.
I agree that the game could have dealt with it better. However, the game deserves some praise for showing it existing at all. The devs could have gone with a disease that needed this pill to keep the symptoms at bay, but instead thought "This issue is important, we should portray it, though the game might get bashed or lose the hit of the message if we focus on it too much..."
great vid
What games are considered "sadness porn"?
I would say _Lisa: The Painful RPG_ and _Harvester_, which are games that boast their darker themes. Some would also argue The Cat Lady is this (due to its themes of depression and terminal illness, as well as its grey art style), but I personally think it has enough humor (and moments of happiness and accomplishment) to not fall into the trap of being "sadness for sadness' sake." (I highly recommend The Cat Lady if you like adventure games, btw.)
I love Lisa the Painful and The Cat Lady :D
I would say Harvester is more of a dark comedy, and satire of the "games are violent, won't somebody think of the children" mentality.
That Dragon Cancer would be, if it were not autobiographical. For players however, it can be very pornographic or voyeuristic.
JWtheMighty Wouldn't call the Cat Lady sadness porn as it is kind of more hopeful. Lisa? Man that is some sad shit right there
Definitely, "Lisa: The Painful RPG"
wheres my ASMR episode campster?!?!?
Some day I will do an NPR voice remix of an existing script.
i await with baited breath :)
I wonder if it would run 30-60fps on gpd win
If you're interested in the theme of 'working your ass off while still being trapped in a cycle of poverty', I'd recommend reading George Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London.
Hey, new to this channel. Just wanted to say that you make some really solid analysis videos and I've been marathoning a lot of them recently. Keep up the good work, because I'm totally subscribing to this.
Also, if I could make a suggestion of a game you might like to check out, I'd recommend you take a look at Nier. It's a game I think covers a lot of ideas you'd be interested in, and since the next game in the series comes out in a few months, I guess it's a good enough time to see if you might be willing to give it a look.
Once again, great content.
As someone who have worked shitty jobs like this I will never understand people who likes to play this sort of stuff. I mean DANM how easy do you have it? I wish I would need a game to teach me to understand the struggles of someone who is at the lower end of the ladder and didn't have to learn it the hard way. Honestly these games are becoming the new charity, most people play them so they can say they understand and care, but really only a fraction will find any meaning and even less would actually care. The difference between this and charity, is that charity actually helps in some cases, this changes nothing. On the off the off chance you do work a damn boring job and go home and play this and love it. Great, good for you I guess personally the last I want to be reminded of is work, but hey, you do you.
This game hits pretty close to home- but that just makes me want to play it _more_.
It's affirming- this is a story about people like me and you, little looks at our lives filtered through a more fantastical and even maybe a bit optimistic lens.
That's nice.
for the same reason books about poor exist
Personally, I found the game to become really easy when you figure out all the hidden rules.
Other than the themes, does Diaries have an endgame, or some sort of finite goal to pursue?
doesn't look like it but I think that's meant to be the whole point. for people like the janitor, there is no endgame, just an endless loop of trying to scrape by
Removing the curse is the final goal. There is an optional sidequest of giving a guy containers.
Waiting for that Icey analysis
Great Video!
Compared to something like Papers Please, does it waste your time? Game length is especially important if the point of a game is to convey unhappy feelings and circumstances...
This is actually a good point and I am sad nobody commented on it. Game length is fundamental to these genre, particulary when you start using tedium to convey a feeling. Lack of gameplay for its own sake can only take you so far, and it is kind of tricky to balance it with good content.
The game took me 11 hours to beat. However, a glitch that forced me to reset the game. So presumably, the game would take you around five to six hours if you don't have to reset.
I actually feel like the game failed at its goal. I didn't actually get the sense that the Janitor's life was that terrible. This is probably because there is no way to lose or sense of urgency unlike "Paper, Please" (which I felt did conveyed a sense of poverty much better).
The point of the game is that her life wasn't the worst, but it wasn't the best either. Like campster said, it's not outright sadness porn.
@@MxGerryNava Except it is. The game begins with the protagonist miserable. It ends with the protagonist miserable. In addition, there was never a point of the game where I got the sense the Janitor isn't miserable.
I finally bought this game, what a gem, what a totally anti adventure
Terrific video.
Well that's not ss13.
Very interesting concept, but it looks as fun as hitting your balls with a hammer several times. A game to watch in a video like this, not a game to play myself. Thanks for the video.
I'm trans and living in what feels like inescapable poverty in a world of things I cannot afford and adventures I cannot go on. I think I probably wouldn't like this game because it'd be too close a feeling to my own experience, rather than the escapist power fantasies I prefer to play. I like that it exists though, maybe some people might play it and kind of learn something from it.
I'm not sure I like how easily treatable gender dysphoria is in this game. It just seems to trivialize it a bit with how easy it is to alleviate. Maybe as an alternative have it so taking those pills only gets rid of a certain amount of problems IE you can read the text; everything is still slightly askew but its more visible. I do think this game is a success overall, but it could've approached gender identity in a smarter way.
You stepped on a spiral thirty seconds in! You heretic!
Interesting game and needed as a way for most (in middle class) to realize the struggles, pains and monotony of poverty. I have to say that while i think it's true that the escapism asociated with most adventure videogames and all the progress, power and some kind of """privilege""" to have adventures is related to this images of the american dream; it's sounds very stupid to to try to get videogames to do otherwise. Who the hell wants their own "let's try to not think about my problems" games and other entertainment to be about a vale of tears, being in a spiral of filth, poverty and depression, about not achieving anything in life? I'm sure practically no one would want to play or develop games if this was the norm. That's why we play (or read, or watch): to live the life of other more charismatic people, to have interesting not-normal experiences, to go through enthralling stories and worlds. So any commentary about escapism in videogames wasn't some kind of privilege or consumerist conspiracy; it wasn't intended at all.
I think this game, in part, argues that if we make games about lots of things other than and including power fantasies, they will be more interesting as a medium, and more people would play. I agree with that.
You could become a yoga master without a cent to your name, but somehow I don't see that motive getting into a social justice game genre (and somehow real poor people don't seem to care about staying fit that much - it's easier to suppress their "depression" with booze and cigs than with some exercise because they must carry on the Victims of the System identity, I guess?)
clray, wtf are you even talking about? Go home, you're drunk.
haha clray what are you even talking about
Chemtrail Dreams I'm talking about "poor" people who are in large part responsible for their own misery (something which is strangely missing from leftist narratives).
Problem: I love to watch your videos but hate spoiling the game for myself if i haven't played it.
Suggestion: Release a small video (like one or two minutes long, as minimal production value as possible) before the normal video just letting us know about what game you gonna make the next video about, so we can have a chance of checking it out ourselves.
I assumed the gender thing was just plain old drugs.
Hey Errant, love the video! I was curious though if you have ever played through a game called Kentucky route zero. If not I would highly recommend it. If you do play it for sure look into the story behind the game and the episode releases and what they did between them. It's the kinda game that really stays with you.
Can we get a (Spoilers) free review? :(
This isn't so much a review as a analytical reading of the game. But I guess that is Errant's place to say.
Jose Ramirez interesting game that makes you think and see the other side of the adventuring world.
after getting on HRT, I really do feel the gender mechanics of my own life lol. I take prescription testosterone every 3 months and if I delay my injection by even a week, I start getting nightmares of having a period again.
capitalism sure is the pits
Omikron? Nooo~
Great Vid!
Story of my fucking life
Huh, I didn't get a notification for this...
Cyrusdexter
I suggest an RSS reader. Works wonders for avoiding youtube's bullshit.
sent by extra credits :D
How did Extra Credits send you here? I keep on seeing people saying this but I have no idea what they are talking about.