Near the end of the game when Mae confronts the strange Eldritch monster and says "I want it to hurt!" after being told that her life and and friendships are insignificant really stuck with me. It reminded me about something my teacher once said, that it's better to leave this life as a battered and bruised individual and putting up a fight. I'm really glad I picked up this game, there are a lot of themes that I can relate to, especially because I'm getting to that age where I have responsibilities and have to make drastic decisions.
I hadn't realized how those themes all tied together until now. _Wow._ The whole optimistic nihilism of it all reminds me a bit of Rick and Morty. "Nobody exists on purpose, nobody belongs everywhere, _everybody's gonna die._ Come watch TV?" The universe doesn't care about us, _but we care about each other,_ and as long as we give that meaning, it HAS meaning. I also think to The Last Of Us's DLC. "There are a million ways we could have died today, and a million more we could die tomorrow. But we fight, for every moment we get to spend with each other."
I’m 22, a college dropout, numerous mental health complications, troubled path, a dead close friend, among other things ….. so you can imagine the toll this game had on me. In all seriousness, my partner for awhile has been pushing me to play it. After awhile, I finally gave it a shot. Loved every single second and loved every character, so very much. I’m a little mad I was stubborn to give it a shot, but I’m so, so happy I did. It holds a comforting spot in my heart, Mae especially, and Bea. This is a game where I wish so desperately to play for the first time over again. Beautiful video.
Mae's conversation about shapes stuck out as a moment of brilliance in a game not comprised of such moments. I still think about it, though I haven't played the game in months. I can't believe I never made the connection between shapes and constellations, nor have I seen it mentioned elsewhere. Same with the movement going left. Thank you for making this. It's wonderful.
NITW was and still is my comfort game..I would appreciate all of the little details that changed very much the game..the conversations seem so familiar but cool..it's so normal?? I can't really explain..they aren't way too full of adventure or mythical stuff..it's just like a story..and the art is so calming,it's not too complicated or too colorful..it's beautiful,even the characters' stories and personalities are unique..and mysterious.. everything in it mixed up amazing and gorgeous,even the secret cult kinda gives you a vibe that "dude.. it's so bizzare..but might've happened irl" and yeah..(if I did grammatical mistakes then oh well too bad)
This specific belief about existentialism is my jam and I can't believe I missed how ingrained it was in the story! This is the reason why I was always so annoyed with the people who complain about nothing we do having any significance to the Universe. When did the Universe's opinion matter so much?
I love that you call out the juxtaposition between Mae claiming you always have a choice, and the total non-choice you have in that moment as a player. There is no cosmic significance to our choices, how could there be? But the choices we make in the relationships we have, can be significant to us. I ran into this video because my analytics reported a bunch of people were suddenly coming to my channel from here. Just want to say, your editing is exceptional. I'd love to see you do more games, but just keep covering what's interesting to you!
Thank you! I'm sure more game videos will come in time, whenever the mood takes me. This is a channel of whimsy, haha. Just watched your NITW video too. Excellent stuff! I look forward to watching more of your videos. :D
Haha, whimsy is a good way to put it! In the meantime, I got to check out your look at Getting Over It (which I'd heard of) and Over The Garden Wall (which I hadn't). I appreciate your perspective on how they matter, and what they say to you.
Incredible video, been binge watching a ton of NITW content recently and this is easily the best one I've seen, really hammered in what makes this game so special, also helps that the editing is very on point. What makes me love this game even more is people get completely different things out of their experience (and not just because of the choices made) and they're all just as valid as each other, it speaks on soo many personal levels it's sure to hit everyone at least somewhere. Good stuff!
It is also interesting, that in the case of dinner with Bea, the ingredient most likely to make it go from good to lousy, is, if i remember correctly, also the one required to make it amazing.
I thought NitW dragged a little with its plot and gameplay pacing in the middle...but I'm so glad I pushed through that and finished it. The last 25% was fantastic and has stuck with me in a way that few games do. Few games are able to tell a story that says something true on an individual level (relationships, mental health, God), but also on a societal level (small town decay in the Trump era). The fact that this game does both so well, with great art and great writing, make it one of a kind. Anyway, i love hearing others' thoughts on it as well, keep up the great work!
I'd honestly say the last 1/4th of the game felt a bit forced at times. Also this game was released, and even before that was in development, *way* *way* before Trump became president. Seems like a shallow/loaded statement in that regard, all things considered. the decay of small towns being a thing spanning over a long period of time and all.
@@maxwell_edison I completely agree! The small town decay was happening long before Trump, and in the game led several of the leaders of the town to take some bold actions because they felt they were losing their way of life. This was a contributing factor to the president's election. It's not about the man himself, but what led folks to vote for him. Maybe a more accurate statement would be "small town decay leading up to the Trump statement", since the transition from a thriving mining community to one where Dad works at the grocery store and isn't paid fairly happened over decades.
"So when face with our cosmic insignificance, we can take solice in what we find significant" I feel like this is one of the many things that sums up the game and life in general. It also ties well with the game's tagline too; "At the end of everything hold on to anything."
Coming back to this game now, in 2020, knowing what happened with Alec, the game hits differently now. But I still love it. It's such an important game and I genuinely care about the characters so much. I'd noticed the "moving left" thing in one playthrough (I think I went through the whole game 5-6 times when I first got it, then twice again when the Weird Autumn update dropped) but the symbolism in that design choice didn't occur to me until now.
A year out from playing this game and I've somehow just now become obsessed with it. I've been looking up all sorts of reviews and takes on it and was really disappointed by how so many videos treated the gameplay as inconsequential to the experience. Until I found this video! It's refreshing to hear someone actually examining Night in the Woods as a game and not just a story. Great video!
I could never find the words to describe the meaning of this game and its narrative, but after seeing this... you took the words right out of my mouth. This game hits close to home for me. Thank you for taking the time to make this video.
Dang, I never considered the significance of Mae almost always having to move left!!!! You filled this video with a ton of excellent insights! Happily subbed!
What hit me about NitW is that it's a slice of life experience; it reminds you that every person out there has their own story to tell. Selmers and her own low self-esteem issues. Even the old croc on the porch who's cat you babysat. Or how the Harfields are grown up. You think your life is so busy, or chaotic, but find and single out any person anywhere and understand, just really try and understand that that person, that face, has just as much history, strife, blood, tears and sweat as you do behind it. You're not as important as you think. Life really does not have a point; You're constantly busy and when you wipe your eyes, it's bed time. Or weekend. Or December again. Oh I was 30 like the other day, now I'm 40... and then you die. And what was the point of all of it? Well... exactly what you made of it, I'd think. Cheers.
This is some of the best (or at least, I should say most visually appealing) editing I've seen for something that isn't a music video. And even then, a lot of them don't even compare. amazing work. Very seamless.
Excellent analysis of a game that, like you, left a deep impact on me. I think you managed to pull together the major themes of the game and present them in a very succinct and easily digestible manner, which is no simple task in itself. I think the most indelible mark the game left for me was how it very openly and honestly addressed Mae's mental health issues. More and more games are attempting a more honest portrayal of the real life consequences of what can happen when you are struggling with these issues. As difficult as it can be to watch and experience this in-game, it's also very welcome because it can spark discussion on what is still, sadly, a taboo subject. However, if we get more creative people willing to 'go there 'by weaving it into the fabric of the games themselves (see also examples like: Oxenfree, Hellblade, God of War) then I can only see that as a good thing really. It's the sort of thing that helps the medium to mature and increases the likelihood of games getting taken more seriously as an art form, which I think is a great thing personally, especially if it opens them up to a wider and more diverse audience in the long term.
I never comment on TH-cam but I'm making an exception here, even though I'm coming to this video over a year and a half after the fact. The writing here is just so lovely! I felt compelled to comment. Your analysis is great and there's a lot of stuff here that's new to me. I thought I'd exhausted analysis of this game but you pointed out things I hadn't thought of or heard before and again, the writing and editing was so thoughtful and lovely! I will definitely check out the rest of your videos!
“i want it to hurt, because that means it meant something.” and “at the end of everything hold onto anything” have both stuck to me on the years that i’ve known about and played this game. they have actually, funnily enough, saved my life at times. remembering them just ... gives me ground in life when everything underfoot crumbles to nothing
The game deliberately makes you feel like most of your choices don't make a difference, to set up a theme that is only revealed in the metatext of seeing it happen again differently: We affect the lives of others more than we can ever know. Though there are hints, it takes seeing someone on TH-cam rush through the game, and seeing that Selmers isn't there at the library, to make you go "Oh." Even the clear choices are deceptive in this way. If in your first game you give the most attention to Beatrice, as I did, everything you do with with her is designed to make you think "I've ruined this. This would be going better if I weren't here." But only in another playthrough can you learn that without Mae's influence, Bea doesn't go to that party at all. This is a reminder that for all the times in real life you may have thought the same of yourself, you can't see the other timelines, so you can only have faith that you matter and might be doing better than you know.
I enjoyed your discussion of this really interesting title - especially the symbolic value of the visual techniques. The story and character development are probably the game's greatest strengths. For me, however, the soundtrack is what made this a nostalgic experience that will stay with me for a long time.
As someone who has depersonalisation disorder just like mae except constantly for 3 years now, this game means so much to me, in fact this game is what made me open up to my mum about what I was feeling or not feeling. At the end of everything, hold onto anything.
Coming off of this and your The Last Unicorn video you have one of the most exquisitely written and unique takes on media/storytelling I've seen on TH-cam. Your literature knowledge is bonkers! Totally deserves more attention; screw the algorithm.
This is a beautiful video essay! Not just in its creation (which, like all of your videos is amazing), but how surprisingly uplifting it made me feel. Before watching this I had no desire to watch, let alone play Night In the Woods, but now I may have to remedy that.
Today was a rather shitty day for me. My self-esteem was especially low, and I didn’t see much of the point to do any of the things I did today. I’m still not okay, but you did make me feel better, more like my usual hopeful self. Thank you, I really appreciate your analysis.
This is such a beautiful video and it exactly illustrates how i felt about this videogame. With every playthrough i finished it felt like a rough breakup. The editing really is the cherry on top to this too.
Re-visited this (...for the thirtieth time maybe LOL,) and I love it even more than the first time I watched it. Articulated perfectly, especially at the end. "So when faced with our cosmic insignificance, we can take solace in what we find significant." This helped me through some of the toughest times in my life, and I will always be thankful to you for that.
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat I revisited this after so long, and it brought to surface so much of what I haven't been able to articulate about the trauma of the past few years. I, sincerely and with a fiery passion, hope you know how much of an impact the words you've shared have meant to me (I even quoted you in my university yearbook.) This video has such a special place in my heart.
Just wanna say that your videos are amazing. I spent my free time translate the whole video so my friends can understand it, and that's how much I like your videos. Keep up the good works. :)
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat Oh thanks! It's my first time using it and was wondering when will it show up. I ended up using the edit page to show my friends. lol And just realized that I mistype GIRP into GRIP in the "getting over it" video. Gatta fix that really quick. Anyway, these are really good content and thank you for all the effort you put into the videos.
Yeah, I need to approve them before they go up but TH-cam never tells me when there are translations waiting for approval! So thanks for letting me know here. :)
this video is absolutely amazing and honestly it even gave me chills, this is the epitome of what night in the woods is trying to get across the insignificance of it is, in a way, significant
Holy dang, this video just, completely captured what's so great about this game. You even touched on things I hadn't even thought of. This is a really great video.
More game episodes please! As someone also in college, your pieces offer some of the most sustained engagements with critical theory on top of being thoughtful engagement with the text of any of the video essays I've seen. Keep up the great work!
Wow, another great video with some particularly brilliant editing! Your channel is so consistently great, I love it. I just finished NITW and had similar thoughts but you've expressed them in such an insightful, well-considered way. In particular my favourite bit of the game was the 'dialogue choice about choices' in the argument with Bea. I (Joseph) didn't want to get into an argument with Bea, but NITW didn't care! Very fitting with the game's theme. I had also noticed the very 'visual novel' style of the game (basically 'who do you want to spend time with?') and had wondered why it wasn't just a VN. However, that scene with Bea really put it into perspective why it works as a game and this video now has made me retroactively appreciate it even more, so thanks! Also the running to the left thing at the start of the game is genius, I can't believe I didn't notice that!!
this is! so well done and nails down the nostalgia that players feel. thank you so much for deconstructing this and looking forward to heaps more content from you!!
love this channel - a lot games, films or tv series that i like have had video essays done about them even though they don't seem linked at all thanks and keep going
This is really one of the best analysis I've watched. Really well worded and helps to tie together a lot of the games elements. This game means so much to me and it's nice that it means a lot to you too
The video is incredible, it is so great that you could analyze the game in such a precise but touching manner. This video always give me comfort, thank you.💖
this is really, really good I loved NitW from its first trailer to completion but I think the clarity you managed here is just so valuable it's--like--I thought of it as cosmic horror because I like that stuff, but it's actually an antidote to cosmic horror, a reification of the whole concept of meaning We Are Matter and Nothing Matters
This is beautiful. The editing, the script, the analysis. God... I've spent a lot of time on youtube and I can't believe you channel is this small. New sub.
I loved this game so much, it hit me home too because i'm in the university and also from a small town, and i lived all the things that the game mentions, and the songs of the game, when you hear them again, them fill you with a nostalgic feeling, that i only felt with my cartoon chilhood memories or something like that. When i ear "die anywhere else" i feel a happy child in my interior, i felt, i was playing again, i play a lot of video games, but this, just touched my heart, memories, and maybe my soul, this is why i loved so much the game, and you don´t mention it, but, the colors!! ooooh the colors of this game, the simple art, but is stunning beautiful!. Ok, maybe i'm a little over exited. By the way, i loved the video, and is really well edited. (sorry if there are mistakes, english is my second language).
This is my absolute favorite analysis video on NITW Kudos to you! You did absolutely great with this, even the editing was superb! I hope I get to see more videos about games from you :)
This was incredible, thank you!! I absolutely love Night In The Woods (on my second play through now) and really appreciated the analysis. Also your video editing is great!
I really enjoyed this video. I've watched a couple of NitW video essays, but this one's definitely one of my favourite ones, focusing mainly on one topic and discussing it well, balancing personal impressions and analysis. I've now added a couple of your video essays to my "Watch later" list and am looking forward to checking them out. Cheers!
Brilliant. Super happy youtube actually recommended someone good! Immediate sub and I'm looking forward to watching the rest of your stuff over the next week, and eagerly awaiting even more content in the future.
Just watched this again and I teared up a bit. Brought me back to a simpler time, when we just sat around to watch the stars and had campfires. The inevitability of death just makes life... All the more precious. Thank you for this video grace.
This is absolutely mind-blowingly incredible. I've only played 20 minutes of the game and the gameplay wasn't my thing, but you've nailed exactly why: lack of movement/choice by the player. (Maybe if the text had nonsense language with it, that might've hooked me more...) I love admiring the game from "afar", though--I LOVE its music, and the dialogue is so admirable. Your essay was short, sweet, and absolutely brilliant. The thing about moving left was /amazing/. I LOVED IT.
Back when I first played NITW in 2017, that optimistic nihilist sort of philosophy totally resonated with me. Now, I've changed and the game seems even better! Not sure how that works, but I'll take it!
What a fantastic video! Damn impressive work on all fronts, If your channel doesn't suddenly explode over the next year or so I'll be very disappointed.
Games usually for people try too quell depression but this game seemingly made me sadder. I’m actually scared to play this game again since I may not have the same emotions knowing the 2 endings, all the secrets and shiz and the facts that I’m way too attached too these characters too move along after quite some time. Also *At the end of everything, hold on too everything* is such a quotable quote
Thanks for the video! Very interesting to see the game cleverly dissected. On my part, I felt that most gameplay mechanics weren't very interesting in themselves and slowed down the game pace more than it needed to be. I loved the writing (!) and art style though. I would've loved a Night In The Woods tv cartoon series.
Near the end of the game when Mae confronts the strange Eldritch monster and says "I want it to hurt!" after being told that her life and and friendships are insignificant really stuck with me. It reminded me about something my teacher once said, that it's better to leave this life as a battered and bruised individual and putting up a fight. I'm really glad I picked up this game, there are a lot of themes that I can relate to, especially because I'm getting to that age where I have responsibilities and have to make drastic decisions.
There was a comic I read about the Grim Reaper, who said that the pain of grief is the price we pay for loving the ones we lost so much.
Going to the left thingy. Mindblow. Didn't really think about that
also, think about that the road on the right was always blocked off until the end.
I hadn't realized how those themes all tied together until now. _Wow._ The whole optimistic nihilism of it all reminds me a bit of Rick and Morty. "Nobody exists on purpose, nobody belongs everywhere, _everybody's gonna die._ Come watch TV?" The universe doesn't care about us, _but we care about each other,_ and as long as we give that meaning, it HAS meaning. I also think to The Last Of Us's DLC. "There are a million ways we could have died today, and a million more we could die tomorrow. But we fight, for every moment we get to spend with each other."
That's my favourite Rick and Morty quote! :D
Definitely of a similar philosophy.
I’m 22, a college dropout, numerous mental health complications, troubled path, a dead close friend, among other things ….. so you can imagine the toll this game had on me.
In all seriousness, my partner for awhile has been pushing me to play it. After awhile, I finally gave it a shot. Loved every single second and loved every character, so very much. I’m a little mad I was stubborn to give it a shot, but I’m so, so happy I did. It holds a comforting spot in my heart, Mae especially, and Bea. This is a game where I wish so desperately to play for the first time over again. Beautiful video.
"The universe might not care about us, but we care about each other"
So gooood
Thank you! :D
And that whale is pretty cool!
That's kinda cheesy, but I dig the whale part.
If we only would
It's like that nothing matters and nothing has meaning objectively but it dose mean something to us, or to someone
Mae's conversation about shapes stuck out as a moment of brilliance in a game not comprised of such moments. I still think about it, though I haven't played the game in months. I can't believe I never made the connection between shapes and constellations, nor have I seen it mentioned elsewhere. Same with the movement going left. Thank you for making this. It's wonderful.
Thank you very much!
Not only constelations but also drawings, writings, photos and sculpeuters (rock people?) are just shapes with interpretations.
funny thing is, my first instinct when I came out of the house was to move right until I hit a literal road block
"The universe doesn't care about us so we have to care about eachother"
Fuck, dude
NITW was and still is my comfort game..I would appreciate all of the little details that changed very much the game..the conversations seem so familiar but cool..it's so normal?? I can't really explain..they aren't way too full of adventure or mythical stuff..it's just like a story..and the art is so calming,it's not too complicated or too colorful..it's beautiful,even the characters' stories and personalities are unique..and mysterious.. everything in it mixed up amazing and gorgeous,even the secret cult kinda gives you a vibe that "dude.. it's so bizzare..but might've happened irl" and yeah..(if I did grammatical mistakes then oh well too bad)
This specific belief about existentialism is my jam and I can't believe I missed how ingrained it was in the story! This is the reason why I was always so annoyed with the people who complain about nothing we do having any significance to the Universe. When did the Universe's opinion matter so much?
“At the end of everything hold on to anything” that quote gives me chills every time I read it
I love that you call out the juxtaposition between Mae claiming you always have a choice, and the total non-choice you have in that moment as a player. There is no cosmic significance to our choices, how could there be? But the choices we make in the relationships we have, can be significant to us.
I ran into this video because my analytics reported a bunch of people were suddenly coming to my channel from here. Just want to say, your editing is exceptional. I'd love to see you do more games, but just keep covering what's interesting to you!
Thank you! I'm sure more game videos will come in time, whenever the mood takes me. This is a channel of whimsy, haha.
Just watched your NITW video too. Excellent stuff! I look forward to watching more of your videos. :D
Haha, whimsy is a good way to put it! In the meantime, I got to check out your look at Getting Over It (which I'd heard of) and Over The Garden Wall (which I hadn't). I appreciate your perspective on how they matter, and what they say to you.
Incredible video, been binge watching a ton of NITW content recently and this is easily the best one I've seen, really hammered in what makes this game so special, also helps that the editing is very on point. What makes me love this game even more is people get completely different things out of their experience (and not just because of the choices made) and they're all just as valid as each other, it speaks on soo many personal levels it's sure to hit everyone at least somewhere. Good stuff!
Thank you very much! Yeah, there's so much detail in there that everyone can have such a personal experience.
It is also interesting, that in the case of dinner with Bea, the ingredient most likely to make it go from good to lousy, is, if i remember correctly, also the one required to make it amazing.
The time you put into editing this video payed off, because it looks phenomenal!
Thank you! I'm glad you think so. :)
I thought NitW dragged a little with its plot and gameplay pacing in the middle...but I'm so glad I pushed through that and finished it. The last 25% was fantastic and has stuck with me in a way that few games do. Few games are able to tell a story that says something true on an individual level (relationships, mental health, God), but also on a societal level (small town decay in the Trump era). The fact that this game does both so well, with great art and great writing, make it one of a kind. Anyway, i love hearing others' thoughts on it as well, keep up the great work!
I'd honestly say the last 1/4th of the game felt a bit forced at times.
Also this game was released, and even before that was in development, *way* *way* before Trump became president. Seems like a shallow/loaded statement in that regard, all things considered. the decay of small towns being a thing spanning over a long period of time and all.
@@maxwell_edison I completely agree! The small town decay was happening long before Trump, and in the game led several of the leaders of the town to take some bold actions because they felt they were losing their way of life. This was a contributing factor to the president's election. It's not about the man himself, but what led folks to vote for him. Maybe a more accurate statement would be "small town decay leading up to the Trump statement", since the transition from a thriving mining community to one where Dad works at the grocery store and isn't paid fairly happened over decades.
"So when face with our cosmic insignificance, we can take solice in what we find significant" I feel like this is one of the many things that sums up the game and life in general. It also ties well with the game's tagline too; "At the end of everything hold on to anything."
Such a great video about a great game! Also really loved the editing, congrats!
Thank you! :D
Coming back to this game now, in 2020, knowing what happened with Alec, the game hits differently now. But I still love it. It's such an important game and I genuinely care about the characters so much. I'd noticed the "moving left" thing in one playthrough (I think I went through the whole game 5-6 times when I first got it, then twice again when the Weird Autumn update dropped) but the symbolism in that design choice didn't occur to me until now.
A year out from playing this game and I've somehow just now become obsessed with it. I've been looking up all sorts of reviews and takes on it and was really disappointed by how so many videos treated the gameplay as inconsequential to the experience. Until I found this video! It's refreshing to hear someone actually examining Night in the Woods as a game and not just a story. Great video!
Thank you! I'm glad I could fill that void.
I could never find the words to describe the meaning of this game and its narrative, but after seeing this... you took the words right out of my mouth. This game hits close to home for me. Thank you for taking the time to make this video.
Thank you!
Dang, I never considered the significance of Mae almost always having to move left!!!! You filled this video with a ton of excellent insights! Happily subbed!
What hit me about NitW is that it's a slice of life experience; it reminds you that every person out there has their own story to tell. Selmers and her own low self-esteem issues. Even the old croc on the porch who's cat you babysat. Or how the Harfields are grown up. You think your life is so busy, or chaotic, but find and single out any person anywhere and understand, just really try and understand that that person, that face, has just as much history, strife, blood, tears and sweat as you do behind it. You're not as important as you think. Life really does not have a point; You're constantly busy and when you wipe your eyes, it's bed time. Or weekend. Or December again. Oh I was 30 like the other day, now I'm 40... and then you die. And what was the point of all of it?
Well... exactly what you made of it, I'd think. Cheers.
I love this editing
Thank you!
This is some of the best (or at least, I should say most visually appealing) editing I've seen for something that isn't a music video. And even then, a lot of them don't even compare. amazing work. Very seamless.
Thank you very much!
It's that time of year again
For one of my favorite games, this is my favorite video on it and I watch it every now and then
Aww thank you! :D
Why am I finding so many great underrated channels, really great vid, subbed
Thank you! :D
Excellent analysis of a game that, like you, left a deep impact on me. I think you managed to pull together the major themes of the game and present them in a very succinct and easily digestible manner, which is no simple task in itself.
I think the most indelible mark the game left for me was how it very openly and honestly addressed Mae's mental health issues. More and more games are attempting a more honest portrayal of the real life consequences of what can happen when you are struggling with these issues. As difficult as it can be to watch and experience this in-game, it's also very welcome because it can spark discussion on what is still, sadly, a taboo subject. However, if we get more creative people willing to 'go there 'by weaving it into the fabric of the games themselves (see also examples like: Oxenfree, Hellblade, God of War) then I can only see that as a good thing really. It's the sort of thing that helps the medium to mature and increases the likelihood of games getting taken more seriously as an art form, which I think is a great thing personally, especially if it opens them up to a wider and more diverse audience in the long term.
Thank you very much!
I completely agree, it's great to see more games exploring these themes.
I never comment on TH-cam but I'm making an exception here, even though I'm coming to this video over a year and a half after the fact.
The writing here is just so lovely! I felt compelled to comment. Your analysis is great and there's a lot of stuff here that's new to me. I thought I'd exhausted analysis of this game but you pointed out things I hadn't thought of or heard before and again, the writing and editing was so thoughtful and lovely! I will definitely check out the rest of your videos!
Thank you very much! :D
“i want it to hurt, because that means it meant something.” and “at the end of everything hold onto anything” have both stuck to me on the years that i’ve known about and played this game. they have actually, funnily enough, saved my life at times. remembering them just ... gives me ground in life when everything underfoot crumbles to nothing
The game deliberately makes you feel like most of your choices don't make a difference, to set up a theme that is only revealed in the metatext of seeing it happen again differently: We affect the lives of others more than we can ever know. Though there are hints, it takes seeing someone on TH-cam rush through the game, and seeing that Selmers isn't there at the library, to make you go "Oh."
Even the clear choices are deceptive in this way. If in your first game you give the most attention to Beatrice, as I did, everything you do with with her is designed to make you think "I've ruined this. This would be going better if I weren't here." But only in another playthrough can you learn that without Mae's influence, Bea doesn't go to that party at all. This is a reminder that for all the times in real life you may have thought the same of yourself, you can't see the other timelines, so you can only have faith that you matter and might be doing better than you know.
That's a great point about Bea and the party!
I enjoyed your discussion of this really interesting title - especially the symbolic value of the visual techniques. The story and character development are probably the game's greatest strengths. For me, however, the soundtrack is what made this a nostalgic experience that will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you! Yes, the soundtrack was perfect. I've been listening to it a lot.
wow this was really lovely and put together so well.
i'm really excited to look at your other vids now.
Thank you very much!
Goddamn, watching this reminded me how much I love this game.
oh i love this video essay so much.. absolutely brilliant, thank you so much
Thank you! :D
As someone who has depersonalisation disorder just like mae except constantly for 3 years now, this game means so much to me, in fact this game is what made me open up to my mum about what I was feeling or not feeling. At the end of everything, hold onto anything.
I'm really glad this game was able to help you, thank you for sharing!
Coming off of this and your The Last Unicorn video you have one of the most exquisitely written and unique takes on media/storytelling I've seen on TH-cam. Your literature knowledge is bonkers! Totally deserves more attention; screw the algorithm.
Thank you so much! :D
This is a beautiful video essay! Not just in its creation (which, like all of your videos is amazing), but how surprisingly uplifting it made me feel. Before watching this I had no desire to watch, let alone play Night In the Woods, but now I may have to remedy that.
Thank you!
Today was a rather shitty day for me. My self-esteem was especially low, and I didn’t see much of the point to do any of the things I did today. I’m still not okay, but you did make me feel better, more like my usual hopeful self. Thank you, I really appreciate your analysis.
I'm sorry to hear that and I hope you feel better soon!
Glad this video could help a bit. ❤
Your editing and presentation is fantastic! This channel deserves much more attention!
Thank you very much! :D
i cryed again thanks to this video,i have no idea how this passed under my radar1 year ago where i was so emotional over this game. I still am.
This is such a beautiful video and it exactly illustrates how i felt about this videogame. With every playthrough i finished it felt like a rough breakup. The editing really is the cherry on top to this too.
Thank you!
Re-visited this (...for the thirtieth time maybe LOL,) and I love it even more than the first time I watched it. Articulated perfectly, especially at the end. "So when faced with our cosmic insignificance, we can take solace in what we find significant." This helped me through some of the toughest times in my life, and I will always be thankful to you for that.
Thank you so much! I'm glad I could help. ❤
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat I revisited this after so long, and it brought to surface so much of what I haven't been able to articulate about the trauma of the past few years. I, sincerely and with a fiery passion, hope you know how much of an impact the words you've shared have meant to me (I even quoted you in my university yearbook.) This video has such a special place in my heart.
@@AnotherPCAddict That's so lovely to hear! Thank you very much
Just wanna say that your videos are amazing.
I spent my free time translate the whole video so my friends can understand it, and that's how much I like your videos.
Keep up the good works. :)
Thank you very much! :D
I just approved your translations!
@@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat
Oh thanks!
It's my first time using it and was wondering when will it show up. I ended up using the edit page to show my friends. lol
And just realized that I mistype GIRP into GRIP in the "getting over it" video. Gatta fix that really quick.
Anyway, these are really good content and thank you for all the effort you put into the videos.
Yeah, I need to approve them before they go up but TH-cam never tells me when there are translations waiting for approval!
So thanks for letting me know here. :)
In a fleeting, infinite moment, this video has become my favorite thing ever.
♥
I think this is the best analysis video I've ever seen.
Thank you very much!
That's some really good editing
Thanks. :)
this video is absolutely amazing and honestly it even gave me chills, this is the epitome of what night in the woods is trying to get across
the insignificance of it is, in a way, significant
Thank you! :D
Your editing is amazing wow. I don't know how you do half the stuff but it's beautiful.
Holy dang, this video just, completely captured what's so great about this game. You even touched on things I hadn't even thought of. This is a really great video.
Thank you very much!
fantastic video, i loved your ideas and editing! thank you for sharing with us, nitw is really a fantastic game and i love learning about it
Thank you!
More game episodes please! As someone also in college, your pieces offer some of the most sustained engagements with critical theory on top of being thoughtful engagement with the text of any of the video essays I've seen. Keep up the great work!
Thank you so much! :D
Wow, another great video with some particularly brilliant editing! Your channel is so consistently great, I love it. I just finished NITW and had similar thoughts but you've expressed them in such an insightful, well-considered way. In particular my favourite bit of the game was the 'dialogue choice about choices' in the argument with Bea. I (Joseph) didn't want to get into an argument with Bea, but NITW didn't care! Very fitting with the game's theme.
I had also noticed the very 'visual novel' style of the game (basically 'who do you want to spend time with?') and had wondered why it wasn't just a VN. However, that scene with Bea really put it into perspective why it works as a game and this video now has made me retroactively appreciate it even more, so thanks!
Also the running to the left thing at the start of the game is genius, I can't believe I didn't notice that!!
Thank you so much! :D
Wow, this was a phenomenal video. Fantastic prose, conceptual discussions, and video editing. I'm really glad I clicked on this!
Thank you very much!
this is! so well done and nails down the nostalgia that players feel. thank you so much for deconstructing this and looking forward to heaps more content from you!!
Thank you! :D
what a well written, well thought out video. good work!
Thank you!
love this channel - a lot games, films or tv series that i like have had video essays done about them even though they don't seem linked at all thanks and keep going
Thank you! :D
This is really one of the best analysis I've watched. Really well worded and helps to tie together a lot of the games elements. This game means so much to me and it's nice that it means a lot to you too
Thank you very much! Glad the game is personal to you too. :)
The video is incredible, it is so great that you could analyze the game in such a precise but touching manner. This video always give me comfort, thank you.💖
Thank you! ❤
Okay, but this made me smile and just feel amazing. Thank you.💛
I'm glad to hear that! :D
this is really, really good
I loved NitW from its first trailer to completion but I think the clarity you managed here is just so valuable
it's--like--I thought of it as cosmic horror because I like that stuff, but it's actually an antidote to cosmic horror, a reification of the whole concept of meaning
We Are Matter and Nothing Matters
Thank you!
the visuals of this are incredible! lovely video explaining themes in one of my favorite games
Soooo good writing and editing, I'll keep watching other videos of your
Thank you!
amazing video! it really helped me explain some of my beliefs I struggled to get into the right words, Thank you so much!
Thank you! :)
Superbly done. Thanks for posting this.
Thank you!
This is beautiful. The editing, the script, the analysis. God... I've spent a lot of time on youtube and I can't believe you channel is this small. New sub.
Thank you!
I loved this game so much, it hit me home too because i'm in the university and also from a small town, and i lived all the things that the game mentions, and the songs of the game, when you hear them again, them fill you with a nostalgic feeling, that i only felt with my cartoon chilhood memories or something like that. When i ear "die anywhere else" i feel a happy child in my interior, i felt, i was playing again, i play a lot of video games, but this, just touched my heart, memories, and maybe my soul, this is why i loved so much the game, and you don´t mention it, but, the colors!! ooooh the colors of this game, the simple art, but is stunning beautiful!. Ok, maybe i'm a little over exited. By the way, i loved the video, and is really well edited. (sorry if there are mistakes, english is my second language).
Thank you very much, and your english is great! :D
You're right, the colours really are beautiful.
This is my absolute favorite analysis video on NITW
Kudos to you! You did absolutely great with this, even the editing was superb! I hope I get to see more videos about games from you :)
Thank you!
Awesome video :)
Really well put together!
And I think more games in the future would be really cool.
Thank you! I'm glad people seem to be up for more game videos. :)
This was incredible, thank you!! I absolutely love Night In The Woods (on my second play through now) and really appreciated the analysis. Also your video editing is great!
Thank you!
I really enjoyed this video. I've watched a couple of NitW video essays, but this one's definitely one of my favourite ones, focusing mainly on one topic and discussing it well, balancing personal impressions and analysis. I've now added a couple of your video essays to my "Watch later" list and am looking forward to checking them out. Cheers!
Thank you very much! :D
Loved the analysis and the editing, really professional, GJ.
Thank you!
Brilliant. Super happy youtube actually recommended someone good! Immediate sub and I'm looking forward to watching the rest of your stuff over the next week, and eagerly awaiting even more content in the future.
Thank you very much! And good job, youtube.
Just watched this again and I teared up a bit. Brought me back to a simpler time, when we just sat around to watch the stars and had campfires. The inevitability of death just makes life... All the more precious. Thank you for this video grace.
This was a really great video! You wrapped up everything about the game and helped me se more of this message in the game!
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it.
Great video! Loved the analysis, shed a lot of new light on it for me!
Thank you, I'm glad to hear that!
Your videos are absolutely captivating
Thank you very much!
Sounds a bit like Camus' "should I kill myself, or have a cup of coffee?"
I really love Night in The Woods, and this video discusses it so well! I'm so glad I found this channel.
Thank you very much!
This is great! Just finished playing the game and was looking for a nice analysis. Earned yourself a subscriber
Thank you! :D
These videos are so beautiful! I just had to subscribe.
Thank you!
**violent crying**
This is absolutely mind-blowingly incredible. I've only played 20 minutes of the game and the gameplay wasn't my thing, but you've nailed exactly why: lack of movement/choice by the player. (Maybe if the text had nonsense language with it, that might've hooked me more...) I love admiring the game from "afar", though--I LOVE its music, and the dialogue is so admirable. Your essay was short, sweet, and absolutely brilliant. The thing about moving left was /amazing/. I LOVED IT.
Thank you! :D
Back when I first played NITW in 2017, that optimistic nihilist sort of philosophy totally resonated with me. Now, I've changed and the game seems even better! Not sure how that works, but I'll take it!
What an excellent synopsis of the game and its themes. Wonderful work!
Thank you very much!
What a fantastic video! Damn impressive work on all fronts, If your channel doesn't suddenly explode over the next year or so I'll be very disappointed.
Thank you very much! :D
Games usually for people try too quell depression but this game seemingly made me sadder. I’m actually scared to play this game again since I may not have the same emotions knowing the 2 endings, all the secrets and shiz and the facts that I’m way too attached too these characters too move along after quite some time.
Also *At the end of everything, hold on too everything* is such a quotable quote
Night in the woods is such an amazing game! And this is such a fantastic video!
Thank you! :)
This sounds like such a cute and thoughtful game, I can't wait to play it now. Thanks for the video!
Slick presentation, looking forward to your upcoming videos
Thanks!
Great analysis - makes me want to buy this. Please do more game based videos
Thank you! Next month's video should be game based :D
This was amazing!! I think you should talk about more in the future
Thanks for the video! Very interesting to see the game cleverly dissected. On my part, I felt that most gameplay mechanics weren't very interesting in themselves and slowed down the game pace more than it needed to be. I loved the writing (!) and art style though. I would've loved a Night In The Woods tv cartoon series.
This is one of my favorite videos ever.
Thank you!
Other games in the future? Yes please and great video as always!
Thanks! Glad future game episodes have your support. :)
Nice video, you mentioned haunting and the town being haunted. You should check out Derrida's hauntology stuff!
ahh this is the best... man you have some really great thoughts you are good at articulating!
Thank you!
this was wonderfully done!
Thank you!
This is an incredible analysis. I really loved NITW and now I appreciate even more.
Thank you!
What you say about choice in video games is what I say to people when I try to explain to them why Firewatch was good.
Yes, Firewatch is so good!