It’s so refreshing to see a mascot horror game where the question of “why are the puppets alive” isn’t the focus of the story, but rather something far more meaningful
@@PanickedAndAnxious the game is set in 1993, you know in the modern era the existence of technology suggests science exists in that universe technology is applied science for the technology we see in game such as guns, TV, signal towers, etc to exist there has to be science your not telling me they didnt question at all why there alive or perhaps there is a scientific explanation given to why they are alive but gordon isnt really a science guy so it isnt mentioned
the fun part is that we actually can see what he looks like, its just hidden in concept art you can find if you go out of bounds in the game. he fits right in the ‘their design may be simple, but when these guys get sad everyone gets sad’ meme.
“I’m not crying, you are”, and very true, the Mr Rogers speech made me tear up. What a heavy and poignant message from a horror indie game. Hats off to the creators for putting so much thought into it and thanks MatPat for doing this video.
What a noble and wholesome message. I love that this game is more focused on the positive message than making a spooky game. That is what truly has lasting impact. The world needs more games like this
I think it's because it's a horror story that the positive and wholesome message is so memorable. The juxtaposition between the fearful scenes you walk through, and how the end brings you to a hopeful future rather than the regular "it all gets worse" or "you were going to die anyway" ending that a lot of horror games have these days just make the message all the more poignant
Loved how much "softer" this Game Theory felt and sounded. My Friendly Neighborhood is truly a gem shining in the negative, toxic, drama-filled space of Mascot Horror and horror in general. If you just get back at someone who hurt you, you're just bringing them down to your level where both of you will get hurt even more. It takes real strength and guts to be kind in a cruel world. That doesn't mean you're weak though, just "that you kept a certain tenderness in your heart"....
Wait, 'toxic and drama-filled'? Perhaps as a very casual peruser that really (*mostly) ignores comment sections and forums regarding those genres I'm out of the loop but what have you got in mind?
@jamesconlin5099 It technically kinda is, despite it leaning more into the "survival horror" genre of things like Resident Evil. It has a mascot (multiple, actually. But Norman, the "Ernie-looking" puppet is the most prominent) and it's based in a horror-like setting. It's not a bad thing that it's technically a mascot horror game, just that this one did the mascot horror thing RIGHT with a unique premise and style of game play from another corner of horror games.
I love how this game even shows how dark some let's players are. They keep seeing only the bad and choose the bad ending cause they don't try at all to help the puppets and are spiteful. It's honestly kinda fascinating.
i love that the game creators were clearly invested in making the game. They really tried to tie real life history with a game to show us in an allegoric way what human world really is like.
Honestly if Sesame Street had gotten cancelled and then suddenly started coming back on the tv with new episodes I’d just assume that studio heads were tired of not earning money.
I find it interesting that the developers chose to put this message in a game like this one. Other nostalgia-based mascot horrors like Poppy Playtime and whatnot are popular with young audiences, so it could easily be the developers’ way of reaching out to children and teaching them to do the right thing. Then again, one could easily look at it and say something along the lines of “Ugh. Another mascot horror game,”.
When I had played through the game, and made it to the final note, I started to cry. This game starts out full of actions and distractions, and then slowly, it becomes serene… and quiet. This game is a masterpiece, and I couldn’t ask for anything more. And I’m glad that they went for a more fulfilling, depressing end in this story. They didn’t focus on the puppets being alive. They didn’t focus on some grand mystery. They played it straight forward. And that made it so much more friendly.
Honestly I respect this game so much because they don't some crazy convoluted reason for why the puppets are alive, they just are. And they aren't evil monsters on their own accord, but because they became corrupted by the reality of the world and not some experiment gone wrong, or children souls or something. It's actually such a unique take on Mascot Horror and I respect them for not doing the same cliche plot points that everyone else did
Don't be ashamed to shed a few tears, my friend. If this game's moral message and sad backstory doesn't bring you to the verge of spilling heartfelt tears of sympathy, then you can't be human.
Fun Fact: The voice direction for Gordon was to just act like the puppets were something that wasn't unusual for this world. In fact I believe the exact wording they were given was "There's like an 8% chance you might encounter something like this on your average day" (If you want more fun facts about My Friendly Neighborhood and its voice actors, go check out the Casting Director and Voice Director of this game, JelloApocolypse, and his playthrough of this game)
Yes!! That's the only playthrough of this that I actually watched all the way through! He gives great commentary with his friends, partners, and coworkers! It's actually thanks to him that I decided to buy the game, as well as Unicorn Tails.
I love about MFN that it didn't go into the "dead children posessing inanimate objects"-alley. The puppets are just alive and there seems to be nothing out of the ordinary with it. I also was very positively surprised by the wholesome story. At the beginning I thought that Ricky might wanted to take revenge on the studio or maybe world domination or whatever, because MFN originally aired as "Ricky and Friends", which implies that his spotlight was taken from him. But that turned out to be wrong. There was no malice inside the puppets (aside from the unfriendly Neighborhood). They were just lonely and confused by the darkness of the world. And all Ricky wanted was to bring light to the puppets and the world again. I actually cried a bit when I read the letter from the creator and from the speech in the true ending. This game was really a breath of fresh air! And while the game itself might not be that scary (more like anxiety inducing), it still shows the horrors of a world where goddness starts to go extinct. Things like this can be scary, too.
FNAF: We have innocent children murdered and their spirits haunting the robots. BATDR: We had hard-working employees transformed into traumatized abominations. Poppy Playtime: We turned orphans and transients into tortured toys with malformed bodies. MFN: We have some lonely puppets who just want some friends.
This game teaches a profound and heartwarming, yet simple message; "Fight for you innocence.". If these brave and wholesome creators create sequels for this game I'll definitely support them 120%!
This was literally my favorite game of this year. I don't think there's gonna be another with a story that tops this for me for a while. As an avid fan of Jim Henson's works in general, this game was so much to me. It had so many references that if you weren't familiar with them, you might not have caught everything. This game just hit me with the feels, the laughs, and the thoughts on what it means to be a friendly neighbor. I love this game!
I think MatPat nailed it. I've seen a lot of playthroughs of this, and I think I saw only one other YTer *really* pick up what the game was putting down (I'm sure there are more out there... hopefully) So many were concerned with the what and the how, but totally lost or overlooked the why of it all. It's a great message.
As another comment said, I REALLY love their decision of mascot horror. Mascot horrors appealing to kids, meaning that kids are gonna watch gameplay of MFN or play the game, as well as probably watch your theory. It’s a total flip on how mascot horror usually targets kids to sell merch n gain clout, but MFN targets kids to teach them a valuable lesson about life itself.
It feels so rare to see Matpat talk so positively outside of a GT not live. I love the message of the game and that it's light was strong enough to keep Matpat positive.
I was expecting horror and dead kids possessing something, instead I ended up feeling heartfelt and reminding myself of how well my mental health journey is going :)
Honestly i can relate to this to an extent. I still watch dark stuff but less than i used to. I used to only watch stuff that was dark or made me angry. I thought if i turned away from it i wasn't being prepared for how bad the world is. I started getting into watching lighter stuff that made me happy a few months ago and it does help.
I think this is so refreshing for a horror game. It doesn't focus on the stereotypical horror elements in order to prove it's message, it wants the world to be a little nicer and I find that beautiful. I legit shed tears while watching this lol.
Wait, there’s a Mr Rogers clip? I’m going to have to prepare myself mentally. Being a hyper kid, I actually god bored during the opening; but it was somehow still amazing and worth watching. How does one learn how to come home and hang up your coat like that man did?? He made an art of it.
@@Hevy_42 sorry, it was genuinely that I couldn't tell your comment from a bot, because many of them are just "appreciation spam". Your comment is fine, it's more of that I obviously need to get better at telling bots from real posts apart.
this is why despite basically not selling anything except to myselfi keep my merc store open. becaus i made a promise to myself years ago. 50% of profits to charity. It informs my merc, my boo project,s games. if anything i do makes it big thats right there in the core. 50% to make the world better. always.
14:22 *"It's why when they see us and start chasing us, they're not saying horrible things. Their arms are stretched out wide for a hug. They're not trying to hurt us, they're happy to see us. They want to be friendly."* Well as wholesome as it may be, given how Gordon seems to take damage, seems like the puppets are hugging him just a little too tight.
my interpretation is that they couldn’t handle seeing how mean TV was, so they rationalized it as “oh, this must just be the new version of being nice! this is how it’s supposed to be now, i guess!” so they are still trying to be friendly, just very incorrectly lol. i imagine that’s why the puppet sounds like he’s making up the whole “uhhhh i beat him to the ground!” story; he’s trying to fit in with this new “nice.”
In middle school, a Vietnam vet visited the school and told us about his experience. How he went to try and pay for college, how he watched his friends die before his eyes, and how he fell into a deep depression, not ever being able to see the world the same again. I almost cried.
honestly, this game was much needed in indie horror. Feels like a classic game and quite frankly its refreshing to not have a teased chapter 2 or expecting another game. Just one and done seemingly
"oh i'll just watch this video. Probably wont wanna play the game anyway, im fine with spoilers" Matpat then proceeds to strike my okay-ness down by explaining the realest most heart breaking and heart warming story ive ever heard of, with the most compeling message ive seen in a while, from the lore of a game i am so sure i would have loved to experience first hand that i swear i could just sit down and start bawling right now
Honestly I refuse to watch dark shows like law & order or station 19. They just remind me of the darkness in the world. That’s why I watch more friendly shows like cartoons or sitcoms, they let me forget the darkness and focus on the light.
I watch dark content but I also offset with wholesome content. That way I feel balanced, that way I'm not too cynical I have no compassion but not optimistic to the point of being nieve. I firmly believe that too much one way or the other is dangerous.
i like to watch both. i think its important to have abalance between the two. that way your not avoiding the negative things in life that need to be addressed/ rembered. but you also rember to be hopeful for a better future.
This honestly a beautiful message and a lovley turn of events for a game that originally looks just like it’s predecessors in mascot horror, and thanks for the creators for shaking up the message, and thank you Matpat for sharing this message to the world our wonderful messenger boy and his amazing team of theorists❤
6:11 This scene had convinced me that Ricky was gonna be the big bad at the end, which I was then very surprised that he wasn't. The way he so bluntly and specifically hit Gordon that close to home immediately gave me Flowey vibes.
Honestly, if a message like this was made for a show or a movie decently made like My Friendly Neighborhood would look I would totally watch it. It would be refreshing and needed at this moment in history for everyone in the world to learn to be better then terrible
Its so nice to see a mascot horror game that actually sheds some light on other problems and isnt just "mascot alive and evil". When i first saw this game i was so impressed with what was given.
This game is what I hope to be the shining example on how you can do Mascot Horror right, bring in those thought provoking moments like from Silent Hill, tie it with gameplay thats enthralling and gives you the limited tools to fight, all under a style that can be haunting when turned just right.
That ending was the most uplifting thing I've heard in a while and I needed that more than you'll ever know matpat and the game theory team like...I needed that more than you'll ever know
As someone who grew up watching Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers in the 80s (and had several relatives who served in Vietnam), this game hit me right in the feels. Hard.
I'm not going to lie this game theory nearly had me in tears because honestly I grew up watching mr. Rogers Neighborhood as much as I've grown up watching shows like big comfy couch or Sesame Street along with many Muppet movies as a kid and seeing all this really brought me extreme nostalgic elements that made me realize what I want to do from here on out which is be myself.
Dude, I love this game so much. It's mascot horror with some shred of individuality. Not saying that the other FNAF copies are bad in any way, just that I love the originality of this particular mascot horror game.
My phone is weird, so I would literally have to re-write the comment. I don't really think that's necessary, since if someone else sees that and thinks the same as you did, they can just read our conversation.
i honestly never expected a mascot horror game to have this much moral and sentimental value. i also didn't expect i'd cry over said game but here we are.
12:13 y'all should've included the line where this character tells you to put your hands in your mouth and "swallow as hard as you can" until your hands come off, that line specifically lowkey freaks me out 😭
I was surprised and impressed with the topics this game touched on especially Gordon being essentially a Vietnam Veteran given how he responds to Ricky mocking and taunting him over the actions he did during the war.
I really love this game and it’s message; The puppets aren’t inherently dark or scary, they are creatures who just want to teach kindness and optimism to the world, but it was the world that wanted things to be dark and scary; So the puppets wanted to share their optimism to the pessimistic world. Here’s a short poem I came up with: In the darkest of nights, even the smallest of lights… Shin as bright as a star, because even from a far… A spark can gleem, And make hope seen.
It’s like in stranger of paradise. “Cloaked in gloom, veiled by shadow, we await that fateful day when the warriors of light arise. Though their glow may be faint at first, even a sputtering candle is brilliant against the black of night.”
The message by Gordon on the sunlight hurting but leading us home appears to be a reference to Plato’s Cave Allegory, which focuses on escaping a cave of ignorance.
This game has a pretty powerful message; and while it doesn’t hit as close to home for me as some others, it still speaks to me. I try my best to keep a positive outlook on life, and in doing so, I try to avoid associating with negative things. I don’t watch drama shows, try to avoid the news, and especially don’t get involved in politics. As a counter example, there was a coworker at my job that whenever we were working together, he would almost always start a conversation with talking about how the war was going or a similar topic, and I would mainly try to ignore it or change the subject. Then one day, I nicely asked him to stop talking about it, then I explained that ‘I might be ignorant about these things, but it’s better than being a Negative Nancy.’ And after that, he stopped bringing it up, at least around me. The world needs positivity, especially in trying times, and I’m glad that this game is helping to spread that message.
There's also something you kind of touched on but didn't explicitly mention. General Rogers and his name likely isn't just random. Fred Rogers, the man from Mister Roger's Neighborhood, was never in the military. He applied for it, but was eventually deemed unqualified. In the world of the game, Fred Rogers likely never got disqualified, and climbed the ranks, stealing another source of light in the bleak world..
YIKES. . . To Think there was an Alternate Universe where Mr. Rogers became a General in the Military instead of the Wholesome TV personality We Knew & Loved; and in the same timeline Where Sesame Street got Cancelled. . . Just goes to show that In Spite of the World being a ****ed-up Place in our current Timeline in the 2020s; MFN shows how much WORSE we could've ended up; in a world without Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood OR Sesame Street!!
Everyone is so happy its not another mascot horror and i agree its refreshing to see a take from what seems to be a cliche be taken in a fun direction where it makes you rhink
Seeing Mister Rogers mentioned in the video and alluded to in the game warms my heart a lot, he’s an incredible icon and if anyone wishes there’s a statue of him in Pittsburgh I highly recommend to visit in order to say hello to our neighbor ❤
This is amazing to hear and a great reminder as someone who grew up in a very dysfunctional environment and still survives in a nuclear family. I often feel like I'm broken because of all the bad things that happened to me throughout my childhood. I see things through a realistic lense but still want to see things from the optimist lense
Speaking of puppets welcome home is finally back up. Nobody finds hidden lore like you do I'm sure you'll find a lot of it with the new update 🙃 I love how they added voice recordings of the characters because it really gives them a lot of personality
11:37 Fun fact about the voice direction: The voice director, Brendan Blaber (AKA Jelloapocalypse) when casting Gordin said to sound "like this is not out of the ordinary at all, and in this world you could just find living puppets around"
I Mean; It's Just like how NOBODY Questions how the Muppets are alive in their Movies; THEY JUST ARE!! THE SAME SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF IS PRESENT IN THE UNIVERSE OF "MY FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD"
To a non-american like myself, actually learning US history through Game Theory is amazing. My school, and I assume most schools of my country, focused a lot more on european history, which I think is a mistake. Learning world history is as important nowadays as learning about local and semi-local history.
I just finished this game and I enjoyed it. I felt the ending was a bit fast and came out of nowhere but it was satisfying. This game was refreshing and I really liked having Arlo voice Ricky.
Wow... first indie mascot horror game that's... honestly so deep and wholesome when you deep dive. This theory really left a warm feeling of my heart and of coursed let me reflect on the world today and what to do myself.
It’s nice to have a game (especially if it’s suppose to be in the horror genre) shed some light on more meaningful and positive outlets, instead of just focusing on the basic scare elements. The world needs that refresher, even if it’s a tiny speck.
Wow. That was... something I did not expect from a horror game. I don't really like horror games, but I may play this one at some point. Its... just a beautiful message.
It’s so refreshing to see a mascot horror game where the question of “why are the puppets alive” isn’t the focus of the story, but rather something far more meaningful
Well its possible that the puppets are robots that would explain why gordon dosent give a poop about their sentience
It is possible that they're robots. But robots that feel like puppets since they don't look like typical robots, they look more like puppets
Still, it’s accidental in hindsight.
@@jenmiranda13 perhaps the parts of the robot were like bolted to the sides of the puppet suit giving it flexibility
@@PanickedAndAnxious the game is set in 1993, you know in the modern era the existence of technology suggests science exists in that universe technology is applied science for the technology we see in game such as guns, TV, signal towers, etc to exist there has to be science your not telling me they didnt question at all why there alive or perhaps there is a scientific explanation given to why they are alive but gordon isnt really a science guy so it isnt mentioned
For being a game with another unseen protagonist, I really like Gordon's character growth and find him really memorable
"....Gordon, the puppets...need you in these... trying times..."
“Open the silo doors!” - puppet
Yeah, in most horror games the protagonist is just there and even though they're LITTARLY THE REASON THE GAME PLOT IS CONTINEUING!
the fun part is that we actually can see what he looks like, its just hidden in concept art you can find if you go out of bounds in the game. he fits right in the ‘their design may be simple, but when these guys get sad everyone gets sad’ meme.
Yeah! Especially when you compare him to the voiceless Mike in FNAF(until Sister Location) and the (mostly) mute Henry in BATIM.
“I’m not crying, you are”, and very true, the Mr Rogers speech made me tear up. What a heavy and poignant message from a horror indie game. Hats off to the creators for putting so much thought into it and thanks MatPat for doing this video.
Not gonna lie, I'm at work, listening to this...and when I heard Mr. Rogers' voice, I instantly started to tear up and cry.
Matpat was so true yet so wrong...
Because we both were crying so he got it half right
12:23 is my favorite part now 😂😂😂😂😂
My first thought in response was, "how can I reach out to anyone when my armor's cracked and broken?" I can only imagine what that says about me.
What a noble and wholesome message. I love that this game is more focused on the positive message than making a spooky game. That is what truly has lasting impact. The world needs more games like this
I think it's because it's a horror story that the positive and wholesome message is so memorable. The juxtaposition between the fearful scenes you walk through, and how the end brings you to a hopeful future rather than the regular "it all gets worse" or "you were going to die anyway" ending that a lot of horror games have these days just make the message all the more poignant
Loved how much "softer" this Game Theory felt and sounded.
My Friendly Neighborhood is truly a gem shining in the negative, toxic, drama-filled space of Mascot Horror and horror in general.
If you just get back at someone who hurt you, you're just bringing them down to your level where both of you will get hurt even more.
It takes real strength and guts to be kind in a cruel world. That doesn't mean you're weak though, just "that you kept a certain tenderness in your heart"....
Oui
Wait, 'toxic and drama-filled'? Perhaps as a very casual peruser that really (*mostly) ignores comment sections and forums regarding those genres I'm out of the loop but what have you got in mind?
PREACH IT!!
@jamesconlin5099 It technically kinda is, despite it leaning more into the "survival horror" genre of things like Resident Evil.
It has a mascot (multiple, actually. But Norman, the "Ernie-looking" puppet is the most prominent) and it's based in a horror-like setting.
It's not a bad thing that it's technically a mascot horror game, just that this one did the mascot horror thing RIGHT with a unique premise and style of game play from another corner of horror games.
Haha felt (as in the fabric(that the puppets are made out of(im sorry)))
Finally, a mascot horror game that isn't about kids or adults being murdered and put into mascots. I never thought I would see it happen.
It's survival horror not mascot horror the game devs said so
@@nekogamer2508True that the devs said that but honestly it’s kind of both. At least in my opinion.
@@nekogamer2508 Poppy playtime is also survival horror, buts it's still mascot horror
@@mongoose9851poppy playtime does not have the resource management to be considered survival horror imo.
If you have a nostalgic twisted horror character then your automatically mascot horror for some reason
I love how this game even shows how dark some let's players are. They keep seeing only the bad and choose the bad ending cause they don't try at all to help the puppets and are spiteful. It's honestly kinda fascinating.
Which players? I'm planning to watch SuperHorrorBro play it but I haven't gotten around to it yet.
@@jason4443 Nah, Superhorrorbro was chill. How can he be spiteful with that soft voice of his anyway.
Really? from the youtubers I watch they choose to help
Not really any big name TH-camrs.
@alphawolf7417 Well, I remember watching Bijuu Mike and 8-BitRyan
i love that the game creators were clearly invested in making the game. They really tried to tie real life history with a game to show us in an allegoric way what human world really is like.
Honestly if Sesame Street had gotten cancelled and then suddenly started coming back on the tv with new episodes I’d just assume that studio heads were tired of not earning money.
So I forgot to mention:
th-cam.com/video/bSAnCMfybqw/w-d-xo.html
Funny guy
@Matvlogs are you a bot?
@@cathleenbrown6691he is a bot
Wasn't Sesame Street a PBS show tho, paid for viewers like us?
I find it interesting that the developers chose to put this message in a game like this one. Other nostalgia-based mascot horrors like Poppy Playtime and whatnot are popular with young audiences, so it could easily be the developers’ way of reaching out to children and teaching them to do the right thing.
Then again, one could easily look at it and say something along the lines of “Ugh. Another mascot horror game,”.
A bot stole your comment, want to let you know that.
@@Jonjontube Fine by me, but thanks for letting me know.
@deadlydingus1138 I thought the bot was based but you're the really the based one
@@samichjpg Thank you.
@@samichjpgthe bot was cringe
In all reality I abousletly loved my friendly neighbourhood. It was a breath of fresh air on the mascot horror game industry!
I forgot to mention:
th-cam.com/video/bSAnCMfybqw/w-d-xo.html
❤
MFN is one of my favorites. It tackles a serious theme, and I love that about this.
I wonder if it's supposed to be a commentary on the genre.
@@mattman15Same.
When I had played through the game, and made it to the final note, I started to cry. This game starts out full of actions and distractions, and then slowly, it becomes serene… and quiet. This game is a masterpiece, and I couldn’t ask for anything more. And I’m glad that they went for a more fulfilling, depressing end in this story. They didn’t focus on the puppets being alive. They didn’t focus on some grand mystery. They played it straight forward. And that made it so much more friendly.
You mean we finally have a wholesome horror game after all those years? Nice
This is bugsnax erasure
I was literally gonna comment about Bugsnax.@@madeleineanglin2946
Not to mention the protag actually talks
@@madeleineanglin2946 oh how old is that game I remember loving it
Wasn't it more like cute game with weird stuffs that makes you question your sanity
@meriewanderer only a few years old, but the end goes straight into horror game territory
Honestly I respect this game so much because they don't some crazy convoluted reason for why the puppets are alive, they just are. And they aren't evil monsters on their own accord, but because they became corrupted by the reality of the world and not some experiment gone wrong, or children souls or something. It's actually such a unique take on Mascot Horror and I respect them for not doing the same cliche plot points that everyone else did
Soon, more mascot horror will go with this approach. I have a feeling. LOL
@@ArmageddonEvil Probably, but MFN will be known as one of the first to do it
The "Have faith in light" line literally brought tears to my eyes.
the entire paper made me quite sad
Me too. The game's message mad eme tear up so much. It's something I always think about but never see anyone talk about.
Don't be ashamed to shed a few tears, my friend. If this game's moral message and sad backstory doesn't bring you to the verge of spilling heartfelt tears of sympathy, then you can't be human.
@@gabe_gamer9320 I'm not ashamed, that's for sure.
agreed
Fun Fact: The voice direction for Gordon was to just act like the puppets were something that wasn't unusual for this world. In fact I believe the exact wording they were given was "There's like an 8% chance you might encounter something like this on your average day"
(If you want more fun facts about My Friendly Neighborhood and its voice actors, go check out the Casting Director and Voice Director of this game, JelloApocolypse, and his playthrough of this game)
Yes!! That's the only playthrough of this that I actually watched all the way through! He gives great commentary with his friends, partners, and coworkers!
It's actually thanks to him that I decided to buy the game, as well as Unicorn Tails.
wait JELLO??
This game being more than just another mascot horror game is such a breath of fresh air.
I like men
Me too @@henrygallegos4566, me too
I love about MFN that it didn't go into the "dead children posessing inanimate objects"-alley. The puppets are just alive and there seems to be nothing out of the ordinary with it. I also was very positively surprised by the wholesome story.
At the beginning I thought that Ricky might wanted to take revenge on the studio or maybe world domination or whatever, because MFN originally aired as "Ricky and Friends", which implies that his spotlight was taken from him. But that turned out to be wrong. There was no malice inside the puppets (aside from the unfriendly Neighborhood). They were just lonely and confused by the darkness of the world. And all Ricky wanted was to bring light to the puppets and the world again.
I actually cried a bit when I read the letter from the creator and from the speech in the true ending.
This game was really a breath of fresh air! And while the game itself might not be that scary (more like anxiety inducing), it still shows the horrors of a world where goddness starts to go extinct. Things like this can be scary, too.
I would like to think that the show was so wholesome that the positive light gave the puppets life
Damn, I never thought I’d see the day where there is a mascot horror with great message and an insightful lore
FNAF: We have innocent children murdered and their spirits haunting the robots.
BATDR: We had hard-working employees transformed into traumatized abominations.
Poppy Playtime: We turned orphans and transients into tortured toys with malformed bodies.
MFN: We have some lonely puppets who just want some friends.
This game teaches a profound and heartwarming, yet simple message; "Fight for you innocence.". If these brave and wholesome creators create sequels for this game I'll definitely support them 120%!
This was literally my favorite game of this year. I don't think there's gonna be another with a story that tops this for me for a while. As an avid fan of Jim Henson's works in general, this game was so much to me. It had so many references that if you weren't familiar with them, you might not have caught everything. This game just hit me with the feels, the laughs, and the thoughts on what it means to be a friendly neighbor. I love this game!
I think MatPat nailed it. I've seen a lot of playthroughs of this, and I think I saw only one other YTer *really* pick up what the game was putting down (I'm sure there are more out there... hopefully) So many were concerned with the what and the how, but totally lost or overlooked the why of it all. It's a great message.
Do you remember which youtuber it was?
Jack caught it quickly
I’m sure Manlybadasshero also got the message easily.
SuperHorrorBro got it pretty quickly.
IGP got it pretty quickly too. I forgot about Mike.
I’m waiting for a playlist on puppet mascot horror game theories, matpat.
I forgot to mention:
th-cam.com/video/bSAnCMfybqw/w-d-xo.html
Lol
translate 🙂
ฉันจะสมัครรับข้อมูลใครก็ตามที่สมัครรับข้อมูลฉันและชอบความคิดเห็นนี้ ...,,,...
@@universaltoonsshut up
@@MarVIogsshut up
As another comment said, I REALLY love their decision of mascot horror. Mascot horrors appealing to kids, meaning that kids are gonna watch gameplay of MFN or play the game, as well as probably watch your theory. It’s a total flip on how mascot horror usually targets kids to sell merch n gain clout, but MFN targets kids to teach them a valuable lesson about life itself.
It feels so rare to see Matpat talk so positively outside of a GT not live. I love the message of the game and that it's light was strong enough to keep Matpat positive.
This game is so underrated and fun to play. I hope its fandom continues to grow and thrive! Awesome video Game Theory!
Huh, never knew you watched his content!
Man I just had a nostalgia blast from your songs
@@void8648 same i love kyle tho
I was expecting horror and dead kids possessing something, instead I ended up feeling heartfelt and reminding myself of how well my mental health journey is going :)
I wish you the luck to get better we all start somewhere
As someone said, best of luck with your journey. Never let anything keep you down
You got this dude! We’re all rooting for you!💖💖💖
Honestly i can relate to this to an extent. I still watch dark stuff but less than i used to. I used to only watch stuff that was dark or made me angry. I thought if i turned away from it i wasn't being prepared for how bad the world is. I started getting into watching lighter stuff that made me happy a few months ago and it does help.
I think this is so refreshing for a horror game. It doesn't focus on the stereotypical horror elements in order to prove it's message, it wants the world to be a little nicer and I find that beautiful. I legit shed tears while watching this lol.
This was beautiful. Totally teared up during that Mr Rogers clip. Well done matpat 👍
Me too
Same!
Same
Who left this bowl of onions here !?
Wait, there’s a Mr Rogers clip? I’m going to have to prepare myself mentally.
Being a hyper kid, I actually god bored during the opening; but it was somehow still amazing and worth watching. How does one learn how to come home and hang up your coat like that man did?? He made an art of it.
Me too, now I have emotionally damage.
Yay! I’ve been wondering what MatPat’s take on this game that’s been blowing up the TH-cam horror game side of things.
So I forgot to mention:
th-cam.com/video/bSAnCMfybqw/w-d-xo.html
I like it
translate 🙂
ฉันจะสมัครรับข้อมูลใครก็ตามที่สมัครรับข้อมูลฉันและชอบความคิดเห็นนี้ ...
@@pyshrub jeez thanks man, just trying to voice my friendly opinion
@@Hevy_42 sorry, it was genuinely that I couldn't tell your comment from a bot, because many of them are just "appreciation spam". Your comment is fine, it's more of that I obviously need to get better at telling bots from real posts apart.
Never thought I’d see an indie horror game that doesn’t involve haunted animatronics. Nice job, MatPat.
Most horror games do not involve haunted animatronics
Or haunted anything (because most indie horrors aren’t animatronic based)
I honestly loved this theory it hit a bit too close to home I'm in a dark place and this kinda helped thanks matpat keeping it up
this is why despite basically not selling anything except to myselfi keep my merc store open. becaus i made a promise to myself years ago. 50% of profits to charity. It informs my merc, my boo project,s games. if anything i do makes it big thats right there in the core. 50% to make the world better. always.
I hope things get better for you!
@@mogemon thanks
14:22 *"It's why when they see us and start chasing us, they're not saying horrible things. Their arms are stretched out wide for a hug. They're not trying to hurt us, they're happy to see us. They want to be friendly."*
Well as wholesome as it may be, given how Gordon seems to take damage, seems like the puppets are hugging him just a little too tight.
my interpretation is that they couldn’t handle seeing how mean TV was, so they rationalized it as “oh, this must just be the new version of being nice! this is how it’s supposed to be now, i guess!” so they are still trying to be friendly, just very incorrectly lol. i imagine that’s why the puppet sounds like he’s making up the whole “uhhhh i beat him to the ground!” story; he’s trying to fit in with this new “nice.”
They probably should have taken the other "How to hug" class instead of the one where the teacher was Huggy Wuggy.
Damn, the lore hit much harder than I thought… I think this was my favorite game in a while
In middle school, a Vietnam vet visited the school and told us about his experience. How he went to try and pay for college, how he watched his friends die before his eyes, and how he fell into a deep depression, not ever being able to see the world the same again. I almost cried.
honestly, this game was much needed in indie horror. Feels like a classic game and quite frankly its refreshing to not have a teased chapter 2 or expecting another game. Just one and done seemingly
"oh i'll just watch this video. Probably wont wanna play the game anyway, im fine with spoilers"
Matpat then proceeds to strike my okay-ness down by explaining the realest most heart breaking and heart warming story ive ever heard of, with the most compeling message ive seen in a while, from the lore of a game i am so sure i would have loved to experience first hand that i swear i could just sit down and start bawling right now
It’s okay you can still play it
It was confirmed that going into a building with living puppets is like an 8% chance so Gordon isn't too shocked
Huh. That could mean that a bunch of muppets wound up in the Vietnam War. What a simultaneously terrifying and hilarious thought.
@@silorion9967to be specific, something as weird as living puppets has an 8% chance
where was this confirmed and why only 8%?
I Mean Nobody questioned how the Muppets are Alive in their Movies; maybe the same rule applies in THIS universe;
THEY JUST ARE!!
That would allude to a reality that organizations like the SCP Foundation possibly exist.
11:09 Matpat you didn’t have to destroy my heart like that. Mister Rogers is the GOAT
I’m replying to this so you can hear Mr. Rogers again
Why was it cancelled?
This just shows that you dont need a Disney studio or a Playstation level graphics to make something meaning full
@Oppenheimer797What?
@@YourNormalProgrambot
Disney doesnt do anything meaningful anymore buddy
@@mehmetenescetin2182I would disagree, mainly because The Owl House is still relatively recent
@@thedragonwarrior5861 you mean the show they cancelled?
Honestly I refuse to watch dark shows like law & order or station 19. They just remind me of the darkness in the world. That’s why I watch more friendly shows like cartoons or sitcoms, they let me forget the darkness and focus on the light.
Don't read my name 😒
Don't forget youtube videos.
@@Dont_Read_My_PictureI read ur name :troll:
I watch dark content but I also offset with wholesome content. That way I feel balanced, that way I'm not too cynical I have no compassion but not optimistic to the point of being nieve. I firmly believe that too much one way or the other is dangerous.
i like to watch both. i think its important to have abalance between the two. that way your not avoiding the negative things in life that need to be addressed/ rembered. but you also rember to be hopeful for a better future.
This honestly a beautiful message and a lovley turn of events for a game that originally looks just like it’s predecessors in mascot horror, and thanks for the creators for shaking up the message, and thank you Matpat for sharing this message to the world our wonderful messenger boy and his amazing team of theorists❤
6:11 This scene had convinced me that Ricky was gonna be the big bad at the end, which I was then very surprised that he wasn't. The way he so bluntly and specifically hit Gordon that close to home immediately gave me Flowey vibes.
Matpat really just gave us the most heartfelt, philosophical explanation at the end just to hit us with the "it's just a theory"😭
Honestly, if a message like this was made for a show or a movie decently made like My Friendly Neighborhood would look I would totally watch it. It would be refreshing and needed at this moment in history for everyone in the world to learn to be better then terrible
You're describing Sesame Street
@@JKBisms I'd Totally want a "My Friendly Neighborhood" Movie;
I mean if Iron Lung can get a Movie; Why can't MFN?!
@@New3DSLuigi364funny thing is that the devs of MFN and Iron Lung are actually brothers
@@meat08863 I know; That's Why If One of the brothers' games can get a movie; why can't the OTHER Brother's game get a movie?!
Its so nice to see a mascot horror game that actually sheds some light on other problems and isnt just "mascot alive and evil". When i first saw this game i was so impressed with what was given.
This game is what I hope to be the shining example on how you can do Mascot Horror right, bring in those thought provoking moments like from Silent Hill, tie it with gameplay thats enthralling and gives you the limited tools to fight, all under a style that can be haunting when turned just right.
That ending was the most uplifting thing I've heard in a while and I needed that more than you'll ever know matpat and the game theory team like...I needed that more than you'll ever know
As someone who grew up watching Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers in the 80s (and had several relatives who served in Vietnam), this game hit me right in the feels. Hard.
The fact that Arlo is voicing a puppet in this game is so perfect
THAT WAS ARLO?!
I know!!!
Who's Arlo?
@@AutumnIsFalling331 he's a TH-camr that's a puppet www.youtube.com/@ArloStuff
@@AutumnIsFalling331 He's a game reviewer here on TH-cam, who is a puppet.
I'm not going to lie this game theory nearly had me in tears because honestly I grew up watching mr. Rogers Neighborhood as much as I've grown up watching shows like big comfy couch or Sesame Street along with many Muppet movies as a kid and seeing all this really brought me extreme nostalgic elements that made me realize what I want to do from here on out which is be myself.
As someone who lurk a lot on Twitter, this hit me a lot. I am legitimately in tears. I want the warm sun too.
Might wanna put down the bird app for a bit.
@@tristancummings5925Don’t you mean, X app?
This is the most heartwarming game theory video I ever watched
I like how he just glossed over the whole living puppets thing
Oh yeah, he did!
So did the game. Apperently they are completely normal for the world
The game did to. They just exist and are real things
You know, sometimes it just doesn't matter. Why can't we have living puppets for once without a gruesome murder?
My headcanon is that they are classical golems
Its really nice to see a mascot horror game that actually has something to say and uses the genre as a tool to tell it
i actually loved this game when the demo was being played, i hope it returns just as strongly.
I forgot to mention:
th-cam.com/video/bSAnCMfybqw/w-d-xo.html
Nice
it did
The game is out ya know?
Sometimes MapPat's way of always telling the stories in the most dramatical way possible pays off really well, and this is one of those cases
Dude, I love this game so much. It's mascot horror with some shred of individuality. Not saying that the other FNAF copies are bad in any way, just that I love the originality of this particular mascot horror game.
This isn’t a fnaf copy
I'm fully aware of that. I was referring to other games that fall under that umbrella. Sorry if that wasn't clear lol
@@DaraLindsey maybe you should rephrase because saying “the other fnaf copies” implies this is just a fnaf copy too
My phone is weird, so I would literally have to re-write the comment. I don't really think that's necessary, since if someone else sees that and thinks the same as you did, they can just read our conversation.
i honestly never expected a mascot horror game to have this much moral and sentimental value. i also didn't expect i'd cry over said game but here we are.
12:13 y'all should've included the line where this character tells you to put your hands in your mouth and "swallow as hard as you can" until your hands come off, that line specifically lowkey freaks me out 😭
The thing that sets this game's lore apart from other horror games, is that it has something we can take away from it.
St. Augustine being mentioned in a Game Theory video is... a well deserved inclusion 🙏
17:36 very spot on as well!
The way Matpat says their arms are stretched out "wide for a hug" makes me want to cry, the sadness in his voice 😭
Cried while watching a Game Theory, thank you MatPat, very cool
I was surprised and impressed with the topics this game touched on especially Gordon being essentially a Vietnam Veteran given how he responds to Ricky mocking and taunting him over the actions he did during the war.
The acknowledgement of the war really stuck with me, as an Afghanistan vet.
I really love this game and it’s message; The puppets aren’t inherently dark or scary, they are creatures who just want to teach kindness and optimism to the world, but it was the world that wanted things to be dark and scary; So the puppets wanted to share their optimism to the pessimistic world.
Here’s a short poem I came up with:
In the darkest of nights,
even the smallest of lights…
Shin as bright as a star,
because even from a far…
A spark can gleem,
And make hope seen.
Your poem reminds me of a bunny plaque I got at a thrift store! "A cheery thought, however tiny, helps to make a day sunshine-y!"
"These arms will carry me through the darkest nights"
i didn’t expect to like the poem, but that’s genuinely very cute, i like it
It’s like in stranger of paradise. “Cloaked in gloom, veiled by shadow, we await that fateful day when the warriors of light arise. Though their glow may be faint at first, even a sputtering candle is brilliant against the black of night.”
The message by Gordon on the sunlight hurting but leading us home appears to be a reference to Plato’s Cave Allegory, which focuses on escaping a cave of ignorance.
This game has a pretty powerful message; and while it doesn’t hit as close to home for me as some others, it still speaks to me. I try my best to keep a positive outlook on life, and in doing so, I try to avoid associating with negative things. I don’t watch drama shows, try to avoid the news, and especially don’t get involved in politics.
As a counter example, there was a coworker at my job that whenever we were working together, he would almost always start a conversation with talking about how the war was going or a similar topic, and I would mainly try to ignore it or change the subject. Then one day, I nicely asked him to stop talking about it, then I explained that ‘I might be ignorant about these things, but it’s better than being a Negative Nancy.’ And after that, he stopped bringing it up, at least around me.
The world needs positivity, especially in trying times, and I’m glad that this game is helping to spread that message.
One of the best mascot horror games, hands down. Such a beautiful and heartfelt message 🥰
There's also something you kind of touched on but didn't explicitly mention. General Rogers and his name likely isn't just random.
Fred Rogers, the man from Mister Roger's Neighborhood, was never in the military. He applied for it, but was eventually deemed unqualified. In the world of the game, Fred Rogers likely never got disqualified, and climbed the ranks, stealing another source of light in the bleak world..
YIKES. . . To Think there was an Alternate Universe where Mr. Rogers became a General in the Military instead of the Wholesome TV personality We Knew & Loved; and in the same timeline Where Sesame Street got Cancelled. . .
Just goes to show that In Spite of the World being a ****ed-up Place in our current Timeline in the 2020s; MFN shows how much WORSE we could've ended up; in a world without Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood OR Sesame Street!!
I love how this game brings up your moral values and actually makes you reflect on yourself rather than just being a mindless senseless horror game
Everyone is so happy its not another mascot horror and i agree its refreshing to see a take from what seems to be a cliche be taken in a fun direction where it makes you rhink
mat always makes me enjoy horror games with these videos
I forgot to mention:
th-cam.com/video/bSAnCMfybqw/w-d-xo.html
I like that
But his theories aren't always right
translate 🙂
ฉันจะสมัครรับข้อมูลใครก็ตามที่สมัครรับข้อมูลฉันและชอบความคิดเห็นนี้ ...,,,
Well they are theory’s not fact octoh, so he might be wrong and he might be right.
never heard of this game and i already love the message its trying to tell. we really don't have enough of it these days
I always wondered why the puppets only knock you over. I like this a lot
Seeing Mister Rogers mentioned in the video and alluded to in the game warms my heart a lot, he’s an incredible icon and if anyone wishes there’s a statue of him in Pittsburgh I highly recommend to visit in order to say hello to our neighbor ❤
I’m not gonna lie, this is probably the best message you’ve ever given us. Don’t loose it either man.
Omg, this is literally your first video that has ever made me cry. The world really needs love right now.
12:31 not an expert, but this sounds like some serious PTSD. And I thought I had issues. ❤
11:57 honestly thats just albert playing roblox paradise with his admin commands
True 🤣🤣🤣
It roughly sounded like him too
Finally, I've watched let's plays of this game, Some from Mark, but I was expecting a game theory video sooner.
So I forgot to mention:
th-cam.com/video/bSAnCMfybqw/w-d-xo.html
Yes
Man's been busy. Hell he played Ruin on gtlive from a hotel room
i'm reading st. augustine's confessions right now! I never realized how... accurate? to this game it is. that's fascinating! thank you for this matpat
this is refreshing and wholesome. that's all i have to say. thank you Matpat.
This is amazing to hear and a great reminder as someone who grew up in a very dysfunctional environment and still survives in a nuclear family. I often feel like I'm broken because of all the bad things that happened to me throughout my childhood. I see things through a realistic lense but still want to see things from the optimist lense
No matter what matpat always has the answer to everything he has seen but no it is crazy how he did it!!
you liked your own comment
@@DaRealMrGun6 times?
@@themagnificentsansandmylaz4115 no I looked at newest when the comment was posted 7 seconds ago
@@DaRealMrGunEveryone should upvote their own comment, because if they don't like it, whyd they post it? 😆
@@abdallahhakeem5185 upvote??? This is youtube...
Speaking of puppets welcome home is finally back up. Nobody finds hidden lore like you do I'm sure you'll find a lot of it with the new update 🙃 I love how they added voice recordings of the characters because it really gives them a lot of personality
4:20 ''omg sesame street went woooke!''
This isn't a theory; this is exactly what the devs are trying to tell us.
So... A game fact?
@@letsreadtextbook1687 Unfortunately for MatPat, yes.
11:37 Fun fact about the voice direction: The voice director, Brendan Blaber (AKA Jelloapocalypse) when casting Gordin said to sound "like this is not out of the ordinary at all, and in this world you could just find living puppets around"
I Mean; It's Just like how NOBODY Questions how the Muppets are alive in their Movies; THEY JUST ARE!! THE SAME SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF IS PRESENT IN THE UNIVERSE OF "MY FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD"
this entire video made me cry towards the end.
14:49 whenever i get on that ramp and just look at the corrupted puppets, they just remind me of the aliens from mars attacks!
Probably the most accurate theory he's made so far. I'm impressed.
No
Of course is accurate because it isn't even a theory, he's just summarizing the story of the game.
To a non-american like myself, actually learning US history through Game Theory is amazing. My school, and I assume most schools of my country, focused a lot more on european history, which I think is a mistake. Learning world history is as important nowadays as learning about local and semi-local history.
I just finished this game and I enjoyed it. I felt the ending was a bit fast and came out of nowhere but it was satisfying. This game was refreshing and I really liked having Arlo voice Ricky.
Matpat's videos are always a sight for sore eyes.
So I forgot to mention:
th-cam.com/video/bSAnCMfybqw/w-d-xo.html
❤
Or ears
translate 🙂
ฉันจะสมัครรับข้อมูลใครก็ตามที่สมัครรับข้อมูลฉันและชอบความคิดเห็นนี้ ...,,,
Amen brother (or sister or something else listen I don’t judge ok I literally have a trans sibling)
14:11 Just like how darkness is the absence of light
Wow... first indie mascot horror game that's... honestly so deep and wholesome when you deep dive. This theory really left a warm feeling of my heart and of coursed let me reflect on the world today and what to do myself.
It’s nice to have a game (especially if it’s suppose to be in the horror genre) shed some light on more meaningful and positive outlets, instead of just focusing on the basic scare elements.
The world needs that refresher, even if it’s a tiny speck.
Wow.
That was... something I did not expect from a horror game. I don't really like horror games, but I may play this one at some point.
Its... just a beautiful message.