The Game That Uses ꌗꌩꂵꉣꍏ꓄ꃅꌩ To Terrify You
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- Опубліковано 13 лип 2024
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Today, I want to talk about language barriers… And more specifically, how games and other media can use them to terrify you in some truly gut wrenching ways. Because when it is used in a story like this, it’s rarely as black and white as just “oh this is spooky”, there is a deep tragic sorrow in not understanding another and feeling as though fear or violence is the only answer. Nier Replicant especially, portrays this beautifully. Let’s talk about it.
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Sympathy for The Devil (0:00)
Real quick, Atlas VPN! (2:04)
Lost In Translation (3:30)
The Uncanny Ambiguity (7:19)
How Nier Breaks You (14:21)
Yoko Taro's Hidden Message (19:52)
The Last Guardian (21:05)
Understanding Another (27:12)
Don't forget the post credit scene! (28:55)
▶Games Shown
Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020)
NieR:Automata (2017)
Ghost of Tsushima (2020)
Resident Evil 4 (2023)
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD (2017)
Pokemon Colosseum (2003)
NieR Replicant Ver 1.22 (2021)
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (2019)
Undertale (2015)
The Last Guardian (2016)
Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire (2003)
Mass Effect (2007)
Drakengard 3 (2013)
Madden NFL 21 (2020)
Street Fighter 6 (2023)
▶Movies/TV/Anime Shown
No One Will Save You (2023)
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (2023)
Heavenly Delusion (2023)
House of the Dragon (2022)
Arrival (2016)
The Iron Giant (1999)
Home Alone (1990)
Home Alone 2 (1992)
Courage The Cowardly Dog (Doesn’t matter, you’re old)
Scooby Doo On Zombie Island (1998)
War of the Worlds (2005)
▶Media/Clips/Considerations:
• Language Viddy
▶Music Sources (in Order):
13 Sentinels : Aegis Rim OST - Sneaking Suspicions
Kurotokage - Black Hair
MARAN - thalassophobia // Ambient Music
( • thalassophobia // Ambi... )
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker OST - Sage Laruto
NieR Replicant OST - The Ultimate Weapon
Serial Experiments Lain OST - Loneliness 1b
Serial Experiments Lain OST - Deus’ Theme
Signalis OST - Turned Around
Drakengard OST - Turning Back
Drakengard OST - Better End
IRON LUNG OST - Amid Bones
NieR Replicant OST - This Dream
The Last Guardian OST - The Tower/Overture
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker OST - Inside the Pirate Ship
The Last Guardian OST - Forest
The Last Guardian OST - Hanging Gardens
The Last Guardian OST - Flashback
Nier Replicant OST - Kainé / Salvation
▶Research Sources
On the nature of creepiness
scottbarrykaufman.com/wp-cont...
tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
Nier Replicant's Yoko Taro is done trying to change the world
www.tomsguide.com/news/nier-r...
Fumito Ueda on The Last Guardian
• Fumito Ueda on The Las...
Drakengard 3 -- Philosophies of Violence
• Drakengard 3 -- Philos... - Ігри
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And as always, thank you for watching the show! I'm extremely proud of this one, I hope you enjoy :)
Scam
@@Jan12700 Not everything is a scam, sometimes deals are just that good
@@Jan12700 Not every deal is a scam, sometimes deals are just that good: understand first before you criticize
Great video... You didn't capitalise the R in NieR...
maybe you will find interesting Chants of Sennaar an game about tranlation
"You don't have to be insane to kill someone. You just have to think you're right."
That hit me like a freight train.
sent chills down my spine
I know no one will care, but my mind immediately went to Cain and Abel...
It's quite obvious, no?
People have killed for religion since dawn of time. Were they insane? All of them? Or... Did they just think they're right?
How about killing for territory? For food? For survival?
All killing is done with the presupposition of "I am not doing a wrong thing here."
Sounds familiar eh?😅
@@RosheenQuynh Some people care. I know there's often a knee-jerk reaction of disapproval when you bring up something like this, but the people who are fine with it are often silent, I think.
Daryl, I know you're nervous about how this video will perform, but this is yet another time where you struck gold. Good work!
Much appreciated!
@@DarylTalksGames Nier has been my favorite story since the very first time I played it. Thank you for using it as an example in this video. Quality stuff as usual!
@@DarylTalksGames beautiful writing and editing, dude. Got me tearing up.
@@BookUnbinder me too, at a few parts
you genuinely made me almost cry with the neir section. id never even heard of that game before@@DarylTalksGames
"Horible things are justified when you think you're right".... that is wisdom beyond simple words
The entirety of religion summed up in a single sentence. I've always wondered how many people would be religious if there was no promise of an afterlife... And most people ARE religious because they want an afterlife. So wouldn't that mean most people are religious for selfish reasons? Fear and uncertainty are primary drivers for religious people (fear of death). A far cry from the love and tolerance most of their saviors and prophet's preach...
how is it selfish? i dont get it @@Zidbits
i mean we believe that there is an afterlife so we work for it.
I'm scared of hell so I try not to do bad things(in my prescriptive) , I want @@Zidbits to go to heaven so I do good things
@@Zidbits *Hot take:* Religion is the world's biggest and most righteous weapon of mass divisions. You bringing up religion and its fire is the prime example here.
i don't care what outcome i get in the afterlife, i have suffered and almost have died many times, and God has helped me get through those painful times in ways only i could only begin to imagine. i don't practice my religion for selfish reasons, i do it because it has given me everything good in my life, how am i supposed to allow someone to take such great burdens from me, while also giving me the greatest moments of my life, and simply go about my business, that is true sulfishness. @@Zidbits
One thing that I love about NIER is that while the new context adds tragedy the game doesn't just turn around and go "Look you're the REAL monster here!" It asks you to reflect on your actions. I've had several experiences where a game tries to do that, and I end up feeling indignant. Especially when the game creates a scenario where you only choice is to do the stupid/evil thing to progress only to immediately condemn you for it.
Exactly. That was my experience with The Last of Us 2. Overall, I enjoyed the game, but there were so many times when it forced me to do things that were obviously wrong and I was like "wait I don't wanna do this", only for the game to later be like "SEE WHAT YOU DID, YOU MONSTER?" while I was like "YOU MADE ME DO IT".
@@mrtruman4339 My list of rules of game design includes the rule "Never punish the player for doing what the game expects of them". The human brain is wired to seek closure, and video games are designed, at their core, to be a method of entertaining the player by setting up an uncertain situation and then resolving it - whether that be through narrative or gameplay. The act of deliberately ripping that closure from the player, by making them do something that they would never have normally done and then berating them for not seeking an alternative solution that the game itself knows does not exist, is a waste of the player's time and the narrative equivalent of the writer jerking themselves off. That's why everyone still makes fun of the ending of Far Cry 5.
>Game devs be like "you're the real monster"
>My brother in Christ you made the game
Yes, and no matter who you side with, you're both in the right and wrong. Both have the right over their bodies and the right to try and kill for them if it's necessary, but at the same time they're negating the rights of the other side.
"And so the COWARDLY vault dweller SELFISHLY refused to kill himself in the irradiation chamber and instead sent in his friend who is completely immune to radiation. What an asshole."
I really enjoyed Undertale, but I think the "twist" in the end is kind of overrated because of this. I realized early you could choose to not fight many enemies, so I tried to do that sometimes. The issue was that the game had enemies you had to fight, and it was sometimes hard, so when you play it for the first time you kind of have to kill some enemies so you can level up. I was a bit annoyed at the end when I was accused of killing needlessly.
One game you didnt mention is Lies of P at the start a lot of the enemy bosses start speaking to you in static, sometimes desperately or angrily hinting something at you at the second playthrough the voices become readable and you realise the situation is not so black and white.
Lies of P does this super well in that all the puppet text in that game is just heavily stylized normal text. If you squint really hard at it, you can actually read it, which makes it extremely uncanny when you catch a glimpse of what you think might be actual words. Though actually trying to read it will probably get you killed in a boss fight.
Ya it’s another aspect of fromsoft games that they took and executed very well with their own spin on it.
Yes! I was thinking this the whole time, really made NG+ feel different and some beats (scrapped watchmen, Romeo) hit me in the feels...
@@therobber0601 hey im going to die anyways why not sit there staring at the cursed text
@@loganressler9173 istg, fighting Romeo for the second time was fucking heartbreaking... why can't there be a secret ending where you don't have to kill him??? 7o7
I think an added point of the creepiness in an ambiguous threat is that that "possible treuce" stance would force you to make a choice and were always afraid to make a wrong choice. Whereas if it keeps chasing you, youre scared but you know running and fighting for your life are the right choice.
If you accept the "truce" and are wrong, you could die or be seriously injured. If you don't accept it you just threw away likely your only shot for peace
That’s why the oldest and primal fear of humans is the fear of the unknown. Alternatively, knowing too much is also bad cuz when your brain knows too much it will try to unalive itself, just look at how the rate of suicide has blown up ever since the internet was popularized. These two are connected because the fear of the unknown is amplified when you know a lot of information, especially when that unknown breaks all the rules that you’ve set from the knowledge you’ve accumulated because you realize that you are helpless against that unknown until you figure it out.
Serious stuff aside, what I just described is literally me at 3am having an existential crisis from knowing that someday we won’t be able to see stars anymore.
Did anyone ever figure out why the alien was making that pose? Did the director/writer say? Or is it just left ambiguous?
@@Zidbits Or it's just for the Rule of Spook and Rule of Depth.
Im lost. Is this a movie? If so what is the name? Is this a video game? Then, what is the name?
10:36 _suddenly has a nostalgia blast and starts singing along_
10:45 Yes my dude, you did unlock some good memories!
Terror that makes you feel bad is honestly the best kind of terror, because it leaves a sickening feeling that only gets worse and worse, until the fear of yourself is worse than the fear of the "monster"
Language barriers are genuinely so scary in sci fi, but are also a great way to create tragedy. Arrival is so terrifying because it feels (at least linguistically) possible
Enders Game Moment
I remember when I was volunteering in a middle eastern country, It was always frighteningly ambiguous when we were trying to communicate with armed guards, because we don’t know which faction they really belong too, and they knew a lot more English then they would have us believe.
Lol so I'm Ethiopian and i was trying to figure out what you wrote in Amharic until I realized you used the language letters to write the word in English with the letters. ሐዘኔታ this is how you spell sympathy properly.
ooh, thanks for the "translation"
Oh, so that's what it was. I was so confused because I read it as the literal pronunciation "nehatyelpzeha" and I was like that's not even a word
Thanks for clearing it up!
@@user-sl6gn1ss8p yeah no worries!
@@tsinu7722 yeah it caught me off guard to. I think the first na doesn't look enough like S in my opinion so it really throws off the rest of the word after that lol
To me, this feels like that one day on Twitter where people used Amharic letters as “cursed text” smh, but I can’t actually read Amharic so thanks for the info lol
Edit: he changed the title
This is gorgeous.
That concluding line really struck me- it’s one thing to say “go and seek,” and another to say “look, THIS is what you will find.” Stories help us do both, but there’s something so precious about an experience that acknowledges the darkness and despair of ambiguity, while choosing to elevate its wonder and beauty, as the unknown becomes known. It’s a mature and hopeful response that I think I really needed to hear.
In other words, thank you so much for creating and sharing!
That dream about games inspiring change and making the world a better place, where we better understand each other is a dream worth chasing. Games have the unique potential to make you experience something you otherwise never could, but feel like its happening to you. And some games have managed to do that. Two of my favorites being Celeste and CrossCode. And I wish that more games achieve it in the future.
Understanding each other is easier, when we speak the language of the person on the other side. Language barrier is not neccessarily about Alien vs Human, it starts in Human and Human. Both just having vastly different life experiences. Well written stories enable us get out of our perceived world view and boundaries, to see the world with different eyes and understand the struggles other people face. If only more people would see the value of that.
Thanks for the video. It was really beautiful and spot on
But is it?
People dont change, generations do, and even then it is as a result of a lot of enviromental conditions, and to be quite fair, games as a medium is still only prevalent in the west and it still has a quite bad stigma attached to it, you are trying to dig a mountain with a spoon.
And even if you could change, are you sure you are sending the right message?
That what your goals arent just another step in another's persons plan?
That you are just being usefull to another person?
It aint for nothing but these aspirations are exactly what i am wary of, when you think you are good, and i mean good of heart and soul and incorruptible, you give yourself the license to commit horrors.
The road of good doesnt start by changing the world it starts by recognizing your nature, and improving the lifes of those you care without harming others if possible, maybe when everyone starts thinking that way the world will be a better place.
@@lelagrangeeffectphysics4120 A pure and perfect world will never be possible so long as the seeds of inhumanity inhabit mankind; that being those things which cause people to be incapable of empathy with one another. Some of them are sociological and could have been averted by growing up in a better, kinder world than the one they did.
But there are still those out there mutated in the mind beyond recognition even at birth; psychopaths. As long as that gene exists in our genepool humanity can never create their ideal world because they contain their own nemesis. And those individuals are uniquely suited to take advantage of a kind world and twist the goodwill of others to give them power. And equally well-suited to evade punishment and elimination if their existence were to become a crime. That's *how* we got to this point in the first place.
No amount of effort to better the world matters if those who will inherit it cannot maintain it.
How tf did you make this
The lows I felt followed by the highs I felt? This video belongs in a museum
Emotional roller coaster huh? Mission accomplished 🙏🏼
@@DarylTalksGames Boom 👊🏻 😎 👏🏻 🙌🏻
If you thought the T-pose was interesting, wait until you've seen the Y-pose 😳
Great video as always! :)
\[T]/
Sunbro?
Praise the sun.
\[T]/
[Make Contact Gesture]
I have no idea how you manage this but whenever I watch your videos I end up in tears, your voice, the topics you touch, the passion you put into the script and the message that you are relaying, It is for some reason just so moving to me. Nier Replicant is one of my favorite games and especially when I see you post a video about a game that I like I get excited and whenever I see a game that you mention that piques my interest I try it out before actually continuing the video no matter how long it takes. I just want you to know I appreciate you and you inspire me.
Same mate. Same.
Yoko Taro made me cry so many times by now, I finally should hold him accountable...
Marvelous video by the way. Great work!
His purehearted hope to change the world and feeling guilt that he's still failed to do so resonates deeply with my soul.
"And it's terror! time again!" When you mentioned that movie, I went on a train of thought that led me to thinking about how, as we get older, we constantly look for stuff like that that surprises us as much as when we were kids: but then when we find stuff that doesn't do that, our knee-jerk reaction ends up saying that it's shit and thus the passage of time is acknowledged and we feel it on our face
very good point! you'll find that children who don't have as much media exposure as adults do will be completely enamored by all the things we'd consider to be "tropey" or "unoriginal"
@@Phanox Exactly!
I relish seeing tropes honestly. Even though I’ve seen it before it’s not like the characters have
I recall a short little 2 panel comic around the time that generation 5 of pokemon came out.
The first panel was a five year old girl, dressed as Red, with a Squirtle she named Bubbles, happily chanting about how much fun they're going to have, the second panel was the same girl, now 13, with a Mijumaru named Jacob, and her going "really.. damn you suck. Whatever, let's go."
the text under the comic read "Pokemon isn't getting worse, you're just getting older."
Same kinda vibe I feel like. We turn to the things that captivated us as kids, but we'll never get that same wonder back.
Sort of related: You should play Outer Wilds (NOT "The Outer Worlds"! Very different game!)
Don't look it up. Don't check out reviews or anything. The more you know about the game the less it can surprise you, so just download and play and be surprised. ;)
The story of Louise is just tragedy. (Huge spoiler for Nier Replicant)
Every shade was once a human, and all the human are vessel that gain consciousness. The shade can become human again by inhabiting the vessels.
Louise cant.
She has no vessel.
She IS not human. And she will never be.
She is stuck as a Shade, she will never be able to talk with the postman, laugh with him, be understood.
And damn, it made me cry man. Just give love to this little girl.
Sad backstory, still murder though
And that comes back wit Simone on Automata. It didn't matter if she communicated, researched, killed or sung. Jean-Luc didn't care for anyone, and she threw her life and countless others away to find out something 9S and 2B guess in a simple sidequest.
Yeah a bomb that can walk and talk is still a bomb, though arguably more volatile.
@kacecrimson8297 all the point of the vido is to show that language is a barrier that you can overcome.
A bomb that talk if you can understand it, can be convince to never explode.
A bomb that talk but you will never understand it will talk
@@SomeoneLon yeah cause you can totally not manage to piss it off or you realize its unreasonable. You might set it off with the wrong statement you dont know the damage the bomb has. Let alone it just lying to you.
The only way for it to never go off is to take it apart. Otherwise it can always just change its mind.
and no the point of the video is that a language barrier is truly horrifying and tragic because the outcome is never certain. There is value in trying to overcome the barrier but there is always probability of failure.
25:58 "Treeko, just listen to me buddy. I need you to -ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" XD
I did not expect "No One Can Save You" at all in the video, I didn't think much of the movie, but I'm glad you were able to because you got something beautiful and gut punching topic out of it.
Such an amazing prompt to dissect and talk about.
Nier Replicant and Automata changed me as a person, improved me. I became a much more understanding person trying to communicate with people instead of being black and white and resorting to violence like I used too. I made many friends and I’ve become a much happier person than the resentful, angry person I used to be. I will forever be grateful to Yoko Taro and his games. Without him I wouldn’t be the person I am today.
Sadly it's the Opposite Happening in Europe due to the Illegal Migrant Crisis where European Kindness is seen by what some call "Invaders" as a weakness to be taken advantage of.
I won't be surprised if after the Idiot Politicians policies the Europe after that Era will be super Xenophobic.
Nier Replicant and Automata are still, and will always be, my favorite pieces of human creation ever made. Each is so damn important, and has clearly touched and changed many peoples lifes. Myself included.
@IllyasArt I just came from the LA concert that happened yesterday. I'm so proud to be a fan of this series.
It hooked me in with Automata and I've enjoyed my stay ever since.
I will say though that of all the games I've ever played, ones including gacha mechanics and paid item shops that are meant to milk players of all their money. None of them get a cent from me. But Automata, a game that has no microtransactions or pay walls, has gotten me to spend well over 20,000$ on its merchandise/the series merchandise. All on the merits of how amazing the game itself was.
These games exist in their own spectrum where they don't push the envelope technologically, and they don't achieve anything super new and advanced. They come out at times where they don't get fully appreciated because of how ahead of their time or even timeless they are.
Modern day body positivity, learning to accept and love yourself despite your flaws, not being prejudiced to those you don't understand, gay rights, Trans rights? Replicant/gestalt did all that stuff 12 years ago. It did it respectfully and in a dignified way of not making it important to the entire game or being what the characters stood for as people, but made them small parts of the journey.
Replicant was 12 years ahead of its time doing things that games today fail to do when going out of their way to be overly politically correct and safe.
12 years old and it's messages are more relevant than ever.
NieR:Automata? A timeless game. A story and cast of characters dealing with existential crisis's and going through ungodly amounts of suffering despite how meaningless it all is. Automata has themes, narrative and a story that will always be relevant as long as humanity still exists. It's a timeless masterpiece in every meaning of the phrase.
Make a damn, damn, DAMN good game like Automata or replicant, success and praise will follow you into the video game hall of fame, because that's where you'll be if you make a game as good as these.
SPOILERS FOR ENDING E OF AUTOMATA!!!
Definitely my experience as well. I'm not proud of who I was before playing the nier games. I wasn't nice, I wasn't kind, I wasn't hopeful, I had no idea what to do with my life. My first nier game was nier automata and ending E made me rethink... everything. The way I've treated others, the way I treated myself, the way I approached life. It was all wrong, all twisted, and it was like I received the hardest slap of my entire life when the game asked me "are you sure? Your entire game data will be lost. You may end up helping horrible people, people you don't agree with. Despite this, are you sure you want to give up your save file?" That's the moment that changed me fundamentally as a person. I replayed automata 3 times after that. And then the replicant remake came out and I played and replayed that one until I knew all the notes in all the songs present in the game. Until I knew kaine's voice lines by heart.
These games changed me in ways I could've never changed on my own. I can't say I'm a great person, I'm still not proud of myself and still try to improve everyday, but now there's hope, something I've always lacked before. The hope comes from knowing that the pods reconstruct the androids at the end of the game, knowing that things may end up just as badly, if not worse, yet they have hope that things might just turn out differently. I owe my career and betterment as a person to yoko taro and I bet he doesn't even know how much these games have helped people
glad you learned how to not be a piece of shit like too many are now a days. odd to me it came from a video game BUT as long as you learned. that is the true gold to it.
lies of P also did the nier thing, eventually you get an upgrade that translates the corrupted puppet speech and it all tells you stuff that you eventually find out as a big 'twist' late in the plot
The "horror of misunderstanding" is shown incredibly well in the Sparrow book.
Which book?
Sorry, there are lots of books with sparrow and I really want to read the one you're referencing
I think I know what you’re referring to here. Book where an expedition of explorers, including some kind of priest/religious figure, travels to a distant planet and has interactions with the native species?
@@TheLiberater13 Yep, they were a group of a religious movement called Jesuits. Only one survived and this is due to cultural misunderstandings. he agreed to something he misunderstood and only realized it while recovering back on Earth.
I don't know that I've EVER done this before, but your first two minutes got me so interested in NOWSY that I paused the video and watched it immediately. What a masterpiece. Only spoken words came at the hour and 9 minute mark and were exactly what they needed to be. I know it was very well received and I'm the one late to it, but what a good fucking movie.
In nier automata too, although MUCH less ambiguous, the "This Cannot Continue" scene disturbs you in a way that not many games can. Looking at the weird humanoid machines just... imitating humans like that, for seemingly no reason too... It fucked with me lol.
God, I hate artists and philosophers. But I especially hate artists who think they're philosophers. _Especially_ east asian ones, who seem to just exude the most pompousness.
@@yaqubebased1961 This feels sarcastic and I hope your being sarcastic for my sake and yours...
@@yaqubebased1961it's the racism
That is literally one of my favorite moments in the game. I still randomly say it because it was kind of catchy but when I think about it im like damn , this universe sucks for everyone.
First of all, absolute masterpiece from start to finish, watching the video felt like casually being dropped a full feature movie on existentialism and made me realize things I didn't know I need but I really did. And I can without a doubt say you did NieR justice and I feel this way rarely nowadays. Not just the script itself, but the story-telling in the editing, the freaking gorgeous thumbnail, the voice acting with the dramatic pauses at just the right moments that give you a second to process something so simple and natural as a concept, yet sometimes so distant to us.
It's impressive how you made me feel the same emotions from playing Replicant tens of hours in just barely tens of minutes. I often think about how some people may never play the game but they might get the story spoiled. I now hope they find your video first because I think this would be the second best option of experiencing and understanding Yoko Taro's ideas besides going through the motions yourself. I feel like your narrative, the way you structure it and the connections between different media and real life made the story even more beautiful; after all, it's what we learn through human connection that reaches us the most.
Thank you so much ❤️
Talking as someone who may(?) never play the game. I saw once my mate playing Automata on his laptop, and the number of the ending list shown back on the screen was kind of daunting to me, so I decided this series isn't for me.
Now that I saw several references to it, I might want to come around, despite being already spoiled fwiw
This reminds me of one time I was watching a friend play some horror game.
Him >> "That girl there, she's the bad guy. She's, like, super evil"
Me >>> "Maybe she's just misunderstood."
Him >> "She ate someone's face."
I was watching this while coming up with ideas for a game I might want to make.
I can’t say how well this changed my outlook on how something should be organized to truly invoke thought-provoking media. It expanded my idea for how a world should be built around a character, not a “main” character who is faultless and completely virtuous.
Thank you so much for this video; it was truly a captivating watch for every second, and I hope to use the actual notes I’ve taken in accordance with my game ideas to craft something more worthwhile.
Me too. I've had this game in my mind for like 5 years now that my friend convinced me to expand on and actually try making. The game I want to make is very similar to shadow of the colossus, another game that makes you feel bad for killing. My idea was destroying giants mechs on different planets. The more I think about my idea and compare it to games like the ones mentioned in this video and my now better understanding of SotC, I realize that my idea is going to be really hard to make it work emotionally, which is what will really make people remember the game. I want to build a prototype but I don't know anymore if my game can leave the same kind of emotional impact without coming up with a completely different way of doing it.
28:41 a really good game that explores the idea of an inability to communicate and learning to understand is Chants of Sennaar. Chants of Sennaar takes place in a tower filled with people who speak languages you cannot understand, and as you make your way towards the top you slowly translate these languages, gaining an understanding of the cultures of each group of people. By the time I finished the game I found myself having some idea of what a character said before I checked the translation.
God I loved that game, One of my favorite moments is this mini-arc between the Devotees and the Soldiers, how the game kinda tricks you into thinking the Soldiers are evil but in reality they ADORE music so much that they formed their entire religion and dogma based on protecting the Bards because they knew how to make music, and the very moment that you connect their races and make them realize the Devotees also make music, they immediately open the gates letting them pass no hesitation, and you can see them just chillin in the entrance enjoying some tunes.
So, basically a "conventillo"
This was beautiful, and it reminded me of one bugbear i have with people and undertale.
Obvs, a major theme is about not reacting with violence every time you havr conflict. But a thing that people do not talk about as much as i think they should is that...undertale is about communication.
The monsters are attacking you because they have no idea wtf you are really, all they know is that humans are dangerous and they have to get their soul to survive.
Frisk, and by extension the player, has to react to that hosilty with patience and a willingness to understand what each monster actually is saying, what they need or want. Thats what the checks are for, thats why it feels like a puzzle. Communication is pretty much a puzzle, but the solution has to be cooperative. You need to listen and understand, and they need to see your actions and words for what they are.
The most violent encounters you have (undyne, flowey, asgore) are becausr they are not listening and will not choose to communicate. They act because they believe they are right.
The one time you opponent doesnt shut up, and uses language against you...is the one where your intentions have been heard loud and clear: Sans.
So idk i just felt the need to bring this up since you mentioned undertale, and i felt like it should be clear that it actually is ALSO about what youre talking about here. Empathy and communication, as they are the only way peace can ever be achieved.
I'd like to see a game where major enemies are fought many times and have to become better people by learning to understand the player's motivations rather than the other way around. Why does it always have to be the player who has to react to hostility with patience? Placing the impetus on the player to do all the work of communicating reminds me too much of real-life situations dealing with narcissists and feels like bashing my head against a brick wall. (My apologies if I sound frustrated, I just work very hard to understand people in real life, so it would be nice to see a game that stresses the importance of the other person's contributions.)
Besides, when you commit an act of violence in most video games, especially older ones, the game makes it clear that you are justified in doing so - not because you're the protagonist or because you need to in order to continue the game, but because the ENEMIES are the ones who refuse to communicate.
@@TiltedGlassesMedia I think its because our actions are the one thing we can really control, and most games are based on your character as an agent of change in some form. You are the one that interacts with the world. And in real life everyone is in the position of the player, in first person, interacting with others. It gives the player a lesson they can carry for themselves, while if you simply expect other people to improve, it brings nothing. Of course not everyone will be willing to communicate, thats reality, unfortunately, and I agree we cannot put all the weight of contribution in ourselves. But these games try to bring a lesson of comprehension to the player, a provocation, so we can improve and reflect on our doings.
i didn't play a second playthrough because the first one felt like a regular story about a boy who want to save his sister. i didn't know it was that deep
I've always loved your videos but man, this one just hit different. The pacing, editing and just the general vibe were absolutely fantastic. Massive props to you!
I'm happy to see Nier Replicant getting more coverage.
The first playthrough at Emil's mansion was so creepy. Especially on a big 27" screen you can see all those spooky details.
I think in this context, one of the thing that most effected me is Emil. I saw Emil's after body even before knowing Nier series. It was scary, a monster that I thought it's impossible to love or sense empathy, but after playing Nier replicant, seeing what he went through, how he scared and how Nier comforted him, He became one of my comfort and one of the most loved characters.Just one scene and one communication can change things a lot and Yoko did it so awesome.
this is the first video I've ever watched from you and, let me tell you my first impressions: you have some great intuition, you're timing is impecable and you have a creative standpoint. Good job, will probably be sticking around
It has been quite a while since I found a video essay that I could truly find myself immersed in, talking about a topic I knew nothing about no less. I will be sure to subscribe and check out your other videos.
Thank you for giving me the satisfaction of discovery in UA-cam that I felt long lost.
The Nier series really is about mutual understanding and communication and discovering meaning in a senseless world and I’m glad you were able to distill that in the discussion you had about Replicant (Nier Automata is one of my favorite games of all times and has essentially identical themes). Even to the point that Taro was inspired by a Coke machine that brought communication between two warring nations, which is another microcosm of the themes he really cares about creating stories for.
NieR Automata broke me as a person, and made me really introspective on what made life worth living. Lagged on playing Replicant after Ending A, prob gonna pick it back up soon, but I'm so happy the series is getting the recognition it deserves.
If a game broke you how did you make it to this point without breaking down and died
@@arran4285 What a weird thing to say. Any media can have very powerful messages that make us contemplate life on a larger scale even if "just game", "just movie", "just book"...
I definitely recommend playing through all of Nier Replicant’s endings! There aren’t nearly as many as Automata, and won’t take as long to do… parts of it will seem repetitive, but I think it’s plenty rewarding and well worth it… also there are parts that will especially be appreciated by those who have played Automata (but only if you go all the way) 😁
@@sarcasm-83 While I agree its a weird thing to say, I can understand someone asking why Nier. Nothing against Nier, but it feels like an amalgamation of ideas and elements mostly from niche Japanese series. Less like "derivative nothing special" and more like a love letter and curation of many of the most interesting ideas in one curated easy to recommend package. I just think in some ways it gets more recognition then it deserves? Or rather not that it gets too much, but the things its a love letter to deserve some of it too.
@@elk3407 Keep in mind most gamers don't really read books or consume the classics. I feel the same way you do, when you have popular videos calling Nier Automata the most profound video game of all time; it just makes me think that this medium still has a long way to go.
Absolutely fantastic video. These are stories we absolutely need as a society, and for someone whose greatest joys are to be found in understanding others and being understood in return, I'm very grateful to you for bringing more light to them. They're spread out, hidden in different mediums and behind barriers of time, effort, and media, so it's unlikely many people will never see enough of them to really begin to understand how wonderful they are. I'm truly grateful to you for gathering them together, and drawing attention to them.
Another instance of the obstacle of understanding needing to be conquered in order to succeed that I thought of while watching the video was Kate, from Life is Strange. You're pushed to dislike her from the beginning. To find her pushy, judgemental, boring, and hypocritical. Yet, she tries to engage with you, and it's up to you whether to reciprocate, or not. Either way will have a drastic effect on the game going forward, and you have to live with those decisions, now re-contextualized. I loved that moment.
...of course you could also just become frustrated, use a guide, ruin the whole thing, and learn nothing, but maybe even that might make someone think more deeply down the line.
Love the message of the Last Guardian you put at the beginning and the end of the video. Perfect illustration of your video!
A game never had that much of an impact on me like nier replicant, and nier automata did. Going in blind was the most intense experience I've ever felt in a video game. There are many gems out there that I have yet to find and play, but these two have changed me forever. That's what I seek in games (other than grinding non-stop in monster hunter, we all need to relax lol)
You managed to make me cry a bit during this video, good job. I realized that it wasn't possible for me to experience nier all over again for the first time.
Great video as always
I really should just go and push though that game, I have owned it for a many number of years but never managed to get though it
Daryl, from the bottom of my heart...
Thank you for unlocking the scooby doo song from my memory 😂
This feels like such a beautiful video. I haven't played Last Guardian or NieR Replicant, but Outer Wilds and Armored Core VI made me question those things too and it has been some of the most thought provoking and engaging storytelling I've ever experienced. I'll have to play NieR and Last Guardian! Thank you for making this
i just discovered this channel and UGHHH it’s so gooood!! i’ve been watching these videos all day
yet another BANGER !! although i know nothing of the last guardian, i saw a lot of traits in trico as i see in my dog. i was scared of him at first, but we've grown to be quite the duo, even though neither of us really ever understands each other. what a good video.
I also didnt know about The Last Guardian but I need to go find it I think. totally up my alley.
Cats are better than dogs.
@@emmjaygames i have only seen clips and heard some music. im sort of tempted to try it, just to see it for myself
@@Based_Gigachad_001 at least you're on brand, stranger
@@abandoned__ It's a fact that cats are more affectionate and loyal.
Not gonna lie, it took me almost until the end of the video to recognize the text in the title says "Sympathy."
That rapidly recontextualized the video. Mad props for the creativity.
As a puzzle enjoyer, I figured it out before realizing NieR characters were in the thumbnail
Had to click after that!
the analysis you gave about the shades broke me to tears man ... these themes get me every time .... ugh ... also u mentioned Heavenly Delusion and The Last Guardian ... impeccable tastes ... *me typing this while my eyes are still watery*
Do you know that feeling when you have experienced something for a while and it took you ages to realize that is a favorite but once it clicks that it is, it is a warm feeling? That is me with your channel. You are one of my favorite UA-camrs and I am only now realizing it after watching a good amount of your videos.
my favorite example of "person who is creepy but is actually trying to help/protect you" is Boo Radley in "To Kill a Mockingbird". both the original book by Harper Lee and the film starring Gregory Peck are excellent and I highly recommend that anyone who has not read the book or seen the movie should do so immediately.
MAN, thanks for being specific about what you were going to spoil from individual stories. I'm near the end of Nier Replicant, so I was going to skip the section entirely until I noticed the spoiler message. Great content as always, cheers.
I recently discovered your channel and I have to say that this video genuinely moved me so much that it left me in tears. It once again shows how beautiful and important video games can be as a form of art and how successful they can be at driving home a powerful message. What a wonderful video as always Daryl ❤
This was a very fascinating video. I've always been a fan of the language barrier in games, and when a deeper understanding of a plot can emerge in later playthroughs when that barrier is breached.
You've definitely earned a new subscriber with this!
I always find these kinds of videos help more with writing than those videos where they give writing tips as bullet points. The fact that you go into the physical feeling and emotion that the games you mention give off and then tie it into the real world so to speak do way more than just "make character do x and then reader will feel y." and when our expectations are subverted there's a reason why our expectations are subverted.
You know.... when watching stuff like Star Trek or Doctor Who one tends to forget that aliens not neccesairily understand you. It makes moments where they pull out that trope very impactful as well.
Universal translators are a dream technology as much as warp drive, teleporters, and communicators (now called cell phones).
Usually they are part of the hand waving requirements to move the plot forward, along with the FTL drive of choice, teleportation, inertial dampers, time machines, ect.
But every so often we get a story where characters can't talk to each other and the results are generally a good story, with exact consequences being dependent on the tone of the story. (Star Trek won't kill Kirk because his translator broke, but it will put him in prison or some rediculous/embarrassing situation. But a horror movie definitely would kill someone because they can't read a warning sign or due to a miscommunication like at the start of Saving Private Ryan.)
Darmok and Jalad in Tanagra
Translators are the trope
watching this right after coming home from the LA Nier Concert really made me feel emotional. Great vid as always
Daryl ive only seen a few videos but you talk about the points of video games that most people miss or dont see the things that makes playing a game that experience most people associate to be pointless when they have never played a game before i appreciate the things you speak on keep up the great work
It's amazing that you only scratched the tip of the iceberg with Nier.
Once the story of the Shadowlord with Yonah unfolds, it becomes an unbearable tragedy.
Which is exactly why, as great as they are, I will never play a NieR game.
@@greenhydra10 There is immense pain in Automata and Replicant, but the pain, sorrow, and suffering are not the point of them at all. Each one is more than worth playing, and I have not once regretted my choice in playing them. Even though I tend to steer far away from tragic stories like it is a sport. Both games were life changing, they taught me valuable life lessons. And, if I am being pessimestic, Automata prevented me from ending my own life.
A brighter outlook is that, Automata gave me the courage that I needed to keep moving. I have each and every song on spotify, and I have been listening to them for years at this point. There is only really one song that doesn't almost instantly bring me to tears in the sound tracks for Replicant and Automata.
There is absolutely no other games like Automata and Replicant. They're wholely unique experiences, that I truly recommend everyone to experience at least once in their lives.
@@greenhydra10 you should, the games have very sad moments, but also very funny and heartwarming too. And both games true endings [E] are very (kinda) happy ones and extremely good. Replicant ending is the best and most emotive ending i had played (even if it's a bit of a pain to get there but it also helps to make it so good when you think about it) even better than Automata but i can understand if people prefer the Automata ending
Oh my god do I adore this video. 'Arrival' is one of my fav films OAT and the callback reference to it when talking about the language barrier put into words just WHY I loved its spooky message so much. I can't lie, when you said that NieR had enemies that you couldn't understand right after the Zelda part, I got chills. Now I'm emotionally attached to this video and must send it to all my friends goddamnnit 😭
Been a long time fan and I'm loving the way your channel is progressing. I and many others will stick by you until the end, my friend.
this was your best video in a year or something man!
thank you, this was beautiful
AMAZING video
never seen that subject adressed before
the part where you speak about Trico is beautiful
Beautiful work as always. I find it really funny how so many people comment on how hard it is to make Trico obey, but for me it felt very natural. It may be due to experience with owning obedient cats, and knowing how/when to praise or scold and I really tried thinking of Trico as a pet from the start doing just that.
I was expecting that mom to get gobbled up. I did not expect her to get Zorro’d. My first new DTG since I found your channel! Knocked it out of the park!
Fumito-san is my game dev inspiration, and Yoko's Nier made my cry a lot, thank you for the video.
This was a very well put together video. Had me hooked from the beginning. And there are a lot of videos where I stop paying attention. Excellent job, Daryl!
Already absolutely loving this video. The NieR series, especially the Replicant version of NieR, are some of the most deeply touching and heartbreaking games out there, and the way ending D of NieR plays out is, in my opinion, the most gut-punching ending across all forms of media. Like time itself forgets you and the main character and the only proof of your existance, the idea that everything you did had a reason and consequence, is a flower on the title screen. It leaves you so wonderfully... empty.
Honestly another amazing video from Daryl. Definitely one of my favorites
These stories are some of my favorite for the exact reason you outlined here. I feel it's very important to have stories like this to help give people the tools to just stop and try to understand one and other.
You're really cooking with this thesis, and the editing is like *chef's kiss* to really drive it home
NieR broke me 7 years ago oof, how times fly so glad you talked about it!
The Last Guardian and Nier are definitely two of the most memorable gaming experiences I’ve had. There are games that I’ve spent a lot more time playing… games with more elaborate stories and better gameplay… but those two games managed to make me feel more with less.
This genuinely a carved gem of a video. Really special. Thank you for showing me this new perspective on writing stories. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
I adore this video because it tackles a topic I find highly interesting yet is noticeably absent in most media. Fascinating work!
The Last Guardian is one of my favourite games of all time, a beautiful heart-wrenching journey and the only game where my frustrations served a purpose.
Another great video from you as always ♥️
Playing Nier was very tedious in terms of how a lot of things functioned, but it really was heavy having to fight those machines. I remember in my 2nd playthrough and how I actually stopped trying to fight iirc and the fact nothing happened when I stopped was sad. Felt like a wasted opportunity but it does make sense from the MCs' perspectives. Nier automata on the other hand had a much better way of actually showing that imo specially when you reach the sentient machines section.
in nier (replicant), when we, as a 3rd, party understand what's happening, we are no longer the main protagonist. We are just watching him, and we have no way of reaching out and explain things to him... that's what hurts the most I think. You were as blind as him, then we see the truth and he cannot.
@somebird4757 the thing is at Shades like the girl were murdering other people, doesn't matter if Nier knew that she just wanted to be human, she still had to be put down. It is (mostly) just moments of while sure sad backstory but you still have to die.
@@somebird4757"we see the Truth and he cannot" is exactly why I think yoko taro "fails" in changing the world, as he puts it.
first you kill because that's what you've been told
then you kill despite what you've been told
you're either forced to be separate from the character (so you gain perspective but lose agency) or to identify with the character and... what? choose to be evil or lose?
why can't we choose an option where i can change something? i don't mean "just remove the fight", but "let me talk to the monster and have some choice". one time a monster might sacrifice itself and avoid the fight, and another it might be untrustworthy and be even harder...
@@unfilledflag I think Nier Replicant wasn't about us as players changing the world, but about Nier not wanting to change it
We are not Nier, and we only look at him take the "wrong" path, again and again... knowing that even if he knew about shades, he would do it all over again. Humans are hard to change
@@somebird4757 Right, that is what bothers me. Games give you agency (or at least the illusion of it). Taro says he wants to make a difference because he's confused about those games that force you to kill, then proceeds to make a game where you're forced to kill. At that point you could have made a movie, you're just watching someone make a wrong choice.
This is probably the best video you’ve put out, or at least my favourite that I’ve seen. Such a cool topic: ubiquitous but not obvious. Thanks for the video, I really enjoyed it
11:33 😭i was so immersed in your talking
That scene scared the shit outta me
Amazing video❤
as ethiopian, seeing my language's letters on the title jumpscared me more than anything !
I know it sounds cliche but I gotta say you are my favorite UA-camr. Your well written, thought provoking style videos are an absolute treat. I also learn new things while watching these and I get a new appreciation for these media.
This entire video gave me chills. Amazing work!
This video is beautiful. So well made. I’ve already played these games and thought about these things before, but the way you crafted this into such a perfect piece of human connection… you should be proud. ❤
I love this. The video, this channel, the details, the explanations. I get absolutely ecstatic everything I get the notifications.
Thank you so much, Daryl
I'm ethiopian so seeing amharic letters in Daryl video blew my freaking mind
Beautiful video man, great transitions and wonderful delivery. absolutely wonderful.
Excellent examples! I learned such beautiful lessons. I relived old memories of games I’ve played and movies I’ve watched. What a great start to my morning
You have such a way with words, whenever one of your videos release I drop anything I'm doing and sit down. Another fantastic piece, actually makes me want to give the last guardian a shot lmao.
10 Do other things while idly browsing UA-cam. Wait Darryl has another video? DROP EVERYTHING. WATCH VIDEO. Get reduced to big manly tears. 20 GOTO 10
So glad your videos reached me, I’ve been binging videos nonstop and I can’t enough. Can’t wait to see what else comes from you
Metro also perfectly illustrates how conflicts and a lack of communication leads to destruction
Happy new Year Daryl!! Im happy to see you back after some well deserved vacation 🎉🥳
Happy New Year! 🎊
Stories that use dsfjhgjdksn to terrify you
oh yes dsfjhgjdksn is truly terrifying
You can't read that? If not, it says "sympathy". (Being sincere, since mobile for example can maybe not have the symbols and it getting all messy...)
@@sarcasm-83I thought it said empathy glad I'm not the only one struggling there 😂
@@sarcasm-83 oh it was just a joke due to the weird font but thank you nonetheless
Thou I did struggle between empathy and sympstht at first
@@ymotle Ah ok :D
This is such a fabulous video, I have truly felt an emotional tug when watching some of my favorite types of stories shown- Love this. I have until this point- never seen this channel. And one video later, subscribed. So good.
I've only just discovered your channel and I'm so happy I have such a backlog to go through! This video was one of the most beautifully poignant and thought provoking things I've watched on here in as long as I can remember. Keep up the awesome work. You've inspired me to play NieR for the first time.
This video is fucking gold. Words cannot describe how I felt when I realized I was slaughtering real kids and the whole context of NieR Replicant... Yoko Taro games are beyond sublime
Nothing better than a Daryl video about one of my favourite subjects on ma birthday 😎
This subject is kind of what made me got interested into video game development... We never know what's behind that "white and red practice target" that enemies commonly are in games...
The idea of a spirituallly / emotional deep Zelda Undertale mix is what pops in my head and it's THE game I'm planning to make in my life 😬
I always saw the easiness to accept and even generally assume that creatures intentions are aggressive and always said to myself "why tho? We don't know if it has family or friends or other threads..." And we're supposed not to question that?!?! Jaja
Great video as always Daryl, some ideas will flower from this video 😊❤️
Hey Happy Birthday D3! So glad this one struck a chord with you. Undertale really changed a lot about how I view games now.
I played my first ever round of DnD a few months ago and my buddy who was DMing later told me that I was making it very difficult because I never wanted to fight the baddies, I was always tryna reason with them and make them go away peacefully 😂
@@DarylTalksGames Thank you 😬
Oh yeah! Undertale really questioned it and the execution was incredible! 😍 And I feel that Deltarune is gonna be incredible too!
And I love that! The liberty of actions in DnD is something hard to find in any other media! And I try to play like that as well 😅
Once again, great video my friend and I love the passion behind it!
I do not usually give a like to videos, that's just for songs to find them easier again, but damn... you reminded me why I love games so much. Thank you, you deserve both the like and subscribe. Keep up this amazing work!
This was a great video. I think it’s fascinating the need to be understood by others - and when a game can meet that need of being understood, it can feel magical. Really enjoyed the Last Guardian analysis
definitely wasnt expecting see amharic in the title of this one😭
Me seeing Amharic letters in the thumbnail: "YESSSS, DARYL BE SHOWING LOVE TO MY COUNTRY"
Me seeing the video is not in fact about foreign language specifically: "... maaaaaaaan, nice vid tho"
Such an awesome video - so many great examples! Made me rethink Trees by Warren Ellis and Jason Howard, the aliens in that exist in kind of this "indifferent or not" space at first, and then the world seems to fall into this uneasy ambiguity with these giants "trees" everywhere that sometimes cause massive disasters, which is where most of the story is focused. Made me wonder how much media includes that "ambiguous anxiety" as a period before the story, and how that affects how the characters behave when interacting with WHATEVER THAT THING IS. Awesome job, glad that this came across my recommended! (I hadn't finished the video when I posted, mistake, because what an amazing amount of heart you've put into this, well done and thank you)
A beautiful video! I genuinely teared up a bit at the end, you perfectly nailed the whole topic.