Welcome to the Seriously Are You Awake? Club how Seriously Are You Awake? are ya? *note* Game is from the same dev as Dead Plate & other games I've played
The conversation at 43:40 is really good content. Ryan said pretty much exactly what you should say to anyone whose friends are succumbing to drug addiction. It's good to want to help them, and to seek opportunities, but it's not okay for them to hurt or abuse you, and you shouldn't feel guilty about their decisions, especially when you're the one harmed by them. Makes it all the more tragic that even the wise friend, the cool-headed one, fell victim in the end
This is awesome. Logic can be twisted to the end; the line "what if the know something we don't" was really potent cuz it's like, yeah, they've fallen victim to some kind of "realization"
I think the reason why June didn't get taken in by the spell was because of her trying to save the old man. "When she takes back what's rightfully hers, you'll be lucky not to be left behind." June angered whoever "she" was with that rescue, and got rejected. And Ryan lasted longer because he was drinking from his cooler and not water from the island. But, he went outside in the rain with June when they went to look for boats off the island, didn't he?
The first guy got splashed with a drink and also took a shower - infected Second girl probably snuck out that night to try the drinks on her own without her friends knowing since she was curious - infected Third girl got "left" by second girl with a lots of drinks to try... likely to be infected intentionally. June tried one too but it was just a little sip so it didn't take. Fourth guy... hard to tell. My guess is that he either tried to ditch June and stood too long in the rain, or he already had some water before and it kicked in while she was asleep. He was the guy who brought his own drinks from the mainland, that's why he resisted so long.
@@zoeyrochellezhombie829 Idk if you're aware of the comment's tone being a joke, but yeah, we are made up of water. So, uh...., are we cannibalizing when drinking water?
They do say most friendships and relationships end on vacation. And you learn new things about people you never saw before. It adds up. She saw her "snarky but funny" friend be a condescending menace. The friendly girl was snapping at people left and right and doing absolutely whatever. The cool and sweetheart guy actually was more abrasive and selfish and menacing, and thoughtless. And even her most trustworthy friend eventually sadly couldn't stick around. Sometime, you can only save yourself.
If in your eyes those characters had any friendship from the beginning then you better get some eye glasses, i dunno if it was a style choice or inability but all of them are annoying, weird and retarded
I feel like this is a metaphor of losing your friends to bad habits, or disorders, or even just drifting apart. McCoy 'overdosing' on water, and when June tries to pull him away he hits her. Then he realizes what he's done. Carmen hung over and in the bathtub feeling miserable for herself and taking it out on June. Von eating and eating as possibly a cope for her own depression, pushing June away when she shows concern. And then Ryan, who seems at first like someone June can rely on, then after showing vulnerability he gets scared and abandons her. And June can either give in to despair or attempt to climb out of the depths. I really do wish this had more to snack on though. I rather enjoyed the characters' personalities.
Man that's a really good analysis, it works perfectly as well The fact that June also seems to be so scared of being left alone, and the endings having very different vibes despite being almost identital is very poetic The first one seems... serene, very quiet, almost like everything that happened has been buried deep down. Everyone is together in the darkest place possible But the second one seems so painful, her worst fear just got real but it's objectively the best ending since one person managed to escape. Also, I just realized but June is in a situation where the whole place is falling apart, the "pretty place" slowly got destroyed and nobody adressed anything, but she's not worried about saving herself, but being with everyone else in good or in bad. It's so sad 😢
@@BlueArremer I dont think so. Its more everyone abandoning June because shes just a pain in the ass, trying to invade everyone else personal Space. "Why are you drinking water?" "Why are you eating?" "I gotta find a key to break in my friends dorm at 2am and open the bathroom door and keep asking questions to my friend that is taking a shower" June is just so annoying that everyone else gets pissed at her, and she sees everyone else leaving her alone at the end.
@@goldsnail1 June did show some potential red flag behavior, though. Bragging about separating someone from a friend group (we don't know if they really were toxic), getting upset because someone else wasn't participating like she wanted them to, assuming and pressing to be allowed in someone else's room, etc. She's just not the kind of person I'd want to be around because, in my experience, that kind of person tries to "fix" everyone else even when problems don't exist and gets mad when others don't react how she wants. That doesn't mean she wasn't right to leave when McCoy slapped her or wasn't right in other actions, but just that she isn't always correct. Which is how humans are. Just my 2 cents in how none of them, including June, are purely good people. Also why some people might find her character grating.
I think the symbolism is mostly that the friends are alcoholics and have drinking problems, and maybe June doesnt drink/drinks less thats why shes not effected, we often see the friends drinking through out the game and characters like Carmen we are told drink alot.Even at the start we have this hint at bad friends with June talking about how her cousin recently left some bad friend group. We also see Mkcoy kinda becoming violent but regretting it and the way June reacts makes it seem like its not the first time. We see June start doupting her self, like if everbody else is drinking heavy maybe shes the weird one, i mean people drink a lot during vacations. Theres also the obv themes of being addicted to water and drowning and the rain POURING and them losing their selfs in to the water ect.(not very good at explaining also sorry if my english is not good)
@@phantom-ri2tgthat's not what they mean. op means that they think the story itself is symbolism for a drinking problem or having friends that suffer from a drinking problem. kind of like hinting towards an unspoken narrative (if that makes sense)
@@kace76 If it was symbolism for alcohol I doubt the story would call it out like that. I do not know much about drinking problems but I am pretty sure they are not subtle. If there is symbolism I believe it would be for something not easily identifiable. Otherwise what would be the point of all the talk of not understanding what is happening?
Dang should have been an ending where you can save at least one companion. Game could have been interesting if it explored into the relationships a tad more. The rot being the rot of friendships but also the literal paranormal aspect going on as well.
I wanna like vonnie but she's critical about the most random stuff like the resort's furniture and the staff's services. I can respect that she's a hater of the cocktails, tho
The two choices at the end represent how June can either allow her friends to drag her down with them, or she can walk away from them. The reason she couldn’t save Ryan is because Ryan was too heavy for her save on her own and Ryan wasn’t capable of doing anything to help his situation. All he can do drag her down with him. People who have a loved ones struggling with addiction will sometimes think that it’s their responsibility to “save” them. That if they love them enough and keep trying they’ll be better. That’s not only untrue, but it’s next to impossible. Addiction is a medical condition, and June is not a doctor or therapist (or life guard for that matter). She can be there for them, but she can’t save them from themselves.
The thing I think is interesting is that it's implied the staff is new too. This is a place that either just opened or just had to 'replace' all of the staff. It makes me wonder if this was the metaphorical lamp for the anglerfish of some sea goddess who has gone hungry for too long.
I think the bit of dialogue here at 18:27 is pretty much explains the overall subtext for the narrative. Her cousin's experience mirrors what June eventually goes through. Due to some unspecified traumatic event, her cousin left her previous friend-group. June is somewhat sympathetic, but also chastises her for not just leaving earlier; from June's outside perspective, they were obviously bad people from the start. Later in the story, when her own friend-group falls apart due to the supernatural water addiction/possession, she feels conflicted. These are her friends, and you as the player already see that they got along well before. She wants to save them, and have them return to how they used to be. When it becomes obvious she can't save them, the final decision becomes whether to leave, or sink down with them. I imagine her cousin went through many of the same thoughts. An outsider may see that these people are being physically or emotionally abusive, or acting like literal zombies; but to June, they're still her friends. I mean the discussion with Ryan later also explains some of this, but that less subtextual.
Honestly i assumed that Ryan was the last man to get infected exactly because he was broke and was drinking his beer instead of the cocktails or water. McCoy was infected first so we can assume that he was infected by the zombie at the start when it spilled water at him. Girls were heavily drinking cocktails so thats what got them. But i honestly have no idea why the MC is alight. Well you can argue that she is partly infected but still she was ably to resist.
i would probably assume the mc wasn't exposed enough to the water and cocktails? june didn't really drink much of the water nor did she eat from the buffet [in the story], and i'm assuming she didn't drink all that much from the cocktails either. yeah she did go into the ocean, but she didn't really go in there long enough for her to be “exposed”? im just rambling here so dont mind me...
@@stoopedhooy88I’m going to assume this wasn’t written to be mean or fatphobic, so responding to it scientifically you’re actually kind of right bc fat tissue can’t retain water like lean muscle can so she wouldn’t have as much of it in her system compared to the others, especially if she already wasn’t drinking/eating much. She would’ve had to drink a lot more of it for it to affect her at the same rate that it did her friends, it’s possible it’s still messing with her but just at a slower rate
I wish I knew whether Vonnie was allergic to seafood or had some other food restriction, since the dialogue made it sound like her eating seafood is so out of character for her. Especially when she keeps eating it to the point of being sick, but saying she “needs” to do this to give the fish back.
I think it was left vague intentionally so ppl could make that conclusion themselves? Von could also just hate seafood, there's dialogue from June saying how even if god himself descended and offered Von a plate of seafood she'd still say no, so it doesn't sound like she's necessarily allergic
One thing I like about this dev is that the games take place in different places. This game is Australia, wedding in red (forgot the name) was in south Korea, dead plate was in Europe. I never saw that elevator game, but I think that's in the US, too (feel free to correct me, I genuinely no idea). It's always in different places, and I think that's neat.
@@maria_015 yeah, I had the name close, but not quite. And I remembered they used euros in dead plate, but forgot which country in specific, although given the theme France makes sense. Thanks for correcting me though!
The nature of June's conversation with Coy in the restaurant is pretty much all the context that you need for the game. This friend group does not work. A lot of these people are too self absorbed or busy abusing substances and filling voids to have fulfilling conversations or deep friendships. Literally zero compromising to help their friend.
Would be nice if we actually saw any of this demonstrated and not just "they talk like Tumblrites until the literal instant they all become irredeemable zombie slaves to a sea god"
@@drawingdragonYou don’t need to see that though. it’s unnecessary and makes the story easier to predict. Funny you call them tumblrites when you’re the shallow one here
@@drawingdragon I disagree. I think we did see that animosity between them. I feel it's a very good demonstration of people who are only friends because they think they should be, because they think this is the best they can do, or because they all have that "Don't want to get left behind" feeling. The dialogue is definitely reminiscent of those toxic online friend groups you always hear about on discord, reddit, tumblr, etc.
this hits hard as someone who just started college. if the story can be interpreted about addiction, i totally get how june feels so left behind while watching her friends spiral, because they change so quickly and there’s nothing she can do to stop it. i won’t lie, so many of my friends are quickly falling into a similar addiction with alcohol. this game had just the right timing
Yeah I've heard from my own brother too that many of his own classmates have gone down to alcoholism too, I'm really worried when I get there myself, I wish this wasn't such a common issue :l
staring at your wall for 4 hours and then going to bed only to find out that manly uploaded is like going home to your beautiful manly badass wife after a long day of work
I was intrigued by what was happening, and really wanted to know but then suddenly it just ends and I felt like it was cut short. I just assumed this was maybe a metaphor about losing your friends to things like drugs, their behaviour toward you turning for the worst or for things out of your control, since there was also the mention of June’s cousin losing her friends. Maybe it’s just a story about people suddenly deciding they want to eat metal and glug water and I’m reading too much into things. But this game was pretty good and I think of there was time constraints cuz it was for a game jam?
I think that's it too, with the talk of June's cousin, "Bad company corrupts good character" and how weird it was, perhaps it was something similar. June can choose to follow or go back, as if she could follow their addiction/toxic behavior, but even if she wants to go back, she's still dragged into it (as Ryan dragged her into the water), as if her toxic friends corrupted her good character like the phrase. And considering how water is something you drink, and the topic of alcohol stayed for a lot, then maybe it's all about alcohol addiction, and June also drinks but less than the others? McCoy was drinking a lot of water and got aggressivem then regreting it, as if gotten violent due to alcohol, Ryan was paying attention to his drinks missing, Carmem already loving to drink and Van eating seafood, which seems like something she couldn't/disliked to eat, so it wasn't good either
I have a confession: I'm addicted to water...I know, it's so awful... I'm really sorry, but I LITERALLY can't help myself! I need some every day, or I go through horrible withdrawal! Headaches, dry mouth, and other shit...Society made me an addict...
I love the concept, and generally it was pretty good but… it just kinda… stops, there’s so much unanswered that it’s kinda dragging the story down, like as a metaphor for addiction and/or a self-destructing friend group it’s pretty good but as an actual story there’s like… nothing to work with. I genuinely feel like I stopped in the middle of a novel mid sentence. I can’t even feel the endings hopelessness because I’m so confused on what’s actually happening that the ending just doesn’t even really register as an ending.
this exactly. i constantly hear people say how good games/series/movies are when it's up to interpretation. i genuinely can't empathize with it. great as a concept, but what the fuck is actually happening. making a good mystery is throwing in clues that make for great theories, not simply "they're on an island with water"
i suppose its a matter of taste. personally, i love the complete lack of answers. the author doesnt need to justify its premise, i feel the allegorical nature of it is all it needs.
@@mothhuuny it is to some extent but, for me atleast, the allegory becomes significantly less meaningful when the story that’s representing it is somewhat (or honestly in this kinda totally) incoherent. Suppose there was an allegorical story about idk breaking an entering being bad as an example And let’s say out of nowhere on like page 3 they mention cthulu and this is basically never brought up again except on the final page where it abruptly cuts off with “and then cthulu rose and conquered the world” would that be satisfying? Likely not, was the allegory in anyway helped by the addition of the mysterious cthulu conquering the world? Again likely not. The same applies here, to a less extent sure but it’s there. I do want to reiterate its not a MYSTERY that’s the problem in and of itself it’s that nothing is done to even drive intrigue in the mystery, it’s barely even acknowledged as a mystery it’s more just “oh this is happening now” it genuinely feels like we skipped some pages in the script, and the ending is just… abrupt. Even an allegory needs to make coherent sense. They mention “her” as a cause of all this but this is only brought up twice-ish, and never remarked upon. Etc. I cant in good faith say the mystery helps the allegory when the mystery itself can’t even be bothered to phone in to work.
@@tongpoo8985 Maybe, or it could be the fact that it was made in the span of a month for a game jam. There's only so much you can do for an event that doesn't allow you to get an early start.
Okay okay okay. I have an idea. We have people representing different addictions and abusive traits, leaving out Ryan and June. You'd think that maybe Ryan wasn't infected until the end when he joins them. I've interpeted this as either, him choosing to sink with them OR the Rot making him succumb to his depression. He can't swim. He knew he'd drown. Water is very often used to allude to depression and maneuvering life. "Sink or swim" so they say. Ryan couldn't; both physically and metaphorically.
wait i know a lot of people brought up the fact that 'water' here, might be an allegory for drinking but what really solidified it for me was how von and mckoy react to the old man drowning, with carmen suggesting that it was 'too early' to intervene with his addiction and mccoy saying that his being a lifeguard had nothing to do with the man drowning- implying that none of this is about literal water, but about addiction instead?? and vonnie by saying that 'he would've stopped if he thought he could do it' implies that it was voluntary and self inflicted like how one would lose themselves to addiction? i love all the discourse omg
I’m a big fan of Rachel’s games but I felt like the whole mechanics of the game were a bit pointless (as someone else pointed out, I felt like they’ve should have done it differently) and it seemed a lil too vague for me but maybe they wanted to try new things out. I do like having a plus sized protagonist tho! You don’t see that like ever.
this game was probably a test for new mechanics and styles (like the sprites in SIG games are usually chibi but this one's a more full body style + side view)
I’ve heard this was for a game jam, with about a ~1 month time limit, so I don’t totally blame the weird mechanics, especially with how the story was pretty decent overall, even if it felt like it could’ve been longer/had a slower buildup.
I have to say, I appreciate a horror game that has really good pacing. It keeps the audience consistently on edge with something strange and eerie happening every day, escalating every day, and it doesn't make the mistake many horror games do in revealing anything too quick cause they just wanna get to the climax. This one really took its time to build up to that final scene that just hits you and leaves you so suddenly with such an unsettled feeling. I appreciate that honestly, that was honestly pretty spooky.
Kinda divisive with the endings, they are dark but need something else to hit right in the hopeless marker. Also, adding movement to the character was quite pointless, it would have been more effective to make it a classic 2D rpgmaker game with cenital view or do it a point and click/visual novel. But anyway is an overall good experience.
_"I don't want her to lose me, I need to give the fish back"_ Von eating all the fish was weird, bc I didn't remember her going into the sea to be affected by a water god-like creature. Ryan didn't bc he couldn't swim, but even he was affected. June went right away to save the old man, so was she immune? Yeah, it could be some metaphor about addiction, friendship, or environmentalism but since it's so game jam short, maybe the core idea wasn't able to be fully developed. The game absolutely nailed a solid horror vibe, even if I remain confused about the plot. Eh, I'm not going to try to analyze it. It's one of those where I think you just have to go with the flow...
@@Mant111 Yes I think that is very possible. So June was ironically saved and left alive bc she defied the 'thing'. I wonder if in June's mind, that will be good or not as she is now alone, without her friends. To me, it would show strength of character to not succumb to some popular craze or cult or whatever. We all are alone at some point in our lives, and have to learn to be comfortable in our aloneness without feeling lonely. It's an interesting story that I wished had more to it - both in development and in the ending. Maybe the dev will add onto the story.
That resemblance to a Junji Ito short story is spot-on with how this game played out. The whole eerie, mysterious plot slowly degrading into a terrible situation just to have it all end in a very anti-climactic way. All it would just have needed is a little bit more shocking body horror.
Absolutely hating the body negativity I’m seeing in the comments y’all. I was so happy to see a protag that has the same body type as me but it sucks to see all the comments about her body.
I just saw the "goddess" as more of a personifcation of the ocean since some of our modern societies tend to gender bodies of water and storms with feminine characteristics. It's more of a return to the earth while dying young, or in this case: the ocean and it's COLD and unfathomable depths, type of claustrophobic style of narrative that makes it disturbing. It all feels unnatural since we don't usually attribute peaceful deaths to the ocean as often as we do with being put 6 ft. under the ground. It evokes emptiness, sense of loss, the terrors of isolation- all the fears we feel when we think of the ocean that June talks about. Edit: I just thought it might also be some sort of subconscious desire to return to the mother's womb. Since oblivion is a sort of safety and peace in it's own twisted way. Sorry for the rant lol.
I recently realized that I really don't like these kinds of open-ended endings as the final say. I'm all for some sort of discussion or whatever, but when the ending is so ambiguous and nobody can agree on what it is, it makes me feel like not even the creators knew what they were doing? They just wanted to have some sort of weird vague ending to get people talking. Have your ending as vague as you want, but then give us some sort of directors note, letting is know what you were trying to do
Rach didn't want to leave any notes until the game jam judging period is over. There will be an explanation of whatever the actual intent was meant to be in about a month
This is an interesting take.. im kind of the opposite, I just really like open endings, there's something very haunting about it and i feel like it sticks with me a lot longer than a closed ending would, I'm someone who likes to analyze and overthink a lot so it might just be that lol
I'm the same. I do like analysis of open endings but only when people can come to a mainly uniform idea/theory at the end. I'm stupid so games where it is extremely open makes it too hard for me to understand what exactly is going on and how the metaphors fit with the literal story.
I think it has something to do with the conversation around @18:30 She talks about her cousin, and how her friends were jerks and she should have cut them out earlier. We see the same thing happen to her - her friends are sick with something and she needs to cut them out (or die with them). That being said, I do think something is happening because the old man calls her ungrateful. So I am guessing some sort of ocean deity wants her 'gifts' returned - namely, water and ocean game (the sea food). There is even foreshadowing when the old man says she'd be lucky to not be left behind. The victims are absorbing as much water/fish as they can before 'she' comes to collect them (@25:42 they even say that it is 'too early for that' in reference to the old man swimming out to drown which means they are already infected by this point, and knew that is what they were all going to do. This is why they refused to save the old man), goes as far as soaking in it or fighting over cups of the stuff. But the part about metal seems off then. I know at the end we saw them bringing anchors and swallowing chains and I get the water motif but that seems like land items - what claim does a water deity have to those? And why the chunk of metal up-chuck? Ryan didn't get sick because he didn't drink the Island's drinks - instead relying on the drinks in his cooler. I don't think its the alcohol specifically because the main character drank alcohol with Von. The staff were also affected. The main character didn't drink the 'drink' when interrupted by the strange man. I thought maybe it is because they entered the water? But so did the main character to save the old man. Her friends were also 'normal' up to the old man so the infection must be quick. I was wondering what happens if you got the day wrong. It was Monday at 11 a.m. leaves at 12 sharp. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of options beyond that.
While I believe it's odd to have metal there (bc yes, it is a land object), I think it's a way to make the person heavy enough to sink to the bottom so that they'll stay in the cycle forever. And the one scene where the girl was hurling out the metal chunk? I feel like it was a spike drug method. This is just my interprecation based on what I seen on other comments, so take it as you will.
The metal seems to just be to make them sink faster. Efficiency, I guess. As for why June is immune, it’s because she tried to save the old man. He says she’d be lucky to not be left behind, and she wasn’t lucky. The ocean said “nuh uh, I don’t want YOU.”
The ship parts are allegory. The old man states when ' *she* takes back what is *rightfully hers*, you'll be lucky not to be left behind'. In historical context, ocean is referred to as she, the saying goes that '(She) has claimed many ships for as long as we learned to sail'. Ships and their parts naturally belong to the sea, because that's what they were made for, so do the water/drink , as do fish that vonnie eats.
As someone whos parents have drug problems, holy shit this hits hard. Genuinely sobbed at several points, something about the vibe of this game perfectly incaptures the fear and horror of situations like that. Im surprised ive never seen the concept of drug addiction be used in horror. It already terrifying both to go through, and see others go through in of itself, seeing it twisted into a horror game sounds really interesting. Downside is, i dont think it would be an easy thing to explore without demonizing the users itself. People going through that sorta thing are already suffering enough, having a horror game mocking that suffering would be painful. I dont trust people enough to create something like that without making addicts seem like monsters.
I remember in Fallout 3 (and plenty of other games), you could outpace the damage-over-time you take from drowning by drinking bottles of purified water. Water just works like any other healing item lol.
Literally just saw the thumnail and thought is that rin??? The artstyle is way to iconic i already knew it was from thr creator of dead plate, married in red, and ect
Not gonna lie, I liked the story for what it is, even if it feels too abrupt of an end. I would have loved more tension personally. As a side note, this does give me an idea for a cosmic horror DnD Campaign. The party decides to go on vacation only for some Deep One to start shit at a resort. Add the infected turning into fish people and make them even MORE aggressive and there you go.
Dang. I only saw this game on UA-cam yesterday. I figured it would take Manly at least a week to get around to it, but I’m impressed he picked it up so fast!
I REALLY like the art style and direction of storytelling. The mystery of the island and building tension is great! It reminds me of those old creepypastas from back in the day (the good ones lol). It's almost a perfect story, but I don't really like how vague the ending is. I understand that some stories are open ended so that you can make your own assumptions. But I feel that there were too many questions that went unanswered. Ultimately dulling the impact of the ending for me. Still a fun ride, tho!
You know if someone is drowning you're not supposed to go out and rescue them because there is a high chance they'll pull you under. I kind of see it as a young idealistic girl trying to treat adulthood like school but everyone has to go on their own path. You can't live life as someone's pet or let some mommy tell you what to do.
I also suffer from addiction to dihydrogen oxide it’s so bad… my coaches in school made me take it or else I couldn’t play… they sell it on the streets too in a solid form. I think they call it “ice”…
I actually got a little sad at the ending. I totally understand what you mean, and there is something much deeper there. I love Rachel's art style and I think Ryan's my favourite character 😅
TheOrY: The hotel is in on the watergod cult thing by offering room drinks & having cheap prices. Perhaps not the hotel staff themselves but the owner of the hotel, because why would they still have their buisness in that location if something like that probably happened before? And if they weren't in on it then the staff would have noticed something about the people when it got really bad and would call for help, unless everyone just got infected by the water at the same exact time. I also feel like the moon and star shape of the hotel island may have something to do with it, the moon is connected to the water afterall. Im thinking there is a symbolism in the moon&tides, and mabe this happens only during certain phases of the moon. Perhaps its representing the flow of life. I agree with the symbolism of toxic friends/pushing people away/addiction stuff, it makes sense. But im curious about the symbolism that is shown in that world about the water god thing specifically.
45:15 I teared up. June was still second-guessing herself even after how terrible Von, Carmen, and McCoy were treating her. It's like how I feel with my anxiety. I really connect with June. She's also plus size like me, and her personality is a lot like my own. Ryan spitting facts too. You can't just suck it up and let people treat you like garbage because you don't want to be alone.
I am absolutely thrilled about this game. Everything from the running animation to stark coldness of the end. The main character reminds me of one of my best friends. I also love that she didn’t ask too many questions just wanted to save her friends which is so suspenseful and scary. Blocking out actual nonsense bc she’s so worried her friends are pushing her away. Ryan was so kind
stories like this always make me think of the spongebob story "once upon a time there was an ugly barnacle, he was so ugly everyone died, the end" I appreciate the fact they built up the relationships between characters but it's a horror story, not a drama, nothing in this game really invoke a feeling of terror or horror because the scariest thing in this game is water
I could accept that if there WERE relationships between the characters but there really wasn't any punch to that either Just "we have the protagonist, the cool guy, the smart girl, and the happy go lucky girl. And some other guy. Banter banter. Oops now everyone's dead the end wasn't that sad" Like no I genuinely felt nothing
This game turned out more frightening than I expected going in. The atmosphere as everyone starts acting really weird at night actually started to get to me I will say I think the ending was too open ended. I love a good ambiguous ending, but I like some kind of resolution as well.
Thank you for your take on the actual story at the end, as nice as all the theorizing is about “metaphors of toxic relationships” and all that stuff, I just wanted to know what was going on in the actual story. The theory of the water goddess made a lot of sense and was very satisfying to my mind, thank you again.
Reading the comments and rewatching gameplays, realizing that this game could be symbolzing friends who have addictions or mental health problems. Like when June found McCoy chugging a jug of water, being aggressive and then snapping out of his earlier state, and saying he didnt mean to hurt June. In my opinion, it could be symbolized as a drinking problem. How alcohol could drag you to be aggressive and being out of the state of your mind or something similar like that. Next, for Carmen. As June enteres the other cabana, she finds Carmen in the bathroom while being in the tub. Her eyes looked empty, and with the way she shuts June out almost immediately, it led me to believe it might be depression. The sink overflowing and the floor almost flooding with water could also be a clue to what shes suffering from, but I'm not too sure yet. And then there's Von, who's eating sea food in the buffet. As mentioned by June earlier in the game, Von doesnt eat any seafood. And later on in the game, Von says she NEEDS to eat the food. She does also mention that she needs to give the fish back, but i also dont know how to comclude that line. Either way, i do think that her needing to eat could be symbolizing an eating disorder. I dont have much to say for Ryan and June, considering i dont think they show many of their problems. And the other comments i read pointing to this game being a symbolism to having toxic friends or being in an unhealthy friend group and how that can drag you down unless you leave them. I too, believe in that theory, and if any theorists have any explanation or have other theories, I'd love to hear them! Thank you for reading this!
If you close your eyes to the horror component of this game and turn to social decay, it's very reminiscent of the Australian film of the 90s - "Muriel's Wedding". It seems light on the surface, but if you dig deeper, it's not funny at all.
Quite cool and easy to read layers, which is really rare. Losing friends is sad really. Intentional or not, you can only see the group together a couple of times at best. The heroine just roaming around random locations by herself. During the beach "fun" it was weird all of the friends are just by themselves isolated and doing their random thing. Oh boy whether that feel is familiar... So hard to let friends go and admit the fact people you got used to throughout the years are different now.
An interesting story!! Thank you for playing! I know a lot of folks are taking it on an emotional / metaphorical sense but I'm out here like "Wow that'd be fucked up!" LOL
This game dev is quickly becoming one of my favorites. I absolutely adore this style of storytelling & gameplay, and the audio is impeccable from all that I've seen. There's LOTS of modern media stories and folklores that carry the same energy and lesson as the three games I've seen, and I LOOOOOVE a game with multiple endings that recreate the range of experiences from real life toxic cycles and mindsets.
I thoroughly enjoy the videos and commentary. Thanks for existing and making content. There are a lot of people that need it during this difficult life, alike myself. Much love to you, man 🖤.
Seeing lots of debate in comments, but… Not sure what the confusion is. Seems fairly straightforward to me. Bunch of her friends got addicted, started treating her terribly, one friend she thought she could trust either succumbed to the addiction or ditched them, she risked herself to help her friends when they were beyond help, and then got literally dragged down with them. Bad company corrupts good behavior.” That was the quote at the beginning - that’s the point. That friends with addiction/drinking problems can and will drag you down with them if you aren’t careful.
I find it interesting that some of the symbolism is basically toixc friend groups or problems with alcoholism. Which actually does fit the tile of the game, "Rot in Paradise" when you think about it If we're going by the themes of how harmful addictions can be,not only to yourself but those who are close to you, this "Paradise" is basically drinking yourself until you "rot". Most of the characters indulge into their drinking habits since this is Paradise to them (ex. Von with all the cocktails she orders even though none of them taste good to her,ect). But the more they began drinking, they started to get addicted. Like its not something they want anymore, its something they NEED. And that literally ends them up rotting..
This sucks, they just wanted a vacation, they didn't deserve this! Why can't something bad happen to a annoying billionare for once in these games ToT?
I know Dead Plate is the dev's most well-known game, but Married in Red is my favorite I've seen from them. Banger tragedy with a hot protag, what more could you ask for?
@@ryanrouse5590 I honestly really liked most of their games , especially Married in Red , but this game was just.....not it for me I feel like it answered 0 questions ans just left me honestly confused
Welcome to the Seriously Are You Awake? Club how Seriously Are You Awake? are ya? *note* Game is from the same dev as Dead Plate & other games I've played
wishing i was asleep instead of awake
Scary Game
@@ManlyBadassHero I am awake
The feeling is conflicting
This was released at a very convenient time for us Australians, bout 6 pm
The conversation at 43:40 is really good content. Ryan said pretty much exactly what you should say to anyone whose friends are succumbing to drug addiction. It's good to want to help them, and to seek opportunities, but it's not okay for them to hurt or abuse you, and you shouldn't feel guilty about their decisions, especially when you're the one harmed by them. Makes it all the more tragic that even the wise friend, the cool-headed one, fell victim in the end
This is awesome. Logic can be twisted to the end; the line "what if the know something we don't" was really potent cuz it's like, yeah, they've fallen victim to some kind of "realization"
@@Aburaishi wait but what happened to Ryan in the end? I'm a bit unsure
@@mikxch4 All we know is that he and June went into the water, and only June (at best) came back out
@@Aburaishi ohh, thank youu
Especially seeing as he did say "I thought they'd OD or something" I feel its def a metaphor
I also suffer from this addiction, if i don't drink water i'll literally die.
Has anyone patched that "oxygen slowly oxidizes you from the inside out over decades, leading to worsened aging effects" problem?
You're being dramatic. Cold turkey works just fine, got a bud who hasn't drank water in four years!
Dont be fat its unhealthy and kels people,
Lose weight, eat healthy, Exercise
Dont listen to those delusional people, they will ruin ur life
@@jimijenkins2548 Do you.. uh.. do you have to help him freshen up sometimes, by chance? You know, because of the smell?
Every time I try quit I get these really bad headaches and throat goes all dry and achy, totally not addicted though I can stop whenever I want.
I think the reason why June didn't get taken in by the spell was because of her trying to save the old man. "When she takes back what's rightfully hers, you'll be lucky not to be left behind." June angered whoever "she" was with that rescue, and got rejected.
And Ryan lasted longer because he was drinking from his cooler and not water from the island. But, he went outside in the rain with June when they went to look for boats off the island, didn't he?
i 100% agree
Oooo
The first guy got splashed with a drink and also took a shower - infected
Second girl probably snuck out that night to try the drinks on her own without her friends knowing since she was curious - infected
Third girl got "left" by second girl with a lots of drinks to try... likely to be infected intentionally. June tried one too but it was just a little sip so it didn't take.
Fourth guy... hard to tell. My guess is that he either tried to ditch June and stood too long in the rain, or he already had some water before and it kicked in while she was asleep. He was the guy who brought his own drinks from the mainland, that's why he resisted so long.
could "she" be a siren, maybe? that song at friday night is kinda weird
I would think “she” would be the ocean/water
Water addicts telling you its healthy for you
pfft, they dont know that water contains lots of dihydrogen monoxide chemicals
@@kiwuuspurr1927Lots of food and water contain chemicals.
Water IS healthy, but there's only a certain amount that's necessary.
That's what the people at Big Water wants people to think
@@zoeyrochellezhombie829 Idk if you're aware of the comment's tone being a joke, but yeah, we are made up of water. So, uh...., are we cannibalizing when drinking water?
I love the few seconds of silence at 0:42 while Manly decides whether he should attempt an aussie accent XD
Yeah. His bad southern accent wasn't going to cut it here.
Good on ‘em
he needs to watch more bluey
They do say most friendships and relationships end on vacation. And you learn new things about people you never saw before. It adds up. She saw her "snarky but funny" friend be a condescending menace. The friendly girl was snapping at people left and right and doing absolutely whatever. The cool and sweetheart guy actually was more abrasive and selfish and menacing, and thoughtless. And even her most trustworthy friend eventually sadly couldn't stick around. Sometime, you can only save yourself.
If in your eyes those characters had any friendship from the beginning then you better get some eye glasses, i dunno if it was a style choice or inability but all of them are annoying, weird and retarded
yea i think this is the take that resonates most w me
I agree with this most the game kinda foreshadows the idea of this being about friendship
I feel like this is a metaphor of losing your friends to bad habits, or disorders, or even just drifting apart.
McCoy 'overdosing' on water, and when June tries to pull him away he hits her. Then he realizes what he's done.
Carmen hung over and in the bathtub feeling miserable for herself and taking it out on June.
Von eating and eating as possibly a cope for her own depression, pushing June away when she shows concern.
And then Ryan, who seems at first like someone June can rely on, then after showing vulnerability he gets scared and abandons her.
And June can either give in to despair or attempt to climb out of the depths.
I really do wish this had more to snack on though. I rather enjoyed the characters' personalities.
0:15 leads me to think it's more of a metaphor as well. Including 47:28, where she finds herself in the water without anybody's influence.
Man that's a really good analysis, it works perfectly as well
The fact that June also seems to be so scared of being left alone, and the endings having very different vibes despite being almost identital is very poetic
The first one seems... serene, very quiet, almost like everything that happened has been buried deep down. Everyone is together in the darkest place possible
But the second one seems so painful, her worst fear just got real but it's objectively the best ending since one person managed to escape.
Also, I just realized but June is in a situation where the whole place is falling apart, the "pretty place" slowly got destroyed and nobody adressed anything, but she's not worried about saving herself, but being with everyone else in good or in bad. It's so sad 😢
@@BlueArremer I dont think so. Its more everyone abandoning June because shes just a pain in the ass, trying to invade everyone else personal Space. "Why are you drinking water?" "Why are you eating?" "I gotta find a key to break in my friends dorm at 2am and open the bathroom door and keep asking questions to my friend that is taking a shower"
June is just so annoying that everyone else gets pissed at her, and she sees everyone else leaving her alone at the end.
@@JoceBeggarthat's definitely an opinion, a bad opinion but you do you
@@goldsnail1 June did show some potential red flag behavior, though. Bragging about separating someone from a friend group (we don't know if they really were toxic), getting upset because someone else wasn't participating like she wanted them to, assuming and pressing to be allowed in someone else's room, etc. She's just not the kind of person I'd want to be around because, in my experience, that kind of person tries to "fix" everyone else even when problems don't exist and gets mad when others don't react how she wants.
That doesn't mean she wasn't right to leave when McCoy slapped her or wasn't right in other actions, but just that she isn't always correct. Which is how humans are.
Just my 2 cents in how none of them, including June, are purely good people. Also why some people might find her character grating.
Stay hydrated
I will chug water untill I get Water intoxication
It’s 3
No thanks
ANIME
stay hydrated or you will DIE
this artist’s work is basically
“oh that’s
that’s gore of my comfort character”
was having trouble figuring out how to explain the vibes they give and, you know, I think this is it, I agree wholeheartedly.
Basic tranime artstyle yeah yeah of course
@@timmycu BASED
@@timmycuthis is tranime ?
@@Hikki79710 anime of trains
Tranime
I think the symbolism is mostly that the friends are alcoholics and have drinking problems, and maybe June doesnt drink/drinks less thats why shes not effected, we often see the friends drinking through out the game and characters like Carmen we are told drink alot.Even at the start we have this hint at bad friends with June talking about how her cousin recently left some bad friend group. We also see Mkcoy kinda becoming violent but regretting it and the way June reacts makes it seem like its not the first time. We see June start doupting her self, like if everbody else is drinking heavy maybe shes the weird one, i mean people drink a lot during vacations. Theres also the obv themes of being addicted to water and drowning and the rain POURING and them losing their selfs in to the water ect.(not very good at explaining also sorry if my english is not good)
Your english is very good, dw :3
Your English is perfect, and I think your interpretation is spot on! This game is quite sad on its own, worse when you read into it
Ryan flat out said he checked and they were not showing symptoms expected with consuming too much alcohol. 38:42
@@phantom-ri2tgthat's not what they mean. op means that they think the story itself is symbolism for a drinking problem or having friends that suffer from a drinking problem. kind of like hinting towards an unspoken narrative (if that makes sense)
@@kace76 If it was symbolism for alcohol I doubt the story would call it out like that. I do not know much about drinking problems but I am pretty sure they are not subtle.
If there is symbolism I believe it would be for something not easily identifiable. Otherwise what would be the point of all the talk of not understanding what is happening?
Ryan's freaklishly aggressive armpit hair is the real horror of this game.
Wdym that's the hottest character design choice in this game, and that's saying a lot
@@miajajajajajajajajajoyou freaky😏
@@miajajajajajajajajajoso real
How is not shaving considered freaky? XD
LMAO
Dang should have been an ending where you can save at least one companion. Game could have been interesting if it explored into the relationships a tad more. The rot being the rot of friendships but also the literal paranormal aspect going on as well.
It's also a gamejam game though
Definitely, this could have been expanded upon because I’m invested
I wish you'd get a different ending based on whatever friend you managed to save.
frr but it is also a game jam i think so they only had a month to develop the game
@@chez_borgars That's too bad, If only they had more time to do more with it.
i know a 'vonnie' like character. She burns the whole friend group out and everyone is tired of her antics.
I wanna like vonnie but she's critical about the most random stuff like the resort's furniture and the staff's services. I can respect that she's a hater of the cocktails, tho
@@librarianslivedoublelives That cocktail part was totally relatable and it is normal to complain about bad drink quality and overpriced stuff.
The two choices at the end represent how June can either allow her friends to drag her down with them, or she can walk away from them.
The reason she couldn’t save Ryan is because Ryan was too heavy for her save on her own and Ryan wasn’t capable of doing anything to help his situation. All he can do drag her down with him.
People who have a loved ones struggling with addiction will sometimes think that it’s their responsibility to “save” them. That if they love them enough and keep trying they’ll be better. That’s not only untrue, but it’s next to impossible. Addiction is a medical condition, and June is not a doctor or therapist (or life guard for that matter). She can be there for them, but she can’t save them from themselves.
Wasn’t that Coy? Cause at the beach we see another person besides June and she said “Ryan”?
So it might be possible that Ryan also drunk the water.
I also feel like the symbolism could be for addiction or toxic friend groups in general
Thats honestly a good guess/gen :D
Literally what I thought when june went on about how she felt like she was missing out!!
Nah, its just an old god.
not even in manlys comments, GET OUT OF MY LIFE CAT
@@JoceBeggar it's symbolism using an old god as the story dude
The thing I think is interesting is that it's implied the staff is new too. This is a place that either just opened or just had to 'replace' all of the staff. It makes me wonder if this was the metaphorical lamp for the anglerfish of some sea goddess who has gone hungry for too long.
The staff are all new cuz the last ones returned the water
I think the bit of dialogue here at 18:27 is pretty much explains the overall subtext for the narrative.
Her cousin's experience mirrors what June eventually goes through. Due to some unspecified traumatic event, her cousin left her previous friend-group. June is somewhat sympathetic, but also chastises her for not just leaving earlier; from June's outside perspective, they were obviously bad people from the start.
Later in the story, when her own friend-group falls apart due to the supernatural water addiction/possession, she feels conflicted. These are her friends, and you as the player already see that they got along well before. She wants to save them, and have them return to how they used to be. When it becomes obvious she can't save them, the final decision becomes whether to leave, or sink down with them.
I imagine her cousin went through many of the same thoughts. An outsider may see that these people are being physically or emotionally abusive, or acting like literal zombies; but to June, they're still her friends.
I mean the discussion with Ryan later also explains some of this, but that less subtextual.
Everyone is addicted to water it came free with your cellular structure
i dont have a water addiction!
i have the oldest cellular structure known to man
YOU HAVE A WATER ADDICTIONNNNN
@@ambergirl986 NO YOU DONT I GOT MINE ON DAY ONE YOU DINGUS
Honestly i assumed that Ryan was the last man to get infected exactly because he was broke and was drinking his beer instead of the cocktails or water.
McCoy was infected first so we can assume that he was infected by the zombie at the start when it spilled water at him.
Girls were heavily drinking cocktails so thats what got them.
But i honestly have no idea why the MC is alight. Well you can argue that she is partly infected but still she was ably to resist.
i would probably assume the mc wasn't exposed enough to the water and cocktails?
june didn't really drink much of the water nor did she eat from the buffet [in the story], and i'm assuming she didn't drink all that much from the cocktails either.
yeah she did go into the ocean, but she didn't really go in there long enough for her to be “exposed”?
im just rambling here so dont mind me...
MC had too much body mass for whatever is in water to affect them :)
@@stoopedhooy88I’m going to assume this wasn’t written to be mean or fatphobic, so responding to it scientifically you’re actually kind of right bc fat tissue can’t retain water like lean muscle can so she wouldn’t have as much of it in her system compared to the others, especially if she already wasn’t drinking/eating much. She would’ve had to drink a lot more of it for it to affect her at the same rate that it did her friends, it’s possible it’s still messing with her but just at a slower rate
She’s probably one of those people who can subsist the entire day on a bottle of water
@@aloemoosethoon9556Fatphobic? Lmao are you for real? 😂😂😂
0:10 horrible HORRIBLE decisions just from the beginning , pretty much end of the story.😨
Australia, the starting location of every horror story.
💀💀💀
“Their fate was sealed the moment they crossed the threshold.”
White goes pawn to e4. This was their big mistake, and the game is already over for them
Ah I see someone is familiar with the tension gambit!
These mf’s are just drinking salt water and tweaking like that episode from Flapjack 😭
Weeeeeeeeest
God am so glad someone remind about that show.
I wish I knew whether Vonnie was allergic to seafood or had some other food restriction, since the dialogue made it sound like her eating seafood is so out of character for her. Especially when she keeps eating it to the point of being sick, but saying she “needs” to do this to give the fish back.
Maybe she was vegan?
the monologue at 14:50 heavily implies that von doesn't or can't usually eat seafood, though i wouldn't blame anyone for glossing over flavour text
I think it was left vague intentionally so ppl could make that conclusion themselves? Von could also just hate seafood, there's dialogue from June saying how even if god himself descended and offered Von a plate of seafood she'd still say no, so it doesn't sound like she's necessarily allergic
One thing I like about this dev is that the games take place in different places. This game is Australia, wedding in red (forgot the name) was in south Korea, dead plate was in Europe. I never saw that elevator game, but I think that's in the US, too (feel free to correct me, I genuinely no idea). It's always in different places, and I think that's neat.
It's married in red, plus dead plate takes place in France :)
@@maria_015 yeah, I had the name close, but not quite. And I remembered they used euros in dead plate, but forgot which country in specific, although given the theme France makes sense. Thanks for correcting me though!
@Rogeryoo your welcome, have a nice day :)
Yeah!! also Cold Front taking place in Canada :D (for elevator hitch and eloquent countenance I don’t think there’s a confirmed place)
@atlaszxu oh nicee, I didn't know that either, thank you! :D
The nature of June's conversation with Coy in the restaurant is pretty much all the context that you need for the game.
This friend group does not work. A lot of these people are too self absorbed or busy abusing substances and filling voids to have fulfilling conversations or deep friendships.
Literally zero compromising to help their friend.
Would be nice if we actually saw any of this demonstrated and not just "they talk like Tumblrites until the literal instant they all become irredeemable zombie slaves to a sea god"
@@drawingdragonYou don’t need to see that though. it’s unnecessary and makes the story easier to predict. Funny you call them tumblrites when you’re the shallow one here
@@westernsavage2313 Uh, he did just say he wanted to see them fleshed out and your hung up on "tumblrite" Maybe he hit a nerve lol
@@drawingdragon I disagree. I think we did see that animosity between them. I feel it's a very good demonstration of people who are only friends because they think they should be, because they think this is the best they can do, or because they all have that "Don't want to get left behind" feeling. The dialogue is definitely reminiscent of those toxic online friend groups you always hear about on discord, reddit, tumblr, etc.
The bible quote at the beginning is pretty much all the context you need for the game.
These characters run like they're in an anime ending.
Or a scooby doo chase sequence.
I WAS THINKING THIS!! Specifically the ending of Hajime no Ippo's third season.
It's all I could think of every time they sprint XD
Or Hajime from SDR2 (also set on an island)
@@brittanybarker95 yeah it's definitely more hanna barbera
this hits hard as someone who just started college. if the story can be interpreted about addiction, i totally get how june feels so left behind while watching her friends spiral, because they change so quickly and there’s nothing she can do to stop it. i won’t lie, so many of my friends are quickly falling into a similar addiction with alcohol. this game had just the right timing
Yeah I've heard from my own brother too that many of his own classmates have gone down to alcoholism too, I'm really worried when I get there myself, I wish this wasn't such a common issue :l
staring at your wall for 4 hours and then going to bed only to find out that manly uploaded is like going home to your beautiful manly badass wife after a long day of work
Literally so real
What did i just get the displeasure of reading...?
I was intrigued by what was happening, and really wanted to know but then suddenly it just ends and I felt like it was cut short.
I just assumed this was maybe a metaphor about losing your friends to things like drugs, their behaviour toward you turning for the worst or for things out of your control, since there was also the mention of June’s cousin losing her friends.
Maybe it’s just a story about people suddenly deciding they want to eat metal and glug water and I’m reading too much into things.
But this game was pretty good and I think of there was time constraints cuz it was for a game jam?
Yeah, the ending felt sudden, and the art looked a bit less detailed than the rest, thats the sad part about gamejam games
Yea especially because the quote at the beginning says “bad friends destroy good character”
I think that's it too, with the talk of June's cousin, "Bad company corrupts good character" and how weird it was, perhaps it was something similar. June can choose to follow or go back, as if she could follow their addiction/toxic behavior, but even if she wants to go back, she's still dragged into it (as Ryan dragged her into the water), as if her toxic friends corrupted her good character like the phrase.
And considering how water is something you drink, and the topic of alcohol stayed for a lot, then maybe it's all about alcohol addiction, and June also drinks but less than the others?
McCoy was drinking a lot of water and got aggressivem then regreting it, as if gotten violent due to alcohol, Ryan was paying attention to his drinks missing, Carmem already loving to drink and Van eating seafood, which seems like something she couldn't/disliked to eat, so it wasn't good either
I have a confession: I'm addicted to water...I know, it's so awful... I'm really sorry, but I LITERALLY can't help myself! I need some every day, or I go through horrible withdrawal! Headaches, dry mouth, and other shit...Society made me an addict...
Try soda. It does most everything water does, but it will make you an addict instead of society.
but but
your a cat!
@@spiritupgradesSo? What's that supposed to mean!? You think just because I'm a super cute cat, I can't have my my own struggles!? 🐈⬛
Absurdness, this is nothing compared to my water addiction.
You guys think you’re addicted to water? My body is literally 80% water
I love the concept, and generally it was pretty good but… it just kinda… stops, there’s so much unanswered that it’s kinda dragging the story down, like as a metaphor for addiction and/or a self-destructing friend group it’s pretty good but as an actual story there’s like… nothing to work with. I genuinely feel like I stopped in the middle of a novel mid sentence.
I can’t even feel the endings hopelessness because I’m so confused on what’s actually happening that the ending just doesn’t even really register as an ending.
this exactly. i constantly hear people say how good games/series/movies are when it's up to interpretation. i genuinely can't empathize with it. great as a concept, but what the fuck is actually happening. making a good mystery is throwing in clues that make for great theories, not simply "they're on an island with water"
i suppose its a matter of taste. personally, i love the complete lack of answers. the author doesnt need to justify its premise, i feel the allegorical nature of it is all it needs.
@@mothhuuny it is to some extent but, for me atleast, the allegory becomes significantly less meaningful when the story that’s representing it is somewhat (or honestly in this kinda totally) incoherent. Suppose there was an allegorical story about idk breaking an entering being bad as an example
And let’s say out of nowhere on like page 3 they mention cthulu and this is basically never brought up again except on the final page where it abruptly cuts off with “and then cthulu rose and conquered the world” would that be satisfying? Likely not, was the allegory in anyway helped by the addition of the mysterious cthulu conquering the world? Again likely not. The same applies here, to a less extent sure but it’s there.
I do want to reiterate its not a MYSTERY that’s the problem in and of itself it’s that nothing is done to even drive intrigue in the mystery, it’s barely even acknowledged as a mystery it’s more just “oh this is happening now” it genuinely feels like we skipped some pages in the script, and the ending is just… abrupt. Even an allegory needs to make coherent sense.
They mention “her” as a cause of all this but this is only brought up twice-ish, and never remarked upon. Etc.
I cant in good faith say the mystery helps the allegory when the mystery itself can’t even be bothered to phone in to work.
Yeah it felt like there were about 5 chapters removed. Big waste. Guess the author got bored or something.
@@tongpoo8985 Maybe, or it could be the fact that it was made in the span of a month for a game jam. There's only so much you can do for an event that doesn't allow you to get an early start.
Okay okay okay. I have an idea. We have people representing different addictions and abusive traits, leaving out Ryan and June. You'd think that maybe Ryan wasn't infected until the end when he joins them. I've interpeted this as either, him choosing to sink with them OR the Rot making him succumb to his depression. He can't swim. He knew he'd drown. Water is very often used to allude to depression and maneuvering life. "Sink or swim" so they say. Ryan couldn't; both physically and metaphorically.
wait i know a lot of people brought up the fact that 'water' here, might be an allegory for drinking but what really solidified it for me was how von and mckoy react to the old man drowning, with carmen suggesting that it was 'too early' to intervene with his addiction and mccoy saying that his being a lifeguard had nothing to do with the man drowning- implying that none of this is about literal water, but about addiction instead?? and vonnie by saying that 'he would've stopped if he thought he could do it' implies that it was voluntary and self inflicted like how one would lose themselves to addiction? i love all the discourse omg
Omg I never even thought of it like that. So many layers to this game!
I’m a big fan of Rachel’s games but I felt like the whole mechanics of the game were a bit pointless (as someone else pointed out, I felt like they’ve should have done it differently) and it seemed a lil too vague for me but maybe they wanted to try new things out. I do like having a plus sized protagonist tho! You don’t see that like ever.
They should have delved deeper into what happened to the friends, like the girl in the bathtub who's just never seen again
@@Mant111 it's vague intentionally i think
this game was probably a test for new mechanics and styles (like the sprites in SIG games are usually chibi but this one's a more full body style + side view)
I’ve heard this was for a game jam, with about a ~1 month time limit, so I don’t totally blame the weird mechanics, especially with how the story was pretty decent overall, even if it felt like it could’ve been longer/had a slower buildup.
@@Mant111 I agree, I felt like I couldn’t really get to know the characters, which is ashame because they seem great
I’m rewriting the ending in my head so Ryan survives too
So real
No because he was completely fine then suddenly not like wtf are these endings geniuenly
I have to say, I appreciate a horror game that has really good pacing. It keeps the audience consistently on edge with something strange and eerie happening every day, escalating every day, and it doesn't make the mistake many horror games do in revealing anything too quick cause they just wanna get to the climax. This one really took its time to build up to that final scene that just hits you and leaves you so suddenly with such an unsettled feeling. I appreciate that honestly, that was honestly pretty spooky.
Kinda divisive with the endings, they are dark but need something else to hit right in the hopeless marker. Also, adding movement to the character was quite pointless, it would have been more effective to make it a classic 2D rpgmaker game with cenital view or do it a point and click/visual novel. But anyway is an overall good experience.
aussie here. i thought it sounded like a horror game from the premise, and then got called out 30 seconds in. thanks man
_"I don't want her to lose me, I need to give the fish back"_
Von eating all the fish was weird, bc I didn't remember her going into the sea to be affected by a water god-like creature. Ryan didn't bc he couldn't swim, but even he was affected. June went right away to save the old man, so was she immune?
Yeah, it could be some metaphor about addiction, friendship, or environmentalism but since it's so game jam short, maybe the core idea wasn't able to be fully developed.
The game absolutely nailed a solid horror vibe, even if I remain confused about the plot. Eh, I'm not going to try to analyze it. It's one of those where I think you just have to go with the flow...
It's possible that saving the old man angered whatever "thing" was pulling people into the ocean, so she got "punished" by being left behind
@@Mant111 Yes I think that is very possible. So June was ironically saved and left alive bc she defied the 'thing'. I wonder if in June's mind, that will be good or not as she is now alone, without her friends. To me, it would show strength of character to not succumb to some popular craze or cult or whatever. We all are alone at some point in our lives, and have to learn to be comfortable in our aloneness without feeling lonely. It's an interesting story that I wished had more to it - both in development and in the ending. Maybe the dev will add onto the story.
I feel bad for june 😭 all of her friends literally gone and shes the only one witch conscious
Junes a witch????
@@pyroflare7774i think it's a typo. Should be "which" english is hard my friend, everything has similar pronunciation😅
That resemblance to a Junji Ito short story is spot-on with how this game played out. The whole eerie, mysterious plot slowly degrading into a terrible situation just to have it all end in a very anti-climactic way. All it would just have needed is a little bit more shocking body horror.
Maybe its just me but the cast kind of gives me Scooby doo vibes especially when it comes to the running animation
No same, I was thinking the run cycle looked scooby doo-esc
Absolutely hating the body negativity I’m seeing in the comments y’all. I was so happy to see a protag that has the same body type as me but it sucks to see all the comments about her body.
real dude, someone doesn’t look like jessica rabbit and mfs lose their shit
I mean it's just so VISIBLE and in your face that people are bound to mention it
I just saw the "goddess" as more of a personifcation of the ocean since some of our modern societies tend to gender bodies of water and storms with feminine characteristics.
It's more of a return to the earth while dying young, or in this case: the ocean and it's COLD and unfathomable depths, type of claustrophobic style of narrative that makes it disturbing.
It all feels unnatural since we don't usually attribute peaceful deaths to the ocean as often as we do with being put 6 ft. under the ground. It evokes emptiness, sense of loss, the terrors of isolation- all the fears we feel when we think of the ocean that June talks about.
Edit: I just thought it might also be some sort of subconscious desire to return to the mother's womb. Since oblivion is a sort of safety and peace in it's own twisted way. Sorry for the rant lol.
Nine sols fan spotted
@@llKarmalI All will return to the Tao! Jk, bow before cat people supremacy >:)
That sounds like a horror game (I am australian)
Anime
@@redditdevilsadvocate.5134 true
I'm also Australian and it's definitely a horror game.
QUEENSLANDER
@@spiritupgrades Victorian visiting family in Queensland
I recently realized that I really don't like these kinds of open-ended endings as the final say.
I'm all for some sort of discussion or whatever, but when the ending is so ambiguous and nobody can agree on what it is, it makes me feel like not even the creators knew what they were doing? They just wanted to have some sort of weird vague ending to get people talking.
Have your ending as vague as you want, but then give us some sort of directors note, letting is know what you were trying to do
Rach didn't want to leave any notes until the game jam judging period is over. There will be an explanation of whatever the actual intent was meant to be in about a month
@@jamienamine even if an explanation comes later, I do appreciate it. Let people have their speculation and then let us know your intent.
This is an interesting take.. im kind of the opposite, I just really like open endings, there's something very haunting about it and i feel like it sticks with me a lot longer than a closed ending would, I'm someone who likes to analyze and overthink a lot so it might just be that lol
@@cristinaestrella me too!! The endings gave me chills, and I also love to analyze and overthink so it was fun too!!
I'm the same. I do like analysis of open endings but only when people can come to a mainly uniform idea/theory at the end. I'm stupid so games where it is extremely open makes it too hard for me to understand what exactly is going on and how the metaphors fit with the literal story.
I think it has something to do with the conversation around @18:30
She talks about her cousin, and how her friends were jerks and she should have cut them out earlier.
We see the same thing happen to her - her friends are sick with something and she needs to cut them out (or die with them).
That being said, I do think something is happening because the old man calls her ungrateful.
So I am guessing some sort of ocean deity wants her 'gifts' returned - namely, water and ocean game (the sea food).
There is even foreshadowing when the old man says she'd be lucky to not be left behind.
The victims are absorbing as much water/fish as they can before 'she' comes to collect them (@25:42 they even say that it is 'too early for that' in reference to the old man swimming out to drown which means they are already infected by this point, and knew that is what they were all going to do. This is why they refused to save the old man), goes as far as soaking in it or fighting over cups of the stuff.
But the part about metal seems off then. I know at the end we saw them bringing anchors and swallowing chains and I get the water motif but that seems like land items - what claim does a water deity have to those?
And why the chunk of metal up-chuck?
Ryan didn't get sick because he didn't drink the Island's drinks - instead relying on the drinks in his cooler.
I don't think its the alcohol specifically because the main character drank alcohol with Von. The staff were also affected.
The main character didn't drink the 'drink' when interrupted by the strange man.
I thought maybe it is because they entered the water? But so did the main character to save the old man.
Her friends were also 'normal' up to the old man so the infection must be quick.
I was wondering what happens if you got the day wrong. It was Monday at 11 a.m. leaves at 12 sharp. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of options beyond that.
While I believe it's odd to have metal there (bc yes, it is a land object), I think it's a way to make the person heavy enough to sink to the bottom so that they'll stay in the cycle forever.
And the one scene where the girl was hurling out the metal chunk? I feel like it was a spike drug method.
This is just my interprecation based on what I seen on other comments, so take it as you will.
The metal seems to just be to make them sink faster. Efficiency, I guess.
As for why June is immune, it’s because she tried to save the old man. He says she’d be lucky to not be left behind, and she wasn’t lucky. The ocean said “nuh uh, I don’t want YOU.”
The ship parts are allegory. The old man states when ' *she* takes back what is *rightfully hers*, you'll be lucky not to be left behind'. In historical context, ocean is referred to as she, the saying goes that '(She) has claimed many ships for as long as we learned to sail'.
Ships and their parts naturally belong to the sea, because that's what they were made for, so do the water/drink , as do fish that vonnie eats.
Yeah, on the symbolic side of things, it feels like a parallel to what her cousin went through, needing to leave behind their whole friend group
As someone whos parents have drug problems, holy shit this hits hard. Genuinely sobbed at several points, something about the vibe of this game perfectly incaptures the fear and horror of situations like that.
Im surprised ive never seen the concept of drug addiction be used in horror. It already terrifying both to go through, and see others go through in of itself, seeing it twisted into a horror game sounds really interesting.
Downside is, i dont think it would be an easy thing to explore without demonizing the users itself. People going through that sorta thing are already suffering enough, having a horror game mocking that suffering would be painful. I dont trust people enough to create something like that without making addicts seem like monsters.
reverse rabies
yep, that sounds about right
I wonder what the opposite of hydrophobia is
@@Small-stick-o-butter Hydrophilia ?
@@icecreamnoodles3742I just can't help myself. Damn that sexy sexy water.
@@icecreamnoodles3742just can't help myself. That damn sexy sexy water.
Sonic says if you are drowning just drink the water
Pull a Thor. Drink the ocean.
I remember in Fallout 3 (and plenty of other games), you could outpace the damage-over-time you take from drowning by drinking bottles of purified water. Water just works like any other healing item lol.
If you are drowning, don't drown.
- motivational speaker
Don’t be like Sonic, kids.
Literally just saw the thumnail and thought is that rin???
The artstyle is way to iconic i already knew it was from thr creator of dead plate, married in red, and ect
Not gonna lie, I liked the story for what it is, even if it feels too abrupt of an end. I would have loved more tension personally.
As a side note, this does give me an idea for a cosmic horror DnD Campaign. The party decides to go on vacation only for some Deep One to start shit at a resort. Add the infected turning into fish people and make them even MORE aggressive and there you go.
Dang. I only saw this game on UA-cam yesterday. I figured it would take Manly at least a week to get around to it, but I’m impressed he picked it up so fast!
Also, I’m happy to see a fat main character in a video game. We don’t see those too often.
I REALLY like the art style and direction of storytelling. The mystery of the island and building tension is great! It reminds me of those old creepypastas from back in the day (the good ones lol). It's almost a perfect story, but I don't really like how vague the ending is. I understand that some stories are open ended so that you can make your own assumptions. But I feel that there were too many questions that went unanswered. Ultimately dulling the impact of the ending for me. Still a fun ride, tho!
Thanks to Jeff the Killer, we all have to specify the difference between edge and quality 😂
@@witchypeoniflorallungs3044 Lol yup!
I'm about 12 minutes in and horribly distracted by the jungles coming out of Ryan's armpits. Like, every time he's on screen I take psychic damage.
what if i say this about the mc being fat?
@@lilzazieyou’d be a dick. it takes time and commitment to lose weight, bro could just shave his arms in a quick second😭
@@lilzazieuntrue
@@lilzazietrue
You don't recognise the bodies in the- wait, that's wrong...
SCP reference to the bodies in the lake, I presume? :P
@@SeedlingNL Thought it might be on the theme, but shh
But what if the bodies in the water recognize you?
@charondusk5608 ooh, don't be tempted
Less Junji Itto and more Lovecraft cause it reminds me of The Shadow Over Innsmouth.
You know if someone is drowning you're not supposed to go out and rescue them because there is a high chance they'll pull you under. I kind of see it as a young idealistic girl trying to treat adulthood like school but everyone has to go on their own path. You can't live life as someone's pet or let some mommy tell you what to do.
19:19 the game did a *really* good job transitioning the vibe from relaxed to tense.
I hate how vague the ending is. Whats going on? What does it have to do with Ryan?
Ryan probably had a drink. Then he decided to go for a swim.
I think the part when the game asks when did von say about the ferry has to do with the endings. I think there are more endings.
@@ran.ish_ Nah there's only 2 endings.
We don't know what happened to Ryan, he probably had some water earlier and the effect triggered while they were sleeping
@@campcampcamp oh damn
I also suffer from addiction to dihydrogen oxide it’s so bad… my coaches in school made me take it or else I couldn’t play… they sell it on the streets too in a solid form. I think they call it “ice”…
so did we all see that one tumblr post about aliens allergic to water or...
@@mgsgamer8340 funny you mention that did you know 98% of serial killers drink water lol
@@tsuna6240 what abt the other 2 percent...
@@mgsgamer8340 Ded.
@@mgsgamer8340 blood, probably
I actually got a little sad at the ending. I totally understand what you mean, and there is something much deeper there.
I love Rachel's art style and I think Ryan's my favourite character 😅
TheOrY: The hotel is in on the watergod cult thing by offering room drinks & having cheap prices. Perhaps not the hotel staff themselves but the owner of the hotel, because why would they still have their buisness in that location if something like that probably happened before? And if they weren't in on it then the staff would have noticed something about the people when it got really bad and would call for help, unless everyone just got infected by the water at the same exact time.
I also feel like the moon and star shape of the hotel island may have something to do with it, the moon is connected to the water afterall. Im thinking there is a symbolism in the moon&tides, and mabe this happens only during certain phases of the moon. Perhaps its representing the flow of life.
I agree with the symbolism of toxic friends/pushing people away/addiction stuff, it makes sense. But im curious about the symbolism that is shown in that world about the water god thing specifically.
45:15 I teared up. June was still second-guessing herself even after how terrible Von, Carmen, and McCoy were treating her. It's like how I feel with my anxiety. I really connect with June. She's also plus size like me, and her personality is a lot like my own. Ryan spitting facts too.
You can't just suck it up and let people treat you like garbage because you don't want to be alone.
I am absolutely thrilled about this game. Everything from the running animation to stark coldness of the end. The main character reminds me of one of my best friends. I also love that she didn’t ask too many questions just wanted to save her friends which is so suspenseful and scary. Blocking out actual nonsense bc she’s so worried her friends are pushing her away. Ryan was so kind
Me finally taking that sip of water after dehydrating myself the whole day:
stories like this always make me think of the spongebob story "once upon a time there was an ugly barnacle, he was so ugly everyone died, the end"
I appreciate the fact they built up the relationships between characters but it's a horror story, not a drama, nothing in this game really invoke a feeling of terror or horror because the scariest thing in this game is water
I could accept that if there WERE relationships between the characters but there really wasn't any punch to that either
Just "we have the protagonist, the cool guy, the smart girl, and the happy go lucky girl. And some other guy. Banter banter. Oops now everyone's dead the end wasn't that sad"
Like no I genuinely felt nothing
5:01
"You know he can't swim-"
Manly: "He's gonna die.."
This game turned out more frightening than I expected going in. The atmosphere as everyone starts acting really weird at night actually started to get to me
I will say I think the ending was too open ended. I love a good ambiguous ending, but I like some kind of resolution as well.
Normal people “Who is watching youtube at 3 in the morning?!”
Me: “OH BOY, 3 AM!
ITS 4 39 AM
2:44am here
@@kaden-sd6vb lovely, i have school in like an hour and 13 minutes
@@SingleIsFreedom and I have work in like 3 hours
@@kaden-sd6vb great we both have a shit morning to our daily life
Wait the detail of Ryan’s jacket on June when she wakes up at 45:58 is killing me-
Thank you for your take on the actual story at the end, as nice as all the theorizing is about “metaphors of toxic relationships” and all that stuff, I just wanted to know what was going on in the actual story. The theory of the water goddess made a lot of sense and was very satisfying to my mind, thank you again.
you know when they quote a Bible verse in the intro that shit's about to get serious
2:15 the amount of times manly says he barely sleeps ;_; we love you manly but please take a nap
Water water everywhere and not a drop to drink
Water water everywhere and all the boards did shrink
Albatross core
Day by day, Day by day, We struck no breath nor motion,
As idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean.
Reading the comments and rewatching gameplays, realizing that this game could be symbolzing friends who have addictions or mental health problems.
Like when June found McCoy chugging a jug of water, being aggressive and then snapping out of his earlier state, and saying he didnt mean to hurt June. In my opinion, it could be symbolized as a drinking problem. How alcohol could drag you to be aggressive and being out of the state of your mind or something similar like that.
Next, for Carmen. As June enteres the other cabana, she finds Carmen in the bathroom while being in the tub. Her eyes looked empty, and with the way she shuts June out almost immediately, it led me to believe it might be depression. The sink overflowing and the floor almost flooding with water could also be a clue to what shes suffering from, but I'm not too sure yet.
And then there's Von, who's eating sea food in the buffet. As mentioned by June earlier in the game, Von doesnt eat any seafood. And later on in the game, Von says she NEEDS to eat the food. She does also mention that she needs to give the fish back, but i also dont know how to comclude that line. Either way, i do think that her needing to eat could be symbolizing an eating disorder.
I dont have much to say for Ryan and June, considering i dont think they show many of their problems. And the other comments i read pointing to this game being a symbolism to having toxic friends or being in an unhealthy friend group and how that can drag you down unless you leave them. I too, believe in that theory, and if any theorists have any explanation or have other theories, I'd love to hear them! Thank you for reading this!
"Where a group of people take a vacation to an Australian island; things soon go horribly wrong..."
Me: *gasp* the BOX-JELLIES!!! 😱
Ryans a real cool guy. This is just genuinely well written horror, no idiocy anywhere.
Manly it’s midnight man you’re ruining my sleep schedule 😢
Midnight? My friend, it is nearly 3AM over here on my side of the world. Sleep be damned!
Ist morning were I live
four am for me 😿
It's five am here... my sleep schedule was already ruined ..
4 am here 😅
"a resort in Australia" already sounds like hell
If you close your eyes to the horror component of this game and turn to social decay, it's very reminiscent of the Australian film of the 90s - "Muriel's Wedding". It seems light on the surface, but if you dig deeper, it's not funny at all.
3:22 for you to repeat the manly scream
LOL😂😂😂
Thank you for this!
Wow manly, you've been playing banger after banger! Good stuff as always!
20:00
My mom is a gastroenterologist. You’d be surprised at the things people will swallow 🤢
"Someone was trying to swim in a 10cm fountain."
"But then again, social standards _can change..."_
💀💀💀
Quite cool and easy to read layers, which is really rare. Losing friends is sad really. Intentional or not, you can only see the group together a couple of times at best. The heroine just roaming around random locations by herself. During the beach "fun" it was weird all of the friends are just by themselves isolated and doing their random thing. Oh boy whether that feel is familiar... So hard to let friends go and admit the fact people you got used to throughout the years are different now.
An interesting story!! Thank you for playing!
I know a lot of folks are taking it on an emotional / metaphorical sense but I'm out here like "Wow that'd be fucked up!" LOL
i love the symbolism in this game and the parallel to june and her cousin, now its time for me to watch 20 more videos about this and head to bed!
Immortan Joe had the right idea:
"Do not, my friends, become addicted to water. It will take hold of you, and you will resent its absence!"
this is the timeline where immortan joe was the good guy all along
This game dev is quickly becoming one of my favorites. I absolutely adore this style of storytelling & gameplay, and the audio is impeccable from all that I've seen. There's LOTS of modern media stories and folklores that carry the same energy and lesson as the three games I've seen, and I LOOOOOVE a game with multiple endings that recreate the range of experiences from real life toxic cycles and mindsets.
Glad to see that so many other people had the "I'm also addicted to water, in that I'll die if I don't have it" joke!
I thoroughly enjoy the videos and commentary. Thanks for existing and making content. There are a lot of people that need it during this difficult life, alike myself. Much love to you, man 🖤.
Most peaceful vacation in Australia
Seeing lots of debate in comments, but… Not sure what the confusion is. Seems fairly straightforward to me. Bunch of her friends got addicted, started treating her terribly, one friend she thought she could trust either succumbed to the addiction or ditched them, she risked herself to help her friends when they were beyond help, and then got literally dragged down with them.
Bad company corrupts good behavior.” That was the quote at the beginning - that’s the point. That friends with addiction/drinking problems can and will drag you down with them if you aren’t careful.
“Free thinking” people telling me i need water to live. (The government pumps it into their house and instructs them to consume it)
I find it interesting that some of the symbolism is basically toixc friend groups or problems with alcoholism. Which actually does fit the tile of the game, "Rot in Paradise" when you think about it
If we're going by the themes of how harmful addictions can be,not only to yourself but those who are close to you, this "Paradise" is basically drinking yourself until you "rot". Most of the characters indulge into their drinking habits since this is Paradise to them (ex. Von with all the cocktails she orders even though none of them taste good to her,ect). But the more they began drinking, they started to get addicted. Like its not something they want anymore, its something they NEED. And that literally ends them up rotting..
As a person who barely drinks anything other than plain water this is my worst nightmare.
This sucks, they just wanted a vacation, they didn't deserve this!
Why can't something bad happen to a annoying billionare for once in these games ToT?
Well, Vincent from Dead Plate was kinda bougie and really annoying, but I see what you mean, yeah.
That would change the genre from Horror to Comedy.
Eat the Rich.
I know Dead Plate is the dev's most well-known game, but Married in Red is my favorite I've seen from them. Banger tragedy with a hot protag, what more could you ask for?
@@ryanrouse5590 I honestly really liked most of their games , especially Married in Red , but this game was just.....not it for me
I feel like it answered 0 questions ans just left me honestly confused