You know a game is really good when someone just saying how much they like it makes you want to play the entire thing again. Wandersong is truly a special game that means so much to many of the people who play it. It's so masterfully crafted that even the way you speedrun the game hammers home its themes.
The bit with the bugs always makes me cry 😭 also I love how every single person I've seen who plays this game comes out the end fiercely loving Miriam... she really is an amazing character!!
There are SO many moments in this game that make me cry and most of the revolve around Miriam! She's just such a human character, it's hard not to get attached. Apparently she was only intended as a one-off NPC at the beginning of the game but I'm so glad they kept her in!
@@CurmudgeonMedia It's a wonderful thing when a character ends up so much better than you thought they would, and they take on a whole life of their own. 💜
Someone shared a thought I want to spread. A thought about this game. Playing a support character is great, not because you have a big sword or the flashiest spells, but because you make everyone around you *better.*
Lovely analysis. It's great seeing more people talk about such an underrated gem. Every chapter of Wandersong's story felt like its own grand little adventure, and Miriam is honestly one of my favorite fictional characters that I've seen in a long time. I loved how the three major players in the story (the bard, the witch, and the hero) all embody a different extreme in dealing with issues of self-worth, and in working together the Bard and Miriam are able to find a sort of middle-ground. Contemplating who they are, where they're going, what it takes to be happy, and how there isn't always a simple answer to any of those questions. But it's still hopeful, in giving them a chance to slow down and discover new things in new places, both about themselves and about the world around them, and how we're all connected in certain ways even if we don't realize it. Like you say, it's a game that looks simple at a first glance, but ends up surprisingly nuanced and heartfelt the further that you delve into it.
I absolutely agree! The tragedy of The Hero is that she came so close in the end to that critical moment of self-discovery, but neglected it for the bizarre, self-fulfilling prophecy she'd adopted, and to which she'd ascribed her entire identity and worth as a human being. We're still such a small channel, but it's really heart-warming to get comments from users such as yourself! I'd love to talk about Wandersong again in more detail. And like I say, if there's any time in history when we most need Wandersong, now is that time
I cannot count how many times I cried during this game, but it wasn't only tears of sadness. Sure, that did happen, yet they managed to get me to cry through so many other emotions, like happiness, hope, it felt so humanand relatable and there were so many absolutely heartwarming moments..... I seriously cannot recommend this game enough!!!
The dynamics between the Bard and Miriam, and specially her journey of self-discovery and self-appreciation, really hit me. That short conversation scene at The Crater, man.
One of the themes of this game is also "coming together to solve problems" The world is ending because it is, well, corroding. The Overseers won't do their jobs. One even runs away. All the people have some sort of issue but don't take any action on their own. Sometimes because one person is not enough, sometimes they're just scared. But we fly around the world (thank you, Miriam) and solve each problem big and small. You have a love letter? We'll deliver it! You need a magic artifact for divination? I love fetch quests! With each issue resolved you get more attached to the characters and also fix the world just a little bit. It does not immediately prevent the destruction, but it's still nice. And in the end everyone helps you. They finally managed to live and maybe solve their problems, to now help you with yours. But we didn't know this would happen. The bard did not help everyone just so they could help them. They just helped because they're a kind person. That's how the world survives. And this is exactly what I think is so special about this game. We need stuff like this especially in the face of climate change and any other problems of the world. (There are a lot more wonderful themes in this game and I highly recommend anyone who has not played it to give it a try)
Miriam has a line in that Act 5 scene you included a glimpse of, and it articulated something about me in a way I never could before; "'It doesn't feel good to be different like this. I feel like I'm just messed up, and I'll never fit in anywhere."
you know, that's one of my favourite things about the game and something i wish i had included in this video--the way they find the simplest, most digestible ways to word emotions that are often the hardest to describe. PS: love the pfp that jacket is fly as hell
Here from r/videoessay. First of all, I just want to say that it makes me so happy to see a video essay on this game! And I would absolutely love to see a longer analysis like you mention at 6:35. I played the entirety of Wandersong with a Steam Controller, which makes it VERY hard to play the correct note (on default settings at least, which I used for the first half of my playthrough). But the thing is, the game never really punishes you for getting it "wrong." You can just play around with the notes! I love that aspect of it. Excited to see more from you!
Thanks so much for watching, and for the kind words! You can absolutely expect a longer video on Wandersong in the future! And I agree, the game isn't really guided by difficulty so much as it is by creativity and exploration, which completely works in its favour
Between Wandersong and Chicory, Greg Lobanov has made me deepky emotional about bugs. (And jokes aside, the bugs really carry the humanistic, optimistic theme of the game(s).)
Fun Fact: That crowd from the end of the game, shown at 6:58? The composer is in there, with a light brown beard and baseball cap. They're a couple rows from the back, next to a lady in a purple dress and pointy hat. I recognize their model from the secret room you can get into where you can meet the game developers (all 3 of them lol)
I just got this game! I can't wait to play it!! Great video by the way the humour was **chief's kiss** on point as always. I look forward to the next one 😆
💗I love this game, so thanks for this. Chapter 6 and 5 really hit me and is amazing, And Miriam is definitely on my top ten favorite characters of all time!
@@CurmudgeonMedia I know right it’s all around a masterpiece. I played it in 2020 on thanksgiving day. the funny thing is the way I found Wandersong was through Spotify recommending me it’s amazing music so I searched what it was and saw it was a cool game. Skip to maybe 3 months later I go through my switch EShop and see that this game I had forgotten about and only knew the name of was on sale. So I got the game and played a tiny bit of it really late the day before thanksgiving and The Genuine good vibes I got from that game were indescribable. I went to bed only knowing that the world was going to end at the beginning and slept greatly. I finished the game in 2 and a half days since I loved it so much and replayed it more after that. Wandersong also finally after years has inspired me to make fan art with no embarrassment and I make fan art normally as an artist now. I am thankful for Wandersong greatly! Oh Gosh I typed a lot, apologizes if you’re reading this ( ；´Д｀).
@@chlozentimes I read the whole story and I think it's fantastic this game resonated with you the way it did. I did a little Wandersong fan art myself, they're such delightful characters. And yet, for a game with such a disarming charm to it, it's equally capable of evoking such incredible feeling. It truly has this intense weight of fatalism towards the end that is matched only by the sheer beauty of the world and its characters, and of course the incredible ending song
@@CurmudgeonMedia yes it would be nice to have a video. Also the dev have added a lot of different control in the Switch version (motion control with the joycons, touch pad in handheld mode, or with a classic controller). 😁
I noticed that in this video they reffered to the bard with he/him pronouns, and I just wanted to say that the bard uses they/them pronouns. I assume the video maker meant no ill will, I just wanted to share this as it means a lot to me that there is a nonbinary main character in one of my favorite games.
You know a game is really good when someone just saying how much they like it makes you want to play the entire thing again.
Wandersong is truly a special game that means so much to many of the people who play it. It's so masterfully crafted that even the way you speedrun the game hammers home its themes.
The hardest part of making this video was capturing footage because it legit just made me wanna play the game again start to finish!
The bit with the bugs always makes me cry 😭 also I love how every single person I've seen who plays this game comes out the end fiercely loving Miriam... she really is an amazing character!!
There are SO many moments in this game that make me cry and most of the revolve around Miriam! She's just such a human character, it's hard not to get attached. Apparently she was only intended as a one-off NPC at the beginning of the game but I'm so glad they kept her in!
@@CurmudgeonMedia There's a real magic to characters who stick around and become more than what they were intended :D
@@Quandtuniverse Absolutely! Can you even imagine Wandersong without Miriam??
@@CurmudgeonMedia It's a wonderful thing when a character ends up so much better than you thought they would, and they take on a whole life of their own. 💜
Maybe the real song is the friends we made along the way
IT IS, IT REALLY IS
I was just about to say that creator of video
Someone shared a thought I want to spread.
A thought about this game.
Playing a support character is great, not because you have a big sword or the flashiest spells, but because you make everyone around you *better.*
Lovely analysis. It's great seeing more people talk about such an underrated gem. Every chapter of Wandersong's story felt like its own grand little adventure, and Miriam is honestly one of my favorite fictional characters that I've seen in a long time.
I loved how the three major players in the story (the bard, the witch, and the hero) all embody a different extreme in dealing with issues of self-worth, and in working together the Bard and Miriam are able to find a sort of middle-ground. Contemplating who they are, where they're going, what it takes to be happy, and how there isn't always a simple answer to any of those questions. But it's still hopeful, in giving them a chance to slow down and discover new things in new places, both about themselves and about the world around them, and how we're all connected in certain ways even if we don't realize it.
Like you say, it's a game that looks simple at a first glance, but ends up surprisingly nuanced and heartfelt the further that you delve into it.
I absolutely agree! The tragedy of The Hero is that she came so close in the end to that critical moment of self-discovery, but neglected it for the bizarre, self-fulfilling prophecy she'd adopted, and to which she'd ascribed her entire identity and worth as a human being.
We're still such a small channel, but it's really heart-warming to get comments from users such as yourself! I'd love to talk about Wandersong again in more detail. And like I say, if there's any time in history when we most need Wandersong, now is that time
When I was helping Ash reconnect with their late Mom and crying my eyes out, I knew I had found something really special. 💜😭
that bit really got me too!
I cannot count how many times I cried during this game, but it wasn't only tears of sadness. Sure, that did happen, yet they managed to get me to cry through so many other emotions, like happiness, hope, it felt so humanand relatable and there were so many absolutely heartwarming moments..... I seriously cannot recommend this game enough!!!
The dynamics between the Bard and Miriam, and specially her journey of self-discovery and self-appreciation, really hit me. That short conversation scene at The Crater, man.
absolutely. Miriam figuring out who she is and what SHE wants, it's so completely, unabashedly human
One of the themes of this game is also "coming together to solve problems"
The world is ending because it is, well, corroding. The Overseers won't do their jobs. One even runs away. All the people have some sort of issue but don't take any action on their own. Sometimes because one person is not enough, sometimes they're just scared.
But we fly around the world (thank you, Miriam) and solve each problem big and small.
You have a love letter? We'll deliver it! You need a magic artifact for divination? I love fetch quests!
With each issue resolved you get more attached to the characters and also fix the world just a little bit. It does not immediately prevent the destruction, but it's still nice.
And in the end everyone helps you. They finally managed to live and maybe solve their problems, to now help you with yours. But we didn't know this would happen. The bard did not help everyone just so they could help them. They just helped because they're a kind person.
That's how the world survives. And this is exactly what I think is so special about this game. We need stuff like this especially in the face of climate change and any other problems of the world.
(There are a lot more wonderful themes in this game and I highly recommend anyone who has not played it to give it a try)
Miriam has a line in that Act 5 scene you included a glimpse of, and it articulated something about me in a way I never could before; "'It doesn't feel good to be different like this. I feel like I'm just messed up, and I'll never fit in anywhere."
you know, that's one of my favourite things about the game and something i wish i had included in this video--the way they find the simplest, most digestible ways to word emotions that are often the hardest to describe. PS: love the pfp that jacket is fly as hell
Here from r/videoessay. First of all, I just want to say that it makes me so happy to see a video essay on this game! And I would absolutely love to see a longer analysis like you mention at 6:35.
I played the entirety of Wandersong with a Steam Controller, which makes it VERY hard to play the correct note (on default settings at least, which I used for the first half of my playthrough). But the thing is, the game never really punishes you for getting it "wrong." You can just play around with the notes! I love that aspect of it.
Excited to see more from you!
Thanks so much for watching, and for the kind words! You can absolutely expect a longer video on Wandersong in the future!
And I agree, the game isn't really guided by difficulty so much as it is by creativity and exploration, which completely works in its favour
Between Wandersong and Chicory, Greg Lobanov has made me deepky emotional about bugs. (And jokes aside, the bugs really carry the humanistic, optimistic theme of the game(s).)
I can't wait to play Chicory, I still haven't got around to it!
Fun Fact: That crowd from the end of the game, shown at 6:58? The composer is in there, with a light brown beard and baseball cap. They're a couple rows from the back, next to a lady in a purple dress and pointy hat.
I recognize their model from the secret room you can get into where you can meet the game developers (all 3 of them lol)
Now this is the video I was looking for on my monthly search for new Wandersong videos
I love it when people are shaped like a fren. Amazing Video!!
the real heroism were the friends we made along the way 🥺
so many frems c':
I'm just binge watching all your videos now, they are really great and well structured!
thank you so much!!!
1:58 i will @ you for being absolutely f*cking right
Happy to say that this was the video that convinced me to buy the game, and it was a emotional ride throughout the entire thing
I'm so glad you enjoyed the game, and that my video made a difference in that regard!
i like that deep fried bard you use at 1:40
I just got this game! I can't wait to play it!! Great video by the way the humour was **chief's kiss** on point as always. I look forward to the next one 😆
Omg you have so much to look forward to, I hope you enjoy the game as much as I did!!
This made me cry.
in a good way, i hope!
💗I love this game, so thanks for this. Chapter 6 and 5 really hit me and is amazing, And Miriam is definitely on my top ten favorite characters of all time!
this game truly blew me away. so many touching moments, so many beautiful character nuances, just all-round fantastic. and thank you for watching! c:
@@CurmudgeonMedia I know right it’s all around a masterpiece. I played it in 2020 on thanksgiving day. the funny thing is the way I found Wandersong was through Spotify recommending me it’s amazing music so I searched what it was and saw it was a cool game. Skip to maybe 3 months later I go through my switch EShop and see that this game I had forgotten about and only knew the name of was on sale. So I got the game and played a tiny bit of it really late the day before thanksgiving and The Genuine good vibes I got from that game were indescribable. I went to bed only knowing that the world was going to end at the beginning and slept greatly. I finished the game in 2 and a half days since I loved it so much and replayed it more after that. Wandersong also finally after years has inspired me to make fan art with no embarrassment and I make fan art normally as an artist now. I am thankful for Wandersong greatly! Oh Gosh I typed a lot, apologizes if you’re reading this ( ；´Д｀).
@@chlozentimes I read the whole story and I think it's fantastic this game resonated with you the way it did. I did a little Wandersong fan art myself, they're such delightful characters. And yet, for a game with such a disarming charm to it, it's equally capable of evoking such incredible feeling. It truly has this intense weight of fatalism towards the end that is matched only by the sheer beauty of the world and its characters, and of course the incredible ending song
@@CurmudgeonMedia Exactly 💓
Here I am from AFG's discord, keep up the good work mate!
thanks so much!
Lore of Why Wandersong is the Game We Need Right Now momentum 100
I downloaded wander song through gamepass but then never played it😅
Regardless to say you've convinced me to finally check it out
Will they ever make wandersong 2?
but this is basically an indisputable fact.
I loved this game!!
Looks awesome, I'd never heard of this game!
YOU'RE IN FOR A TREAT BOI
I have questions. About the best game ever comment. How can you say this when Rambo: The Video Game exists.
oh dang you're right. I've shamed my family and now my parents won't look me in the eye
Nice video ya got there, Tom. Be a shame if someone used your footage and edited it out of context.
*_fear_*
This game is so good. Have you played the new game from the same developer "Chicory: A Colorful Tale". It's excellent. :)
I haven't yet but I'm eager to, everything I've seen of it looks like an absolute delight
@@CurmudgeonMedia yes it's so good. The game released on the Switch yesterday (finally ahah). 😁
omggg all the more reason for me to play it! might even make a video about it
@@CurmudgeonMedia yes it would be nice to have a video. Also the dev have added a lot of different control in the Switch version (motion control with the joycons, touch pad in handheld mode, or with a classic controller). 😁
I noticed that in this video they reffered to the bard with he/him pronouns, and I just wanted to say that the bard uses they/them pronouns. I assume the video maker meant no ill will, I just wanted to share this as it means a lot to me that there is a nonbinary main character in one of my favorite games.
yes i became aware of that after i'd already posted the video, but i appreciate the comment all the same! we stan our excellent non-binary bard fren