AMAZING Story... I Almost Cried! | Let's Play The Beginner's Guide

[@bals1632]

What hit me hard is the fact that Coda doesn't exist. On Daveys blog, he said that Coda was him, both the narrator and Coda are 2 sides of the same person, one wanting to share his games with people because it makes him feel good, and one wishing for it to never have happened, as creating games would stop being a release for him. To answer what you're wondering, we have The Stanley Parable, so I guess in the end, Coda and the narrator sorted themselves out, Davey seems completely emotionally stable now, I'm glad he can happily make games, and also share them with others...

[@AveryHyena]

Coda is actually closely based on Robin, a past friend, and Davey's experiences with him. Some of the quotes at the end actually come right from things Robin has said. This is also why it says "For R." at the end of the game.

[@TheLeftistOwl]

The problem with your last statement is that it misses the point of The Beginner's Guide. The point is that sometimes when writers portray something in their work about an insecurity or other dark subjects, doesn't always mean they themselves are going through that. This could be an exploration of Davey's feelings about game design, but it doesn't mean he's going through anything especially bad when he made this. It's a reflection on how interpretation needs a stopping point.

[@amy_grace]

If you somehow manage to make it through the invisible maze in The Tower, Narrator Davey says "Damn..." in a really impressed voice 😂

[@BenjamightGaming]

Seriously? Oh man, that's pretty cool. I would never have accomplished that...lol.

[@MadArtillery]

Edit: hmph, don't think i've ever watched this game without writing a huge wall of text. I remember this game and it did give me chills. There's little hints to the whole thing littered through the game and the more times I watch it the more I pick up on that. I did a similar thing to the narrator the first time. Taking the highs and lows, seeing myself in them, my own problems, my own demons, and everything made sense. The more time I watch it, the more I realize how toxic it can be to see your own problems in others, how much trying to help can be a selfish thing at times, Introspection is important. A lot of the time we see things or feel things because a part of us expects to see it, or wants to see it. An easy way to stop dealing with your own problems is to go tackle someone elses problems, real or not. In the end though, the healthiest thing in this whole thing is the cleaning game. It never ends, just like it doesn't in real life but keeping your own personal space clean helps a lot in keeping you healthy mentally. When everything goes to hell it's easy to stop caring and stop doing the little things that need to be done, and seeing those things pile up just reminds you how far in the dumps you are, they can feel like a wall trapping you down there, too big to climb out. Stopping and just, doing it, even if you feel too stressed to do it, even if you feel like it's insurmountable, even if it feels so utterly draining to even stand seems impossible at the end of the day. The best way out of it is to just start, tidy it up, stop letting the drain feed itself in a cycle by doing something small to make the next day less misserable. It's amaizing how much difference in mindset can happen just getting up and cooking a proper dinner, or working on that horribly inconvenient, ugly mess, even just a bit. It makes it easier to do the next thing and then the next. It will never end, but every bit we put into it makes everything easier, even if you'll never win.

[@BenjamightGaming]

Awesome insight there MadArtillery - and you're right, it can easily be a 'selfish' act to try to fix someone we think needs fixed. The intent of the heart is important on both sides of the equation. Another cool thing about cleaning house, and I only know this because I went through a big health scare with my wife a few years back, but my house was SPOTLESS every day... because it gave me an outlet. Gave me that ability to feel like I was in control of something... something that I COULD fix. Thankfully, my wife is much better, but I have never forgotten how I really leaned into cleaning the house during that scary time. :-)

[@snowtyler]

Wow, I played this a few years ago and it still hits just as hard. What an incredible experience, my favorite section would have to be where you are cleaning the house. It always felt really cozy to me. So glad you enjoyed this one, I know I did. I can't remember if this was already suggested, but Bastion and Transistor are both amazing games with incredible narrator characters.

[@BenjamightGaming]

Totally agree, it's so incredible. I'm so glad I got to experience this masterpiece. Thanks for the suggestions, those are 2 games I purchased during Black Friday sales... I didn't realize they were both narrator driven games - now I'm even more excited to play them. :-)

[@ReedoTV]

I felt so betrayed when the narrator revealed he cut the cleaning game off early!

[@preinevals]

I really like your take on the game. The overall story the game seems to talk about is the struggle of the artist. As an artist you put so much time and effort into your art and you put in clever details and what not, but the second you show it to someone, you have to realize your intention will be misinterpreted. And that is fine. That's what art is. This is the most important lesson an artist has to learn.

[@BenjamightGaming]

Thanks Preinevals, appreciate that. Yep, I totally agree with you... art of any sort, once given to others to view, can have countless interpretations. Sometimes even events going on in a persons life and completely change their OWN opinion as well... ever had something you looked at months/years later, and then had an entirely different thought on it? Super awesome stuff, that's for sure.

[@avivastudios2311]

😊 As a writer, I second this comment.

[@ReedoTV]

If you are looking for another Narrator game, "What Remains of Edith Finch" is a personal favorite

[@BenjamightGaming]

Thanks so much for the recommendation ReedError, I have added it to my wishlist - it looks interesting.

[@roborob4296]

@@BenjamightGaming it is an amazing game. however there is some copy righted music and turning music off only mutes some of those tracks not all of them. i dont think they strike the videos but they claim them. so yea sadly can be problematic.

[@dlweiss]

Oh yay! I'm so glad you made time to experience this game/story, and so glad it affected you as deeply as it did for me. It really is a truly unique, brilliant example of how games can innovate the way we tell and share stories about complicated subjects.

[@BenjamightGaming]

Thank you dlweiss - yeah, I'm eternally grateful people recommended this game to me. When I first read the description and it said something about 'no real objective', I was like "What kind of a game could be good without an objective"? Well... I know now...lol. I learned so much from this game and will remember it for many years to come.

[@CoiledDracca]

I have watched at least 20+ KZbinrs sharing this experience. From very prominent to obscure. It's a philosophical head-space. And it never fails to make me cry seeing others react to it (crying about even the most tiny thing, happy tears, sad tears, angry tear, frustration tears.... tears help you and I'll never know why people put stigmas on them) . It's a diamond for me. Gloriously and humbly at the same time. - Thank you for sharing Benja. PS: I usually happen upon people that play this experience. 2nd Edit.... the person who is "Koda" - Jamie does refer to them as he or him or his often. But at the same time Koda is expressing like a lot crying/and frustration... but more specifically a girl in a cell. And the whole sudden "Ma'am" thing before talking to the machine. There's a lot going on it this story. - "I'm not your problem to solve." - I think Jamie and Koda are the same person. we're all the same person really. Going to watch your Half Life 2 stuff now and layer the Stanly stuff. Glad I found you, Devs that work alone capture a lot more of actual life than if "money" gets involved.

[@BenjamightGaming]

Thanks so much for the awesome feedback CoiledDrake, I really appreciate that. You're right, as soon as I finished this game, I watched like 3 other people play it... I was hooked and wanted to get some other peoples reactions/thoughts. What an amazing experience this was - one I will never forget. There's a BIG reason this one is on my Favorites Playlist - absolutely fantastic game. Hope you enjoy the other playthroughs... I've got a nice variety on the channel now, and thanks again for saying hi. :-)

[@vitraartist2622]

I remember being like this fictional version of Davey Wreden. I sucked. My only defense is I was like 15. This game was honestly a bit of a wakeup call.

[@BenjamightGaming]

Are you a game developer? If so, what kind of games do you make?

[@avivastudios2311]

I personally thought the game was kinda silly however the narrator is awesome. I love him as a character. Very relatable.

[@BenjamightGaming]

Agreed, the narrator is who definitely sold this story. He was fantastic.

[@lecooldude]

I'm glad you enjoyed this game, it's wonderful, and it truly hits hard everytime I rewatch it. mental health can be a real struggle. my favorite part has to be the epilogue

[@BenjamightGaming]

You're so right... I have 2 very close family member who battle with a mental illness. I'm so grateful we live in a day & age where it's actually seen as a real issue and not just someone needing to 'get over it'. We've come a long way in society when it comes to this subject. :-)

[@lecooldude]

@@BenjamightGaming we still have quite a ways to go, but you're right, we've come very far

[@smexijebus]

Thank you for playing this and streaming it! I wish everyone would play this game. What I really adore about this game, beyond the meaning, is the fact that it made me feel something no other game has ever done before. It made me feel like I had done something wrong. It tricked me into doing something I wouldn't have wanted to do had I known more, and it was presented so realistically that it actually made me feel a bit uneasy. What a truly amazing medium, and what an absolute master of his craft Davey is.

[@BenjamightGaming]

You're welcome Smexijebus and I totally agree. I went into this game just expecting kind of a fun quirky experience, and left there with my jaw hanging on the floor. It truly is a masterpiece, and shows how easily we can be swayed in whatever way the devs want us to, when they have a clear story in mind.

[@negativel3080]

the idea of the three dots, is that, sometimes, you arent meant solve everything

[@victorgealtach9574]

Coming at it from a game development angle, maybe they were a visual reminder to add something only he knew in that spot, or that that area needed more work.

[@deeegeeekay]

My interpretation is that it represented the 3 cogs on Coda’s machine, that were shaped in the same way. Shows how little Davey was truly paying attention instead of making assumptions, making him miss something he should’ve got.

[@antaresmaelstrom5365]

0:22 "...and hope its a good time." - oh boy, here we go.

[@CryingCocaCola]

Rewatching playthroughs of this game helps me understand that Coda did in fact "make the games". Coda being a sense of drive and creativity. As stated by the guard saying that the machine that drives Davey called itself Coda. It makes me wonder if Coda the name comes from anything.

[@BenjamightGaming]

Good question. This game was such an emotional experience... that moment with the machine was almost heart-breaking, as I felt so bad for it & what it represented.

[@TheOneHistoryGuy]

I remember when this came out and boy, it was a strange, surreal and surprisingly emotional experience. It wasn't until later when I got into game development that a lot of this began to make sense from the 'what it's like to be a game developer side of the story although I definitely related to the ups and down to the creative process. There are a lot of ways to interpret this game, but I really love how you approached it and seeing you get so much out it made me smile. Definitely earned a sub from me. Also, that little cleaning game was so sweet and relaxing. I would totally buy that as a full game. I suspect most people would - something small and cosy to just lose yourself in :D

[@BenjamightGaming]

Oh man SparkyDJM1, I appreciate that - thank you. I hope all your future develops are always more ups than downs. :-)

When the game was new I saw a letsplay by someone who was as affected by it as you were (or maybe even more) and that, in turn, amplified how much the game itself affected me. And now, years later, after watching a second letsplay of it, the game and you had the same effect on me. Thank you ❤

[@BenjamightGaming]

You're welcome AliaAsten, and thank you for the kind words. I really did love this game and will forever remember it. Until this game, I never knew a video game could affect me on that level. It was amazing.

[@KaiLucasZachary]

it's totally not on the subject of the video itself, but I love that you used the phrases "needs cleaned" and "needs washed" that's something from only a certain part of the country that most people feel is improper. thanks fer letting me know that people actually do still talk like that.

[@avivastudios2311]

In Alice in Wonderland the Mad Hatter said something like that to Alice."Your hair wants cutting." Apparently this a very old way of speaking. Not necessarily improper.

[@KaiLucasZachary]

@@avivastudios2311 I specifically said “that most people feel is improper”… not that it is.

[@avivastudios2311]

@@KaiLucasZachary I wasn't trying to criticize what you said... Is that what you think? I was only sharing information.

[@wittykittywoes]

the way you play games is so human and wow. thanks for the video

[@BenjamightGaming]

You're welcome WittyKitty - so glad you enjoyed the playthrough. :-)

[@_wanted_outlaw3007]

I don't know quite what to say just amazing, I can relate in alot of ways to coda. One such way is feeling that there is never a correct answer to anxiety despite people saying otherwise, people will keep telling you there's a correct answer to your problem, they'll tell you over and over again and it just makes me frustrated sometimes because I'm a different person and when I try that easy end all answer it just seems broken and non-functional. I don't have this feeling much anymore but when I did I felt like it would never go away it would be easy to keep the feeling bottled up inside forever. It's was the feeling that i couldn't be helped out of my current situation. Maybe Coda suffers from the same problem.

[@notehden]

"Pneuma Breath of Life" might be what you want for a narration type game, its been a while since I played it but I remember really enjoying it

[@BenjamightGaming]

Looks very interesting, thank you for the suggestion ehden - I have added it to my wishlist.

[@rhysnelson5879]

Ahhh, I remember Pneuma! It was the first philosophical game I ever played when I was seven, shaped my life forever. I really need to play it again one of these days…

[@AnimeSimp234]

I loved this video and your thoughts on the experience. This game's narrative is thought provoking and multilayered. It's pretty hard to piece together the big twist of the story from a single playthrough, that being that our narrator Davey, and Coda, are the same person, but once you realize that truth, a second playthrough of this is like a completely different experience. I love how the story begins with presenting Davey as someone who's only tangentially related to the story and what's going on, giving us his perspective on things and it seems lighthearted. But then as you progress you begin to realize that Davey is an unreliable narrator, he's seemingly getting more emotional about this than he should be, and he's clearly more directly related to Coda and what happened than we first thought. And then there's of course the second layer to this when you realize all along that they're the same person, it makes you see this game in an entirely different light.

[@BenjamightGaming]

Thank you Anime, appreciate the feedback. I agree, the number of ways one can interpret this game is astounding to me.

[@TheLadysAtelier]

Great video! Not sure I agree with your conclusion at the end, though. There's nothing wrong with interpreting a work of art differently from its creator. The mistake (in-game) Davey made was projecting that interpretation on the actual creator themself, instead of leaving it in the fiction.

[@BenjamightGaming]

Thanks LadysAtelier - and it's perfectly ok we don't agree... that's the cool thing about thought-provoking games like this, it's really awesome getting to hear other peoples interpretations of what they got from it. :-)

[@AlucardDH]

I'm pleasantly surprised you played this game :) I almost recommended it to you before (but finally recommended something else). It moved me when I played it years ago. I'll rediscover it with you now :) (start watching the video, now)

[@AlucardDH]

My interpretation of this game : On the superficial level, it's like a thriller, the narrator is some kind of criminal, Coda is his victim. You are like a cop trying to understand what happened to Coda but it's too late, you are lied to by the narrator. He tries to repent but that won't change what he did... and you are trapped with him. On a psychological level, the message could be the description of what depression seems to be but is not (the narrator think Coda is depressed, but it is not), what projection is (the narrator is the one having problems, and it's easier to see it in others, than think back on yourself). It also can be about the difficulty of understanding people with different mindsets than you (the narrator need exterior approval to feel alive, Code need is own satisfaction on his realizations, the narrator can not comprehend it since it's too far from his needs). I think there are a lot more messages in this game (like "an example of a game creation process") but this is what I got from it :)

[@BenjamightGaming]

That's fantastic AlucardDH, thanks for sharing.

[@gamespsych1177]

As a Game developer this game hit home... I literally almost cried at the moment the music and the companion just suddenly disappeared. I paused midway through this video to go and play the game myself. Best game I bought this year.

[@BenjamightGaming]

So glad you enjoyed it Gamespsych, and you're right... no game I've played on the channel got me as close to tears yet as this one. I finished this game a LONG time ago now, and still think about it from time to time. What an amazing story told & experienced. :-)

[@AroWolfArts]

Such a great and interesting experience. You did good in choosing this game to play.

[@BenjamightGaming]

Thank you Aro, appreciate the feedback.

[@Isaacfess]

I remember this game, was and still is really unique in the way it tells the story! It's actually a Source engine game, the Half-Life 2 engine (although updated) really cool to see people still using it almost 20 years later. (Whelp the game says it lol) The narrator calls them "games" but they seem just like custom maps / mods to me, but I understand saying that for simplicity. I've played sooo much custom stuff for the Half-Life games I can point out all the quirks of the engine lol The soundtracks in this are so great and lifelike, composer did a good job! Love hearing your input about the story and progression. Totally get what you mean about getting emotion and meaning through text and emails. Real speaking is always best. I forgot about the ending since I last saw this, man it still hits just as hard. Great thoughts, feelings and explanations at the end, you have a great mindset and worldview, thanks for playing Ben!

[@BenjamightGaming]

Thank you Isaac, I really appreciate your thoughts & comments here. :-)

[@m2rcfiftyfive_]

more specifically its using the portal 2 version of source

[@neuromancer8152]

Ill try to resist the urge to google coda until this playthrough concludes

[@mokeyjoe8357]

This video was a surprise! I've heard a lot of good things about this game and it's nice seeing you play it.

[@BenjamightGaming]

Thanks mokeyjoe, appreciate that - yeah, this was amazing.

[@journeyman_otb3983]

"When the Darkness Comes" is a bit of a narrative, and has very powerful imagery in it. It also has multiple endings and each time you play the game it gives different experiences. Highly recommend playing it.

[@BenjamightGaming]

Thanks for the suggestion Journeyman - I just looked it up and saw it was free, so I've added it to my library. The short trailer looked interesting... do you happen to know about how long the game is?

[@journeyman_otb3983]

@@BenjamightGaming Well, depending on your pacing, each experience is roughly around an hour, so my suggestion, if you plan to make a video on it, would be to split it into three videos so you, and your viewers can get the full experience, which may take a while because recording and editing hour long videos is no simple task, but the experience is definitely worth it. The messages in it, the imagery, the art style, the way it portrays some of the concepts, all are interesting, and powerful. And it's a bit meta like the Beginner's Guide.

[@BenjamightGaming]

@@journeyman_otb3983 Super cool, thanks for the feedback Journeyman.

[@journeyman_otb3983]

@@BenjamightGaming Of course, enjoy the game.

[@icecreamguru7584]

i enjoyed that one too. not quite as much as tbg though, although it was creepy which was good

[@OceanTheFreak]

Maybe check out Dear Esther. Its not for everyone. But im interested in what youll make of it :)

[@BenjamightGaming]

Thanks for the suggestion Ozean, I'll look into it.

[@PuppetDev]

I guess you could say this game was aMAZEing

[@BenjamightGaming]

lol - LOVE it! 🙂

[@artlover20.]

I just discovered your channel. I love your commentary and playthrough style!

[@BenjamightGaming]

Thanks @bringonthetrumpets20, I really appreciate that! :-)

[@_wanted_outlaw3007]

This looks very interesting I'm sure I'll love it from what I've seen so far in the first 10 minutes it looks really good. 👍

[@PSVCHXPVTHXC]

Have you played presentable liberty? That game is also very deep and Is one of my personal favorites

[@BenjamightGaming]

I haven't played that one before PSVCHXPVTHXC... I just looked it up on Steam though, and it looks like it comes out later this year... almost sounds like it is a remake of some original? I have wishlisted it, but if it sounds like I didn't find the right thing, please let me know. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@monty4612]

This feels like a Ready Player One, Halliday esk game. @1:00:15

[@BenjamightGaming]

I could see that.

[@mokeyjoe8357]

This game reminds me of Pink Floyd's album, "The Wall". Apart from the whole rockstar stardom though.

[@neasulavuori4955]

for narrator games i really like check out "There is no game" and "What remains of Edith Finch" Edit: There is no game is more of a casual fun expirience if you're feeling one of those while Edith is tough to get through at times like this one, there's not many games that make me stop and think about my life up to this point but the two that always come to mind are this one and the Lewis section of What remains of Edith Finch. I still recommend you play both for a good balance of fun and existential crisis.

[@BenjamightGaming]

Thanks for the recommendations Nea - both of these have come up from others and I've added them both to my wishlist. Once they hit a Steam sale, I'll probably pick them up.

[@neasulavuori4955]

@@BenjamightGaming I'll Add Little misfortune to this list, but that one is best played entirely blind so i won't tell you what it's like :)

[@akitheaki]

I just found this video.. HOW COULD I MISS THIS??? This game is amazing glad you played it!

[@BenjamightGaming]

Agreed - this game blew my mind! A fantastic experience - so glad you found the playthrough.

[@neuromancer8152]

Let's just say im glad i clicked on this

[@BenjamightGaming]

That's fantastic to hear Neuromancer - you won't regret it. This game is fantastic... it's been a few days since I've finished it, and I'm STILL thinking about the message - absolutely wonderful story.

[@neuromancer8152]

@@BenjamightGaming great to hear. Glad you enjoyed it. I havent been watching much youtube aside from some shorts for a long time due to time constraints but i think i can make time for this on some weekend nights. Its oddly relaxing idk how

[@neuromancer8152]

Now thag ive reached the end, its not what i thought it was gonna be. Certainly not relaxing. But it still draws me in

[@neuromancer8152]

Rip its a one off. I was really looking forward for more

[@BenjamightGaming]

Yeah, I would have totally played more of this too - I'm glad I kept it all 1 episode though... I feel like a game like this would have totally lost it's flow had I broke it up into 2 or 3 episodes.

[@victorgealtach9574]

Is the doors puzzle just a clever loading screen? Like what they do now, they make the character slow down and go through like a crevice or something, activating the inside door switch 'deletes' the area behind and loads the next area while you are turned the other way?

[@BenjamightGaming]

Good question - I could definitely see it being possible. It might just be a story-plot point in this particular game, but I could easily see it either way.

[@ElectricBard]

There is a narrated game called Bastion. It's made by Supergiant Games (makers of Hades) It's an isometric action kind of game, and the narrator has an amazing voice. I remember using the same narrator's voice as an announcer for DotA 2. Fun times :)

[@BenjamightGaming]

Thanks for the recommendation ata kiraz... I actually bought that game during Black Friday sales, and it's on my list to play. I'm excited to try it out now, not just because it looks awesome and different from most games I've played so far, but now knowing it has a narrator too - I'm pumped!

[@debangshuauddy136]

Do you plan on playing doom 3 bfg edition? I would recommend you to It's got a great story and atmosphere and the gameplay along with its mechanics make it great. Do try that out

[@BenjamightGaming]

Thanks for the suggestion Debangshu... I have all the Doom games on my Steam wishlist - I figure if I come across a good sale, I'll pick them up.

[@Laezar1]

if you want another game with a narrator "pneuma : breathe of life" does that, it's a bit more of a puzzle game. not very well known and rather flawed in some aspect but a neat game nonetheless

[@BenjamightGaming]

Appreciate the suggestion Laezar - it's on my wishlist. :-)

[@mikethemotormouth]

On the topic of games with narration, I recommend That Dragon Cancer, The Narrator is A Dick, and Ori and the Blind Forest which is a fun Metroidvania platformer but does have some sparse narration

[@dmha1655]

Genius.

[@axeisland5496]

0:00

[@Gref-sh2ls]

There is slay the princess it another game with a voice and its a horror game

[@BenjamightGaming]

Oh my, I just looked it up, and it looks very interesting... I'm a little nervous about it, because it seems wrong...lol. Anyways, I added it to my wishlist and may have to pick it up on a discount - thanks for the recommendation Gref.

[@Benedict00_ItchyManko]

Do you have another youtube channel?

[@BenjamightGaming]

Yeah, I have my first youtube channel, where I was making content for a game called Dofus. Ran that for about 3 years before starting this one. I still post there occasionally, but not much.

[@Benedict00_ItchyManko]

@BenjamightGaming ah OK lol thanks for the response.. your voice was subtly reminding me of nukenorway

[@smoceany9478]

i tend to think coda is a girl, because in their first real game, the whisper machine one, you can hear a womens voice, and since coda tends to make the games by themselves, and show basically no one no one, i dont know where they wouldve gotten a person to say that, besides themselves

[@BenjamightGaming]

Oh wow - that's an excellent point! Thanks for that Smoceany, I never thought about that.

[@roborob4296]

When I finished this game I wasnt sure how to take it. Is it just some game designer student struggling with his creative process. Or are we to take the narrator at his word. While he keeps referring to his friend as male all the characters in the games are female. This game existing is an apology for showing off Codas games to other so your "sorry" is to not only go against that persons wishes but to also profit from it? As cheap as the game is it would still be making money off someone else work. So I am guessing this is a "based on a true story" type game where theres some grains of truth to it but if its 100% true then thats kinda messed up? kinda like those people who befriend youtubers and offer to get them sponsors and handle all the correspondence and everything then they just pocket the money and run.