Explaining .flow - A Rusted Nightmare - Theories And Analysis

[@panopticontheatre]

Oh btw, sorry if I sound weird in this one! I experimented with recording with my oxygen concentrator off this time because usually it makes a lot of background noise that I have to edit out, but shockingly, without my oxygen on, I can't breathe properly. Who would've guessed haha. So I guess I'll go back to having it on and just editing out the noise 😅

[@atrailofblood]

I am sorry you have to deal with that ): I also have chronic issues but mine is just chronic pain. idk I just felt the need to show a bit of solidarity. lovely video btw and I dont think your voice sounds weird!

[@CatsAndJamRecords]

Didn't even notice a difference. Great video

[@rko2016]

i think there exist mic filters for that, though i'm not very knowledgeable on that. luv yer vid. it's so much more thorough than most about the game, i didn't even know about sato even after watching multiple different videos

[@panopticontheatre]

@@rko2016 I've been recommended some! Glad you found it interesting! It's maybe because she's a slightly later addition, but I'm surprised not many ppl talk about her, since she seems pretty important to the story to me haha

[@StarBlue42]

Please continue to use your Oxygen concentrator! Background noise is a fair trade for breathing.

[@joe_youtube]

This is one of the saddest characters I can think of… a poor girl who has had a bad life surrounded by questionable people, who ends up dying horrifically from her disease. Truly awful, makes me think of how there are people in real life who have lived life like Sabutsuki has, horrifying to think about.

[@panopticontheatre]

No matter how you interpret the plot, it's very clear Sabitsuki lived a very hard life... It's a very tragic story

[@ghoulbuster1]

You made me remember Metamorphosis...

[@AlphishCreature]

One theory I haven't seen around: Sabitsuki's disease is plants "rust" disease, caused by some fungi, possibly transmitted from plants to humans somehow. This would explain why plants and hospital are so closely related, and the general sinister associations with plants - rather than plants being used for experimental treatment (as other theories often suggest), they're the very cause of the disease. It also fits nicely with the ending sequence (Sabitsuki strolling with headphones on), where background elements are often theorised to represent events in Sabitsuki's life. In that sequence, flower girl appears early on, right before dying children, the doctor and the nurse. Assuming the events are presented in the chronological order, it would mean plants precede the disease, making them a likely cause.

[@panopticontheatre]

Ooh I like this theory a lot! Definitely ties a lot of the more unclear elements together!

[@sorennop]

Quite out of topic, but the effect "Witch" makes Sabitsuki wear a dark blue dress and a red bow looks alike Kiki in "Kiki's Delivery Service", which might be a hint that Sabitsuki somehow watched the film before and like the outfit, also her ponytail can be a personal favourite hairstyle as the character Kiki gets a short haircut

[@panopticontheatre]

Yes! A lot of Yume Nikki fangames (and YN itself) contain a few little references like that, it's cool to pick them out!

[@gwendaartist]

I AM SO HAPPY THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT THE WITCH EFFECT OUTFIT RESEMBLES/REFERENCES KIKI!!!

[@irisacostaylara767]

I'm always happy when someone talk about fangames of yume nikki. there is something unique and personal in every one of them.

[@panopticontheatre]

There's so many interesting and creative takes on the original concept of Yume Nikki - there's such a unique community around the fangames as well!

[@velveetaenthusiast]

For a long time, .Flow has kind of been a comfort game for me. I'm chronically ill, no I will not get into it. But as someone who feels like they're constantly eroding, the erosion meter being tied to the true ending is a very interesting choice to me.

[@panopticontheatre]

I'm also chronically ill, so I definitely get where you're coming from. It's such an interesting representation of the concept.

[@stages_of_mania]

Kinda suprised that a lot of people don't think .flow's name could illude to the mestral cycle. Again, ya, it's a stretch, but the themes of the female body and blood-heavy imagery I feel kinda speak for themselves.

[@panopticontheatre]

Oh that's actually a really good thought! I never really considered that idea. The fact that it starts with a full stop (period) maybe ties into that too (although we do have to consider the creator is not an English speaker so this could be nothing haha)

[@MotherGapshin12]

I always thought that the maids represent the general populace and how Sabitsuki sees them. People who want to help sick Sabitsuki but also want to keep their distance as we see with the gas masks.

[@panopticontheatre]

I like that interpretation! What do you think the chainsaw ending is in this concept then? Someone deciding she's too dangerous to live?

[@MotherGapshin12]

@@panopticontheatre I feel that the chainsaw ending symbolises how the rest of the world want to keep Sabitsuki locked away and making sure she doesn't hurt anyone.

[@QuantumTelephone]

I always thought ".flow" was refereing to mentruation. Period "." Flow. It made sense to me because its basically just iron which fits with the theme of rust. And its also a kind of scary part of puberty

[@panopticontheatre]

It's possible! It's very easy to interpret the game as a general metaphor for puberty if you want to look at it that way.

[@QuantumTelephone]

@@panopticontheatre yeah, especially given all the body horror! Maybe puberty is the "disease" in question?

[@QuantumTelephone]

@panopticontheatre oh and another thing popped in my head just now. Isn't blood red because the iron oxidizes, which is exactly why metal rusts? I could be wrong on that

[@panopticontheatre]

@@QuantumTelephone That is pretty much correct! The game has a lot of instances connecting the body with metal and machines too.

[@therealsilvergunner1390]

The v0.16 update cutscene makes it rather clear who Onigo, Oreko and the Cleaner are and who Sabitsuki's caretaker after leaving the hospital was. One thing I think you've discounted is the implication of cloning, with Sabitsuki being implied of having met an Oreko clone after the original died and with Sabitsuki inside a test tube being one of the Empty Boxes. Also, the .flowbeet cutscene is kind of a retelling of Sabitsuki's life, similar to Detoriation.

[@panopticontheatre]

The v0.16 update is widely considered to be noncanon as it was an April Fools update. I possibly should have mentioned it though lol Cloning is an interesting idea. I have seen it mentioned as a possibility before, but I personally don't see that much that can be tied to that idea beyond the test tubes. I didn't really have enough to talk about regarding that idea for it to be part of the video, without it seeming very disconnected from everything else. And you're right, it seems like the end walk lines up somewhat with Deterioration.

[@ashkesslet1149]

.flow has always captured a feeling i don't see captured much a cold dark night where there is nothing wrong but it feels off

[@ashkesslet1149]

Also just discovered the channel its great

[@panopticontheatre]

That's a great description of it!

[@panopticontheatre]

Glad you think so :)

[@SCYTHEQUOTES]

As I watched this I expected this to have thousands of views and was very shocked when I saw below 500. This is a very well put together and pretty informational video, as I haven't even heard of this game as of previously. All the points seemed clear and I loved hearing the theories of this game and putting my own take onto it. I hope you end up growing more as a channel.

[@panopticontheatre]

Thank you so much haha, so glad you enjoyed the video! This channel is fairly new all things considered so it's great to hear you think it's well presented :)

[@czarnakoza9697]

i always liked the silent hill vibes in this game

[@panopticontheatre]

Oh yeah, it definitely has that sort of vibe!

[@czarnakoza9697]

@@panopticontheatre sabitsuki is clearly inspired by heather from sh3 too

[@CrankyRayy]

@@czarnakoza9697 yeah that was like the first thing i thought of playing it

[@VegasFlatline]

​@@czarnakoza9697 i read it's somewhere that heather does inspired sabitsuki And after only aware of "menstruations" theory on the name just now It's kinda make sense since sh3 dies explored the sane theme

[@SeriAutumn]

Thank you for taking the time to put this video together. Thanks to you I was able to understand this complex game. Hope the comment helps with the algorithm and generates more views!

[@panopticontheatre]

So glad you found it helpful! And thank you haha :)

[@hotdog-ww8rf]

IM SUPER INTO DOTFLOW RN I LOVE THIS VIDEO! ITS A GREAT ANALYSIS AND IM GONNA GO WATCH YOUR OTHER VIDEOS YOUR CHANNEL IS AWESOME

[@panopticontheatre]

So glad you enjoyed!! ☺️ I'm so surprised but glad so many people are still into .flow haha

[@crownedoll]

I like .flow a lot, it’s so nice to see new content related to it!

[@panopticontheatre]

It's not very well known, which is a shame, since it's a really interesting game!

[@sadstatue2004]

acabo de terminar el juego y me sentí aliviado de que alguien más tenga las mismas teorías sobre la historia. también entendí más sobre Oreko y Sugar Girl, gracias por los subtitulos, muy buen video.

[@panopticontheatre]

me alegra q lo hayas disfrutado!

[@TerraDaustro]

I've always thought "flow" could refer to a menstrual flow. There's so much bloody imagery in this game, as well as areas that could look like certain anatomy. And rust is iron oxide. I imagined that Sabitsuki might have an iron deficiency in addition to another illness. There are plenty of illnesses and complications which can lead to heavier menstrual flow, which in turn can lead to iron deficiency

[@panopticontheatre]

I've seen this suggested before, it's definitely possible! Definitely connects in a way to the 'womanhood' ideas in the game too.

[@TerraDaustro]

@@panopticontheatre Your video also made me realize just how many characters in the game are female. Almost every recognizable character besides Sabitsuki herself is female, except for Smile

[@Mantosasto]

Yep, this is one of those games that stuck with me ever since I played it more than a decade ago. It comes back to my mind regularly.

[@panopticontheatre]

It really does stay with you!

[@justauser283]

Sick video! This was in my recommendation... So I assume you were blessed by the algorithm here before it blows up 👀

[@panopticontheatre]

So glad you enjoyed! And haha I can only hope so 😳

[@neuronoc.7343]

I remember discovering this game a lot longer ago. It didn't do my mind too well.

[@panopticontheatre]

Haha I was very freaked out the first time I played it years ago

[@cole5079]

I really wish this game got more attention, and hopefully one day news will be heard. Nice video!

[@panopticontheatre]

Hopefully this video will make some more people aware of it! Glad you enjoyed :)

[@cole5079]

@@panopticontheatre Oh I forgot to mention! Have you seen the “April Fools” build? It explains (some) lore of sabi!

[@panopticontheatre]

I've seen it! I tend not to consider it as canon because it isn't a permanent part of the game, though I still probably should have mentioned it in the video haha

[@cole5079]

@@panopticontheatreoh yeah I forgot to mention! In one of the flow streams lol has stated that “Sabitsuki hates plants” while you could pass this off as a random fact you start to realize that there are a bunch of flowers in the ghost world that resemble her hair. I’ve anyways thought that it represented self-hate towards herself, maybe she blames herself for all of her loved ones dying? Who knows :)

[@panopticontheatre]

@@cole5079 Oh that's a super interesting little tidbit!

[@TravellingCultivator]

Finally here. Thank You for making another great video, I have been waiting for this one as this is a game I have actually missed out on. If it's not an issue to ask, what's your take on the Fear & Hunger games?

[@panopticontheatre]

It's a very interesting game, but being a fangame of an already niche older game it's sadly not that well known haha. I've actually never heard of Fear and Hunger before, but I love the look of the art style! Is it worth checking out?

[@TravellingCultivator]

@@panopticontheatre Thank You for such a quick response and, once again, another outstanding video! Fear and Hunger games are certainly worth it but it can be very graphic at times, more so than other RPGmaker horror games. I would recommend it anyway because the concept feels quite unlike anything else and the lore goes pretty damn far. And there are tons of references to other media, lots of Berserk stuff for example. Maybe a bit too much but they all fit the world really well!

[@panopticontheatre]

Sounds interesting! I'll definitely check it out!

[@kidamaroo]

I think Sabi has some kind of memory disorder that causes delusions

[@panopticontheatre]

It's very possible! The other world, whatever it is, definitely seems to be a depiction of her memories in some form

[@KikiLala-c7i]

15:53 Minos Prime in a maid suit

[@panopticontheatre]

😳

[@jackieChannel.]

This game gives you a feeling that is difficult to describe. Maybe some sort of comforting loneliness or solace? At least that’s what I think it was when I played it.

[@panopticontheatre]

Definitely! It's a strange feeling but weirdly calming sometimes

[@terminal-vl3rj]

good as always! i feel like there is still sort of a lack of any explanation for the 'digital' aspect of things though, its unclear where that fits in this dev also has some other games that may be worth looking into

[@panopticontheatre]

Thank you! To me the digital stuff reads more as a part of the general aesthetic of the concept rather than a direct part of the story, mainly because at least to me there isn't a more concrete reason for it to be there. Potentially it fits in with the idea that Sabi's computer is some sort of advanced system that's creating a world based on her mind and memories. I'm definitely interested in lol's other stuff, but it's a lot harder to find English translations for some of them, and my Japanese is pretty good but maybe not enough to analyse something in depth without an English reference for it haha. I do want to check out what I can tho.

[@atrailofblood]

hey bird! I wanted to tell you about something I use for twitch streaming. its a program called Reaper and you just set it to 'listen' to your room's audio profile (for me, the issue is my window AC. you would have your oxygen going for example, anyways!) and then it will remember it all, oxygen noise etc and mute it. any new audio that occurs (your voice) will then just be the only thing heard by the recording etc. to be clear mines is Reaper v6.19 / win64 . I think youd really like it! should help a lot with your issue ^ ^ and i hope things have been well with you lately!

[@panopticontheatre]

Ooh thank you for the recommendation, that sounds like it could be really useful! I'll definitely check it out, thanks for thinking to tell me about it haha

[@Aviplotbunny]

As someone who never got the chance to play the game, this was just what I needed to get the vibe. Thanks for the video!

[@panopticontheatre]

Glad to hear it!

[@a_raichub]

Can you analyse Muma|Rope someday? It's a non-traditional Yume Nikki fangame that can even be played online (just like many others)

[@panopticontheatre]

I'll look into it!

[@ym5007]

I feel like it is really hard to explain .flow particularly because of all the convoluted themes that not blend quite as well as yume nikki's. for example, all the gang imagery and the maids with the masks somehow being involved in it, it just feels like too much especially when we can only speculate. I love this game but I wish Lol would expand on it because we don't even know if Sabitsuki's dreams represent abstract feelings or straight up memories, which is problematic because the story seems extremely linear.

[@panopticontheatre]

Yeah absolutely, but at the same time it's fun to analyse and speculate! I think that's definitely something I like about these type of games, despite it being frustratingly vague sometimes lol

[@AlphishCreature]

It lands in this uncanny valley of sorts, where the bits we're given are numerous and coherent enough to put together large chunks of story, yet we aren't given enough pieces to draw any clear conclusion. Did Rust symbolise disease taking over by killing the remnants of Sabitsuki's original personality, or did it actually stop the complete defeat by taking down Demon Sabitsuki and was able to make one last comeback against the chainsaw maid? Did Sabitsuki get killed off in the true ending, or did she receive amputation necessary to keep on living? It tempts the player with the notion of figuring out the story, yet still misses these critical pieces that would answer matters as fundamental as the tone of the ending.

[@Hiyimi]

who was the clever soul who came up with the name Empty Boxes for empty boxes eh?

[@panopticontheatre]

Idk but they must have been a genius 🤯

[@kham_pastgom]

THIS IS MY FAVE YUME NIKKI RELATED GAME and possibly my fave game ever AAA I love this video and im so glad it exists and its getting new people into yume nikki-related stuff EHEHE Your theories are rly well thought out and rly feel like it couldve been the actual story It gave me a whole new perspective on this game too with your points about disease and chronic illness I wanted to boost this vid up in the algorithim and i might as welll just express how much i actually LOVE this vid so yea enjoy my grammatically questionable ramble HEHEE

[@panopticontheatre]

Haha thank you so much! I'm so glad you like the video 😊😊 it's my favourite yn fan game too so I'm glad to see so much interest in it!

[@terminal-vl3rj]

i have a recommendation for your next topic: the KrainaGrzybowTV youtube channel, including its most recent stuff

[@panopticontheatre]

I've seen that around! It looks super interesting, it's on my list to get into for sure, though I'm prepared a couple videos ahead now so it might be a few months before I get to it haha. Thanks for the rec!

[@EasyCheesy233]

I'm a cis woman who's never really questioned her gender, however, this game makes me feel oddly gender dysphoric and makes me stomach feel mechanical

[@panopticontheatre]

It's so interesting the unique responses people have to games like this! To me .flow seems to have less themes of gender than Yume Nikki, so it's interesting that it makes you feel that way

[@EasyCheesy233]

@@panopticontheatre Yeah, I think it's because of the way it handles it. Yume Nikki has more, but it's not as head on. I feel like the gender things in it are more "I'm sad that I'm trapped in the wrong body," but .flow is much more "I'm angry and I want to remove my already deforming body." I think this because of the way .flow has very clear sexual elements and a focus on birth, and in my opinion, a side focus on fetishes and menstruation.

[@seacrystal6189]

YES, EXACTLY. When I played the game for the first time, I got a very strong feeling that Sabitsuki is a lesbian, but I didn't really know why. It was probably because of the strong themes of sexuality and pregnancy portrayed in such a horrifying way. A lot of people saw her as transgender for the same reason

[@seacrystal6189]

I think the creator also said that they themself are nonbinary on their twitter, although I don't speak Japanese and understood this information from google translate so take it with a grain of salt

[@That_Ifrit_Guy]

Man I do love .flow so much Though it is funny how despite how much I enjoy it there are still things about it I didn't know about~

[@panopticontheatre]

It's fun that there's always more things to find out!

[@That_Ifrit_Guy]

@@panopticontheatre Indeed, thanks for the video ^^ I gotta check out the other games that lol has made~

[@rusPiglets]

I did enjoy this video. Thank you.

[@panopticontheatre]

Glad to hear!

[@GooBrainVideos]

I wish I could play this, When I tried to, while fixing it, I got a virus, and still doesn't work.

[@panopticontheatre]

There's a couple guides out there on setting it up! But it can be a little fiddly lol

[@GooBrainVideos]

@panopticontheatre Nah I got it now! (Kinda) I just had to play the online version, much easier then **shutter** forcing my pc to Japanese

[@GooBrainVideos]

​@panopticontheatre Also I loved the vid good job 👍

[@panopticontheatre]

So glad you were able to figure it out! :D and thank you lol, glad you enjoyed

[@MagnyusG]

.flow is short for FLOWer, as floral imagery is extremely prevalent throughout the game and the relationship the term has with women. the whole flow state thing has always come across as people projecting yume nikki's dream themes onto .flow instead of looking into the game itself for an explanation.

[@panopticontheatre]

That's possible!

[@HikoNoMori]

This feels like if yume nikki and omori got together and colabed and mixed their messed up themes into one

[@panopticontheatre]

I see the comparison 🤔

[@fewpew5787]

Yume Nikki games are something else, especially .flow. Reminds me of silent hill

[@panopticontheatre]

They're all so creative!

[@monowavy]

great job. i love this game.

[@panopticontheatre]

It's a really interesting one!

[@HopSkip.AndAJump]

I love being autistic chat I have been hyperfixating over this game xkhskshdokegdksjdb

[@panopticontheatre]

So real

[@shadowpastathetf2kidwithau706]

I am scared of her but to not be scared of her i imagine

[@panopticontheatre]

👌

[@nousername2292]

cool

[@panopticontheatre]

😇

[@virii.win32]

Holy shit, nobody ever talks about this. I havent even watched this vidoe yet but YIPPIE!!!!

[@panopticontheatre]

It's a shame it's not very well known!