Fear & Hunger: An In-Depth Look at the RPG That Hates You

[@coraline2770]

When the first enemy I lost to sawed off my legs and dumped me in a body pit and I could still play I knew I had something special

[@scriggle3564]

Yeah one of the very first enemies can also give you an anal bleeding which cant be cured easily if you lose to them (I'm not gonna tell you how you get it...just take a wild guess)

[@jgmaurer31]

my first game of FH1 resulted in seeing that special scene you can get from the guards if you lose. You know the one. That was 5 minutes in. It took a week for me to forgive the game for that one and come back to it.

[@coraline2770]

@@jgmaurer31 well dang I never got that I gotta go lose to some more enemies

[@brigittahegarini7162]

@@coraline2770 Remember, to get that special scene (which I assume we are on the same page, Spoiler ahead: you must not cut his stinger.

[@thenoodler6948]

My first death was walking around exploring after fighting the dogs at the beginning before I even found any other enemies because apparently I had an infected wound and died before I even figured out how to check status effects lol

[@ryokiritani4187]

My favourite part of fear & hunger lore is when one of the earlier builds (when the game was more of a tech demo than anything) was illegally published on a famous adult gaming website, and EVERYONE was confused as fuck as to where the sex was. At that time, you could see the bunny masks in the yard, and there was the "make love" option at ritual circles, even if no character at the time actually allowed you to make love. Since your only party member was the little girl, some tried to make love to her, and the game just went "no" and killed them instantly. This game was the one to kill an entire site's boner.

[@bluemurloc5896]

I'm very curious, would you say the sexual violence that got into the final game is done in a misogynistic way? Bc what you say about the earlier builds hints the opposite

[@japoopypants7]

@@bluemurloc5896 male characters are treated the exact same way.

[@hermitcrabguy29]

That's a ridiculous bit of lore I would have never known otherwise, thank you for sharing it

[@thecamelchannel1467]

based as fuck

[@ryokiritani4187]

@@bluemurloc5896 no, not at all. In fact, it's more misandrist than anything, since I believe only the mercenary can be raped by the prision guards. Other than that, everyone is treated the same

[@sigh824]

I love how selling the kid was irredeemable, but using that same child as a meat shield was okay

[@brigittahegarini7162]

At least she is a strong meat shield. She proved herself to be capable enough.

[@Mutiny960]

That's the way we do it in the West. Gotta expose those kids to wanton violence early so they're use to it and can be good meatshields..ahem "Soldiers" for their rich overlords when they turn 18.

[@tomwhitworth1560]

@@brigittahegarini7162 . , . . , , ., , , , , , ,, ,, , ।।। । , ,,। । , ।, ,। । ,। । , , , , , , , , ,, , ,,,,,,,

[@tomwhitworth1560]

। । । । , । ,

[@tomwhitworth1560]

, , ।, , । ,, । ,, । , । ।।। । । । । , ।

[@Flanbweh]

Someone might've already commented this, but when you lose the coin flip for saving at a bed, it places an enemy from the area you're in next to you rather than spawning a new enemy. So if you killed all the enemies in an area, you can just retry the coin flip over and over again until you win with no consequences. This was super useful in my playthrough

[@explosiver]

It doesn't even do a coinflip if the area is clear. I freed cahara and used him to wipe the prison room to have a safe save spot.

[@stringisacrow5959]

Note the one exception is the crow room bed which spawns the crow mauler if you fail it

[@ICityCatI]

If my coin flip fails it usually gives me a message that says that I have too much adrenaline to sleep right now. Then I go do a few screen transitions and I can try again after no problem. Still a little frustrating though that I have to waste a few of my resources (e.g torch) just because there is 'too much adrenaline' over a non-existent enemy.

[@Flanbweh]

@ICityCatI you don't have to do any screen transitions, you just have to wait about 10 seconds. Unless they changed it or maybe it's different for certain beds? No clue lol

[@DiegoGonzalez-mc7mq]

​@@ICityCatI I found that going to a different bed makes it go away, or just waiting for a minute

[@marclenraymagdaraog691]

The amount of times the Little girl is the best currency in the game made me realize how much the game tells you that this girl is not intended to live. But by doing so gives you another ending which is nice.

[@GreatestLeaf]

What's most fascinating about this is knowing the two main sources of trading the Girl away are servants of the Trickster Moon Good Rher. In Termina we are told Rher does not like impure humans ascending. In the first game, Rher's servants are hell-bent on removing the Girl from the equation because she's basically the only one with real potential to ascend (being the child of a new god and the man of prophecy). Pretty cool imo 👀

[@Karen-0]

As someone who is 100% not going to be playing either game, congrats for making me watch all of this and +1 for a spoiler full story and lore explanation please!

[@Ninjat126]

I'm not opposed to Suffering Simulators, and lots of the concepts of F&H sound very much like my thing, if not for the looming threat of having to replay large sections of game because of the Instant Death Coin Flip. But at the same time, that unfairness seems to be core to the experience. For that reason I think I might avoid dropping money on these games for now, so I'm ESPECIALLY keen to hear more of your thoughts on them. In the meantime, I'll be watching the devs closely.

[@Xman34washere]

I am also here for this

[@HansBelphegor]

@@Ninjat126 games like 8$ though

[@Stryfe52]

@@Ninjat126While I can’t speak for the first game I can certainly speak to the second. There’s nothing inherently unfair about these games, it’s just a matter of knowing how to approach things. Termina has its own share of instant deaths, but they can all be completely avoided because there are clear signs that you *can notice* beforehand if you pay attention, and will definitely remember after having failed the first time.

[@Popirnot]

​@@Ninjat126fuckit just mod it to give you 99 books of enlightenment and enjoy

[@mikaele]

I was really surprised to find there were ZERO deep dives on Fear and Hunger until now

[@ZuldimYT]

I was also really surprised how little content there is for these games online while I was playing them.

[@L16htW4rr10r]

Nah, there is quite some, although for some reason most appeared 4-5 months ago

[@benhillman8384]

This is a good start though. I’m sure in a year’s time there will be 6 hour lore with memes videos.

[@tomjack1000000]

There is a couple of long reviews but it's not necessarily an easy game to make videos on

[@danguy6591]

You just suck at searching

[@chaoticfisherman373]

One of the few games you'd say 10/10 and recommend people not to play it

[@reginaokami]

hmmm this game and Pathologic should hold hands then 🥰

[@CATEGORY5BRUHMOMENT]

Lobotomy Corporation is on that list for sure. The schizo/maso-core genre is crazy.

[@notanaveragedoktah8390]

@@CATEGORY5BRUHMOMENT the strongest American-hating north Korean vs the least sleep deprived South Korean office worker based on how they can manifest their creativity:

[@suspiciouslurker3826]

@@CATEGORY5BRUHMOMENT Definitely one of the game of all times

[@hello-gx6oi]

"I'll end it thus"

[@corelei]

Please, make a Pt.2 with ALL the spoilers. I would never play this myself but I'm invested.😂

[@Saphia_]

Second this.

[@andriosgustav5578]

@@Saphia_ YES

[@dragoniamagia2637]

Thirding this

[@-Desire]

Fourthing this! I'm so interested and he describes so well!

[@Noximien]

Give it the vaatividya treatment.

[@OseiTheWarriors]

This video singlehandedly boosted the games sales for this year. I hope the devs reach out to you, as you did an amazing job with this video

[@anthonykarnes6804]

I bought it because of this video

[@justink8156]

I think the devs did comment on this video! I saw their's only 2 comments under yours.

[@AarenYASS]

I seriously wanna get this game sooo, sponsor where?😂 Even if I'd be bad at this game it's so cool. -

[@Hyperversum3]

​@@AarenYASS Go for it if you didn't, and maybe use a little google to help yourself while playing, it's so fucking worth It.

[@vikings-pistons]

*dev

[@skuarf]

About Levi's heroin addiction: There is a video by Sir Ash Lorn that shows you can cure the addiction by letting Levi die in combat and reviving him in the same fight with Daan's skill Magna Medica. You have to sacrifice a limb to use the skill but an armguard can prevent this if you choose Daan's arm (probably will get patched).

[@Romanticoutlaw]

barring the armguard exploit (which I didn't know about oh my god THANK you), you can use sylvain runes on unbalanced circles to restore limbs. Just, you know, at the cost of not using that ritual circle for anything else

[@cdru515]

If Levi's the MC, you can also lose to Needles. Though this will also kill everybody else in the party

[@jgmaurer31]

@@cdru515 It will also lead to one of the more "wtf" scenes in the game. Basically the equivalent to losing to the guards in FH1. Just, uh, not as graphic and, if alone so to not lose party member, as game ending.

[@chandlervoss]

​@@Romanticoutlaw And You can use salmonsnake rune to Not lose limbs

[@lemoultkev]

I remember a rpg maker games where you play as a torturer / kidnapper, very tough to play through, at first I played it because "it's a very well made game" but when I saw that you needed to trick your victims (often elderly or alone / troubled) and saw how far the torture could get "creative" I noped out there real quick, there's truly a rpg maker games for anything.

[@thatfunkyorangecat]

Hi! If you remember the title of the game could you let me know? I know I probably will do the same and not finish the game but I’m dreadfully curious about it….

[@mrbungnuggets1417]

@@thatfunkyorangecat same here, I kinda wanna know

[@ArchTerran]

Just gonna squeeze in here to find out as well if you're willing. Although that does sound familiar.

[@durgo5759]

Curious

[@ArcySparky]

The game is called Beautiful Escape: Dungeoneer. Or at least that’s the one I think you’re talking about

[@captainsawbones]

I know that the game was made by one Finnish guy based on an idea he got while running through a tabletop game with his friends: how far are you willing to go, what atrocities are you willing to see and experience, what permanent maiming of mind body and soul are you willing to suffer, to reach your goal? And will your morality stick with you throughout, or erode as your situation grows ever more dire? That's why he included that very triggering content you mentioned and why he made it so horribly visible and graphic and used as a really horrific and unsettling reminder that the depravity you're throwing your characters into very often does not include a swift and merciful death. Mind you, I'm one of those people who can't play the game because of the content. Maybe that's why, to me, it's so effective. It wakes up a sort of feral,reptile terror and survival instinct in me that leads to me sitting stewing in my own cortisol and adrenaline spikes for far too long.

[@lololollololol629]

I watched another video on these games and it's not the messed up content that would get me it's the very difficult turn based permadeath type gameplay (I've tried games like darkest dungeon before and couldn't get into them, this is like that but way worse)

[@m0therchan]

of course it was made by a finn

[@captainsawbones]

@@m0therchan that was my reaction when I found out as well

[@cethapplegate594]

Well one of the bosses named Per'kele, a Finnish curse word minus the ' mark.

[@beepmoo8771]

What's with finns and making the most psychotic and horrifying 10/10 games? When you're born in Finland do you just get a fucking brainworm that makes you into H.r Geiger or. Something.

[@gghostified]

46:05 personally, its more disturbing for me when you imagine the horrors or the trauma the character has to go through. like in caharas s ending with how he became rich and was living with his girl, but was traumatized and never lived a fulfilling life in the end. i dont know how to exactly put it into words but best i could describe it is giving sentience to fictional characters that you can adore- or imagining yourself in their shoes

[@heyygallo]

In my opinion, sexual violence in F&H was handled pretty well with the exception of the Anal Bleeding effect, which just kinda feels like the game is mocking you. But the threat of SA in F&H is not gender specific and instead serves as a danger to all four player characters’ bodily autonomy, just like mutilation and dismemberment do. In my opinion, this adds an extra layer of fear to the whole thing because these monsters want to violate every aspect of the body and mind. Like you said, there’s nothing sexy or titillating about any of it, and the game is hellbent on depriving you of anything and everything that humans lean on for safety, comfort, and control. You are isolated in a dark, cold, hostile, rancid environment where every aspect of your survival, including saving your progress, is based on luck. You are traversing an unknown dungeon that constantly seeks to corrupt your body, your sanity, your morality, and your innocence. Time is not on your side and neither are the denizens of F&H, each of whom are unique and require different strategies to defeat-some of whom cannot be killed at all. To top it all off, your enemies want to defile your bodily autonomy through dismemberment, genital mutilation, sexual violence, or all three. The dungeons of F&H are quite literally hell on earth where anything one might hold sacred is meant to be desecrated.

[@FemboyJoe]

Agreed btw. Its honestly the fact that theres absolutely 0 humanity present in these actions that make you NOT want to fail even more. No one is safe. No one is "privileged" you WILL be subjected to these things and the only thing that prevents that is your will to survive and your battle prowess. (which works AGAINST YOU IN EVERY FUCKING WAY.)

[@maximilianoalcaraz7351]

true true...but...there's no "luck" involve in saving your progress thou

[@heyygallo]

@@maximilianoalcaraz7351 baby boy… a coin toss is the most on the nose luck based mechanic you could have in a video game…

[@Dishonorninja]

@@heyygallo For the most part, yes. There are notably three locations in the game that are safe to sleep in, where you will not be forced to make a coin toss. Spoilers: If you kill Crow Mauler, the level 3 basement becomes safe (obviously much easier said than done). Buckman's Cell if Trortur is dead (otherwise, coin toss and insta death if failed) Tower of Endless is always safe, but the past version does bring you to Dream Rondon. There's also the Book of Enlightment which, of the few options, allows you to save once before crumbling. Either by finding or "crafting" it.

[@BuyRawrXD]

@@maximilianoalcaraz7351you clearly haven’t played the game then

[@nolanburke3669]

I will say that the character s endings in the first Fear and Hunger were added in after the game came out and the dev have said that they are planning on adding more content to Termina

[@ZuldimYT]

It's good to hear that the dev has said more content is coming, I look forward to revisiting it when more updates are out!

[@frogmemo4153]

@@ZuldimYT Yeah! Termina even got an update just yesterday that added running, stamina and tension system and more small scenes!

[@yukiiDg]

@@frogmemo4153 the new doppleganger aswell

[@foohawesom]

@@yukiiDg are these not on the steam version? i've had the game for a few years and it's still sitting at 1.41

[@yukiiDg]

@@foohawesom wdym a few years. fear and hunger 2 dropped late 2022 lol

[@DrEnzyme]

I just wanted to say congrats on being picked up by the algorithm! It's wild to see a creator with a couple hundred views on his videos get over 100k on a new one. And you absolutely deserve it, this video essay was great and I never would have even known about this game if not for you.

[@Whoopsie_woggzy]

so many great videos out there being created through immense labor & toil yet im unfamiliar with a great chunk of them ,stuff like that really tugs at me.

[@suneater_zeef050]

To note on the sound - there was this one loop that kept appearing in my nightmares and right before i went to sleep. I couldn't find it for the life of me, but somehow it was just terrifying (though i generally have a problem with sound) - turns out it was from fear in hunger. i feel like that says something

[@suneater_zeef050]

"bwub-wub-wub-wub-wub-wub," you know?

[@ZuldimYT]

My "favorite" sound is wailing of the torture victims in the department store in 2, especially because I didn't find the path up to the top where they are my first few times there.

[@suneater_zeef050]

@@ZuldimYT not knowing where the sound is coming from must have made it even worse

[@brigittahegarini7162]

@@suneater_zeef050 I don't get it.

[@TheBehemoth1984]

​@brigittahegarini7162 the forest music in the second game

[@LillethTheRabbit]

as someone with some sexual assault in my history: i absolutely agree that people should be able to know what they're walking into and stay away if it's something they can't handle. SA hits a lot of us very closely in a way that violence won't always do, and i recognize that. but i disagree with the sentiment that it "didn't need to be" exclusionary in that way. some games - some Things - are not for everyone. fear and hunger dives into the horror and suffering that humanity faces, the terrible things that can happen to you, the worst of our most twisted fears. the true final boss makes that The Whole Point. and i feel the story would be severely /missing something/ if sexual horror was not included on that list. it isn't always the stuff that can kill us that causes the most pain, and you'd be leaving out a huge part of the Story of humanity's suffering if you just didn't bring up sex at all. FaH knows that, and i respect it greatly for not hiding that from the audience. i think we make a very serious mistake when we accept all manner of horrific violence, but handwring and whimper when sex becomes a part of that violence. frankly, i think when we do that, we do a disservice to people like me who've had to go through it. it Happens, it's Out There, and the only reason it feels worse to you is a mixture of the taboo of its discussion and the feeling that it's Closer to you than, say, a decapitation. but a good friend of mine saw a decapitation in broad daylight just a few months back. that shit ain't farther away. but then, that's my own experience with it. i find these things to be vital and add a lot, you found them to be unnecessary and showing too much. i don't think either of us is necessarily wrong! I'm just offering my own thoughts.

[@Erinyes]

Worded really well. I have not gone the same exp as you so this post was very enlightening and educational. Thank you for sharing.

[@adamw3774]

I was sexually assaulted by an ex of mine, and though I wouldn't personally put it on the same level as other SA victims, it was still rape/non-consensual sex that I explicitly said no to, so idk how much of an advocate for SA I really am. That being said I also think it's vital we have these topics and even have visceral displays of them in media. Obviously if you can't handle it, don't play or watch, there are disclaimers and warning signs for these things for those faint of heart. But to exclude them in what I consider art (video games are a form of art too) then you're basically saying "yeah so we should be allowed to express all levels of depravity and evil but just ew not sexual assault, that's too far bro" like it's vile, it's awful and no one should get a sense of enjoyment/happiness from seeing that, maybe eventually you get desensitised or indifferent after seeing it a lot or whatever, but the point is it's there to invoke the feeling of disdain and disgust. It's there to show you how heinous of an act it really is. The creator of the series even said in an interview when asked about whether he cut content for taking it too far, that when things made him take a step back and think "that's really bad" in terms of how brutally terrible the actions were (SA) he instead thought well I must be going in the right direction since it made him feel that way. It's there to be taken seriously, because we as a society like to put our hands over the eyes of the general populace when the point of SA comes into question. I also believe it's fine if you just don't want to see that sort of thing, you can choose to experience things the way you want to. But I do think it undervalues victims of SA when this topic is deemed too far or unnecessary. There's times where I've thought it is outright unnecessary, but mainly because in things like anime/manga it can be used as fanservice or as a gag, then I think it's wrong in it's application.

[@someone_somewhere_from........]

I'm sorry for what you've gone through and I sincerely hope nothing like that happens again, but society in general has made SA too much of a taboo for people to include it tastefully in media. Usually you either get it presented in a cheap vulgar way or heavily glossed over

[@mellow_mallow]

exactly. very well put, thank you. I definitely err on the side of "explicit warnings so people can avoid the content if they want/need to" but I think it really doesn't make things better to act like it doesn't exist by never presenting it in media. art for many people is an exercise in understanding and exploring the world and the things that happen to them, after all.

[@SaraSara-oe6il]

​@@adamw3774oh no😲 anyway

[@Fenrisson]

Losing on leg makes your Dash skill unusable. Your character will move at the regular speed instead of faster, which for me is a no go. It's pretty damn hard to avoid enemies when walking in the regular speed. Besides, with Dash, I can cover more areas in less time, saving me mind and hunger.

[@6eyed474]

do you have to learn the dash skill before you can use them?

[@Fenrisson]

@@6eyed474 yes. Either you make the right choices during the prologue and learn dash, or you'll have to use those lesser souls. Me, I always pick the right choices to have dash from the get go.

[@turnkey_hole]

I remember playing the demo for the first one and being very, very impressed by the atmosphere. Learning that engaging in combat is almost always a losing proposition was very hard earned. But... I've got a weak stomach for sexual violence. Suffice it to say, the guard at the start really sets the tone for the fates that await you. Failing the fight and waking up in the jail cell was enough to tell me that as interesting and well made the game was, it wasn't something I wanted to stick in my brainhole

[@jgmaurer31]

Termina WAY tones it down. There's the rare "wtf" moment, but they're just that, rare. You're not going to find one within the first 5 minutes of gameplay from your first enemy you fight.

[@Stryfe52]

@@jgmaurer31Funny you should say that considering the earliest 2 enemies you can encounter in Termina, but otherwise yeah.

[@bookbook9495]

There’s a mod you should consider that censors all that. No more stray “stingers” either, just pinecones

[@Emily-vd1tm]

While playing this game would probably feel for me like pulling out your teeth with fingers missing nails, the atmosphere and horror does sound *very* intriguing. Maybe I'll have to give it a try anyway. Really enjoyable video!

[@ZuldimYT]

That is an... Evocative way to describe it. I love it hahaha!

[@Maioly]

Nah, its not that bad You just gotta pray the gods bless your coin tosses and learn what works and dont

[@limehazard]

Did you just come up with that phrase? Cuz I'll be using it from now on.

[@Mintzik]

The game *does* tell you about the to coin flip option, *if you read the descripton of the lucky coin in your inventory*. Which illustrates that properly looking at stuff you find is quite important!

[@NotRealAkira]

I think these games are definitely a love letter to survival horror and its themes, so I quite like the references.

[@anthonykarnes6804]

The herbs reminded me of re

[@NotRealAkira]

@@anthonykarnes6804 Yes

[@viscountrainbows2857]

One of the enemies in F&H2 even seems to be wielding Soul Edge. Deep cut... ehehehe

[@Blurredborderlines]

@@viscountrainbows2857 It's in F&H1 and it basically is under a different name.

[@elizabethlevesque6978]

The whole "They plagiarized Jesus Christ!" Thing was funny, I'm at work trying not to laugh at the absurdity of that entire statement lol

[@LC-iw3ll]

I really love how it sets the tone for this alternate world. Christianity still comes to fruition, but it’s rooted in vengeance and rule of force rather than forgiveness and compassion. The Vatican has its own interior ministry of darkness that manages the dark priests of the religion and innovates constantly with blood magic. The lore of these games is amazing.

[@UltaFlame]

​@L C sounds like Christianity to me tbh.

[@mcbedo6568]

I honestly dont get what part of including references is "plagiarism", if anything it just goes to say the creator of the video doesnt even know what plagiarism means. Not to mention every single one of these references were used as inspiration and converted to fit the F&H's World and mechanics. Anyone crying over references is actually stupid.

[@Gameboypxht]

@@mcbedo6568finally someone said it

[@sam-pletext8352]

​@@UltaFlame he can walk over water, multiply bread and turn water into wine. Im talking about jesus or all'mer?

[@sliskinalpha]

One small thing to add: Fear and Hunger 2, while released, isn't fully finished yet. The dev plans on adding more areas, more endings as well as eventually, every Termina contestant to be playable.

[@YesHelloHiGoodbye]

I’m in real tears rn bc wdym it’s not done ye t😩😩😩😩

[@Bpbsmith]

​@@YesHelloHiGoodbyeYeah what? I would kill to play as August

[@ezaf5989]

Cringe furry

[@NinjapowerMS]

Based Tanaka

[@brycerodriguez244]

@@YesHelloHiGoodbyethere are endings, just not as many as Miro wants. The game is a finished product, he just wants to add more to it

[@fearhunger3983]

Thank you so much for such a comprehensive video! It was so well put together! Will definitely check your other content too. I'm glad you liked these games. All criticism here is warranted too. The assault scenes are surely something that will divide people. I don't want to defend it too much because I'm sure the execution could be better (if even necessary in the first place), but at least part of the intent was to pull the safety rug from under the audience feet. Much like how "good" game design is not there to save the player, the game world is not pulling punches either. The player would feel dread in not knowing just where the game is willing to go with its scenery. While those scenes are not left to audience imagination, it does get people to think what are the horrors the game world holds and doesn't show. That's the idea anyway. But like said earlier, I'm sure things could be better portrayed. I've had mixed feelings about those inclusions since day 1, but ultimately thought that they serve a purpose in what the first game was trying to present thematically. For references I got no excuses. Although you found a nice way to spin it. The only thing I can say that it's not quite as bad as internet makes it out to be. I'd say about 1/3 of the references I hear people mention are just coincidences. Like just from the ones mentioned here, I've never played Pathologic or seen Sweet Home for example. But the references are still many, so.. eh. Oh yeah and King's Field 4, Hereditary and SMT comparisons were spot-on. Thanks again for the video and sorry for such a lengthy reply.

[@fearhunger3983]

@@GoblinWar nope haven't played or seen those.

[@Hurryup222]

I was confused on the somewhat negative spin the video gave to the fact that there are references. Why would the use of references in this case detract from the players experience? They are only minor undertones to the larger story and deep lore you crafted into your game world. I feel that spotting those references are something the majority of players enjoy; it serves as a nice easter egg. Really seems to be nothing more than a nod to other well liked works, so honestly, any criticism you get on that I think is a moot point.

[@MrVictor1227]

I hope he pins your comment,by the way will achivements on Steam come back for the first game? Achivements help some people and me try different things in a game like this

[@PULPPUNKBK]

@@fearhunger3983 Been looking at all the lore videos and wikia about your amazing universe, F&H! As a filmmaker, I'd love to find a way to chat about your work and see if we can collaborate!

[@landlockedcroat1554]

what the heck

[@mariae.johnsonmd9979]

With regards to your complaint about excessive dialogue there is a hot key (usually W) to skip through dialogue incredibly quickly which helps a lot with some of the bits where you are required to sit through dialogue on a replay.

[@L16htW4rr10r]

Or space for me, holding works too

[@burger1800]

Hold page down also

[@leeverguy]

The dev tweeted out that ctrl skips through dialogue after people complained about getting stuck in dialogue loops with Pocketcat by mashing Z.

[@clintonbehrends4659]

50:41

[@brigittahegarini7162]

@@leeverguy Thanks!

[@nearthings]

I think anyone who says the game is plagiarizing is stretching - the game is VERY referential but the gameplay and systems as a whole are quite unique and original. I think it's actually kind of fun as a horror fan to see all of their inspirations. Thanks for the review! I had been considering buying these and it sounds like they are well worth the try. :)

[@timtsai9285]

Talking in the games has some very niche, but powerful, uses. For instance, threatening a ghoul or questioning it on why it's fighting will make it no longer attack. Talking to the yellow mages can give you an item needed to recruit Enki or a secret, literally immortal, party member. This is also the reason why you can tell Moonless not to attack them, as she will kill them very quickly.

[@billie-ve_in_yourself6464]

You can also stun a very late game boss Francois by talking to him. You can skip 3 turns by choosing the correct dialogue options

[@gameworkshop2707]

As you implied, I find f&h2's main problem is that it doesn't give you any motivation to go out and confront the other passengers. With the exception of Calligura, O'saa and maybe Pav who can become openly hostile, most of the other characters just go about their business and don't interact with you or each other. If after a while they understood the gravity of the situation or started to get desperate, they could automatically become hostile or form rival gangs that could be on your tail but I imagine that with all the branching system already in place, it would be hell to implement. There is also the very "derivative" nature of the games as you mentioned, which may be out of place (don't get me started on the sergal) but i 've come that accept thatfrom the serie. My rants put aside, loved your vid! they cast light on 2 games that don't get enough love imo.

[@YunoGasainazimethslave]

yeah i also expected the characters to start getting desperate and start fighting each other (since that's literally in the trailer.) that doesn't really happen, but maybe it'll get explored in the upcoming character playthroughs.

[@Painocus]

Well, if the other characters got hostile and hunted you down there would be no hard choice in killing them, in fact the game would either be pushing or forcing you to do it depending on how it's handled. I think it's supposed to be something you have to go out of your way to choose to do.

[@Shinigami13133]

I think that it's more interesting not needing to fight other contestants in their human forms. You have the choice of being moral, but then you're forced to come to blows with stronger enemies later in the game, punishing you for your morality.

[@Ron-nr8lw]

SPOIlERS: there are a few instances of character doing exceptionally underhanded things even if they do not outright attack you ones that comes to mind is MASSIVE SPOILER: Henryik snapping and killing the entire clubs population with poison if he doesn’t turn

[@Yeraus]

SPOILERS FOR THE TEXT BELOW, BE AWARE: Actually I think that's one of Termina's biggest strengths. You don't get a reason to kill characters other than the souls they drop, which prove extremely useful in most cases. However, to get them you have to kill mostly innocent or even heroic, unsuspecting characters. But if you don't kill them they will eventually either die anyway and you won't get their precious souls, or they become moon scourged and you have to fight much more difficult and dangerous mini bosses instead. I think of it as a test of morality and character, like for some characters I really feel bad just murdering them for convenience, but the game doesn't judge no matter what you do. If most/all of them were trying to kill you too then this moral dilemma wouldn't be present.

[@phosspatharios9680]

One thing I absolutely love about these games is that they are the only games I have ever seen that portray sexual themes in a very non-pornographic way (or even anti-pornographic way). All the sexual stuff is a coherent part of a coherent whole that fully intends to play into Body Horror fears, instead of just being very alternative spank material for very alternative people. F&H and Termina are two of the very, very, very few games I can call Adult Games (as opposed to what I call Teenager Games, which is what people usually call "Adult Games")

[@Mutiny960]

Great Review. It's sad the vast majority of people who are otherwise rational, can't honestly critique anything to do with sexual themes. Modern culture at its finest. Ultra-Violence and dismemberment? Tasteful and necessary to story because it's horror and meant to make you uncomfortable. Person gets [bad youtube word]? OMG so unnecessary! CONDEMN! CONDEMN!!

[@natashap7591]

I totally understand what you mean by "Teenager games"! I often find myself super annoyed by how immaturely some games handle mature themes, so the point where I wonder why they are even called adult games.

[@lemonywater2979]

​@@Mutiny960I think it's because there aren't nearly as many people who have a realistic fear of getting dismembered as there are people that fear getting [bad youtube worded]. Same reason why people hate villains that relate to real people that have put them through real hardship more than villains with a million war crimes.

[@Mutiny960]

@@lemonywater2979 The fear thing is correct, Way more fear [bad youtube word], but dismemberment was just the thing I chose to name. The game has a full gamut of PTSD-triggering violent acts that no one bats an eyelash at. Taken as a whole your realistic chance of having one of them happen to you is much higher than [bad youtube word]. In fact they are linked, since you'll probably have violence enacted upon you before the other thing. People should fear it the same, if not more, but they don't. Nothing makes sense.

[@juneincident]

@@Mutiny960 of course violence is just as bad, and should also be tagged in the same way as sexual assault should be - but like, also, most people have less personal experience and trauma stemming from dismemberment or serious injury or the likes. like. ive never been stabbed but ive been sexually assaulted more times than i care to list. the reality is that a large percentage of the population are going to have some direct experience with sexual violence that they just wont have with other violence, so your comment at "your realistic chance of having one of them happen to you" is like, crazy off. to be clear, im not saying that its some unapproachable subject - just that its a very sensitive subject with very real personal relevance for a lot of people, and it deserves to be handled with care. i agree our flippancy about violence is bizarre but i dont think that means that people being uncomfortable with sexual violence are just getting upset for the sake of it.

[@Hell_O7]

Ha! I actually feel like I'm hearing a horror story. It sounds so scary yet mesmerizing, not just the games but also the way you write and narrate this video. I'm actually a bit scared of dark places now lmao.

[@ellyelly7235]

I would love to see you do a full lore/story explanation for both of these, because as interesting as these games sound, I have neither the time nor the patience to play through a game that's so time consuming with so few places to stop.

[@procrastinator99]

I would absolutely LOVE a clearly-stated spoilerfull breakdown of both these games from you, this alone was fantastic.

[@mattmaine8292]

I know this is nine months after the fact but if you’re still looking for one, Worm Girl has a pretty detailed story breakdown on both games.

[@procrastinator99]

@@mattmaine8292 Thank you! I'll definitely check that out.

[@batattitude]

It's good to see Fear and Hunger get some attention since it's seemed somehow "underground" the whole time I've known about the series. It manages to have a really unique gameplay aesthetic by questioning a lot of RPG conventions. If battles don't give you anything then fighting grants no progress and is boring. If every enemy can rapidly kill you then it goes from boring to frightening, now you're playing a stealth game inside an RPG. When you add hunger on top of that as a ticking timer, it compliments the horror aesthetic by reinforcing that dread mechanically. The randomization is just enough with all of that to make each new run a freshly dreadful experience. In a good way. It's not a "jump scare" horror game, it's a "looming dread" horror game, it's like the difference between a joke's punchline and being in a room full of clowns.

[@sameenrizvi9224]

Just commenting here to appreciate the amazing analogy in the last line, effing accurate!!

[@turgutaksoy4218]

Lovely way to put it, cheers

[@spotthespy]

It's werid how Fear & Hunger is so derivative and familiar and yet so entirely unique at the same time. It makes them really hard to explain.

[@julius596]

I feel like the games sadistic sense of humor oftentimes gets a little overlooked. But it made me laugh at time with things like the Gull Bros, being able to climb into the Shit Pit in Termina too and the Party Talk dialogue down there... and most importantly, the house in the church area of Prehevil, that has STACKS of empty scrolls, but your character having no idea what they are :'D Also i am quite thankful for Terminas Easy Difficulty being actually a lot easier than normal, made my first runthrough not as insanely d*ck-flattening.

[@zephshoir]

Oh fck you just made me realize the implication of the Empty Scrolls, hilarious!

[@julius596]

@@zephshoir JUP

[@alvarodiazrodriguez2603]

@@zephshoir context?

[@arminkuburas1696]

I dont get the empty scrolls

[@DarlingMissDarling]

"d*ck-flattening" is probably one of the best descriptions of a very specific emotion and my god I will be using it; sans-d*ck though I may be 🤣

[@ralola1]

As someone who has been SAed I don't feel the same way. Others like me may not share my thoughts and feelings but from a perspective that has experienced it, I feel like it fits. The world, the creatures, everything is meant to be a violation of your body. It is meant to slowly strip you of your humanity and SA is a symbol of someone losing that humanity to something primal. When I experienced the game it made me think about how morals, how right and wrong are human constructs. That we are privileged to have these morals because of our ability to organize and find safety but when that safety is gone you're willing to do horrible things to survive and find any kind of comfort. I mean look at how you spoke about the little girl, you talked about her like she was a resource, a commodity, even a burden. SA is very real in this world so the likelihood that any creature you give her to would very likely kill and/or SA her. Putting her through unspeakable torture. Having that gameplay in there made the reality of these choices heavy. And I say the game successfully stripped you of your humanity, you were so focused on winning, on beating the game, you were willing to dehumanize her to win. Willing to give her up to replace your limbs so you could survive and only decided to keep her when you no longer saw her as a burden. You were willing to let a child get killed and SAed until she was useful. Until you could use her body to benefit you. That is what SA is, the commodification of a living body for personal gain. So for me it fits perfectly and displays that to such a visceral degree. It makes your choices heavy and questions your humanity and morals. It forces you as the player to mirror the depravity of the monsters.

[@fluorescentalien5204]

I love videos like this. Games like these I find really upsetting and not fun to play, but I also find game design really interesting to learn about! It's the perfect compromise for me. great work!

[@Topaz542]

They really are in almost a genre of their own. I like to dub "games that hate". Games so tightly designed around making the player as miserable as possible I can't help but be grossly involved in seeing them to the end. Same reason why I love LA Mulana so damn much, both LA Mulana 1 and 2 hate the player with their moon logic puzzle design and awkward control but something about them is so engrossing. I love them

[@sansaraee]

any other games like that?

[@maky7295]

@@sansaraee If you're talking about the aspect of being brutal and unfair, give a try on pathologic 2, like the video said

[@Vistelia]

@@sansaraee Not the same genre as any of these but Getting Over It by Bennett Foddy. The sledgehammer mechanic to climb up a mountain seems difficult and flat-out unfair at times, all the while having the game creator speak to you during your climb acknowledging this. Sometimes I fell all the way down (there are no checkpoints) and got very close to giving up, but I always came back to try again and got progressively more comfortable with the controls. Definitely one of those "games that hate" but are so rewarding when beaten.

[@dr.velious5411]

Yeah, one of the core design philosophies of La-Mulana was "Put the fear of death back in the player".

[@deletedTestimony]

Less truly sadistic and more comical but I want to add Lisa: The Painful RPG to this lost

[@fchef8370]

I had this on in the background and while you were explaining how Fear and Hunger 1 worked I kept thinking “it can’t get any worse than this right?”. Only for it get worse.

[@COZYTW]

I'm partially deaf so I appreciate the transcript very much, thank you The part that got cut off when talking about the 2nd game is a shame, but I'll try going in with a blank slate

[@ZuldimYT]

Oh no, I'm sorry, what part got cut off? I'll try to fix it tomorrow.

[@ZuldimYT]

Oh, sure enough. The captions just cut off. Sorry about that, I'm not totally sure what happened because I just double checked the file I uploaded, and it's the full transcript. The KZbin caption uploading thing is a confusing mess, I'm trying to fix it now, but it might take a while before KZbin processes it correctly! It says the full transcript is generating timings now, and should be finished in a few hours.

[@edyttttttttta]

If you tell me which part got cut off I can write it down for you, 3 weeks late but still - better late than never?

[@DiranJiru]

*spoilers for one of the death animations as well as a trigger warning of body horror* I remember I saw this on my recommended and then I looked the game up and the first few videos I saw were death animations. One in particular that scarred me is that one of the monsters will tear your skin off your body, leaving you to crawl for a while before you eventually die. It left me with my hand over my mouth.

[@zaneplayx3176]

yeah

[@colorblockpoprocks6973]

like that one animation of the machine

[@ezaf5989]

Scared by pixels lmao grow a spine

[@moonbeam714]

in the past month since i discovered f&h, it has captivated me like very few pieces of horror media have in years. i'm obsessed with this kind of atmosphere - the crushing, endless sense of loneliness and terror that sticks even after the monitor is turned off or the book is closed. these games nail it perfectly. that said, i am an exceptionally skiddish person and it will likely be a hell of a long time before i can actually build up the mental strength to play them lol

[@LC-iw3ll]

The first one is definitely more dire and scary because it’s alot harder than the second, and it’s just darker in general. I think the second is a superior game just because the creator improved his skill over a couple years. But the crushing atmosphere of the first game can’t be replicated.

[@blankspace2185]

Regarding the tower bed in Ma'habre you only fight the boss if you sleep in the past, if you use the bed in the present it does not start the dream sequence

[@ZuldimYT]

The reason I made this mistake is because it was still giving me the coin flip in present, but I didn't realize that the coin flip was one that wouldn't actually spawn anything if you fail it. A bit jank, but it is good to know there's a way around the boss. Honestly I think Skin Granny is probably the easiest boss in the game though, so it's not a huge roadblock either way.

[@Whoopsie_woggzy]

golden game tip omg

[@LC-iw3ll]

@@Whoopsie_woggzythat skin granny fight almost gave me a heart attack with how much progress I would have lost

[@cheesebucket142]

Great video, you covered the games pretty well. Couple notes about details: about the Tower of the Endless bed - iirc, you can use it infinitely before the skin granny section, but you have to be in the right time. I don't remember exactly wether it's past or present, but if you see it just saying "rest", not "save and rest", you can go outside, use the beacon to swap timeline, and it should be save and rest. And the girl is mildly useful before skilling her up from the get-go because she can use items.

[@RossMirage]

Seeing how much you "enjoyed" F&H, I'm gonna recommend Lobotomy Corporation and its sequel Library of Ruina. LoboCorp has been called the "korean Pathologic" a few times, and shares the same "go blind, get your ass blown out, feel bad, learn, restart" as Patho and F&H. Library is a completely different game though, less "pain and suffering simulator" and more "hard as balls RPG". Also we don't talk about Love Town.

[@ZuldimYT]

I've played Lobotomy Corporation and really like it! I haven't put a ton of time into it, but I picked it up on the Steam Sale last summer because it name dropped the SCP Foundation and Warehouse 13, and I was on a management game kick, and was really into what I played of it. I need to put more time into it, it's really cool, I didn't know there was a sequel.

[@RossMirage]

@@ZuldimYT Watch out as the sequel starts directly after the ending of LoboCorp, and doesn't really go into specific detail about the events of LC. It's also a deckbuilding RPG instead of a management sim. ALSO that one is getting a sequel, Limbus Company... which is ... a gacha... using similar systems to LoR. I know. I'm still interested in playing it when it releases for the story.

[@ZuldimYT]

@@RossMirage I'm not above playing a gacha game, that in itself wouldn't put me off.

[@destruction42k]

@@RossMirage These games are fantastic. Though Lobotomy Corporation is one of the only if not THE only game I'd highly recommend modding a first play though if only to avoid bugs and make the game more stable.

[@thepotionseller8915]

@@ZuldimYT the gacha actually seems pretty fun system and character wise. Each of the main characters are based on famous literature throughout history like Dante, Gregor, and best girl Don Quixote. It’s set to take place after both lob corp and ruina so I would suggest either playing trough them first or reading up on the plot.

[@Yeraus]

I have never heard of these games before, and probably never would have if it wasn't for your video. After about 1/3 of it I stopped watching and started playing, and just yesterday I finished Termina. I can truly say that these two games fascinate me on a level I haven't known before, playing them is a unique experience I will never forget. Thank you for this video, I am really geateful it reached me.

[@somekindofnacho]

The game does tell you about the lucky coin mechanic in it's description in the items menu. Also saves are not limited in the first game, you can save safely after killing all the enemies in that area.

[@-Samus-Aran-]

Never heard of this game, thanks for the synopsis. I can see how going into it blind would've been a better experience but I'm also a working adult with less time than I'd like to master a game that doesn't explain its own rules much. It is especially helpful knowing that the game is short and thus, having to start over isn't so harrowing as it would seem had I not known. And even though the reveal about Moonless and some other surprises (like getting jumped by a boss enemy just for trying to sleep or getting nothing for feeding the girl to the Human Hydra) would have been incredible to experience blindly, I think I'll enjoy the game more knowing what kind of mindset to adopt instead of wasting frustrating hours trying to assert my typical train of thought.

[@timbrogliobat]

Your 4 minute introduction was enough to convince me that I need to play these games. I'll be back once I'm done.

[@ZuldimYT]

I hope you "enjoy" them!

[@timbrogliobat]

@@ZuldimYT I "enjoyed" Pathologic, I'm sure I will!

[@dalujo]

I feel sorry for your therapist.

[@Amin-al-Husseini_1941picture]

NEVER forget getting Enki or the floating head wizard, the floating head cant die or starve + can use magic, just dont annoy the old gods with your new god. Enki can create undead, you can keep all the consumables for yourself while skellies protect you

[@exeidan]

How did it go? Lol

[@grannys_sinister_corn_matrix]

i appreciate this video - i bounced hard off of fear and hunger in part because i just. could not stomach the sheer volume of sexual violence in the game (no shade to people who like the game and are able to handle it, i recognize that it's a horror game and it's just playing with tools in the box that are a bit much for me, personally) the presence of a well-made video essay discussing the things it does well is very helpful sidebar, i really recommend Lunacid to King's Field fans! it's in EA but extremely immersive and fun.

[@ZuldimYT]

Lunacid is great, I picked it up the day it hit EA and it's one of my most anticipated full release.

[@zephshoir]

Termina is much lighter in terms of that so perhaps you would be able to play it!

[@grannys_sinister_corn_matrix]

@@zephshoir I just might give it a shot, honestly!

[@scriggle3564]

@@zephshoir true but there's still your fair share of naked enemies

[@jgmaurer31]

Termina is way tamer. There's still a few "wtf" moments, but they're rare. You're not going to be anally r-worded in the first 5 minutes of the game. ..... Incidentally, that's what happened to me my first time playing FH1. That....was something else.

[@Gwenshihao]

i got this video in my recommended a week ago and now i have been playing Termina non stop. i wanted to genuinely thank you for helping bring this series to my attention because now i absolutely love it. the game deserves to have a bigger community and i really want to see more people talk about it.

[@spenceduggs]

I genuinely appreciate the warnings for the more...extreme aspects of the game. You're right, that kind of violence is a deal breaker for me, and the fact that you were able to describe it so tactfully is deeply appreciated. I'll appreciate the artistry of the game through your analysis, and I might give the sequel a try.

[@beowolves]

the sequel does have that kind of violence, not as much as the first, but its still there. id be careful still!

[@spenceduggs]

@@beowolves Thanks for the heads up! ^^

[@AssassinGoGa]

How sensitive you are. How do you manage to live in your sugar castle in real life?

[@panthekirb7561]

beta male

[@redredrumxo]

​​@@spenceduggsI know this thread is several months old, but the first game has a mod that removes that content - I would imagine there might be one for the second one as well. totally understand not wanting to chance it either way but I did want to put that information out there :)

[@AdmiralBroom]

While I am far too much of a soft hearted scaredy-cat to ever consider playing this game (I can’t kill npcs in dnd, there’s no shot I’m beating this) I do appreciate your analysis of it! I might look into it a little more, idk

[@BatKitKat]

I wouldn’t say not killing npc’s in dnd makes you soft hearted. Not killing npc’s in dnd probably just makes you an enjoyable player to dm for and not some dumb murder hobo.

[@Cec451]

PINECONE PIG NUMBER ONE!!!!

[@boiledbone3966]

You attacking the villager at 48:37 even after he set up a beartrap made me shake my head and shout no over and over at the screen lmfao

[@Scott_Inksmith]

Maybe he likes wasting lucky coins 😅

[@MechWarrior894]

And then after the fight, he steps on a landmine and gets vaporized which, to be fair, looks just like some bricks

[@YaBoiJonesy]

I mean there's a good chance running away will fail and you'll have to make that coinflip anyways...

[@leeverguy]

I think my favorite thing about F&H 2 is that you can make a very strong case for why each character is the most powerful option, and if you ask someone who the strongest character is you'll always get a different answer (mostly, it's whoever they finally finished the game with). Marina has easy access to Necromancy and Agility boosts. Daan has can spend a turn to get free hits in on heads and heal every status condition easily (even death, for no cost), Abella gets access to the strongest non-superboss weapon in the game if you're willing to explore for the right materials, Olivia has easy access to a ton of healing and can use otherwise useless and plentiful lavender leaves, Marcoh gets powerful, accurate fists for free, Karin's diplomacy lets her be essentially invulnerable in the city proper, and O'Saa gets access to the strongest, second strongest, and third strongest skills for casters, including the Spice Forge that was talked about so much. ...The exception is Levi and even then you can abuse the jank of the game to have Needles cure your heroin addiction via ghost-jizz-therapy and suddenly you've got a supersoldier that can render enemies helpless with a pistol or two-shot any enemy with a shotgun.

[@Uhh_Vic]

Excuse me ghost-jizz WHAT?? like geniunely cause I do not plan on playing the game but I’m still interested tell me more

[@madlaz9575]

@@Uhh_Vic If you get defeated by the clown, you don't actually die, you get chained in a basement of sorts and a ghost specter makes you have a violent orgasm. If you have other party member later on you can find their bodies, but your protagonist doesn't die and it has the side effect of curing Levi of his addiction if you pick him.

[@sidekic1109]

@@Uhh_Vic apparently it's an exploit with Needles, something about dying to them specifically, then getting resurrected or healing the arm that was cut off by them will cause Levi to come back without a heroin addiction, don't know the details tho

[@Uhh_Vic]

@@madlaz9575 well that’s one way of curing an addiction that’s so funny-

[@madlaz9575]

@@Uhh_Vic Funny and surprisingly efficient.

[@Т1000-м1и]

As an eastern European, here tech access is either barely any until you're 14 or unlimited starting from the first grade as long as parents aren't home. I got lucky. And was also very weird as a kid. I got obsessed over what were basically facebook and small flash games. It was just interesting to find clever ways of doing things. In-game goals didn't seem to me like a purpose to do things but just a part of the atmosphere. I found the idea of simply "enjoying" games without anything else very weird. This video was a very important thing for me looking back at all the things that happened

[@zombifiedoll1388]

A note about losing limbs in F&H1, during the character history, you can get dash (or from a hexen table) and losing a leg disables dash

[@GambledMyhouse]

This was excellently crafted! It’s nice to see this game get more recognition, there were some points I had a slight disagreements on, but frankly they were so well put and articulated that it did sway my opinion on them a bit.

[@captainzork6109]

At 15:00: "Most of your characters start out with *two* arms and *two* legs." That made me laugh so hard I had to pause the video. I know where this is going xD

[@SalomSands]

This single video was both an eye opener and a regret yesterday night. I went down into a rabbit hole and I just scared myself more before I finally went to bed. And I'll probably go deeper out of fucking morbid curiosity. Like I always do. Kudos!

[@senpaibaefam8405]

It's not very often you find an hour+ horror game video and not have it revolve in a majority around the story, so this was really cool! I'm definitely not going to play prolapse-simulator so I'll need story elsewhere, but this is wonderful!

[@jaccobbailey8247]

I just wanna say: thanks for making this video. It ended up getting me into the series (I’m on termina now and have accidentally found a load of duplication bugs lol), and I’m genuinely already in love with them. It’s not that often that I try a game from a review, but something about the way that they were described slipped a bug deep in my subconscious and I simply had to. Good job lol

[@eldermac8826]

first you create great video essays on characters i care for and now you get me invested in games i've never even heard of? loving this kind of vid too, looking forward to seeing more from you!

[@Soupfondue]

I have been waiting for someone to do an in depth video on Fear & Hunger….. this is sick

[@TOAOM123]

On the topic of "fairness" I think the average person believes they want things to be "fair" but in reality what people want is consistency And that is how the quality of systems (video games and otherwise) is inherently measured

[@thevoidcritter]

I love how you called the "talk" action useless when a few enemies can be defeated just by talking to them

[@Hellwaterva]

like migosp

[@beowolves]

in one of the recent interviews, the creator mentioned of having an irrational fear of buttoned up shirts since he was a toddler. i thought that was interesting, with the 'irrational obelisk'

[@Namelessstew]

The concept of terminus being a God like entity taking you and explaining you have to kill the other players also reminds me a lot of future diaries.

[@BatKitKat]

I was thinking the same thing but wasn’t entirely sure. I’ve heard a lot about the show but also hadn’t watched it enough to be sure.

[@kail9036]

I wanna say thank you for the warning you gave. A lot of horror games, and games in general, don't particularly handle that topic well. As a victim, I can understand why people depicting horror is naturally drawn to that topic to be put in the game. For me, everyday is a horror, every shower, every time where everything gets still, flashbacks and dreams, it's like it'll always be there. Granted, I was a child, so maybe it's different, but I've heard from numerous other people victimized as adults they feel similarly. Horror fans, oddly, are either more empathetic towards us because of games featuring it, or less empathetic because of the same reason. "You're being too sensitive." "It's just a game." To many people, it IS just a game. To many other people, that was real life. And many games try to humanize the abusers in a way that it tries to make you feel sorry for them. It doesn't show them as monsters, but as victims in of themselves and somehow that justifies it, and the victim is the bad guy. Many games succeed in painting it as horror, yet few games succeed as painting it as wrong. I always appreciate it when I find fellow horror fans who can sympathize and understands when a game does it right & wrong and that games, yea you can turn it off, but you can't turn off reality. I think you handled the warning really well, and I appreciate it, and this was a great introduction to your channel, I'll definitely be sticking around. Thank you ❤

[@ZuldimYT]

Thank you for this comment, it means a lot to hear I handled talking about that part well. It was definitely the part of the script I struggled with the most.

[@Cooe.]

Abusers CAN be victims as well. It's not a zero sum game. In fact MOST abusers start as victims themselves. I'm all for warnings, but being vehemently against abusers being allowed to be portrayed as actual human people in fiction is absolutely fucking ridiculous... People aren't just one thing. People are fucking complicated. You don't personally have to consume those stories, and that's fine, but saying they shouldn't be made is absolutely fucking insane.

[@kail9036]

@@Cooe. Sorry, I probably should've been clearer! I do think it can actually be very effective and even add to the horror to humanize an abuser, being shown that an abuser can do good and just chose not to to you does make it seem worse. I meant the games that paint them as ONLY victims and uses their own victimization to show that it's ok or absolves them and that the victim(s) are crazy or bad for thinking otherwise. I know most creators probably don't mean to do that, but it's still a problem. I dunno if that made more sense? I'm sorry of it didn't!

[@garlicbread4792]

@@kail9036 Hey, I just wanted to say I understand what you mean and I'm really sorry about what happened to you! I truly hope things are better for you now!

[@allasperans3984]

@@ZuldimYT as another survivor, that part was indeed well handled and thank you very much for including it. It was, I don't know, calming in a way to hear somebody take this into consideration¿ what I mean is, sometimes I doubt I was "traumatized enough" and that my triggers are real, especially the ones considered more stupid and "this is just a game, relax". And hearing you talk about it in the way like it mattered was really cool, thank you c:

[@suneater_zeef050]

this game inspired me so much, i'm so happy to see someone talk about it. though i never got around to getting it for myself - maybe it's for the best

[@bluedigit]

I've quit the first game a ton of times just due to the save points and RNG being so irritating but having this video show up for me meant a lot and I think I might give this game another go :) wonderful video my friend and hope to see you continue to do things like this

[@loolinonilool]

you know, i've got to hand it to you. when it comes to an rpg, one tends to assume a video has to cover its plot somewhat in order to review it well. but this was an hour & 20 minutes about a couple of rpgs, only very lightly touching on the characters & plot & writing, and it was a very good watch. it only covered the gameplay experience for the whole time and was still quite captivating & worthwhile. hats off to that

[@LegateMilphosis]

maybe a follow up exploring the story of the games? I know I won't play these games myself but the concept and story seems very intriguing

[@rompevuevitos222]

This is why video games are considered art

[@julesnar1175]

This game sounds so intresting and captivating, but I'm unfortunately one of the ones for who sexual violence is a deal breaker. I greatly appriciate you pointing it out. While I might not be able to play this game, I have this video, which was amazing. Really excited for whatever you decide to show us next!

[@ryokiritani4187]

Hey, if you can't stomach the sexual violence, go play the sequel. There is a fair bit of nudity, but no rape. If you want to remove even the implications, don't touch the mechanic class (she is the only character that has a scene where you need to fight to avoid being assaulted) and don't lose to a character named Needles. That's it, really.

[@craftworded]

I suggest termina as in all my hours in it i dont think i encountered any sexual violence

[@satouhikou1103]

Wah wah wah

[@julesnar1175]

@@satouhikou1103 See how no one else acts like a toddler over a valid preference?

[@DarrienGlasser]

I think there’s a mod that removes some of the more … obscene stuff. Super Eyepatch Wolf just released a video on the game too and mentioned it makes the game streaming friendly. So I assume it removes it

[@elizaveta1357]

I am late to the party, but I'd like to add something regarding the eye damage and the power of knowledge topic: Even when you're blind you can still continue the game. You can hear the noises and, most importantly, the sounds of your own steps on different textures. So, if you have the map memorized (which you probably do, considering the amount of times you die and restart) it is possible for you to use your memory of the map to find your way back to a Ritual Circle and perform Marriage to heal your eyes. Knowledge is indeed power in this game. Also, you see the faintest outlines of torches while blind, meaning that if you leave them lit you can use them as beacons.

[@devalk_]

You actually turned me around on it, I started the video just wanting to waste time learning about a game I would never play, But now I plan on playing both at some point

[@LC-iw3ll]

I think that the first game is solid because of its setting and approach to themes ,but the second shows an incredible leap in the maker's artstyle and advanced gameplay mechanics + massive world

[@FirstLast-cg2nk]

The best way to describe Fear and Hunger 1 and 2 is as a Survival Horror RPG 2D Immersive Sim. And I say Immersive Sim because, unlike other games Survival Horror RPG games, Fear and Hunger often gives you a large number of ways to address a problem. You can potentially have a very large toolkit, provided the RNG is kind, and if you know what you're doing, you can absolutely break the game. Spoilers below for examples, read at own risk. One of the items the situations that I look at for the Immersive Sim argument is the Blue Sin scenario. Blue Sin is a sword stuck in a wall in the mines. Investigation indicates that removing the sword is likely to cause a cave in. If you try it yourself, you die. If you try to get a living party member to do it, they'll say they have a bad feeling and refuse. If you use an undead party member, they'll wait for you to get to a safe distance, try to pull it out, and then die, with the sword pinned underneath the rocks and impossible to retrieve. So, there's no way of getting the sword, right? Wrong. There's a book, a fairly rare find, that will temporarily teleport the party to an endgame area temporarily. If, after grabbing the sword, they immediately go to the menu and read the book, you'll be teleported, with the sword, and away from the falling rocks. I've heard there are other methods of escaping the trap, as well, but the point is, like a true immersive sim, this game gives scenarios where understanding the game's mechanics will allow you to get ahold of some rare and unique secrets that you can't normally access. But the single greatest example in the game is the Blank Scroll. What does it do? If you enter the correct text, you will be given any item in the game. Rare consumables, endgame gear, specific books or scrolls? All yours. If you get a blank scroll at the start, it is effectively useless since you have no idea what it does, and more importantly, you don't know what the names of items are. For expert players, however, they instantly drop the difficulty massively, and many challenge runs specifically state not using one. Like all immersive sims, Fear and Hunger wants you to break it, and will give you the tools to do so. You just won't know it until you've played the game enough to realize it.

[@peters9329]

Fun fact, there are 4 other ways to get into town without even seeing the mayor

[@valdeborg6503]

spoilers . . . . Which is the 4th? i can only think of golden gates, sewers and forest

[@Princess_Ruto]

@@valdeborg6503 Early-game bolt cutters (loot RNG).

[@brigittahegarini7162]

@@Princess_Ruto Interesting. And I assume we used it on the main gate?

[@ryokiritani4187]

Doesn't the mayor straight up not exist if you save Henryk (the chef) first thing on day 1?

[@Princess_Ruto]

@@brigittahegarini7162 Yeah, that's right.

[@thevoidcritter]

Termina might be harder but it weirdly feels more "fair" to me. I think it's because the coin flip saves were taken out in favor of the time lapse save, which makes more sense narratively and also feels more like an actual way to make the player strategize rather than just a "fuck you".

[@allasperans3984]

Thank you very much for mentioning sexual violence warning. As a survivor, I really appreciate you mentioning the topic. And thank you for the video in general, I really liked it. Never heard of this game before Edit: mb sometime I'll add to this comment... There are a lot of things that I liked about the video and you've definitely earned a new subscriber, I'm really impressed by your coverage. More people should see the video

[@rustyjones7908]

Normally i dislike the "pointlessly difficult for the sake of being a dick" theme but i have to say, these videos make me want to play it. I dig the art style even with the giant dongs.

[@Hellwaterva]

is there something you want to tell the class

[@frds_skce]

Fear & Hunger is a game that deserves to be known by everyone, yet shouldn't be played by everyone

[@dudemaister18]

I just wanna drop by and thank you for making this video, I've been playing both games these past few weeks and they've quickly become some of my favorite games I've ever played You sold me on these games that I never thought I'd be able to get into, really appreciate it!

[@theodoreganymede2095]

Currently 8 playable characters, Miro plans to have all 14 contestants as playable characters.

[@sboss774]

The game is still getting new updates after release?

[@theodoreganymede2095]

@@sboss774 Yes. A poll was held on twitter just prior to the latest update.

[@greenherb3229]

@@theodoreganymede2095 Tanaka is a chad and deserves to be the next playable character.

[@Joanropo]

I've played my share of hard and "unforgiving" games before but this one is a different breed. One friend of mine showed it to me, knowing that I'm used to like what he calls "cruel games" but jesus, this one feels off, I don't know. It's scary, but not like RE or SH or how any game could be horrific, this one creeps under your skin. I don't know Zuldim but the game is just too much, it humbled me. I'm going to finish it, someday, but at his core it shakes me like no other, not employing jumpscares or any cheap means to surprise you but using the very mechanics that the player needs to survive against us. It's hard for me to explain it, you did a really good job talking about everything here of course. Maybe I need to play more of this game, finish a playthrough but it scares me, to go into the dungeon again, it makes you feel powerless. I bet some people here will say it is not scary enough but I think that instead of calling it cruel or brutal like my friend may call it, I will call it uncanny both on how punishing and unsettling it is. However, if there are more games out there that gives the same feeling of despair and whatever the hell this grade of "wrong" is, please let me know, because it's interesting how you can make such a game with such simplistic design. Great video btw, I learnt a lot of things that I didn't know and you captured the way it feels to experience this game. Thank you very much.

[@stefandinus7701]

I love this comment. I used to be part of a haunted house, and while jump scares work, what I always wanted was to incite this exact overwhelming sense of dread. It's not surprising, it's scary. It's actual, true, uncomfortable horror. It isn't fun, it's the feeling of something under your skin, squirming against your tendons, pushing against your bones, making you feel sick to your stomach. That's what horror is supposed to be. Feelings beyond that are just fun and "spooky", an adrenaline shot as you laugh it off. Feelings like this, that kill the sense of humor, that's what horror should be after.

[@sneedstauffenberg6812]

Based King's Field appreciator. I dropped Fear & Hunger a few years ago, picked it up again last month and found myself motivated enough to go grind through the whole thing. Now playing Termina as we speak. Good channel.

[@itsjustaclint8404]

I love Fear and Hunger so MUCH. The atmosphere and the most unfair gameplays. My favorite character is Moonless. I just love having her around.

[@caitlinobrien273]

I know it's such a small point in this video and certainly not the focus in the slightest, but the messages for the censor bars SENT me a few times PS - I hope you're having a great day too! Great vid

[@ZuldimYT]

:D

[@surfsupshinji-kun]

This was a great video! My friend played fear and hunger last year and I've been on the fence about whether or not I should play. This has definitely convinced me to check the games out!

[@peagames2002]

I think the horror is more wide in different ways of scaring or making one feel uncomfortable. Hereditary and Midsommar are pretty good examples, that haven't overused the horror of jumpscaring with spooky beings. Personally the most horror feeling is something disturbing considered normal. The feel of being outcast from normal thinking.

[@GustavoSilva-ny8jc]

11:00 That. Is. BRILLIANT!!! Such a genius way to force you to take risk and be bold by putting heavy consequences for playing safe, while also keeping the risky option risky. You're almost between cross and sword, that's 👏👏👏 pure economics thinkings. I'm in love.

[@GameDevYal]

I've seen one or two people do videos on these games, which were both very short and basically boiled down to "the games are both too gross and too engrossing for me to go into detail, go play them yourselves if you're interested" - I'm impressed you managed to make an 80 minute, super in-depth video but still not really spoil anything about the plot. (Well, the twist about the contestants of the 2nd game notwithstanding... but that's more of a public service announcement than a spoiler, I suppose)

[@heloise342]

Amazing video, your commentary was intelligent and captivating throughout!

[@Jay-qh6uv]

“I don’t like good games-I like interesting games.” Earned my sub with this line!

[@Steven-cf1ty]

You're really hyping up a pretentious line lmao

[@bottlebeard]

@@Steven-cf1ty Ikr, it's a good video but holy.. imagine telling the audience that the person whose opinions and observations they're listening to are from someone who doesn't even like good games. It's a one-liner that sounds cool when glossed over but quite literally serves to devalue and destroy one's own validity on the topic

[@earthbound9999]

@@Steven-cf1ty Having an opinion = pretentious, apparently. Good to know youtube comments still suck lmao

[@Steven-cf1ty]

@@earthbound9999 self righteous prick

[@earthbound9999]

@@Steven-cf1ty No need to talk about yourself so harshly dude.

[@DracoMint]

Bro, keep doing these type of videos about underground obscure games, i watched the whole video and will watch it again when i play the game, it's just perfect fr fr

[@bw000m]

honestly the huge pile of references is dope. i love shit like that, its a sweet way of showing ur love for something. the one used with permission is honestly so heartwarming, id be honored if someone reached out to me and asked if they could directly put a character of mine into their own work for a little cameo its also like… rly beautiful to me. a world and story thatre so cold and cruel, yet made with care and influenced by things the creator loves so much they cant help but put the references in. its a razor blade and barbed wire pie baked with unignorable love