The Psychology of Psychonauts - Lungfishopolis

[@classyrobot5648]

"OHNO HES GOING FOR THE ORPHANAGE OF PUPPIES AND KITTENS" Lmao i love this game

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

The dialogue in this level is amazing lol.

[@migueeeelet]

Their voices are top notch as well. You'd expect them to sound less... normal human lol

[@CSXIV]

And now, the Navy deploys what it is famous for…AIRPLANES!!!!!

[@destendgem]

Something you didn't mention: Linda's mind has no Censors. Why? Because Oleander had to suppress them in order for him to gain total control.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

That would make 100% sense. We also have not seen a healthy animal mind so we don't know if Censors are even there. Hard to say but your explanation makes the most sense.

[@noisyphilosopherkrk522]

@@GamingUniversityUoG Given the censors in the sequel it is possible they exist but most likely in the form of the animal Censors seem to match the mind they live in so it would be no surprise if animal sensors are animals and plant censors to be plants Ps a curiosity but have you ever thought of exploring the persona series, it would be fascinating to see your take on i

[@wjzav1971]

Consider that the opposition Raz faces in Lungfishtopolis is the Navy. Oleander replaced the natural defense measures of Linda's mind with a military force loyal to him only.

[@graygravity3856]

@@noisyphilosopherkrk522 I don't think there's plant censors. Plants don't have brains last time I checked

[@battybuddy]

If Linda’s censors were around, would they be super tiny?

[@wjzav1971]

In terms of Raz' journey, its also important to note that the encounter with Linda teaches Raz empathy. For him, Linda is the lake monster. An obstacle on his way to rescue Lilly and the campers. Then Cruller points out that Linda is a "poor little thing" taken advantage off and she herself is deeply scared of Razputin. I think that afterwards he realizes that certain people, as scary as they seem and even when they block the way, are often just victims and need help. Although, admittedly that doesn't work out so well on his first attempt with Boyd Cooper. But he gets better with Gloria, Fred and Edgar. He even realizes that Coach Oleander for all his deviousness is being plagued by his own demons.

[@migueeeelet]

It definitely sounds like the point where Raz's journey stops being "poke around people's minds for fun" and turns into "use your special abilities to help these people".

[@willofthewinds3222]

@@migueeeelet I mean, it still takes another round or two. He objectively made Boyd worse to get what he needed.

[@lollikabosso.w.n7153]

Problem is, Boyd is broken already. And in a manner way too curious to not dwelve into

[@LemonadeStand618]

I remember that during this level I was trying so desperately not to touch the buildings because of the dialogue. "No not the orphanage" "my bait shop!" "Not the natural history museum!"

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

You're a better person than I am then lol. I went full Godzilla mode

[@LemonadeStand618]

@@GamingUniversityUoG yeah, personally I don't think the whole cave allegory applies a whole lot to the city. People are happy with their loves here and your actively ruining them, not to mention killing innocent people.

[@wjzav1971]

@@LemonadeStand618 When you return to Linda's mind later, a lungfish tells Raz that they are not supposed to live in cities and the whole place is gonna get rect anyway. The memory save shows as much as the lungfish happily living in the wild and Oleander forces them to build a city. This might imply that the city represents Oleanders unnatural control.

[@LemonadeStand618]

@@wjzav1971 Okay screw the symbolism for a minute, he improved their lives and made great progress. These people seem so happy here, meanwhile here Raz is destroying the whole city for barley any reason. Just because they were happy back then doesn't mean they'd be happy to do it now. I mean I assume these people have been like this for multiple generations so that's kinda what's influencing my argument.

[@wjzav1971]

@@LemonadeStand618 Difficult to argue how these people's lifes have been or for how long given that they aren't people but just representations of different aspects of Linda's mind.

[@jakobm87]

"He was evil, but he did build a lot of roads" - a reference to the construction of autobahns in Germany during the Nazi era. Furthermore, Oleander's big mustache and spiked helmet are reminiscent of the notorious Kaiser Wilhelm II, who has often been portrayed as belligerent and unhinged (just like Oleander).

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

So many little details in this game. I love it. It is remarkably well crafted.

[@Kahtisemo]

Reminds me of a post I saw a while back where it had a crowd excited about something and it photoshopped a bunch of logos from companies that started in the 30s and 40s, excited about upcoming anniversaries. Then the next panel showed someone asking them about how they got their start, and the crowd was full of nervous sweating. Because most of them would have gotten their start or really took off commercially thanks to WWII. Which is not to say NO good comes from it, but it's a hard pill to swallow knowing what they were probably building or supporting in order to survive as well as they have all these years.

[@trevorjonathan4405]

(Pre-planned) Industrial Revolution always occurs as a consequence of War... Masses placed in fear... Rinse & repeat

[@AmySay]

Congrats you are literally the ONLY person who has explained the Cave Allegory to me in a way that makes sense!

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Success! Haha honestly it is one that I struggled with until recently myself. Glad I helped with its understanding

[@OdaSwifteye]

It seemed obvious the way he explained it.

[@raxelleon8189]

Yeah, I heard it a couple times before, but no one said anything about it being a metaphor for propaganda.

[@katietaylor8314]

The cave analogy reminds me of The Matrix, too. "You must understand that most of these people are not ready to be set free. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to defend it."

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

The Matrix was intended to be a modern day version of the allegory of the cave. Those similarities are very intentional.

[@bubblemage]

who would have thought the matrix is actually a trans allegory thing? that's so nice!!

[@Xalerdane]

And then it made so much money they were compelled to make sequels and the whole thing fell apart. _…SERIOUSLY WHAT WAS THE POINT OF HAVING HIM BE ABLE TO CONTROL THAT KILLBOT AT THE END OF THE SECOND FILM IT NEVER CAME UP AGAIN AAAAAAA-_ They should’ve revealed that they’d never _really_ escaped the Matrix, they’d just gone from ‘Level One’ of the simulation to ‘Level Two’. The Machines knew humans needed some degree of struggle and conflict in order to function, so they deliberately engineered a ‘forever war’ scenario for the humans too sharp for the ‘real world’ simulation to contain. Second big reveal: humanity had entered the Matrix _voluntarily._ Earth had become completely uninhabitable and there was no way to fix it, so rather than spend the rest of their existence living in sealed artificial environments, humanity decided to enter a collective simulation and escape reality.

[@Fragmentsinfractals488]

"The eye cannot see what the mind does not know".

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Exactly. Just because we see something doesn't mean the mind will play along and get on board.

[@Starcat5]

@@GamingUniversityUoG And in the end, is that not how all myths begin? Men throwing lightning down from the sky. Dinosaur fossils becoming the bones of Dragons. And don't get me started about the fact that giants cephalopods really do exist, though it is unlikely any were ever as destructive as the Kraken.

[@pretzelbomb6105]

@@GamingUniversityUoG Also, in a more literal sense, the core reason you making these videos matters.

[@candlestone5397]

Reminds me of something I read. Madness isn't a human seeing cthulu, anymore that it is an ant seeing a human. No, Madness is the ant seeing the human and suddenly understanding the world as they do, and then losing that understanding because the mind of an ant simply cannot comprehend or hold such knowledge. If the human mind is unable to understand its own contents, how could it hope to understand something greater?

[@Olimar92]

The sequel gets ever closer and this helps give me my Psychonauts fix.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I'm hoping to wrap up this series by the time the sequel comes out. I am so excited for it!

[@FerreTrip]

@@GamingUniversityUoG Oh dear. Lemme guess--real life intervened?

[@Duster04]

“What a magical lady!”

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

She is Magical!

[@PK-Radio]

Enchanting.

[@Rosa-he6xb]

🪄 ✨🐟 Maaaaggggiiiicccc

[@CheshireCad]

I love that Raz instantly accepted that this hulking, monstrous creature is a lady. There wasn't a moment's hesitation. For the audience, there's some comedy in the juxtaposition, which is fine. But far lesser writers would have overdid the joke by having someone react "BwuuuuUUUUUHHH?!?! That thing is a g-g-GIRL?!?! 😱"

[@samic]

I am actually playing P1 now after finished P2 and then I saw this video. I notice an interesting points after Raz liberated Linda, when he visit Linda's mind again the freedom fighter is now saying Lungfishes aren't suppose to live in the city. Meaning Linda's conscious is now recognize Oleander's programming is pointless to her. The freedom fighter is telling Raz to "go nuts" to destroy the city since his family is living in another place now.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I feel that is a great representation that oleander essentially forced Linda's mind to live in an unnatural state, symbolized by a fish living in a city.

[@reinweissritter]

I love how this whole level reeks of tokusatsu. Definitely one of my favorites.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

The environment is just crazy in this level. Completely unexpected the first time I played it.

[@noisyphilosopherkrk522]

Something to note is that one of the images in her mental vaults is watching tv, mayhaps Ford crullers has a living room in that underground base of his and watches tv and linda watched it from the window or an area that had a view of fords base in her tiny abode Would explain a few things It's also interesting fanfic fuel as well because afterwards crullers is definitely going to notice linda looking through the window, it'd be amusing if she gets adopted to become fords pet One can only imagine everyone's reaction to that Though what I find fascinating is that Linda's bubble ability was present long before her transformation

[@Homodemon]

The stage's theme is just the Godzilla theme jumbled around, is great

[@wazzupyuwu]

currently bringing through these, and something i thought was neat is how, just like in his fabricated memory, oleander is MUCH taller-- even taller than raz. i wonder if this is him trying to make himself seem bigger again, like, maybe how linda perceives specific people is controlled by loboto's device too? or maybe it's just a representation of how linda was before loboto got ahold of her, a tiny fish in comparison to the big, hulking humans, similar to her viewing of raz?

[@christophercomtois7175]

Another great video, can’t wait see part two. I love a story where a big scary monster isn’t so scary after you find out what’s really going on.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Linda is such a good monster lol

[@StarshineStranger]

This whole series is just amazing, and I'm in awe of how much thought and research you've put into each installment so far! As someone who's currently working on a bachelor's in psychology, I see a lot of familiar concepts being discussed, which is very exciting. I look forward to watching the rest! ^^

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

That's very cool to hear thank you! Considering it sounds like you know far more than I on the topic it is good to know it passed your examination. I can't wait to hear your opinion on the next few ones.

[@techpriestessfeeb2780]

i love how it's a bug monster and it's mental construct is just ultraman

[@PK-Radio]

Imagine you're a normal person going about your day in the city when suddenly I giant beady eyed pale skinned monster appeared and started firing deadly lazers out of it's forehead. Apparently that's what it's like to be a lungfish. Magical.

[@diggyrobinson5859]

Pretty sure there's a movie like that

[@cannonballking7]

Another fantastic video about one of my favourite games. Truely interesting stuff about a level i tend to write off, i am interested by your observations. Keep up the good work and have a nice day.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

You have a great day as well! It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to approach this one and in happy you enjoyed how it turned out

[@BiggestCheeser]

So I have to do a school project on an example of the Hero’s Journey story archetype Might just do Psychonauts now This video did half the work for me

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

If you're doing work on the Heroes Journey I'd recommend checking my video on Journey. It is the best one I have on the topic.

[@gamingnanimatingwithm.s.n.7011]

I am doing a playtrough of Psychonauts and this level was a lot of fun, playing like godzilla, smashing everything and beating Oleander . Honestly your analysis are very well made.

[@ajerjavec4723]

I think the freedom fighters might Linda equivalent of the sensors and I think at the beginning they’re probably very weak I mean they tell razz at the beginning that their plan is to use propaganda to fight The coach it’s only one razz gets closer that they actually do something that’s useful by common during boats and even then they still have to wait for wrasse did you the real work So I think they might know that the coaches bad for them but they might still be under his control just enough to not put up a real fight

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Yeah at the beginning they were all imprisoned to make sure they couldn't do anything to help free her mind. I feel that Raz is helping them realize the best way to help themselves as time goes on.

[@ajerjavec4723]

@@GamingUniversityUoG I have a question after milkman Conspiracy what order are you going to do the 3 inmates are you going to order we eat them or Which well if you find the most Interested

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I'm going to be doing them in the order you find them. So Gloria, Fred, then Edgar.

[@ajerjavec4723]

@@GamingUniversityUoG OK so when you get to Gloria will you discuss the Plays on the different sets

[@ajerjavec4723]

@@GamingUniversityUoG OK I’m to be honest the one I’m most interested in seeing you discuss is Edgar mostly because out of the four in the asylum he is the one who seems the most sane on the outside heck he it’s stated to be a prisoner of art and I’d like the other three we don’t actually see him have his mental breakdown in the vaults Plus I think you can discuss in more debt and what you did in basic training Do you know about things slipping through the cracks because I think this world has that it’s designed

[@bluethelucario6194]

Oooo, the next one’s gonna be fascinating, I just know it!

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I hope you'll enjoy the next one!

[@hoogachakahoogahooga]

I LOVE this level. The concept is great, the details related to the story are clever, and the idea of playing a Godzilla movie is so cool! As for this video, it’s a great analysis and is one of the many video series I think is majorly underrated.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I really appreciate it! It is good to know you've been enjoying them.

[@pianolife2012]

Today is Psychonauts anniversary!!!!

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I didn't even realize that! Talk about synchronicity.

[@lukasfellon2224]

I’m looking forward to your take on Black Velvetopolis

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I hope it will be worth the wait!

[@lukasfellon2224]

@@GamingUniversityUoG The previous videos haven’t disappointed at all. I’m sure it’ll be well worth the wait!

[@Torauma_Yume]

"The navy will now send out what its most known for! Airplanes!"

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Such a great line lmao

[@Torauma_Yume]

@@GamingUniversityUoG i really love that if you tune out any other in-game sound effect and only listen to the dialogue you can hear an awkward pause before airplanes

[@Xalerdane]

9:53 *_”FREEDOM!”_* *_”FREEDOM!”_* *_”FREEDOM!”_* _”free-dummm…”_

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

The last Freeduum fighter is best character

[@MuffinHunterX]

For anyone who's not familiar with tokusatsu Kaiju movies Kochamera is a play on Gamera the Turtle Kaiju who was "friend to all children."

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I'll admit I was unfamiliar with that term until releasing this and everyone pointing it out to me.

[@mellyxstelly]

Nice to see you back at it 😊

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

It is nice to be back in psychonauts!

[@raxelleon8189]

There's another game by Tim Schafer called Broken Age that also uses the Analogy of the Cave for its story.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I've heard of the game. didn't know it had that theme.

[@zombiehippo9477]

This and the milk man are my favorite levels. Can't wait to play 2. First game my son and I beat together.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Playing the second one with him will be awesome if it is your first gaming experience with him! You must be looking forward to it.

[@zombiehippo9477]

@@GamingUniversityUoG I worked at GameStop when we had the demo of Psychonauts one of the last demos I remember playing and saying this game is gonna be crap. Turning around and renting it out one day like with SMT Nocturne I was immediately hooked. I beat it again with my son when for our first game together. I introduced him to Raz like my family did Mario for me. Lol.

[@eclipse_nightbringer389]

Hmmm… I wonder what it’s like on the inside of their mind…. Clearly Chikn is still there…. But chaos chikn is the one in control. Maybe parts of his mind are trying to fight off the chaos, while the other part of his mind are completely controlled by chaos itself..

[@NashTheBlade]

Plato's Cave sounds more like Social Networks these days

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

You can easily apply this to modern things. I mean even the Matrix film is a modern allegory for Plato's Cave by design.

[@LinkSeasonMaster]

⁠​⁠@@GamingUniversityUoGFrom what I’ve read, the folks responsible for the Matrix were big fans of the Ghost in the Shell animated film, and wanted to put their own spin on it by combining it with the Allegory of the Cave.

[@KGKSkull]

One thing that’s important to remember is that coachamera is clearly inspired by two Tokusatsu characters. Ultraman inspires the visual look, namely from the attacks and eye shape, and gamera for the name

[@danielfilson3136]

Keep going this is really interesting.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I have the next one in the works!

[@briansanders8122]

What about the part of Lungfishopolis where Kochamara's basically a parody of the Japanese tokusatsu series Ultraman? Is that part of the propaganda? Or is that just part of the kaiju aesthetic that went into designing the level?

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Most likely it was an aesthetic choice. But I am not familiar with Ultraman so I have no clue if there are thematic commonalities.

[@lou626]

@@GamingUniversityUoG if im correct , ultraman was just a superhero who fought giants monster Again, coach sees himself as a hero who is meant to be loved

[@apieceoftoast768]

Fitting how the population fights back using Military (tanks), Navy (ships), and Airforce (bomberplanes), Oleander's calling card.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

His personal flair is all over the design here.

[@nathanstanfield4695]

They're Navy planes though. Remember the joke from the newsbroadcast?

[@santiagoacosta3372]

I really like these analysis

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Thann you so much! I'm excited to continue these.

[@richalvarezfan101]

Dang I sure as heck feel bad for squishing all the citizens on purpose

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Well some of the freedom fighters said it's okay lol.

[@leondyer3855]

lovely video my dude, but now i'm kinda thirsty, I'm gonna go get some milk...

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I'm getting a certain thirst that only milk will quench myself.

[@scoutscoodles]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, Love these

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Glad to hear! I enjoy making then for you all. These are fun to do.

[@ohara_sloth4554]

I fell in love with this series a few days ago and these vids help me relax, theyre so amazing! 😊

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Thank you so much! Perfect time to get into the series. Glad you've enjoyed them.

[@secondman]

Another great part of this series, can't wait for the next one! Do you plan to do these for Psychonauts 2?

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I fully intend to do this for Psychonauts 2 once it is released. If I can figure it out I may live stream my blind run of the game too.

[@rivianexcel763]

Huh. First time hearing the puppet version of the cave. Good to know

[@Glasgowphilosopher]

The big thing that scared the fish in the lake might well have been Oleander, the bathysphere, or even campers going fishing.

[@-Commit-arson-]

Something else I like about this level is the fact that Oleander made it so the perception of the navy being this super powerful force is funny because that was his father‘s branch and he also was never in the military so he doesn’t actually know what the Navy does So now they have laser trucks and planes

[@SkyeFyre2131]

Raz chosing to go after the tower would kinda be like someone coming with the freed slave and stabbing the puppetmasters, I guess?

[@TheGoodDoktor4451]

I have no clue how my dumbass never made the connection between Mikhails “Hairless bear” and Linda.

[@nightwingjosh8491]

Love the references Japanese pop culture, like Godzilla and Coachamera could be a reference to either ultraman or super sentai or as it's us adaptation is known here, power rangers

[@The_Gidz]

I never noticed that the beast in the tumbler was the lung fish before

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

It makes so much sense especially if you notice the figments in the area after the shadow monster have underwater plant shapes.

[@DrErikNefarious]

Ishiro Honda..........you clever bastard

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

He would have loved to see this

[@definitelynotascammer]

I can't wait til im able to understand this on my own and not need someone to tell me it

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

On the plus side, the next time you see this dynamic in a story, or real life, you'll recognize it from now on.

[@definitelynotascammer]

@@GamingUniversityUoG true

[@gamegod6859]

if you use clairvoyance on linda before entering her mind, she sees you as one of her own just something neat

[@littlevivigaming4822]

is the series going to be finished before Psychonauts 2 comes out?

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

To be honest most likely not. For sure Fred's world will be released. I'm not one to rush these so we will see what happens.

[@littlevivigaming4822]

@@GamingUniversityUoG I've been enjoying these so far and I liked your persona 4 videos top. I've yet to watch all of your psychology videos but I'll work on them and I'd love to see this series concluded

[@animusmon]

12:20. Ford can do the same with a piece of bacon.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Because Ford is amazing

[@animusmon]

@@GamingUniversityUoG True

[@Aged-Mayonnaise]

10:36 you mean the NAVY

[@kiayaplews8593]

Do the milkman next

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Working on the Milkman all this week!

[@360epniceguy5]

What is this music

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I used the ambient music from this level for the background music.

[@360epniceguy5]

Ok

[@lucasschuble847]

The next ones are more obvious, of course after the next video

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Getting to Boyd is going to be a big one. So much to cover.

[@PhoenixEnforcer101]

Freedooom!

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

God I love that lungfish!

[@maglev0789]

literally 1984

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Pretty much yeah

[@kCoco5737]

kochamora looks like kamen rider, and since kamen rider fights kaiju, i think its on purpose

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Is it bad I didn't know what the term Kaiju was until after seeing the comments on this video ?

[@staceytetzlaff2822]

Want to try something like this for Death Stranding?

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Havent played that one but I hear there is a lot of good stuff to touch upon in that game.

[@staceytetzlaff2822]

OK, hope you will give it a shot

[@staceytetzlaff2822]

if you do, will you do it like this or something diffrent ?

[@Manowar458]

Cool game

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Love it

[@Iplayrobloxandstuff]

I just beat lungfishopolis

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

How's the playthrough going?

[@SirLaguna]

Did he not mentioned Godzilla?

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

No Godzilla reference lol. Just the likely reason he is huge in this place.

[@CaptainJimp]

I'm sorry man but it's Whispering Rock, not Whispering Rocks.

[@noisyphilosopherkrk522]

Another reason for linda to be monstrous during the tumbler could be her current self image of herself She thinks she's become a monster and it isn't helped by everyone's reaction to her nor by oleanders blatant modification of her mind and using her

[@racer927]

Considering the Brain Tumbler experiment is Raz's mind intermingling with Oleander, it could be that Coach sees Linda as being a scary monster, lurking in the shadows where no one can get a good look at her while she goes around kidnapping the campers. It also kinda explains Coach's knee-jerk defensive reaction when Bobby starts talking about the lake monster in the intro.

[@noisyphilosopherkrk522]

@@racer927 Another possibillity

[@lilith4404]

Man I fucking love it when stories circle back into basically us needing to destroy large governments and corporations.

[@sdekoning2100]

I really like Lina as a character :)

[@trinstonmichaels7062]

Trinston was here .

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Nice to see you trinston. Thanks for stopping by!

[@fugitiveunknown7806]

Waiting for this content to be blocked by Toho

[@EmoDKTsuchiya]

We're the prisoners in the cave that is big government

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

This idea can absolutely be interpreted on many paradigms.

[@CSM100MK2]

You don't have to sound so serious, you can have a bit more fun with it and acknowledge the humor. It's meant to be a comedy, after all. It just comes across as a little too bland and objective. maybe i'm wrong and you want this though, sorry. but thanks for the videos, still very cool and interesting!

[@ctb3335]

Don't bring Tarot into this. They were initially designed as playing cards before all the mystic shit they're associated with now, so all imagery you can scrounge from them (i.e. the loosely-bound slaves tied to half a cube) is absolute conjecture.

[@RowdyruffPrincess]

Maybe that point would be relevant if we were analyzing a historical text from before the Symbolism was ascribedto the cards, but plenty of modern creators use tarot symbolism in thier works. So its just as valid a vector of literary analysis as any other.

[@racer927]

Whatever, Dion.