Mermaid Swamp - Uri's Most Disappointing Game

[@ben_again]

Play War Thunder on PC, PlayStation, or Xbox completely for free! Using my link will get you a bonus pack for a limited time only: playwt.link/benagain Thanks for sponsoring the video!

[@robotbucket6257]

(in SpongeBob's voice) Hi ben_again *Crashes into you with a car*

[@CrimsonSmexy19]

I'm pretty sure some people have sent you options of old school games to play, because I will do the same; Ib, Mad Father, Misao, Blank Dream, Yume Nikki, and lastly Pocket Mirror. I love listening to you videos, and wen you came out wit professor Layton I felt the same excitement wen I first played the game. Wish I could play the game with you and your friend, I played almost everyone of them and collected almost all the games. Also I have hotel dusk, both games! Collect detective game beside professor Layton and ace attorney. Also try touch detective! It's super cute!

[@sophiebubbles07]

War thunder 🤮

[@chamomint]

So, Yuka tells Rin in her dream that she's a hostage- the mermaids possessed her as a means to force the rest of the group to investigate what's going on and hopefully end the curse. They know it's not right, but they're limited in what they can do because of the protective wards placed down by the Tsuchida family. Obviously the ghosts of the Tsuchida men don't like that, so they take possession of Yuuta and Seitaro each to deter or remove Rin. Yuuta was easier to possess, as somewhere he might have had similar qualities to the Tsuchida men, with how he found the swamp beautiful and was entranced by the paintings of Ophelia around the house. Seitaro, on the other hand, is a lot more stubborn and strong-willed so he was fighting the possession the entire time. Seitaro and Yuuta went after Rin when they did because she was the complete antithesis of what the Tsuchidas want in their women- she was loud, rude, outspoken, defiant, and she was on the path towards getting rid of their precious mermaids. She had to go. Saeko and the children were more than likely killed by the Tsuchidas as a way to control the information about the mermaids and the swamp. If they could attribute it to the mermaid's curse, hey, why not. It gives them more power over the people in the village to not ever speak out. Tsuchida makes it clear that he wanted to end the mermaid's suffering himself, but he also could not bring himself to do it bc he had the same obsessive 'love' as the rest of the Tsuchida men, so he likely set everything up with the dynamite in the tunnel and just had to get someone else to pull the trigger. Why does he kill the students in the different routes? Because they failed to stop the curse and he needs to tie up loose ends. In any ending where someone dies, that presents a problem for Tsuchida because if the group leaves and share their experiences, that could bring even more unwanted attention to the area. In the ending where Yuuta and Yuka are alive but Seitaro and Rin are not, the only one possibly capable of ending the curse is Yuuta, but he's a no-go from the start because he is easily susceptible to possession from the Tsuchida men and would not be able to blow up the tunnel. So he has to go. In the ending where Rin is the only survivor, she was not able to blow up the tunnel and in fact ended up eating one of the corpses and having a mental collapse. Well, why did he lock her in the tunnel for a week to begin with? Again, cleaning up loose ends- Tsuchida doesn't need Rin getting to authorities and letting them know what went on, so his options are either she'd starve in the tunnel or she's left to wander about the foggy swamp until she dies. In the ending where only Seitaro and Rin are alive, Tsuchida doesn't even need to do anything because they drown themselves. Why not have non-Tsuchidas from the village put the mermaids to rest? Honestly a good point, but more than likely they might be too closely related to be able to help. The mermaids were likely girls from the village, so the villagers might be reluctant to send anymore women lest they also be turned into mermaids, and the men might be just as likely to get possessed by the Tsuchidas to even be able to help. They really just had to hope that they would come across someone(s) with the right disposition to be able to fight off the possession and end the curse. There's no comeuppance for the antagonists? Well, they're dead. Yukio is the last of the Tsuchidas, so there's no one to carry on the family 'tradition'. The mermaids' bodies were buried and their spirits were released, finally, after decades of torment. It's possible that the spirits of the Tsuchida men are also released with the destruction of the mermaids, so no one's going to be possessed and start a mermaid collection again. It's unsatisfying, for sure, for these poor college students to have to go through a nightmare of a weekend and to not get anything out of it, but it does feel in line with Japanese horror endings. The game is not without meaning. The game and its characters might be heavily flawed, but- as some other comments point out- it's about the abuse and exploitation of women. In fact, Rin's entire character is a response to that. This isn't in the game directly but rather background material released in a booklet about the setting, but Rin used to look and behave closer to Yuka when she was in high school and dealt with a lot of sexual harassment/assault at the same time. When she physically retaliated one time, she was then on labeled a 'violent woman' and changed everything about her to reflect that, as a way to protect herself and deter men from going after her. And this is exactly what the Tsuchida men find so detestable about her, that she would not be submissive and docile. It might not hit all the marks, and I personally don't care for the sympathy shown towards the Tsuchidas and their obsession depicted as something they couldn't help, but there is something there.

[@TheMunchkin61]

I feel like this is one of the better and complete explanations I’ve seen in this comment section. Thank you for the details

[@nosoychileno3617]

Fun fact: Most of the Sprites and textures from the strange men anthology and the original version of mermaid swamp are actually free Sprites from a japanese website, You can actually spot them in other RPG maker games that came out around the same time.

[@epicalexfurry4377]

Yeah I played this game last year called AKEMI TAN that used the same sprites and it used the sprites for David and Paul from the Crooked Man as nameless background characters which was pretty funny. The game took place in a random fictitious Japanese village so I pretended that David and Paul just went on a trip to Japan and just never talked about it

[@JulySixteen]

What website is that?

[@JulySixteen]

Any link to that website?

[@nosoychileno3617]

@@JulySixteen i think it was called "Sukima's resources"

[@JulySixteen]

@@nosoychileno3617 thank you so much kind person

[@samuquinhaplay5708]

I think the story being cliche at the start is meant to misslead the player into believe that the mermaid curse was malicious yet in the end, what is actually happening is the 'Mermaids' trying to keep people there so they can be saved, that's why in the scene where Yuka dies you hear 'Sorry' on the phone, the Mermaids are apologizing for not thinking through and accidentally killing her. Another thing you missed is that if you read the diary of one of the Tsuchida women, you get the context it was the Tsuchida women who made the legend as they knew the men were kidnapping girls from the village to turn into mermaid, so the legend was made to protect outsiders. I feel like your criticism towards the game is valid to some extent but just people prefer the horror of a game full of jumpscares, some prefer these games where you need to put together the story. I feel the crooked man compared to this game spoon feeds you a lot of info and that's fine but its also fun to put things together.

[@aldiascholarofthefirstsin1051]

Then it is more of a drama and mystery instead of horror.

[@Evan858]

@@aldiascholarofthefirstsin1051 genres are allowed to blend. Man you've been nothing but negative in this comment section huh?

[@rhyyme1303]

lmfao r u ben's second account or smth?​ why r u so pressed?@@aldiascholarofthefirstsin1051

[@M3G4T3RR4]

Yuka states she's a hostage, right? Her bloating is caused by the mermaids to prevent her friends from leaving the swamp without returning them to the earth. At least, I'm gonna HOPE that's how it's supposed to be, because everyone was kind of already trapped there anyway

[@elviciotpd786]

I was about to say the same. I believe that's the supernatural thing here. The "Mermaid Ghosts" held Yuka as a hostage in hopes of the others finding out a way to set them free.

[@sharka7145]

36:33 "A ghost was doing that to someone elses' body!" ......My man was SO close to a realization there!

[@cpunching]

I remember playing this game years and years ago, and I'm a bit sad you didn't catch on to some of the themes (or they didn't hit as hard as they did for me at the time). The scene with the flashback/dream of the wife talking about her two kids and then the notes from the kids always stuck in my mind - the boy talks about how beautiful the mermaids are and how he's becoming obsessed with them while the daughter (and wife) write about how horrific and disgusting it is since they know they are potentially the next victims in a long line of murdered women. And that even in death they won't be given any dignity or peace as their bodies will continue to be exploited solely for the sexual gratification of the men around them - including their own son/brother. That was so harsh.

[@LunaWillow27]

I'm not sure if I like the implication that having a son/brother is dangerous and that he will become an exploitaitive monster when he grows up because that is his nature as A Man. Goes very hurtfully stereotypical in the other direction .

[@crypticcorvid]

@@LunaWillow27 As far as I understand, it's not because they're a man. It's because they're a descendant of the Tsuchida family. It's a family curse, not an inherent gender thing.

[@Waspinmymind]

@@LunaWillow27They’re being actively taught that by their families and stuff. It’s actually criticizing how man are taught to dehumanize women.

[@aliceiscalling]

​@@LunaWillow27 Usually I'm of the same opinion (I don't like when men are portrayed as inherent oppressors or dangers in games), but this game has context that makes it understandable. It's a family curse, so it's localized, and outside men are shown to only do evil when possessed by those cursed spirits. It shows that not all men are this way within the story itself. As a horror game, it also makes sense to explore disturbing repercussions like a young boy growing into the curse. The mom naturally wants to prevent her son from growing up the same way as the others, so she tries to escape with him rather than abandon her son.

[@LunaWillow27]

@@aliceiscalling Yeah, that makes sense. Sorry, I played Mermaid Swamp long ago and forgot a lot of the details haha. Thank you and everyone for your explanations.

[@DarkEveryHeart]

I think there is one thing worth taking away from this story: the exploitation of women, even in death. We get told of a legend involving a supernatural woman that will curse you and lead you to your death, but in reality there never was a mermaid: just ordinary women that were abused and killed by the men of the Tsuchida family, and not even in death do they have any dignity, their bodies rotting in tanks and the outside world led to believe that THEY are the villain in this legend forged from their death. Their ghosts can't even get revenge on their own because the Tsuchida men were not only murderous scum, but cowards who refused to take any responsibility for their victims even beyond death and thus had those wards put in place to protect themselves and no one else. And even in death, the "mermaids" are blamed for what happens to our cast, when in reality it was the ghosts of the Tsuchida men. I think they're the ones that actually cause Yuka to get in that state: she's the ideal woman in comparison to the cruder Rin, so their spirits essentially are essentially trying to get another mermaid for the collection, so to speak. They possess Yuuta and exploit him for whatever feelings he might have had for Yuka before all this, and then go with possessing Seitaro to take out Rin as it becomes obvious to the spirits that she is not a submissive woman, but a threat that could ruin everything. The only thing the ghosts of the "mermaids" have done is try to plead for someone, who happens to be Rin who can hear them, to let this nightmare end and return them to the earth to finally rest in peace. As for why nobody did anything until now, think about it. The remaining Tsuchida himself admits that he didn't want to let them go. The woman who left had her own children to think about and was worried about protecting them, and hey, wouldn't that be fucked up if a simple drowning accident later was used to try to further villainize the mermaids, when in reality they probably didn't do anything? The villagers notably refer to Mr. Tsuchida's house as the LANDLORD's house, meaning that the Tsuchida family was probably considered the kind with the sway that if any villagers tried to snoop around, they were threatened with being evicted from their homes or the like. In the end, everyone was thinking about their own self-preservation or for their families until Rin and company showed up.

[@cpunching]

Yeah it was a bit surprising Ben didn't catch on to that part of the story/themes - Rin is very obviously not the shy, ladylike stereotype which is why the "mermaids" probably tried to reach out to her and why the possessed men were so violent. All the victims of the Tsuchida family probably couldn't fight back or escape since he basically owned the isolated town and used them in whatever ways they wanted, and it's only when a woman who openly wants to get to the bottom of the scooby doo mystery to save her friend is when any progress is made to end their torment.

[@AnakhaSilver]

I feel like, and don't take this wrong if you read it Ben, it's because he's a man himself and hasn't had to deal with the subtleties of exploitation.

[@chaptap8376]

Yeah, he came in wanting to see a story about evil mermaids and failed to see what was actually going on since he was too focused on that part. In a way, he fell for the trick that the Tsuchida b_stards were banking on.

[@AryaPDipa]

​​@@AnakhaSilver I'm a man and I definitely missed it. I really thought Rin never got cursed because she's got peotagonist armor lmao, not because I think her kind of personality isn't appealing

[@luizabastos]

​@@AnakhaSilverI don't think it has to do with gender, since I'm a woman and I missed that too (but it could be because I have difficulty finding references in games like those mentioned here).

[@AryaPDipa]

Idk Ben, I think the plot is refreshing. The "evil mermaids" curse turns out to be just some poor women crying out for help instead of some vengeful entity targeting random college kids for some reason

[@Evan858]

Yeah, Ben kinda missed the mark entirely on this one. Sure he played it, but there's actual info on the story that he didn't loo up!

[@qazwsx014jsbd8]

@@Evan858 i mean he specifically said he spent hours researching and looking up info on the story. i think he was just unlucky and missed some of the themes/story aspects despite his research. honestly this video made me a fan of the game's story funnily enough, despite never actually playing it. i read the comments beforehand so the endings were recontextualised for me in a way that made them pretty satisfying ngl, and i do like all the characters despite their flaws

[@Evan858]

@@qazwsx014jsbd8 well I'm glad it made you a fan, love this game! But the research part ended kinda poorly then for Ben. Regardless, hope he reads some of the comments here, maybe rethinks thing

[@Redzeths]

To be fair, the characters sour the story a lot. It also doesn’t have a satisfying ending like the hanged man series

[@Evan858]

@@Redzeths honestly that's completely subjective depending on who's playing. Many others, including myself, love the characters in this game! Especially Rin, love her. But once again, people who don't enjoy them are completely 100% entitled to that and I support that as well. This isn't something we can "to be fair" with

[@Someloser3232]

I think the reason this game isn’t as well received is because other Uri games state out pretty clearly what the major themes are while this one is more subjective. This could be inferred about the loss of autonomy and obsession with the perfect woman. These women were seen as larger than life goddesses, Mermaids as a way to sway the opinion of others when in actually they were just helpless woman taken advantage of by abusive men and made out to be villians. The Tsuchida family obviously has a hold over this land, the villagers listen to him and call him the Landlord. The more docile Yuka is chosen over someone brazen and rash like Rin. Also misery feeds misery, they want others to hurt because ultimately these woman cannot hurt the Tsuchida’s. Uri’s other game deal heavily with grief, loss, failure and depression but this one is more detached from the main characters- they stumbled into this crazy plot so it’s harder to emphasize with them the way we do David, Sophie, Keith and Will. This isn’t Uri’s best game but it is a different way of telling a deep story because unfortunately- men having “obsessions” with deceased women’s bodies is a true thing that actually happened and hopefully still doesn’t happen.

[@sxatcychan1988]

I think another factor is that Mermaid Swamp references aspects of Japanese culture that's not known on a global scale. I watched ManlyBadassHero's playthrough on the game, and he talked about there being nods to Yao Bikuni and "Mermaid in the Manhole."

[@PortraitOfAMuse]

I think you put this beautifully. There’s a lot of meaningful concepts and thematic messaging, I think it’s just poorly told. Even if not the best game, I do think the concept and central twist has a lot of potential.

[@grimpaleta]

The best way I can describe the story of mermaid swamp is like a classic Japanese horror movie, all the story is there and you have to put it together yourself. It may not be preferred for some but to others it might be a good game for them.

[@jamie1602]

It's a Japanese sort of thing with paranormal things. I think that's why I don't find a problem with Mermaid Swamp. I've seen similar stories before in horror, not just RPG horror, so it doesn't seem strange or like a problem in the story to me. Ghosts are often vengeful, even in trying to seek comfort or forgiveness. That doesn't track with a lot of Western ideas on how the paranormal works for us. It's very much a story someone would tell for a Japanese audience. So this one may not translate so well for others. And yes, the plot twists are very convenient but... it's really a very standard Japanese ghost story you would be telling to scare someone. I enjoy it. I enjoy Strange Men more. This isn't a defense of Mermaid Swamp and not a hipster "OH YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Some things just won't translate well and that's okay! It is absolutely going to impact how you enjoy these games, stories, etc and that's something to consider when you're going to play them.

[@Blake_T]

29:39 isn't it a metal door? You can't break down a metal door with an axe, unless by free herself you mean end herself, then yeah for sure. You don't hide a bunch of dead bodies behind a wooden door imo. Besides my little nitpick, I will just echo the people pointing out its about exploitation. Its not particularly subtle, even the whole original story about the mermaid rings of selkie myths. It draws direct comparisons to Ophelia which admittedly could be hit or miss. Yuuta getting off to his bloated, dying, friend was a moment that was horrifying to me when I first experienced it, if anything him being possessed then makes it less terrible. Much like a scooby doo episode, it sets up a supernatural curse, only to reveal no, its terrible humans. Which causes lingering ghosts, but is not the original cause of the horror. Losing my mind at war thunder, I only know it as 'that game that keeps getting classified docs leaked' i didnt even know they did sponsorships.

[@daeriksden]

19:15 I've never seen a game LITERALLY IGNORE CHEKHOV'S GUN before. Bold choice

[@Fionnlaagh]

I hope it was intentional because if not wtf was the point

[@daeriksden]

@@Fionnlaagh The only excuse I could think of is that there's no ammo, but even if that were the case, why even include it in the first place? It's not like it adds much flavor to the story or world or anything

[@twistedmyth5860]

They only sorta ignore it. Someone does get shot depending on the ending you get after all.

[@ariaphoenix2760]

@@daeriksdenGives context for the ending where Yuuta gets shot

[@Strawberry_Cubes]

I think you know a game doesn’t hit when you love a developer, love all their games and even talk about the bad ones, but when you talk about them you always forget that one game

[@123hopsy]

Yuka tells you in that dream that she is a hostage, probably to keep the outsiders there until they free the mermaids, weird story buts its not that bad

[@OvisArcana]

i completely disagree that the game has nothing to say, but i do understand that the game may not click with some people, especially if you don't like rin

[@Blairwolfvt]

I think Rin being abrasive is kind of the point. She's combatative, loud, the kind of woman that does not make the ideal target for predatory men. She doesn't need to 'grow' from these negative traits because those traits are what helped her survive.

[@Cinnaschticks]

I agree.

[@prcervi]

I suppose the biggest issue with this game is that it's a very japanese style ghost story, the ghost of the murdered women want to be laid to rest but they can't do that until someone finds them so yuka becomes plot device to keep the cast there, rin is action girl moving the plot along by virtue of being the blond (a very punk thing in japan), while nerd boy and other guy are there for exposition and suffering respectively

[@christinash5333]

I ADORE Mermaid Swamp and completely disagree that it's her most disappointing game, so this will be an interesting watch! I definitely feel like there was a lot about the game that I didn't fully understand until I was older, though, especially the themes of gender roles and the way men treat women.

[@Jadex56]

Out of curiosity, what else do you like about it?

[@leikosakuray]

I also really love this game but probably mostly for nostalgia reasons. It was one of the first RPGMaker horror games I’ve ever played and for that it holds a special place in my heart.

[@christinash5333]

@@Jadex56 I like Rin as a protagonist!! she's a breath of fresh air compared to most RPG maker horror protagonists, I love how she's a very unfeminine and kind of nasty person considering I've also been like that during periods of my life. I enjoy the foggy, murky swamp aesthetic, I like the twist about the origin of the mermaids... honestly I think it's my favorite non-Strange Men game of Uri's.

[@aldiascholarofthefirstsin1051]

I thought it was a boring and shitty game, but I do tend to have unpopular opinions about things.

[@LeviAckerman-cl6iy]

Do you mind explaining abit more about the story? I'm so curious!

[@cursedseagullgames]

Kinda disappointed that you ended up playing the remake rather than the original version. The original is slightly better than the remake, with some changes that honestly make no sense? Like, why make their hair look like it's out of the Land of the Lustrous, why change the entire map and sprite set? They remade it around the same time they put their games onto steam, and one of their games they remade with no change to its graphics, so it's really weird to me that they did that. Sukima's resources sprite work is so much better that I cannot understand the change. Spoilers under the read more cut: 16:15 The wax was also jamming up the mechanism for the door in the lock, so it had to be melted, so the handle could be turned. 17:30 I think it's because in this version you can get the wood earlier, and once Seitaro says to not light the fire, it becomes an unobtainable object. Rin has no reason to pick it up if she has no reason to use it. 21:40 It's the kid's grandmother/Saeko's mother-in-law. I remember the dialogue being really clear here in both versions, so I'm not sure where the confusion happened? 35:27 This has multiple parts. 1) If you remember, it happened to Yuuta when he started acting funny around the Ophelia paintings. Looking at them is what triggered him being possessed. 2) The mermaids did nothing to Saeko, Chie, or Chiyo. Them drowning is considered a sad happen stance. 3) Saeko was the old man's wife, and it could be that her reaction to the mermaids once her children found out about them (remember them talking about the fishy fish?) is what finally put some sense into him. The weird thing is the game story implies that the old man knew the mermaids had already started to pull the group towards them for help, and just went along with it since he did want to finally give them their freedom. 4) Because that would lead to a much shorter story, plus if people knew from the get-go what was going on, I sincerely doubt their first impulse would be "we gotta help those dead women" and more like "Zoinks, we gotta get outta here!" 5) It's a weird thing of he does want to help the mermaids, but also doesn't want the secret of what his family has done to get out. Plus, I also wouldn't discount the possibility of his ancestors potentially possessing him as well. Honestly, from the sounds of it, it seems that even with two playthroughs to get all the endings, there was some of the smaller dialogue that you missed that would have helped some of the story make more sense. I am sad you didn't end up enjoying it, but I am glad you still gave it a chance.

[@emmanon6664]

It's been a bit since I've seen the game, but I really love it! I'm typically very irritable but the abrasiveness of our protagonist never seemed to bother me. She seems like a good mix of caring (with Yuka) and scared out of her mind. I need to check what I'm talking about, but I think there was an entire separate cutscene with Rin talking to the townsfolk where it was explained that there are two types of spirits that haunt the swamp: the male side (spirit of the ancestor who took the girl) affects men to want to preserve the mermaids, and then there are the women who want to be buried (yes yuka was taken hostage by the spirits, couldn't let the group leave without being put to rest). I think I've always loved the vibe of this game! The morbidness of the curse and certain 'folklore' elements (the longlivety/ madness ending) coupled with the nature of our protagonist's development (becoming too soft and being vulnerable with others is a thing that appears in bad endings with her reminding of the wives of the house with them keeping the secret), the hopelessness of it all is uniquely captivating, with the story still having a good ending! The game is a fond thing and it is deserving of love!

[@justinfriday4516]

I know you had some problems with the plot, but theres not anything inherently wrong with "horror movie plot" its classic, simple and direct. I sometimes enjoy a really straight forward horror plot

[@edgarpoisoned6008]

I am not a fan of uri's game but i did like mermaid swamp just enough to play it twice. A lot of it depends on how familiar you are with japanese horror storytelling, and, well, catching the themes of the game about the exploitation of women even after death.

[@rockalonepain3453]

you should try pedestal. it's the latest game from Uri. it will be the "best" experience you will ever have.

[@ashref2222]

Game is 10/10 for me until the interview segments come in.

[@luce9988]

ben, I love your channel but I'll fight you for the honor of mermaid swamp. it's my favorite uri game

[@Jadex56]

Out of curiosity, what do you like about it?

[@KittyKatty999]

Can you please explain why you love it? Just curious

[@Thriftybits]

Same here haha, I love Mermaid Swamp. While there's a lot of points in the video I can agree on, ESPECIALLY when it comes to stuff like the really mediocre gameplay and puzzles and the endings, but there's also points I have to heavily disagree on. Like some parts were either missed or misinterpreted, I guess? Either way still love his content. 👍

[@l3ost0ne]

SAME, I'm about to throw hands

[@leikosakuray]

I also really love Mermaid Swamp, it was one of my introductions to the world of RPGMaker horror. I also probably played it when I was way too young so it’s flaws didn’t really bother me.

[@ayumiqueenoftheday1522]

mermaid swamp wasn't her best game, but I HARD disagree with you. I think the Sandman and The Hanged Man were wayyy more disappointing. I quite liked Mermaid Swamp tbh, it was very unique in concept and had a bleak atmosphere.

[@koltonnarayan8935]

I think the tsuchidas killed the mother and the children than simply blamed the curse on it, I mean the mother must of had some idea of what was really going on, and since it's pretty obvious the tsuchidas are borderline obsessed with the "mermaids" it would make sense they would try and get rid of her since by leaving the area they woudnt have control over the mother

[@pompeach3542]

Hmmmmm I see your points and kinda agree on some. I find value in the games’ story as it’s one of the few times I’ve seen a story handle stories of SA not the worst (esp in RPG maker cause MANY RPG maker games tend to handle it terribly looking at you deep sea prisoner), BUT I do actually agree that in retrospect the game doesn’t explain stuff or justify certain actions by the characters. I don’t mind them being unlikable as much due to knowing college students exactly like this so while it was grating it’s realistic, and I do believe your idea that Yuka ended up like that cause she was possessed not out of vengeance. The mermaids possessed people to seek help but the fact the possessed couldn’t save them is why they only did Yuka. BUT the lack of clarity on what the men of the family did or intended left the realm of vague but scary to vague in a way that it makes the story confusing. I choose to believe the men somehow had connections and got his wife and her kids killed somehow and made it look like a drowning. Their power letting them get away with it, as they didn’t want someone outside the house living to tell the tale. More people used to be alive and live in the house so perhaps the people who did it are just long dead. Either way, I do agree. It’s not URI’s worse as that goes to Insanity but even URI admits how bad that game is. There’s enough value in the story of female pain and trauma for me to come back to it as someone with experiences, but I 100% see your side as well.

[@pompeach3542]

P.S. the shipping thing I get tho I never shipped them just saw them as friends who had a habit of ragging on eachother. They’re too crass to be romantic for me.

[@violetamet]

With everyone pointing out the bits and pieces of the story, I for one wish to see a short follow up about his perspective compared to before. I think it would be interesting personally, but I get the reason why not to. In the end its all subjective.

[@Mutualititve]

I can't wait to see you cover Pedestal, the game just kind of slipped from everyone attention and I hardly find anyone talk about it. Even Manly didn't make a video about it.

[@Castor0033]

Ben I have a recommendation for you, play Blank Dream, it's a horror rpg maker game similar to The Witch's House and the game's story is very good. The dev also made another game, Blight Dream, which takes place a few years after Blank Dream. It's a 3D semi-horror exploration game and has some references to Blank Dream, it's pretty interesting.

[@BananaPancake94]

I second this!! Blank Dream is easily one of my top favorite rpg maker games! I never really see anyone talk about it, it's very underrated! The story, scares and characters are great!

[@akumuryuu]

If you want good RPG Maker horror games, try one of those: Headless Prisoner - First game in the series of interconnected games by tachi, along with Hello Hell... o, Moonlight Ghost and Hero and Daughter. Headless Prisoner very closely resembles Witch's House, even having a similar, but more clever, version of "keep walking no matter what" hallway. And also having a good ending you can reach. Forest of Drizzling Rain - This one is actually more similar to Ib, but with adults this time. And Garry is a mute edgelord now. Ao Oni R - A fan remake of Ao Oni with multiple endings and actual story Naraku/Purgatory and Purgatory 2 - A game that starts with generic "escape the killer" and ends with being more anime than any anime I know, including stuff like pulling "teleports behind you" on the monster, romancing a doomsday wall of flesh and pouting cutely.

[@hollowbox5723]

I would love to see Purgatory 1 and 2 that'd be so funny

[@leikosakuray]

My personal favorite RPGMaker horror games are „Mogeko Castle“ and „Wadanohara and the great blue sea“ by DeepSeaPrisoner, also „The Gray Garden“ but that one isn’t really a horror game, they have great stories and art styles but lack a bit in the gameplay aspect. The best RPGMaker Horror game in terms of both gameplay and story is probably „Angel’s of Death“ in my opinion but that all depends on what someone looks for in a game.

[@akumuryuu]

@@hollowbox5723 Absolutely. Getting a demon ending in Purgatory 1 is enough to stunlock anyone, since it's not what you expect. And then realizing in the second game that it's the canon ending and you get to play as that now is just pure bliss.

[@mila6589]

I would love see him play Blank Dream, no one talks about this game ever. It's very emotional and beautiful

[@hollowbox5723]

A lot of peps are throwin their rpg maker games in there, I want to suggest Bevel's Painting or Yume Nikki (or 2kki) Both are fun games and I can see the chaos that can ensue from playing the online 2kki version

[@Forg0-Nan0]

Mermaid swamp sounds like the name of a bad grunge band

[@richardhenrydanajr3431]

Also sounds like a different way to say Severe swamp ass.

[@unknownevilentity]

Ah hell yea! Im so glad to see you covering this game, even if I disagree with your conclusion!! Mermaid swamp and witches house are what introduced me to Rpg horror as a kid and both hold a deep place in my heart (although this probably explains why i was able to overlook some of its flaws lol.) I agree that the writing hasn't aged the best, and it certainly had a different feel than other Uri games, but I do want to present why I loved this game so much! As a kid the vague ending really appealed to me. We knew that there was something supernatural happening but couldn't prove it. The horror of knowing that you went through something as life-altering as those events, but having nothing to show for it, imagining going back to your daily life and being unable to truly process it just appealed to my sense of horror. The endings where the kids decide to take their own life and Rin eating the ""mermaid" flesh really stuck with me. Because what really happened? Contrary to your opinions, I actually liked the characters! Which probably made the game much more enjoyable to me! Rin and Yuka were great foils to me. It was interesting that the mermaids would choose to possess Yuka because she fit the ideal of femininity that probably made them victims in the first place. It was also cool for both of the male leads to get different parts of the families obsession. The sexual and clingy possessiveness, that ended up going to what felt like the wrong characters, making the player on edge on what's happening. I also have to admit that younger me cheered at Rin throwing a punch. This video wants to make me replay this game with an adult perspective to see some new perspectives. Great video!

[@Xynlnn]

uris art and story for her games are honestly so beauitful

[@auklett]

I like Rin! Sure she’s loud and abrasive at times, but she’s not a selfish person (as in only caring about herself). Seitaro is the serious one, while Rin is the jokester of the group. They balance each other out so that things don’t get overly serious. She’s brave enough to explore two creepy mansions and an underground bunker by herself, all while dealing with her possessed friends trying to kill her. And because she’s so headstrong, I think it adds more impact to the bad endings where she either goes insane or dies. Watching someone so boisterous falling into the depths of despair in a matter of days is chilling. If Rin and Yuka swapped roles, I don’t think the game would be as interesting. Of course, I’ve played this game multiple times as it’s one of my favorites from Uri, so I maaaay be a tinsy bit biased lol.

[@thereseemstobeenanerror1219]

"Maybe"

[@kellernorth4351]

Mermaid swamp was my favourite game ever as a kid, omg this brought me back

[@ultnovelist]

I like Mermaid Swamp, but thats because it was one of my intros to rpg horror. I will admit that it has it flaws

[@leikosakuray]

Same, I think I was the second or third RPGMaker horror game I’ve ever played and definitely the first one I’ve finished… I was too scared by the first one I think.

[@ultnovelist]

​@@leikosakuray Which one was your first one?

[@leikosakuray]

@@ultnovelist I’m pretty sure it was .flow. The second or third one I’ve played was Mogeko Castle but I played that parallel to Mermaid swamp, so I’m not sure which of the two I started with first.

[@PIMKAMINA2]

it's understandable that you don't like Rin, she's meant to be a japanese archetype called a Genki girl, thuggish, loud, aggressive, and some people find that endearing. i agree with you that most people won't, though.

[@LuLiLapis]

i think you mean "yankii". a genki character is usually energetic or enthusiastic.

[@deethwarrior]

Also THIS GUY DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO SAY RIN ever time he says "reen" I feel like I'm being crushed (My name is literally rin so I should know how to say it)

[@aldiascholarofthefirstsin1051]

@@deethwarrior I can't pronounce those Chinese names.

[@EebyDeeby413]

@@deethwarrior Idk 'Reen' is the japanese pronunciation, and since this character is japanese it makes sense to say it that way

[@NIGHTBLOODUSAGI]

​@@EebyDeeby413 not..really? is it? I've never heard a japanese person say reen instead of rin but maybe that's just me? like you don't say reengo instead of ringo. where did you hear/learn reen's the jap pronunciation?/gen

[@alexa.9923]

Dude, you're great, but I will fight you. It may not be every other game, but it is still a solid game. It just takes a different approach. The way that the curse effects them is pretty awesome, especially Yuka and Yuuta being mirror images of the victim and assailant. A constant retelling, not to necessarily punish outsiders, but desperately trying to force them to find the solution and understand their circumstance THROUGH it. And I resent that Rin is entirely unlikeable, she is a bit of a prick but she deeply cares for her friends and their safety. When she loses control or cannot fix something, she gets really overwhelmed and angry- leading to her busy body nature of searching until she CAN. Seitaro is about the same, but more logistical. He focuses on what can be realistically and immediately done. And they take the piss out of each other, but always DO for one another showing a longer connection. It reminds me of how every group realistically has friends who are closer to each other than the rest. Yuka likely being the glue. As for gameplay... well its an Uri. Its fine, but you know the downfalls. You overlook them for the story, you just happen not to like this one so the vicious frustration is harder to ignore

[@yarnshoes]

The comments on the community post: omg yes!!! I LOVE mermaid swamp!! I can't wait for you to review this amazing game!! Them upon seeing the video title: [surprised pikachu face]

[@aldiascholarofthefirstsin1051]

This is the type of scene I love to see.

[@snekbetch5674]

I remember there being a bit in the true ending where the women of the Tsuchidia are the ones who created the legend to try and keep outsiders safe.

[@random6553]

For what i know, mermaid swamp was based on a story that uri made when she was in highschool, but this was something i learned from an youtuber a long time ago so maybe i miss remember it

[@scarletine5517]

This is a long video and very well done. I have always wanted to see you play Mermaid Swamp. It took me a while to muster the preparation to watch this and it's a fair commentary, but I don't entirely agree with it and that is okay. The title of the video is unfortunate, because I don't think at all that this is the most disappointing Uri game. It's a worthy experience on it own without having to compare it to Uri's other works. I think Uri does actually well with the story of Mermaid Swamp and when I try to look at the story from a more gender and culture lens(I mean Yaobikuni is the 800 year-old priestess who gained immortality because she accidentally ate mermaid flesh), it actually blooms as a narrative. A lot of Mermaid Swamp (also Paranoiac) screams classic Japanese horror. However, I think it's not so simple as that, especially with how Uri chose to go about the true ending. Mermaid Swamp's protagonist Rin is loud, emotional, reactive-- but I believe that is the point for the story that Uri is trying to convey and that is a story about women being treated purely as ornaments to the point they are taken from their homes, disfigured, and made to satisfy someone else's needs. With that said, both her and Seitaro are suited for this story. They're both outspoken and have strong personalities. Yes, they bicker, but I think that's important-- they bicker and they are talking. Behind all that talk, they are still communicating and trying to get to the bottom of the issue rather than letting the issue sink away. In a Japanese cultural context, this is compelling in it's own right. The expectation is to stay quiet, to respect those superior to you, to act well-mannered and proper even in the face of being wronged. It has led to problems that still plague Japanese society today. With this in mind, it would not be too far-fetched to understand why no one has really tried to go against the Tsuchidas. It's bystander's effect, but amplified and baked in centuries of tradition and social cues. Rin and Seitaro can lose. They can die, but that doesn't change that Uri deliberately picked these two silly fools for a reason. And it's because it makes a lot of sense that Rin's and Seitaro's personalities make them the kind who would go digging around two mysterious mansions and find the truth. As for the matter of why the mermaids would kill anyone, I think there's a mistake. It's the spirits of the Tsuchida men who are the violent ones. The mermaids aren't the ones killing. Yuka is made a hostage to push Rin and Seitaro to help them. Rin is bothered by nightmares that push her to their goals. I think the point on Rin's sanity or if it's a curse is much better left up in the air. There is nothing saying it is not a mix either. Considering what she's going through, it's no surprise when she passes out or when she shouts or is on edge. Finally, the true ending. I think it's fitting. The Mermaids are laid to rest and you and your friends get to leave. You can't undo harm that has already been done, but you can do something in the present to lessen the sting and bring some closure. And Rin blowing that place up was exactly what that was. The Tsuchidas won't be brought in, but they're all dead, mermaidless, and their last descendant is left absolutely alone. There's so much I want to say about this game and its themes! Anyhow, to anyone who read this, I'm sorry for the long thoughts. And also, hope you enjoyed the video, too. I think a good video is one that is well-made, but causes a good amount of conversation and thinking. (EDIT. I do want to say, I think what this game needed were more scenes dedicated to Rin's past, psyche, and identity. That way it would be easier to understand why she acts the way she does. I noticed Uri's other games do give the protagonist a fair amount of time to be seen and understood by the audience, but Rin doesn't quite get that, which is a bit of a shame.)

[@kanatahiba]

Yeah the old pixel/sprites style is made from mostly free assets they stiched together. But tbh if you're paying attention, even since the crooked man, their own custom sprites for some items ARE this colourful and fun. It's just most free assets are grey and realistic-looking than their own. It kinda doesn't fit with some of their horror games, and other does.

[@keithheinz2120]

Wow I remember watching John Wolfe play this game, probably back around 2013 when it came out too! Always stuck with me

[@MoonPrincess28]

...Hey, I ship 'em. I also enjoy the characters personally. I also agree with most of the comments. This is very much a Japanese style horror meant to resonate with a Japanese audience. I mostly consume Japanese media so I like the story and it makes sense to me. There's a lot of deep digging you have to do and pieces to put together and i like that.

[@AGarthFullOfWyrms]

The fact this video came out two weeks ago really messes with my concept of time, which was already shitty lmao

[@vice-cent6639]

I find it really hard to put to words but this game (a lot like silent hill 3) has a lot of feminine horror and not as in its about our bodies or that there are girls in it but more so it prays on specific fears men tend not to be able to relate to, again I have a hard time explaining it fully

[@AeonKnigh432]

Honestly? Having a Scooby-Doo-Like game is not the worst thing in the world. It definitely wouldn't make the best Uri game, obviously, but I like a good campy mystery. However. This game is not that. A good Scooby-Doo-Like relies on three things. A fun cast with good chemistry, a simple but compelling or at least intriguing mystery, and a plot progression which focuses on the character interactions and the motivation for the mystery over the method (though both can be focused on if there's time). This game does not have interesting characters and the chemistry is bad, the mystery is too convoluted to be interesting and it leaves you just waiting for the end instead of trying ro figure things out, and the plot progression focuses too much on convoluted padding, mediocre puzzles, and nonsensical lore instead of letting the characters interact at all. I mean, they do INTERACT, but they don't say anything or have meaningful characterizations other than "mean," "smart," "sick," and "nice" turned into "creepy."

[@faeb.9618]

these videos are literally a blast from the past, i remember being in high school obsessively looking up these rpg horrors!! you should definitely try hello hell...o next, that one is one of the most unique ones in gameplay imo

[@LW1773]

You'd love the work of Harvester games The Cat lady, downfall, etc

[@birchboom1888]

I remember watching a let’s play of this a few years back and the CG with Yuka terrifying me but not remembering much else. It’s a pity to see the plot not really hold up

[@estrellazoe_01]

holy shit why were the fish mewing 💀💀💀💀

[@pussydestroyer-wm2tn]

LMFAOOO THIS IS SO DUKB😭😭😭

[@ssourbell]

I love your content but i shed a tear at the title. I love mermaid swamp its the first Uri game i ever knew

[@funkytime69]

why is kyle hotel dusk haunting two consecutive seconds of this video

[@KiraKyria]

The sprites they are using is called REFMAP / First Seed Material.

[@ole-martinthorsen6996]

i love the part where the fencepiece just kinda... falls. They could have just made it so that the post was lying on the floor when you came out, and have the character mention this. Instead you have this comically convenient thing happen.

[@Matheus-gc5fn]

I have relisted something: everytime there is criticism about a character that is a di- it's usually because there is no character development and so no connection to the character... but... What if that's the point? What if you _weren't_ supposed to like that character? Is it really necessary to have a close connection and understanding of every character? And is it THAT this "don't like me I'm not a good person character" is the protagonist? I will leave it at that tough. My criticizing skills are as good as the Velma series só who am I to say anything?

[@EebyDeeby413]

Wasn't the mermaid swamp story made up by a woman from the family to keep people from investigating the house?

[@horo_horo_horo]

Def my favorite game character wise. Simple and fun. Interesting how all the things that are a turn off for one, are a turn on for the other

[@brendanbeta487]

Mermaid swamps biggest issue is emotional weight. We don’t learn enough about these characters to get properly attached and they contribute nothing to the games themes. Every one of the main characters in the strange man series relates to the playable character and you can see growth between games for returning characters. But they still go through growth in their own game and will have progressed as people. The main character relating or being directly involved with the main villain enhances the fear and gives more relevance. These characters learn the cause but overall have no growth and the whole game feels like filler with no consequences for any characters. The fact that the old man who has clearly keep these people in tanks for at least 50 years of his own live and gets no karma from any character is frustrating. He actively is just as guilty as his ancestors and from the bad endings just as corrupt.

[@BeanyTA]

10:24 might be the best subtle visual gag I've seen in a long time.

[@namis6925]

Once again Ben has uploaded a video when the world needed it most. When I get financially competent Patreon will be seeing me.

[@luizabastos]

Ben, since you like horror RPGs, I have 4 recommendations for you. The first is Hide and Seek: Story of Dorothy; the second is Hide and Seek: Story of Demian; The third is Asylum and the fourth is The Exorcist: Story of School. Unfortunately, they are not available on Steam and can only be played on smartphone. Also, I maintain my recommendation for you to play Paper Bride. They recently announced a new game, Dark Notes, and it looks interesting (and luckily it's all on Steam).

[@raptorsir2170]

You should try Mad Father, that one was hitting different

[@martineden942]

Oh man I really hope this isn't too negative, cause it was my favorite when I was a teen 😅

[@Cryokhai]

Yuuta snaps back to reality, oh there goes gravity.

[@daaaan47]

Tbh, first jumpscare in this game (11:41) made me not only jump, but also have a mini heart attack and shit myself at the same time... Omg. I still feel like I am not well.

[@rusticgiraffe4262]

Oh hey! I’ve been hoping you’d cover Mermaid Swamp at some point. I’ve been meaning to watch a playthrough again since it’s been a while but now I don’t have to!

[@herecomedabees]

11:41 BRO JUST GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK OHMYGOD

[@Maria-qh1jk]

God I'm so old I remember seeing let's plays of my favorite youtubers in the original version

[@jamartinez862]

I love the thumbnail art for your vids

[@crispypeepohole69]

Been watching a few of this guy's vids, but this is the first I recall him having a sponsor. If that's the case; well done, Ben.

[@cryptidx6088]

i think it says a lot that i only remembered yuuta's bloated appearance and the fact there was a basement of some kind

[@GoodSanic]

I’ve been binging your videos recently and I’ve enjoyed all of them. After watching them I think that you would LOVE playing the EXMORTIS series it’s a trilogy of point and click horror games that are pretty old and nostalgic for me and a lot of people!

[@allopeep543]

14:25 It's just regular banter? What makes it a crappy slasher film?

[@Fluffycthulhu]

Every creator has a work they are not proud of and/or isn't as good as usual. This just happens to be that creation. Everyone has their off days/weeks/month/year. Remember that before you judge too harshly. No one is perfect. Thank you for your honest review. Hopefully if this game is ever remade. it will be vastly improved.

[@quittison]

The Kyle Hyde jumpscare after picking up the paperclip got me lol

[@genericname2747]

Always love the twist of the real monster being man. No strong opinions on the rest of the game.

[@LuxXxP]

Mermaid swamp will always hold a place in my heart, it was one of the first series I saw that Coryxkenshin played. It got me into all the other Uri series that they made.

[@lionwithglasses8590]

Mermaid Swamp was the first Uri game I played. Is it perfect? No. But I found it interesting enough. The whole "slasher movie" vibe in the beginning was nice. And I thought Rin was a nice deviation from the typical Uri protagonist. That said, there's only one last horror game by Uri to cover. The remake of Insanity. That game's an interesting case, as it was apparently Uri's least favorite until she created a remake a few years back with a new storyline, and gameplay mechanics. Hope you can play it sometime soon!

[@gabriellebrantley8751]

“Make me breakfast, for I am hungry” will forever be my favorite line 😭

[@Screaming.into.the.void.]

YES ANOTHER VIDEO, TIME TO WATCH ON LOOP AND MEMORIZE IT .

[@Screaming.into.the.void.]

On my third watch through now

[@qualia8047]

I really love this game. It left such a huge impact on me and I still think about it from time to time. I'm glad more people talk about even in this way. I can remember how much it scared me but also fascinated and inspired me. That's probably why it holds such a special place in my heart. 🎭

[@IMortalNemesisI]

Murmaider, Murmaider MURMAIDER, MURMAIDER

[@Zel-Veraan]

8:17 is a great example of why I love this channel.

[@vykvalley9838]

Babe wake up, new Ben again vid just dropped

[@monolophosaurus]

“You know people ship these two?” Why am I not surprised

[@ivana2609]

I actually used to love this one a lot, but a part of it is just the main characters banter dynamic LMAOO

[@Demonskunk]

I don't know if playing it myself would change my mind, but I actually kinda like the setup and plot of the game the way you described it. I don't think everything in a horror game needs to 'make sense' when you scrutinize it. You're dealing with a lot of stupid emotional people doing stupid emotional things.

[@monoteozin]

BEN'S BACK AT IT AGAIN. Just as I was having trouble editing a video. Thank you, the one who saves me from my boredom

[@kirby9759]

I heard that there are 3 jumpscares in this game, I did expect to see more of em, but only saw the one though that high pitched tone wasn't pleasant, and that's what spooked me, not the sudden face appearance

[@Jc-lu8qc]

*banging on the door of your discord server* LET ME BACK IN IM REFORMED!!!!!!

[@merusotajio2222]

Honestly I don't think your distance for the game has to do with the writing but more with your incapability to understand it's deeper meanings , although I myself needed to read the comments, I have to admit it was on you 😭😭

[@vannah_moo]

oh man Mermaid Swamp will always be a a favourite of mine, I was hoping Ben would cover it! So excited to watch this one!

[@zeroexe618]

Another Ben video yippee I love the new video when they come out !

[@ChazDragoon]

Its definitely one of Uri's early games...and despite being after Crooked Man, we have to remember that it was very likely Uri didn't quite know that game would spawn it's legendary series and also was still working out the kinks and find her style more solid in terms of horror. While this is a remake and those odd quirks in the plot and such could of been fixed up, I think maybe things were kept consistent (outside of bugs) since, from my recollection, people loved this game back in the day. When paired up (and comming from) Uri's better works...its easy to see the flaws and stumbles she went thru in making these earlier games...but it's not a terrible game by far. Dissapointing..yes when under the critical eye (which I won't fault you for). But I dont feel disappointed from it still...if anything, I'd like to try a rewrite to make things a more solid and sensicle as well as some gameplay urps. There's something "more" in the mess of story..it triggers my curiosity and desire to keep looking for more or what if's...with some refining and pruning, it can become something amazing. but thats me...

[@YARGGG_GG]

i played this long ago and definitely got a weird vibe from the whole thing. i think you were a bit harsher on it than i was though. as you observed, the mermaids kept asking 'return me.' they held yuka hostage to make that happen. the story does make sense in my opinion, but the characters are definitely less likeable than uri's others.