Exploring Mental Illness in Night in the Woods (SPOILERS)

[@ryanheemann3819]

Therapist here- I think the last 20% of the game really does a great job of showing Mae as a trauma survivor and the amount of dissociating she has. I would diagnose her with PTSD. The game does a great job of showing the numbness she experiences, with her final journal entry depicting her as in the middle of a black hole. In particular, the couch scene with Bae where she talks about her episode after the video game where everything just became “loose shapes” and she struggled at college with everything becoming “shapes” supports this idea that dissociation- feeling numb and separated from reality, is her primary struggle. Trauma survivors also go to the other extreme- unregulated fight/flight mode, and this where the anger comes out. Mae is a bit of a jerk at times, but by understanding trauma more, we can see survivors as having brains who have adapted to help them survive, even as it makes functioning in the world very challenging.

[@breze27hunter]

Ur a therapist?

[@lordbaionz]

Please help the user MazingMarco#1317 of the website Discord. You've just described her on point.

[@inessa5923]

@@lordbaionz Maybe you help, since you actually know her?

[@lordbaionz]

@@inessa5923 I only knew her online since we've only met on Animorphs discord server. I tried to help her, but then her "friends" became protective against me soon after. From that point, I just accept the fact that not everyone wants my help, especially if there is no other option. Sadly, I already gave up a year ago.

[@inessa5923]

@@lordbaionz That's very unfortunate, and I'm sorry. Do you know how she's holding up nowadays?

[@elvalight2135]

I felt so sorry for mae the whole game because she obviously was having internal problems she couldn't tell anyone else, and yet everybody blamed her for dropping out of college, as if it was the end of the world. Like, she was still young and had her whole life to go to college/ get a job and everybody was constantly pressuring her and belittling her because she had to go back home. I can see why she wouldn't tell her mom especially, since she apparently had "mood swings", so she probably thought she'd get mad at her and make her feel even worse, so acting all tough was sort of her way of coping with everything going on in her head. Just my thoughts.

[@TheLomdr]

Agreed. There is so much emphasis on going to college in media it's almost everywhere. Everything feels like there has to be a subplot of someone going to college or having to plan for college. At least, what I remember from when I grew up in the 90's.

[@azadalamiq]

ya parents of kids born in the 80s/90s missed out on college due to the social unrest of the 60s/70s. Econ was down, wars were happening. My mom tried going to college, but had me. She tried several times but life happen. She wanted 1 of her 3 kids to go, but none of us can. tbh college is over rated, my b/f Went to University of new Orleans and has a chemistry degree. he graduated a good year or two, and can't find a job in his field. He is working 2 minimum wage jobs just to afford bills and rent. The town we live in has 4 chem plants, but none want to hire him and are looking for people with long term experience. He is a good worker, worked in a plant for a contract job, but the head wanted his boss to let him go. They then made a very inappropriate letter as to the "real reason" which wasn't true. People are better off learning trades, as these jobs do need workers.

[@driftercarbon]

Yeah. And that whole situation, from her motivations for leaving to her feelings about it and the way people in her life treated the situation, I feel like a lot of us could relate to that. It's a very relatable aspect, if you've been down that road. That's not something everyone's gonna catch, and you stated it well, and you're right.

[@citizenofzorcon7729]

Honestly, Mae's mental issue wouldn't be so bad if she gotten the support she needed early in her life, but no she is treated like a demon over something she had no control of, had to leave college because of her fear that she would hurt someone else in a mental breakdown, and feels like she has to hide her issues because no one will talk to her or try to help her. On top of that her "doctor" doesn't even TRY he just gives her a JOURNAL (which is really just a note pad) as a form of "treatment" and throughout the game the "treatment" makes her condition WORSE!

[@TheLomdr]

Wonder how much of that is trying to mirror real life, where, in the states, mental health is pretty much treated like a joke. Like, we keep on using mental health to excuse actions for certain people, yet we get NOTHING to help us with it. I have to battle with Social Security to make sure my Vyvance, my current ADHD minus the H medication (Yes, officially, there's no such thing as ADD, for...reasons) is covered. And anything that neurodivergent people might see to be useful is immediately targeted for scorn. Sorry if I got a bit ranty there.

[@Marconejo]

Every character in this game is flawed. One thing Ive noticed a lot too is that people usually refer to the main group as "troubled kids" or "troubled youth", because they really are, everyone's story is a bit messed up in their own way. I think the mental illness issues present in the game are what makes the game so relatable and so close to home. One thing Ive said before is that everyone can enjoy the game, but if youve ever experienced a mental illness, wether its dissassociation or depression it's going to really hit close to home. Id even argue that some of the game's motifs wont be fully understood by people who've never really dealt with depression. Ive seen some playthroughs of the game when in the mirror scene everyone's like "haha wow mae sure is crazy" while many people i know's reaction has been instead "wow this is the first time i've seen intrusive thoughts portrayed accurately". The game even sometimes gets too deep and you kinda just have to take a break from it, that's why it took me so long to finish it. But anyway great video pur! I agree on a lot of things, I was just thinking maybe Angus' backstory could've been included, since I feel like it fits in with the theme in one way or the other.

[@Randomark3087]

Well said!

[@gryffehondor4236]

I found the mirror scene soul crushing. It's there that she drops the act she's been playing in front of everyone and just break down. You know it's not going to work out but you still have to go because it's too late to back off now.

[@czerwart4988]

Do you know any good NITW playthroughs to watch :D? I played game by myself and later watch Dodger's stream, Jesse Cox and Swing Point's let's plays ;)

[@ZoeKitten84]

Agata Czerw Art KatFTWynn's play through of NITW was really good

[@Owen.Fallon]

Agata Czerw Art I'd Say Jack. Or JackSepticEye. Very Fun.

[@boi.9936]

I think Gregg might have ADHD instead of bipolar. The two disorders have very similar symptoms, mood swings being one of them. The main difference however is the triggers. ADHD has a clear trigger. Gregg is very zany whenever Mae is around, and he gets very sad when he thinks about arguements in the past. With bipolar disorder, there is no clear trigger. It's all hormones. I do agree that something's wrong with Mae though.

[@TuckyBlue]

as someone with adhd, Gregg was really relatable.

[@yippescorner]

@@TuckyBlue same

[@j-skullz]

Haha I actually read Mae as having ADHD; her thoughts and life in general are all over the place and unfocused, she speaks inappropriately at times and says weird stuff, she's immature and perceived as dumb and lazy etc. all these traits are prevalent in people undiagnosed/untreated ADHD. Dissociation can also be a symptom

[@bjornbjornson4]

This game rulz ok

[@mae2534]

Yes.

[@nuniyoa]

destroys chain of maes

[@bjornbjornson4]

what the eff

[@Noelle_XO]

hello

[@Demented427]

Bjorn Bjornson 10000000000000000000000% agree with you

[@ElyseExplosion]

I really, really enjoyed this game. I played it blind on stream and it was incredibly emotional. It was kind of nice to see a lot of the themes they discussed be so...candid? Organic? I don't know, it didn't really feel like anything was shoehorned in.

[@Ucceah]

the overall atmosphere did add a lot too. the colour themes and music always convey one mood or another, and every scene already feels like something, even of you're just walking down the street. and over all, it felt very much like a bitter sweet children's book for grown ups. PS: it's hardly related, but in terms of atmosphere and that "children's book for grown ups" feel, made in abyss had even more impact on me.

[@LocalContentShow]

I feel bad about that Bea college party scene. I've seen it generally discussed as "obvious" that Mae was doing the wrong thing and Bae was trying to be secretive about not being in college but I didn't pick up on it myself, meaning I could see myself far too easily doing the same thing in that situation and fucking everything up.

[@kanayamaryam1036]

I think the reason Mae didn't notice she was messing that up is in the fact that Mae is a good friend who cares about and admires Bea. Bea hates her life and everything about it, but Mae sees her as far superior to simple college students since she actually runs a business. What Bea thinks is embarrassing and is trying to hide so she can get laid is the same thing that Mae is certain could totally get her laid.

[@inessa5923]

@@kanayamaryam1036 Exactly. Her intentions weren't bad, she just can't read a room (at all), and therefore never keeps her mouth shut when she should.

[@JackToeRip]

I liked that while Mae wanted to be treated like an adult, she also refused to "grow" up. She wants to be treated like an adult but wants to return to who she was and the childhood that no longer exists. Which I believe is a common feeling in a lot of people. I also think that the mood swing in the mall is caused by her coming back to a place where she went to in the past where her actions back then were considered something a delinquent would do. And so in some sort of desperate attempt to hold onto a childhood that isn't there anymore decides to act like a how she did in her childhood, back before she doubted herself so heavily. I've experienced this feeling as what I call as "wanting to go 'home'." It really isn't about going home to where you're from or to a place before where you are now, it's going to what you wished, you wanted, or you had. A time where things were simpler and everything made sense to you or a time where you understood yourself. A time that to Mae, doesn't exist anymore. While Mae's actions may feel out of place in the mall, given context and my own personal attachment to the feeling I understood it. And I think that's the strong point of this game, it's extremely relatable to the type of people who play it. Most of us had feelings like that. Most of the emotions or situations she faces are what I faced when I was younger or the same age as her. I personally think the emotional harmony that it reaches with players is what makes this game so much more than a simple indie game. The feeling of connection turns it into self analyzing and heartfelt journey. Mae constantly doubts herself, can't handle social situations, and I would even go to say she hates herself because of the view she has about the world itself. The same doubts I had and probably still have a bit of even today. Because tell me you didn't resonate with Mae and look at yourself in the mirror after playing this game. There isn't a big lesson at the end of the depression, crying, or hoping. But there is a future after, and I think that's what I took away from the game. There isn't a way to fix yourself, there isn't a way to stop doubting yourself and there isn't a way to go 'home'. But there is a future, and all you have to do is live with your faults and make it to that future.

[@TeiBeiTube]

This hit home, hard

[@amirsharin8029]

@Jacob Glaze I would love to pick at your brain

[@amirsharin8029]

@Jacob Glaze the way you described this game entails to so much more. I hope you're doing well

[@JackToeRip]

@@amirsharin8029 I'm doing alright as anyone in the time since I made this comment. Which is surviving lol. I'm alright though and thanks for the well wishes. Hope you're doing well too playa

[@Cooky13134]

great video!!! personally, i think that when mae's mom brings up her ''headache medicine" it is a euphemism for meds to treat her mood disorder. parents usually have an evasive nickname for medication used to treat mental illness, and i really connected with that scene in particular.

[@SnowCatKroe]

Man this game was a ride. As someone who is suffering from depression and anxiety (and really graphic nightmares) this game kind of almost hit too close to home. The parental situation, the hesitancy about school... What I liked was, like a lot of other comments have said, was that it didn't make the characters only their disorders. It didn't use the disorder as a cutesy character trait to make them unique or interesting. Gregg is hyperactive, and it's through hanging out with him that you see this rapid fluctuation. Mae initially just seems like a deadbeat, but slowly you see this paranoia and anxiety about her. I started feeling it through her, and at times really had to stop playing. But it felt real, is what I'm getting at. The low self image, the awkwardness at parties, the negative coping mechanisms, the denial to discuss what happened and what may be bothering someone. I really didn't like Mae at first, and I realized it was because I saw those similarities. It was easier to like Bea, who was cynical and cold at times, but hardworking and dedicated and ABLE to just FOCUS. That simple skill of being able to just be composed and rational and to just blend in with the people around you, versus feeling (even if it isn't visible externally) that there's something wrong with you for feeling fucking scared. The game was great *because* it was too real at times. It showed how annoying or difficult or awkward those with mental illness can be, but showed why. Complex characters, not just assholes, not just over-excitable, not just subdued, not just self-hating. Complex. Good game, good video on the topic.

[@afellowcorn]

bubblineofficial Hello from the future TwT Hope You'r feeling better, i think i also may have depression (not sure if any other disorders) but i don't have nightmares, luckly i never in my life had a nightmare :'>

[@lasmirandadennsiewillja9435]

First, I thought Mae suffers from borderline syndrome, but now I'm more leaning towards schizophrenia. The way she reacts to criticism (highly defensive, aggressive, hurtful - it's like she almost forgets how much she actually loves and respects the person she's arguing with, in that moment, they're against her.) speaks for borderline. I don't think bipolar fits her. Her downs just happen, they're usually caused by something that makes her sad or irritates her while Gregg's mood swings just happen without rhyme or reason (he says himself, he sometimes don't know if it was an up or down day until the day is over. Mae can tell she has a bad day/moment because of specific reasons that pull her down). However, her dreams, the way she says the ghost is in her head, in one scene one of her friends says something like:"You're after the ghost" and she answers (paraphrasing here):"I starting to think the ghost is after me.". Spoilers: The evil doers seem confused when Mae accuses them of following and manipulating her, and no matter what anyone says to her, she cannot let go of this ghost and something is out to get her. These are all signs of a developing paranoia and either people are part of it or oblivious and only she knows what's really going on. And one more point that indicates schizophrenia is the very beginning. Her grandfather. Who cannot stop talking about ghosts and his very last words are "This house is haunted." If we take this literally, there's no sign that the house he's dying in is actually haunted. Even if we choose the "there is a cosmic horror" explanation (I go more with:"Some old dudes wanted to believe, created a kind of religion and entity of their own and from there on, explained all good or bad things with it, because they're desperate and cling to the good old times.) there's only one place with a supernatural being - the hole in the mines. I assume that schizophrenia runs in her family. I don't rule out depression but more often than not, depression isn't the cause but a symptom. As for Gregg - yeah, pretty much looks like he's bipolar. In addition, I like how Bea's situation is portrayed in regard to mental illness. Her father suffers from long-term depression while she's at this point surprisingly stable, for now. Yes, she's sad, angry, and frustrated, but she is in a situation where I'd doubt her mental health if she didn't feel these things. However, the way she's tired, how she lacks drive and enthusiasm, the dark outlook on life, she's the perfect candidate for a solid burn-out before she turns 25. Which, often enough, develops into depression. Angus is also surprisingly stable however he seems to have behavioral issues when it comes to solving conflicts, as in, he's not just nice, but too nice and avoids confrontations to the last minutes. It's something I like about this game. There are characters who obviously mentally ill and need qualified help (which the town doesn't offer) while others have serious issues that should be addressed but aren't automatically mentally ill.

[@QuikVidGuy]

the cult may be metaphorical, but the creature is real in-universe

[@vg2448]

In order to have schizophrenia, you need to experience hallucinations and delusions, seeing things that aren't real and hearing voices. Everyone who has ever had this mental illness has those issues. I would know due to my experience of dealing with multiple people IRL, but also talking to people I cared about online who I was concerned for, all of whom are diagnosed with the mental illness. You CANNOT be diagnosed for schizophrenia without it being confirmed and proven that you are experiencing hallucinations and delusions tied to hearing things and seeing things that aren't real. People with schizophrenia often claim to hear an overpowering overbearing voice, some people describe the voice as 'haunting but scary' and others claim it is 'fearsome and powerful'. Regardless of the circumstances, other with this disorder regularly see imaginary animals, peoples, 'spirit beasts', and more. I've known that everyone ever diagnosed with schizophrenia has this issue. So you clearly have no fucking clue what your talking about. This is coming from someone with bi-polar disorder, who tends to think Mae has dis-association disorder. The creators of this game even claimed to have added a mental illness to multiple individuals in the game, and attempted to depict them realistically. Among them are Mae, Greg, and Bea, whom they focused on heavily. Greg is indeed Bi-polar btw. Can tell that by a mile. And Bea clearly has Anxiety disorder, you can tell that by a mile. Its incredibly obvious. And all two of these disorders cause mood swings, two cause depression, and two cause manic behavior. Not surprisingly, overlapping them means that all three suffer from two things. I would know about the bipolar very well. I worked tirelessly to learn as much as possible about my own mental illnesses, and those of other people I've met, so I can better understand and be helpful for them.

[@PixelOverload]

@@vg2448 have you not played the game? because she clearly has some pretty strong hallucinations and related delusions. it's hard to tell what's what exactly considering the _actual_ eldritch death cult going on but there's clearly genuine hallucinations she's dealing with, if not in the plot of this specific game than at least in her history

[@driftercarbon]

I'll sing this game's praises til the end of time, but it was an emotional rollercoaster for me. As someone who deals with a lot of the disorders and illnesses this game touches on, this was a difficult game for me to complete. Not because the game's hard because it's not, there's no 'difficulty' to it, it's not that kind of game. It was difficult emotionally, at times. I relate to these characters, not just their traits but some pretty specific struggles they deal with. And without spoiling anything... the ending in particular caught me off guard and touched on something that... well, that I understand. I understand Mae, in that moment. That old familiar feeling. It was a deeply personal, specific, difficult thing, and... yeah. Bravo to them. Not every day something hits me like that. Maybe some of you too.

[@kanayamaryam1036]

Spoilers, but anyone reading this should have played the game already. I never saw Mae's thoughts about the world being just stuff that's there as indicative of any sort of disorder, she's just RIGHT. Certainly that realization went too far when she decided for a brief moment that even other people don't matter, but when someone who is already unstable has that kind of revelation it can really screw them up.

[@elvalight2135]

Not to mention she always seems to act very chidish. Her handwriting and drawings in her journal are all messy and, while this isn't too abnormal, she is in her 20s so it's a bit strange to me. In general she tends to act out towards authority and run around the streets, and half the time I forgot she was an adult. It kind of added a feeling like she didn't want to let go of her childhood, and just wanted to have people care for her and not have to deal with the crushing pressure of adulthood along with her obvious problems.

[@Marconejo]

Bea specifically references this telling her "You're just a kid", because while Bea "Stayed here and got older", Mae "Went off and stayed the same".

[@assassinsden7478]

Elva Light Speaking as someone in his thirties and yet still has horrendously bad handwriting, I can confidently say that the handwriting is a indication of nothing more than never having practiced penmanship. I'll give you the drawings, though.

[@elvalight2135]

+Assassin's Den yeah, her drawings kind of make me think she's trying to make them seem less threatening or something? Like, I'm no artist, believe me, but she draws like a 5 year old. I get that it's her journal, and usually since we think nobody will ever see our journals we just scribble away and don't really care much about how it looks, but I still think there's something to that. Also, looking back at them there are some pretty weird/creepy looking things in there.

[@honeywhite6535]

Eh I’m in my 20s and still act this way :0

[@najpotenicewolf934]

That's actually something I can relate a lot. I'm 20 and I have crearly no idea, what I want to do with my life. And what I can do with my life. I was born with serious health illnes. I always was very weak child and easily got bad cold or even more dangerous diseases. I was proctected from everything during most of my life. I don't know how to interact properly with people. I also don't have too much skills, which could be usable in work. I can't handle stressful situation very well. I don't know how to behave like adult. Probably there also can be some mental disease going on. My Grandma and dad are bipolar. I speculate that my grandma can be also schizofremic. Dad is alkoholic (not violent one but still). And yeah, my handwriting isn't very good ether. And I have habbit to draw on every paper I have, when I got lost ind my thoughts.

[@joellephilo3861]

Night in the Woods is the best. I've never seen mental illness portrayed or even mentioned in anything else, unless they decide to drag in a one off character so they can get preachy.

[@txgoldrush]

Many games do, a big example is Life Is Strange.

[@joellephilo3861]

I didn't know that, I don't follow games normally and have never heard of life is strange. sorry for being clueless, but thanks for information. :)

[@txgoldrush]

Kate's room shows major signs of depression and many characters, even Max, have mental issues. Its prevalent throughout the game.

[@edgyusername4191]

Bojack horseman depicts mental illness really well.

[@leehaah3466]

Joelle Philo sorry I know you wrote this 2 years ago but Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a gorgeous and terrifying game and a main underlying theme is mental illness. Another brilliant game is a platformer game called Celeste, which is equally gorgeous but for different reasons. Again the main underlying theme is tackling mental illness. If you’re into gaming you should definitely try them out if you haven’t already! :)

[@OisEucalypt]

I enjoyed the game, and liked that a lot of the conversations felt natural. Only played through Gregg's arc so far and picked up similar things to both of them. Angus also has a few strong words on how Mae ends up influencing his behaviour, and the difference to the three of them (Resolved around the donut wolf stage IIRC), but I read it that he understands their mental health issues. Suffering from anxiety\depression, being a aro\ace and having grown up in a similar small country town that is losing its industry, a lot of the game hits home hard. Aside from the cult stuff.

[@dwuddle]

Ois Eucalypt Wowow I also have anxiety/depression and am aro/ace. Nice to meet yah! This game is so relatable that it’s scary. The only other character I relate to this level is Wirt from Over the Garden Wall

[@bf0189]

Great video! I just wanted to say your videos have been helping me with my deep depression and severe social anxiety from autism. You're one of the few KZbinrs in the gaming community who understand mental illness and neurodivergent conditions. Everyday can be a struggle for me but your videos help me especially when they are personally expressing your experiences with mental illness and mental illness related videos. Thank you so much for your input you're a inspiration for myself!

[@colonelyungblonsk7730]

get out there and get laid then, stop being a pathetic wimp, god no wonder why all of you are going to b single forever

[@isabellarose4426]

I think that the "hole" or "black goat" is a metaphor for anxiety or depression or self harm. They keep feeding and feeding the hole but it demands more. It demands those you love.

[@theomeletteguy]

It could also tie into the fact that the hole requires "worthless" people who "would not be missed" which is a very common thought in people suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts

[@MayoiKatas3]

As someone who suffers from depression, anxiety, and occasional episodes of dissociation, Mae's struggles and character really hit home with me. Ive only watched playthroughs for it, since I don't have it myself, but ive had to put the video on pause because Mae or one of the characters (mainly Gregg, who I identify with as well, being gay and with some of the same worries as him as far as relationships go) has made me cry. It hits home so strongly for me and I think that's something that makes this game one of my favorites. It made me actually cry more than once, which is something not many other games can say. Thank you for treating this so well btw. Its refreshing to see actual care put into a video like this.

[@2112pk]

Mae's inability to not stick her foot entirely in her mouth at the worst possible moments is honestly a very relatable trait.

[@chocomintwafer3733]

may seems to be more borderline than bipolar. as someone who has both the symptoms seem to intersect a lot. from what you've shown from the game especially with the dissociation bits BPD seems more fitting.

[@QuikVidGuy]

BPD is Borderline Personality Disorder

[@Jessicanity]

Maryloo Cortez I thought she had depersonalisation/derealisation disorder. Especially derealisation ("shapes"). i think it leads to depression and dissociation.

[@fist-of-doom487]

I kinda relate with Mae in the disorder area and because of that I don't really see it as BPD. I have ADHD and I'm high functioning Autistic. It's really hard for me to focus on anything that doesn't immediately interest me, I have horrible lapses in memory sometimes forgetting entire words and what they mean for a little while (just today I forgot what a Wet Floor sign was and kept calling it Bathroom Sign and couldn't explain it.) when I was younger I had intense anger control issues and got violent. I got better but it's still a challenge sometimes to keep myself in check when I get pissed off. Impulse control is also a little bit of a problem, again not as bad as it used to be but I have little ticks I can't stop for a long time and sometimes it lasts days. I used to take medicine for it, it took care of my ability to focus but only made me more aggressive so I willingly stopped taking it when I was barely in middle school and tried training myself with a little help from my parents. It's overall a success but with mental disorders you're never completely cured and I still have issues every now and then. Thankfully it's not something so serious that I can't survive without medicine.

[@Jessicanity]

PixelatedJustin hey that's what I said/thought :) how are you doing with coping at the moment? ♡ (I have a plain old depression and generalised anxiety mix)

[@voyagerwitch]

BPD and DPDR have a high comorbidity rate! i agree, though, there's definitely some of both depersonalization and derealization.

[@RaccoonRevolution]

This is gonna sound really pretentious, but... Personally I felt like the presence of potential behavioral disorders was more to accentuate the overarching social (and honestly political) commentary the game presents. Each of the four main characters represent some group or groups of people who are frequently maligned by society and "the system" so to speak in some manner- Mae has some form of behavioral disorder. Bea is an outspoken socialist. Gregg and Angus are in a same-sex relationship. [I can go on with this list, but I want to keep this as brief as possible.] This is why I think the story is set in an "old fashioned" kind of setting. Possum Springs represents aversion to change and progress; the main characters represent the vitality of it. In my mind, the crux of the message is more or less laid out toward the end of the story [SPOILER] when either Mae or Bea (I can't quite remember which) says something along the lines of "you're out here killing people and you expect us to start killing people too?"[/SPOILER] Basically- "your system isn't working, you KNOW it's not working, and yet you expect people to continue using it." In a kind of roundabout way, I guess I read it as a parallel for the struggle of anyone born after 1993. That said, it's a deep enough game that I think you can read it in multiple ways.

[@pushinguproses]

Not pretentious at all. In fact, that's exactly what I expressed in my video, stating the the presence as a motif supports the overall themes of the game.

[@RaccoonRevolution]

PushingUpRoses Oh, okay. Cool. :D Good to know we're on the same page.

[@RubberyCat]

PushingUpRoses () Exactly what you expressed? Perhaps briefly, because I don't remember that part.

[@bugjams]

It feels like it's pandering a bit to millennials, I think. But that's okay. People here talk about baby boomers vs millennials and just groan. It's a stupid argument. But the fact it's a game - One that's incredibly easy to play, too - makes it unique in that anyone, not just it's target audience, can play it. It gives players young and old a vision into basically the life of every middle-to-late-20-year-old, and shows from their point of view how they see politics and older people. It's a "screw you, old man!" story without being rude, showing how the older generation sort of messed everything up for the newer generation, yet they (the older generation) still blame it on anyone but themselves. In that sense, it's probably not a comfortable experience for older players, but it's not a comfortable experience for younger ones either. Younger players will think, "Oh god, is that really how miserable my life is going to become?" and older players will think, "What a bunch of whining kids. We didn't ruin anything, harumph harumph!", and that's fine and all, but players of any age who look deeply into the game will start to realize that the game also provides reasons behind it's jabs at the older generation. It shows how mental illnesses are real things even though older folk may deny them, and how the older generation never liked change and will do crazy things to avoid change from happening, and those two things are huge sources of conflict for Mae (her parents, and the cultists, in that order). Those players who look in depth in the game will learn something about those issues, even though it's up to them to share the same opinion on them as the creators of the game. It's a game that at the very least, brings awareness. Maybe an older player will realize, "Yeah, maybe I did have a good life, and just because the best parts are past me doesn't mean I have to ruin it for the next generation". Or maybe a younger player will realize, "Hey, things can change. Maybe when I'm 25, society will be more accepting and caring, and maybe the economy will turn around. I don't have to follow my parents' dreams, but I can still do what I love and make them proud at the same time." That's the goal of the game, I think. The creators likely knew it wouldn't be picked up and loved by everyone who played, and there will be complaints, but that's ANY video game. As long as some people learned something from it, about themselves, or about the millennial generation it portrays and their hardships, then it'll have been worth it.

[@RubberyCat]

I call myself a leftie, but over the years I have realized a bunch of things that should be obvious to everyone, and also learned a bunch of things about the "right": Fist: It is terribly obvious that Communism as imagined by Marx and several others don't work in its original form. HOWEVER, this is also true about Capitalism. ************************************************************************************** Even Socialism and the Watered-down version of Capitalism that exist today still have their shortcomings: Even though both were designed to take the monetary power away from the Nobilty and the Church, they have both been used by driven, ruthless and delusional people, that has created their own equivalents, from political parties and economists to politicians and corporate magnates. (No, "economy" isn't Math, even though it should be, and claims to be.) So, both are flawed, or perhaps we can't get away from creating belief systems and nobility. ************************************************************************************** It seems like Communism needs something to strive for, the need to get better. Capitalism has that. However, Capitalism do not care for those that falls to the wayside, no matter who they are, no matter whether they have contributed or not, no matter if they perhaps fills a rarely requested but vital role once requested. Communism has that.

[@pinkwings8036]

It also worth playing through multiple times, since different characters and situations come up, so each playthrough can be different. I followed a Bea playthrough, and Bea's struggle with depression and lost potential is incredibly powerful in its own right, alongside Mae coming to terms with her own issues and finding the right pace to "grow up: at. They contrast each other perfectly as the girl who grew up too quickly and the girl who hasn't grown up at all. Every character had some aspect that I saw myself in, or someone I cared about. They reacted how I or my friends would react. Its a wonderful tale, and I intend to purchase it ASAP.

[@DrasticDreamer5]

I thought Mae probably had ADHD and also some sort of mood disorder. I recognised some of her behavior and feelings as matching up with my own when I had depression. I had little control over what came out of my mouth and would always panic in social situations. I did also think about acting out, being angry and violent, and also wanted to run away from university. I never did because, well, having depression is a lot of staying in bed and leaving the house as little as possible. I don't have experience of bi-polar but I know there are similarities, so it is very possible in my opinion. I really connected with Mae, I think a lot of twenty somethings understand how she's feeling.

[@suddenwall]

+1 for ADHD. She's very mercurial and her focus wanders all over the place. I'm no psychiatrist, but I reckon she has something like ADHD + Depersonalization/Dissociative disorder.

[@henrydave6603]

Ive seen a play-thru, but I think this game is better played for the full experience. Mae is an awesome example of how mental illness is actually more complex then people realize. You can't just diagnose something and expect it to go away. Though-out the game you can see Mae struggle to understand things, in her own way. Leaving collage and returning home was an attempt to curve some of the strange feelings that built up because of being away. I personally know the feeling she describes when she talks about "things turning into shapes". I have a social disorder that sometimes makes being in public spaces a real challenge. the cacophony of sound drowns out anything I'm trying to hear, and yes, sometimes things turn into "shapes". Sometimes even not recognizing people I know. So when Mae has her conversation with her friend about it, it spoke volumes to me. And THAT is one of the hardest things to do. Sure it's easy to say the Doctor told me I had such-&-such, but describing to someone what's going through your head is a lot harder. Especially when you yourself don't fully understand the problem. Mae reacting negatively to her mom at first is a clear example of that. Trying to ignore it is a common reaction when trying to cope. How does that song go? "All and all, it's just another brick in the wall" or something like that. Anyways, sorta ranted longer then I wanted. Love these videos about subjects IN the games, keep them up Roses B-)

[@azadalamiq]

pink floyd brick in the wall is about teachers and the education system. And how bad it is. My dad has the album. pretty deep album.

[@henrydave6603]

Well it was a little deeper then that, but it was part of the narrative of the album. I really like the song that line is from particular. Idea that people build up walls and barriers to protect themselves. Only to bar themselves behind the very thing build to protect. In the end, the only way to move past, is to bring down the wall! The whole album is quite a lot deeper, but then again the whole thing is designed to tell a story. I highly suggest the movie for some deep entertainment goodness! Anyways, glad to know someone got my reference :)

[@azadalamiq]

if you pay attention to the background of the song, you hear teachers insulting kids. Same for the music video. It is the narrative that the school system is just mind controlling kids to think/act a certain way, in a very tight rigid society. show casing kids as mindless zombies just being a gear in a machine. :) Lyrics :" we don't need no education, we don't need no thought control"

[@billjacobs521]

Only that song relates to teachers. It follows the life of some person, being spoken of as a child, talking to mom, going through school, being a violent young man, suffering illness, daring to admit to his feelings and being "tried" in the court of public opinion.

[@henrydave6603]

Oh my, I forgot how people will always comment when you make a Pink Floyd lyric reference ^_^ Strangely, it sort of has some relation to Mae in this game, maybe? I really should be careful with music lyrics lol

[@CocytusCrocus]

I love this game very much and I don't think I have heard a better take on it. Great work!

[@LeMasterofSwords]

That scene with Bea/Gregg on the couch really made me sad for her

[@johnswanson1059]

if anyone has not read the book 'a mango shaped space' you should. it's not a one for one exact copy, but I think NITW is at least inspired from this book.

[@QuestionDeca]

On a more supernatural note, if you find and get the two musicians together at the hidden stage, one of them can tell Mae about the stage's previous owners, a group of four musicians that would randomly go out to platforms they built in the forest to play, and how those four died in the snow in the forest on those platforms, described just like the four musicians and platforms in Mae's dreams (and you can only find out about them AFTER they already have appeared in the dreams for more then one night).

[@vivilonrane1330]

I think it's probably on purpose that you cam't tell Maes condition for sure by playing her... it's just like in real life as psychology of the mind and potemtial mental illnesses are nit as clearly distinguishabke as it may seem in textbooks as it is far too complicated and the developement can vary greatly

[@b.c4440]

I have a lot in common with Bea so I related hardcore with her. I’ve definitely felt frustrated and trapped by my responsibilities conflicting with my aspirations. I had a harder time relating to May. Her personality is very similar to someone who abused me and there were many times in the game where her behavior was triggering and I had to take a break. I’m glad I powered through though because it gave me enough empathy to unlock some forgiveness and closure for that trauma but it was a rough ride. I wish there was a version where you could play as the other characters.

[@UnseelieFaelass]

Mental illness in video game characters has always fascinated me. Even characters people don't talk about much could have mental illnesses if one pays attention. Kratos for instance definitely has issues. There's also Death from Darksiders 2. When reading the novel based on the series, the comic Death's Door, and watching his actions in game, I have a few guesses as to the illnesses that Death may or may not have. C-PTSD since he is deeply affected by the death of his race and many other events, yet he comes off as cold and distant when he isn't pissed off or being a snarky jerk to someone. Next we have Avoidant Personality disorder. He tends to avoid people unless absolutely needed. Hell the guy even lives by himself on a dead world where no one is alive anymore. This one is a huge maybe, but interesting to think about. Survivor's Guilt is another he may have, because he killed his entire race with his siblings and only they are left when it's all said and done. He is again deeply affected by this and believed to be the only one out of his siblings who felt grief at the action. That and Death takes the horrible things his race did personally and practically guilt trips himself with it. Putting the blame for some of their worst atrocities on himself. Maybe you guys can think of a few others he might have. Or perhaps there's other video game characters that have issues mentally. Such as Alice from Alice Madness Returns or Fran Bow.

[@UnseelieFaelass]

Also keep in mind that I'm no expert. So if I get something wrong then I'm sorry. I mean no offense

[@grimmcorvid5713]

You have a great taste for games dude.

[@GamingRaven1]

I just want to comment on your mentioning Mae being bipolar, and I have to disagree. The way Mae acts fits a lot closer to the symptoms of borderline personality disorder (I also have it). It's a personality (obviously) disorder that has a lot of symptoms similar to those of a lot of mood disorders combines. Borderline is characters by "black-and-white thinking (polarized thinking)", mood swings (though not to the degree of bipolar), self harm (this is the biggest symptom usually associated with it), and in the most severe cases even dissociation.

[@cassandracraig4934]

I got more of a vibe that Mae had depression, especially when she talked about the disassociating and isolation that happened while she was in college. However, I could see where Bipolar disorder also fits, and I never even thought to apply it to Gregg as well! Good video with many ideas to think over.

[@SilverSalamence]

Nice video! As someone who spends most of their time in a dissociative haze, the description of Mae seeing things as 'just shapes' is very, very familiar. I suppose she should be bipolar or psychosis-spectrum with disassociative traits too, as that can also fit her behavior.

[@speakertomeat]

As someone with a mood disorder I identified VERY strongly with Mae, and this game made me re/discover some things that I didn't expect. It was a really interesting experience.

[@omnipotentwombat3973]

this game made me cry more than once. I saw so much of myself reflected in Mae, and she helped me put into words the kinds of things i go through internally. she made me realize that some of my experiences aren't a normal part of life, or of growing up. Sometimes, the characters would have conversations and i'd feel... /heard/. like there was someone who understood exactly what i was going through. that's something id never realized i needed until then... but i feel like it had a huge impact on my ~recovery journey~. im about to start repeating myself, but... this is such an important game. i don't feel alone anymore, even though i didn't even know that i felt alone in the first place.

[@HeavyEyed]

To me I saw Mae with Depression but that's more of a result of projecting myself onto her I think. That's why I love this game so much, it carefully treads SO many important topics with such grace people can really find themselves in at least some aspect of it, from going home to living in a xenophobic small town to dealing with mental illness. Really awesome video!

[@mintypetsAJ]

I have dissociation or what i call it depersonalization. I had it for the first time when i was 7 and i got utterly terrified of why nothing felt real or why me interacting with my reality felt so vain and seeing my own self just reacting with what reality was like reality was nothing but pictures. Ive struggled with it growing up and learned what i had when i was around 13 and then when i played this game i felt so personally connected to Mae and it made me feel good that the amazing creator of the game knows about this disorser

[@gamzee3610]

I don't necessarily have a pinpointed diagnosed disorder associated with them, and I only get episodes of disassociation occasionally, and only when I'm under a lot of stress, but I get what you mean. Everything feels fake and you're just watching your life through a camera that's out-of-focused. And I loved how that was talked about in game because it's really not represented enough

[@angelofdusk13]

I felt so deeply for Mae when she opened up about her struggles with what is obviously mental illness, and I was so angry at her doctor telling her to "repress" her anger and thinking journaling was magically going to fix everything. Mae needs medication, and she SHOULD'VE been on medication since the softball incident. I struggled for YEARS with depression and anxiety, to the point that every hour, every minute was just a fight to keep myself from breaking down and hurting myself. I didn't get on medication until a year ago--which meant I spent nearly 15 years struggling with what is literally a chemical imbalance in my brain--and everything is SO. MUCH. BETTER. I don't feel "clouded" or "not like myself"--I finally feel like I'm supposed to feel, without the little intrusive thoughts and recurring panic attacks. I finally have energy to actually LIVE, instead of just trying to convince myself to stay alive. Mae can be reckless and thoughtless, but she has wonderful moments of compassion and humor, too, and if she'd just gotten the help she needed, I think she could've excelled at college, or at least been able to decide for herself if it was something she wanted, instead of her mental illness basically deciding for her. (That's discounting the Black Goat, thought, who I personally think was calling her home as it "took a shine" to her.)

[@scottw.3705]

I still havent played NITW but just watching this made me cry, ha. As a young adult w/ mental illnesses and struggles to see themselves in media this seems like both a realistic and hopeful depiction. Thank you for this video

[@renataabud4720]

I've been dealing with what I thought was depression for the longest time, and I didn't understand the episodes of mania. I would do my own version of 'Crimes' and when I came back down I would cover my ass up. I also hated how I always felt I wasn't in control of myself and would snap out of reality for hours sometimes. Then one of my friends gifted me the game and I felt like I was being called out. After playing it I cried and didn't leave my room for two days. This is probably one of the best written games I've played, the themes are extremely important, the representation it gives the youth with mental illnesses is important.

[@EerieLunarKnightshade]

The shapes conversation happens with whichever character of the three band mates you bond with the most throughout the game

[@faisceau7190]

Honestly I can relate to every main character (Mae,Bea,Gregg,Angus) all on a personal level, and that's why I really love this game.

[@dozekar1]

>what did you take away from this game? Depression.

[@inessa5923]

Played it again... Nope, still depressing.

[@Adam0Null]

Every Time I Play it I Get More Depression, And Suicidal Thoughts

[@LeoIsAwesome17]

I think Mae might actually be Borderline instead of Bi-polar. The symptoms are similar but given the dissociation, the frequent mood changes with little time between them, the self-destructive behavior, the poor self-esteem, and the impulsivity and the degree to which they seem to affect her suggests BPD rather than Bi-polar. I really love this game, it's so incredibly rare to come across media that deals with mental illness in a realistic and non-stereotyped way. I have BPD and for once I can relate to a character on a rather deep level without feeling like someone with my issues is being demonized or mocked.

[@yuzzem64]

keep up the good work Roses~ that bit about "Dissociation" was very interesting to me as i have had seemingly random moments where i feel detached from myself and everything feels different or unfamiliar or that I'm looking at my life from the "outside" since i was a kid

[@stadbab]

interesting! i'm bipolar myself, and i hadn't even considered that mae might be the same, though it was obvious with gregg.

[@DragonDoomLord]

Oh dear, so happy to see you played and enjoyed this title! What this game helped and many others I know do is have words and feel more comfortable talking about our own mental disorders or complex life situations. Feel really connected with Bea from her being stuck from life being a mess and taking all her life projects away, amongst other things, and I'm so freaking glad finally a work of fiction touched on that, and so well. And about Mae, I feel what's most likely, and what I saw many others mention as well, is that she has some heavy form or derealization. It is a form of disassociation, where one feels the "outside" is less real for moments. I know way more people (and go through personally) the opposite, depersonalization, basically where it feels like you are the one that is less real while the rest are, and have some similar effects on behavior. Neither tend to be on their or a catalyst of other mental disorders as much as symptoms of dealing with or combinations of other existing ones for the most part, so it's very likely Mae ended up with this as a result of all the other mental issues she deals with, and deeply upsetting events that pushed her further into being affected by them.

[@alexkrueger9415]

As someone with bipolar and mental illness, and having come home for similar issues to a frighteningly similar situation (minus cult imtrigue) this game really hit home. It came out at the perfect time in my life, and was respectful of the subject matter presented in this video, which certainly enlightened me further on this games writing. I don't know, it was just good and felt right and presented many parallels to myself. Just play it. I'll be subscribing to this channel. Thanks for the video

[@grimmcorvid5713]

What if Mea's nightmares are like... What she sees? The shapes? Or maybe the whole game. I mean it is mostly made shape-like. And I love the art style in this wanderful game!

[@Kadukunahaluu]

Dissociation and depersonalization are things I struggle with when my microbiome is unbalanced, and it happens a lot with me for some reason, even when I keep a healthy diet. When an episodes starts the static I see gets thicker and palinopsia starts to get worse, and I get an uncontrollable amount of anxiety and dread that makes me unable to sleep or enjoy anything. Probiotics and prebiotics help repair my microbiome, magnesium helps my vagus nerve. Mae is one of the most relatable characters for me, and I'm glad I had stumbled across this game

[@dylan_1884]

This game really changed my life. It's the game that showed me "walking simulators" and other narrative driven adventure games can be just as good or even better as more traditional games. I play it about twice a year and I still love it deeply. Great video, you did it some real justice!

[@Formoka]

I feel like everyone downplays the importance of the cult and the eldritch horror in this game, but I feel like the biggest moment of fear for Mae is when the eldritch horror in the pit exacerbates all of the problems Mae is having in her mind. The dissociation gets worse and she has to fight even harder to tell that thing it’s not going to take her. And there is also something to be said about the utter desperation of living your life in a dying town. I can believe people in my town would start sacrificing people to keep the town alive, because the people here are just that desperate. Everything they know is crumbling around them and no one is going to come make it better.

[@JayJayNoelastnam]

I think that what Mae means that she could only see people as shapes, she was seeing everyone as who there really was. Like, if you really look at the art style of the game, it's just shapes. In conclusion Mae was looking at things as if she was us; the third person looking in at the game.

[@haleykeck7430]

When I played this game, I really connected to Mae. I was in my early twenties, actually just graduated college and moved back to my hometown because of the pandemic. I realized I really struggled with my anger, and with saying things that come to mind without processing them first. And like Mae, I had a very traumatizing thing happen to me in my hometown that made returning difficult in ways that I didn't think about or understand before I came back. I witnessed friends growing up and moving on with their lives and wondered why I couldn't be like that. I had a weird relationship with my mom, who also had mental health issues. It really was like a mirror. But at the end of it all, I felt myself grow with Mae as she began to process her emotions and show some empathy for others in ways she didn't know how before. I truly love this game, Mae is very flawed but her flaws help the player see their own, and she encouraged me to grow as a human

[@scottgaskell2079]

I just did a marathon session of this game and I loved it. I wasn't sure what to expect but overall I thought it was touching and certainly relatable to me. At moments it was a tear jerker. I've seen threads on reddit where people have criticized it for Mae not becoming a "better person" after her experience but then they've probably never encountered mental illness. Really well done game

[@AdventureGameGeek]

Someone recently recommended this, and now you did too! The fish in the dream sequences remind me of the children's book The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister :)

[@Becca-bm8rt]

I've suffered from dissociation and Mae's description of what she experienced ringed very true to me.

[@meow__max]

Honestly, I immediately associated Mae with autism. There are a lot of reasons for this, but the biggest one I can think of is when those dialogue options where she wants to say something but then ends up saying the wrong thing occur. It also makes sense due to the relation between autism and psychosis, as autistic people tend to be more likely to be affected by trauma and can become paranoid/experience hallucinations because of that. But, I think the large quantity of options is purposeful. Many people can see themselves in Mae (I know I certainly do.) And many illnesses/disorders can apply to her, as many of them have overlap. It just goes to show that we all have more in common than we think. Maybe, through characters like Mae and her friends, we could achieve a greater understanding and acceptance of those different from us. That's my take-away from this game, anyway.

[@ianagrace9212]

This is all so true! I love how the game's dialogue explores mental illness so pointedly without it feeling forced. The writing is almost perfect in this game (:

[@lordbaionz]

Other similar games you might want to look into: _Sally Face_ and _Life is Strange_

[@inessa5923]

Can't forget Oxenfree! I totally forgot about Sally Face, by the way.

[@RPG_Streams]

I haven't played this game yet but as i have a mental disorder i relate to many of these characters through your interpretation of them. You always seem to produce some really interesting thoughts and opinions and you are always a joy (lack of a better word given the subject matter) to listen to and watch.

[@MissSirenita]

dissociative personality disorder might fit this a little more than being bipolar actually. this game made me relate to mae on a whole level. not saying she and I share the same disorder, but there is still a relatable aspect to it. it felt real to me.

[@legmanpv72]

Mental illness needs to be dealt with society in more understanding and fruitful way, they is often a stigma attached to it, more so if you are a man, I recently lost a friend due to my mental illness, oh btw it's my birthday today, hoping you start having more pickup videos seeing out and about picking them up and more collabs with LGR they are brilliant, keep up the good work

[@colonelyungblonsk7730]

kids with autism can be instructed to be normal adults, and some of it can click with them

[@madisonb8163]

its kinda funny how real Mae seems, I connect in a few ways. I have so many anger issues, and can seem upset very easily (had to have therapy), and I also kinda say things without thinking I have low self esteem and cant exactly adult good, lol and I wave my noodle arms in the air sometimes :P

[@vorpal22]

As a long time user of dissociative anaesthetics, I can say that as soon as Mae opened up about her experiences, that's where my mind immediately went: on my many dissociative experiences, things essentially decay into meaningless shapes and you feel like you are navigating in a detached dream. On several of my stronger ketamine experiences, I could look at a chair and have no concept of what a chair even was, or what its purpose was, or that it was an independent object from the rest of its surroundings.

[@dosrg3773]

i love how this game portrayed mental illness. it was the first time i ever saw myself represented the way i wanted to be. it wasn't stereotyping, it wasn't a "psycho" character, and it wasn't cured by love. Hell, i can completely relate to how Mae described her first depressive or dissociative episode. One day i was a kid, running around and playing and then it was like a switch. everything was dull, fun wasn't fun anymore and no matter how i tried i was just numb and everything was fake and dumb. i love this game, and i love how it dealt with the issues it featured.

[@foxo._.]

Am I the only one who thought that the way the game look it's all just May's vision of the world after she started to see "shapes" and that all characters are really normal humans?

[@planarlucille]

Finally got to play this game, and now I finally get to watch your video on it! Also soooo mad Bea and Mae didn't get together at the end.

[@aivokallo77]

Bea is obviously depressed in a functional way. She's clearly very insightful and intelligent (valedictorian of her class), but she's stuck in this small town because she wants to take care of her frail father. And she manages to do that, even if it makes her miserable letting her talent go to waste and life to slip away. Bea also says the best line in the game "Old men killing the youngs and the poors to get back some past that barely existed."

[@buttonstheturtle1843]

I personally have a mental disorder (SAD to be exact) and the frustration of wanting to say something else was excruciating but at the same time the options are what I would've said regardless, as well as the fact that Mae does actually express *some* apprehension to her and Gregg's crimes but then almost immediately joining in anyways. I kinda feel like Mae trying to get Bea to do "crimes" with her was her way of attempting to fix her broken/strained relationship with Bea, because of how vital crimes were to her close friendship with Gregg it would make sense that she'd try to use crimes with people she wants to be close to, such as Bea. Also, both me and my mom tend to have really bad mood swings, her's making her "flip-out" almost exactly like Mae's mom, complete with the desperate attempts to make Mae see why she's so upset but being almost unable to. My own mood swings are much less violent than Mae's and usually coincide with my more severe anxiety attacks, resulting in me beating on my legs and head, scratching my arms and palms, and even biting my hands (and my knees if I'm currently in the fetal-position) but I still feel like Mae is relatable in the sense of being desperate and acting violently and/or self-destructive. I really wish you'd talked about Bea and Angus's issues, their incredibly interesting characters and their problems tend to be ignored by the Majority of people as they aren't focused on as obviously as Mae and Gregg's. Still, you did a great job talking about Mae's struggles and I'm really glad that you actually mentioned her dreams, they aren't talked about nearly enough!

[@Esurnir]

Honestly Mae helped me through a dark time in my life. I really identified with her in this game and helped me well, not die I would say. Every character in this game had issue and while you said that "it might be hard for people with issue to enjoy it" the hard stuff did hit hard but. I somehow needed that, and seeing that happen was, helpful. And the ending flipped some switches I guess that made me drop some … well plans I had (not the good kind). Some people say the ending is sad but somehow it felt like she finally found a reason to live again. After she went to the mine to end it all she came out, and now she want to live again.

[@Awakeandalive1]

Huh. See, hearing about how unpleasant the protags were was making me want to NOT play... but learning there's a murder mystery and cult angle? Now I'm back on board!

[@lindsay2319]

As someone who dropped out of college because of depression and anxiety, this game hit so close to home it was sometimes hard to play. I think it's wonderful how well this game managed to portray a lot of feelings that I have trouble expressing.

[@weapingwillow82]

As someone with BPD I always kinda really related to Mae ever since the game came out, it validated things I was feeling and I’ve basically had the same exact struggles especially since Covid hit, I dropped out of college my sophomore year cuz I just couldn’t take it anymore.

[@paulasequeira55]

Night in the woods is one of those games people have to experience on their own. I first played it a couple of months ago, and later a friend came over and started playing it. It didn't feel the same watching someone else play it. I felt the pace of the game so slow. Yet I found it funny how, as you said, the dialogue options weren't as different as one would expect. I think the game even mocks you about it giving you two identical options to answer, which I found so interesting. There are lots of games out there selling themselves as "A WHOLE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE" for giving you options that might seem so different and take you to different paths, but in the end many of those decisions didn't actually matter. And sometimes you end up with a boring flat main character. Here it's different, Mae has a clearly resolved personality that makes the plot move in the direction she wants, the player doesn't really have any voice in it. And that lack of 'puppeteer-feeling' is what bought me. As a player I was just unveiling the story, and I was invested in it not because my decisions mattered, but because I truly wanted to undertand Mae, the rest of the crew, and what was going on. Personally, I really enjoyed it and hope to find similar games. And of course, looking forward to new things from Infinite Fall. Love your videos, PUR

[@billjacobs521]

I too have always preferred a real story driven by set characters, not one where I get to randomly choose what to do whole controlling a guy with the personality of a brick.

[@ryanphillips4123]

Nice work on this video! I'm really starting to appreciate a well thought out KZbin video and this is deffinetly well thought out. Great job!

[@LungMing23]

Just finished this tonight. Amazing game. Thank you for doing this review. I work as peer support in the recovery field and struggle with bipolar disorder. This game was perfect and like a warm blanket for me.

[@VegaStudio12]

I always clocked Gregg to be ADD/ADHD, since - if I remember correctly - Mae's mentions that Gregg's always been up and down but more day-to-day. If you're bipolar it's in longet periods, while when you're ADD or ADHD the ups and downs can change just under a day.

[@VegaStudio12]

And that he so easily just leaves work, if something more fun (band practise, smashing those lights) and of his interest comes to attention he switches directly to that instead. Even when we hung out with him in the woods he seemed - in my opinion - a bit inattentive, quite quickly moving onto the next thing, even though we did something he was interested in. Plus, his over all behaviour seemed childish which is common for people with ADD/ADHD, we never really grow up. Though how I precive him might be coloured by myself, I found him the most relatable character and I'm currently in an investigation for ADD/ADHD

[@failurestates]

Okay, let me start off by saying I have not played this game as of yet. With that out of the way, based on your description, I don't think it's bipolar disorder. The "symptoms" you described Mae as displaying in the game sound more in line with BPD (borderline personality disorder), especially the dissociation and drug use (alcohol is a drug). The contempt for authority is another good indicator, as are the self esteem issues, high risk behavior, social awkwardness, relationship issues, and seeming lack of a brain-mouth filter. Now I'm not a mental health professional, just a patient, so I can't say for sure, but I know that I was originally diagnosed bipolar, and that now the mental health professionals that I see daily for outpatient treatment are telling me I'm actually BPD and that I was likely misdiagnosed originally, or that the Bipolar II may be comorbid. Also, note that patients with BPD can experience what appears to be very mild manic symptoms ONLY in social situations, whereas with bipolar you can experience mania or hypomania regardless (although social situations and/or stress can be triggers). Just a little food for thought. Like I said, I'm not a doctor, and I may have some things wrong, but this is just my experience from my own mental health issues, having other friends with mood disorders, and from having a roommate who is Type I Bipolar (full blown manic depressive with psychotic episodes resulting from mania).

[@bokkimi2528]

Sooo this is what this thing is called - dissassociation. Has anyone here struggled with it? I am kind of tired of walking around with a hazy head and i dont know how to deal with it

[@bokkimi2528]

Guess i`ll try it

[@typillai]

Another good grounding technique that I use is the 5 senses grounding technique where you list out loud; 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste. Hopefully this technique can reorient you to the present and back to reality. It's pretty commonly used, but I just wanted to post this here in case there are people just discovering disassociation and looking for ways to regain their mental focus. ❤️

[@70swords]

Bi-polar makes so much sense. Even in story choices this is reflected. Bea and Gregg. Depressive and Maniacal.

[@ireallywannasleep3737]

the conversation on the couch about Maes dpdr will also happen if u choose gregg

[@artzilla23]

I love this game and I have been able to use how Mae describes the world with how I feel when I also disassociate. Though I don't have bipolar disorder, I actually have ptsd, I was about to understand Mae. This game also helped me bond with my girlfriend more and helped her to understand me.

[@Buutaro]

she was definitely talking about dissociation/dpdr during the couch convo at the end, not to mention she also said she was downing bottles of cough medicine in college every night just to sleep and dxm is a dissociative

[@malkavthemad4249]

Mental Illness is an odd thing. I am coming to grips with OCD. I can check my door 3 times before I leave to see that I locked it and still feel I need to go lock it again. I can however totally walk into my house and leave my car unlocked with my ds in it. The worst is if I cooked anything before leaving home. I spend most of the time worrying about whether or not I cut the stove off before I left. It is was very tempting to say these things are normal, but spending a whole shift at working worrying about whether or not you cut the stove off or checking the door so many consecutive times that you are late isn't normal or healthy. Facing this fact has made coping easier. Though I can understand the whole not being able to control your speech in a social setting as well. I'm an identical twin and my twin used to go to a pool hall regularly with some of our friends and I would avoid it because the of above stated reason. I finally was convinced to go one night and my brother had to work late so I went there without him. My friends were there and we had shot a few rounds of pool when some guys my friends played with before came up and asked if they could join us. The friend that was the most regular was introducing everyone and I thought to my self "These guys probably think I'm my brother." What I said when the stranger reached out for a hand shake was "I don't know you!" It was loud too. I didn't even shake his hand. It was just too awkward after that. I bet half the bar heard me. I just wanted to leave the pool hall right then and there. My friends and I joke about it now, but that it I felt bad then and spent the rest of the night wondering what was wrong with me.

[@hoagie911]

I think not only is mental illness a theme, the game makes it as close to explicitly clear as possible that Mae suffers from it, and we even play through some of her dissociative episodes. The reason the game doesn't explicitly confirm it is because Mae actively avoids help; during this game she would never ever visit a psychiatrist to get a diagnosis. If I remember correctly at the end of the game she makes a commitment to seek help.

[@ruarstergaming1695]

Just a little detail you got wrong about the game. The shapes conversation on the couch can be discussed with gregg instead of bea, depending on who you hung out more. Not sure if you can have that conversation with Angus but I don’t think so. Still amazing video for an amazing game!

[@kamateikaliath]

I saw a lot of it as a critique on capitalism and the "end of history" especially on Bea's story route

[@homsar1234]

PenguinOfFrozenWar I'm not sure if you're aware of this but socialist ideas have existed a lot longer than millennials have

[@QuikVidGuy]

Capitalism reqires the subjugation of groups of people in order to boost others and is directly fueled by racism and xenophobia. It functions on the idea that life and community are expendable if it means the 1% gets wealthier. .In places where the label isn't used as a cover for totalitarianism or fascism, communism has worked pretty well, and socialism is a part of every "first-world" nation. Not to mention other economic systems, you know, EXIST, the world isn't just Christians vs Commies and never was.

[@yoshi24800]

PenguinOfFrozenWar. Bro look at the comment immediately above you.

[@suspicioususer]

"Works pretty well" yeah like Venezuela. And before you say it no, Swedan is not socialist

[@MrXemrox]

Macaroni and Cliches No. It's not Racist, there are rich Minorities, just because they are some Capitalist ones, does not make them race traitors or Uncle Toms. That idelogy is a Racist one, discourage Minorities from pursuing goals, and when they do accomplished it, they call them those awful names (even though they did not screw anyone over, but just work hard and dedicate themselves to their goals, getting education, and built themselves over) and turn others against them, because they just bashed their narratives, rhetorics and idelogies to pieces. I am for treating people as human beings, they should to paraphrase Marther Luther King Jr. said, should be judged by the content of their character and not on the content of their skin.

[@SeekerLancer]

Mae is definitely suffering from some sort of dissociation disorder (especially depersonalization and derealization) but I don't think she's bi-polar.

[@dylanbednarz4430]

It is more likely Mae has a type of dissociative disorder due to event actually involving a disconnect from reality

[@aeramsi2828]

Thank you for doing this video, I'm doing research for some studies and honestly, I'm not a video game player or have any familiarity with the subject but because of this video, I could, in fact, save some time playing the game and get the information I was looking on mental health approaches on video games.

[@n0dltr0n]

This was a good analysis and I honestly took what bea said about gregg having bipolar disorder literally and thought nothing else of it. Also it helped put into perspective the frustrating dialogue choices. But I think you're ignoring perhaps the greatest theme explored in this game: Gregg Rulez OK!

[@franklee3]

I honestly related a LOT to Mae- not the low self esteem or the violent/criminal behavior. But when she does talk about why she beat up that kid, why she dropped out... well, it’s something I’ve never really seen or heard or read anyone else experiencing. I actually cried really hard at that point because it was way too real to me. I have pretty extreme anxiety and have had some really bad bouts of depression. I make my escape in games and books. But there were points, mostly when I was younger (I’m 20) when I’d suddenly get hit with this terrible wave, where it became too clear to me that these people and these situations are fake. It’s not real. It was all pointless. And suddenly my escapes became just as dreadful as everything else. And I looked around and the world was pointless. Just as fake as my books. And none of it mattered. Like Mae says, everything was just...shapes. It’s a terrifying feeling. Suddenly there’s nothing to hold on to, nothing to ground you. I didn’t become violent, like Mae does. I just broke down. It was really hard to dig myself out of that hole and learn how to be okay with the pointlessness of it all. How to enjoy things again, despite how I felt.

[@pacecory1]

I think it was about halfway through that I started to see the chuthulu stuff in the game and kinda expected it in the ending. That said I feel the strongest elements of the game are the parts where May is just talking to people, learning about them, and screwing things up. This is in fact one of my favorite games, and it is clear to me that May has some form of mental disorder, (possibly caused by chuthulu stuff) but what really gets me is the idea I had at the end of the game. What if none of the characters are animal people, and this is just how May sees the world, unable to cleanly distinguish people, she views them as animals to easily understand them. Just a random thought.

[@TinchoX]

Nicely explained! Loved the game, and it has so much emotion on it, it was well worth my while.

[@jaimie1938]

When you're looking through old newspapers in the game you can read an article about harmful gases from the mines under Possum Springs affecting the residents of a street, causing hallucinations in some. This seems like wayyyy too much of a coincidence and so part of me thinks that perhaps Mae was exposed to the gases throughout her entire childhood, which could have led to her developing something like psychosis. This could even explain the cultists' belief in the 'black goat' since they spend a lot of time in the mines. I don't know if the real world science checks out on that but as a hidden plot point in a video game it could work 🤷‍♀️

[@NarukoBELIEVEIT]

i think everything kinda hit me with this game when mae started talking about her dissociation bc like..... ive been dissociating every single day for years on end and damn tbh i dont think ive ever seen that ever represented in any form of media before??? it was wild to be able to relate to a character like that for once

[@cicadahumming]

chai latte same! I only ever heard about his game because of her dissociation. Having it for years !all the time! has absolutely sucked... I feel ya.

[@GiratinaofFury]

I feel for Mae, she never did anything really wrong, but I wish she just confided in her parents a little more. She kept telling them that nothing was wrong, and it was just anger issues, but what she has is so much more than that.

[@CybershamanX]

Thank you yet again for another interesting, mmmm, or maybe I should say...revealing(?) discussion of real world problems via the medium of gaming. I am consistently impressed by your frank candor and intelligent discussion of such topics as sexuality and mental difficulties. Not only that, but you also do it in a way that is comfortable and *never* sensationalistic. Even when you use pleasant wit and clever innuendo it's never in a way that is meant to poke fun at those who genuinely struggle with certain aspects of their lives. On the contrary, it allows even the casual viewer to relax and not only enjoy themselves but also perhaps learn something in the process. Your vids are never "preachy" and thus I find myself lulled into a state of open mindedness. I'm fairly certain that I'm not alone in this respect. So, keep on doing that voodoo that you do so well! Take care, Pushin' and everyone else, too. And please let's all remember to be kind to our fellow carbon units! :)