Seeing Shapes: Finding Humanity in Night in the Woods

At the end of everything hold on to anything. This phrase is perhaps the most important phrase in Night in the Woods, even though it never actually appears in the game. This video is a narrative analysis of Night in the Woods that explores the dichotomy between meaning and shapes.
Hostile Design: www.theguardian.com/society/2...
Jacob Geller: / @jacobgeller
Twitter: / chariotrideryt

[@thattimestampguy]

1:19 Feeling Like Home 1:56 Everyone Knows, Everyone Judges 2:21 May did a bad thing which garnered her infamy 2:56 Something snapped, she felt lost 3:54 Home 🏠 Tree 🌲 4:18 Atomistic :( 4:55 Detached 5:21 Meaningless Nihilism Spiral 🌀 5:40 Characters are not real people; yes, however, the investment is real 6:33 Acceptance for Magic 7:27 Danger of Dehumanization 7:50 Shapes vs People. Enigmas vs Real 8:07 Human Impact 8:19 Bruce: Bless 9:40 Life Loss at Work 10:25 Death Cult 💀 To end Needy 12:08 Surreal Dream 13:44 Lost and Clinging On 14:09 Family Meaning 14:28 “At The End of Everything, Hold on To Anything.” 15:12 Something, at least 16:10

[@lyrabloodwolf2171]

I remember when I first played, the “Shapes” conversation that Mae has sent chills down my spine because of how much I related to it. I had a pretty bad mental breakdown in high school, though mine wasn’t as violent. One day I realized I felt disconnected to the world around me, like I was going through life without really experiencing it. I felt numb enough that I actually stabbed myself in the leg with a pencil during lunch and ended up being sent home, starting a long period of therapy, hospitalizion, and self-isolation at home. I finished high school in home schooling. It took ten years for me to get back to some sort of normalcy. The way she describes seeing people as shapes feels exactly how I felt right before my own mental snap. I related to Mae on such a personal level that I was in tears multiple times throughout the game, seeing my own mistakes being played out one way or another. That may be why this game struck me so hard, as it’s ending was ambiguous but hopeful.

[@zemineriver8043]

"Everything I've ever let go of has claw marks on it" i know one day I'll have to let go of my small home town. I need to leave to be myself and be happy, but leaving home behind feels...unnatural i guess

[@Chariot_Rider]

Change is always difficult. To leave behind what you know is difficult and I am not even sure you can completely leave it behind. Sure, you can physically leave, but that town is a part of your history and its influence on you will extend in some way into your future. Best of luck going forward.

[@zemineriver8043]

@@Chariot_Rider thanks duder!

[@LithiumThiefMusic]

I also think there's something to be said for the fact that Mae is struggling with dissociative existentialism in the face of hard materialism. That is to say, at the end of the day, are we really so different? It calls into question the very nature of consciousness and ego, and the illusory nature of "being" a person.

[@JacobGeller]

Great stuff.

[@ketan1239]

Did not expect such a big youtuber in the comments section of this video lmao

[@itsaUSBline]

Huh, I hadn't previously connected Mae's dissociation and inability to see people as something other than simply things with the actions and attitudes of the city council and cult. It makes a lot of sense, though. I had struggled with the ending a bit, feeling like the twist with the cult sort of came out of nowhere, and interpreting it more in terms of the socio-political subtext of the game, but the fact that it also fits in so well thematically with Mae's dissociation really brings it together. Man, that game really has layers. Easily an all-time favorite of mine. Really excellent and insightful analysis. Easily one of the best analysis videos I've seen on the game. Stumbled across your channel searching for videos about Hyper Light Drifter and then saw you had one on NitW one. Definitely happy to find your channel. I'm surprised such good content doesn't have more views.

[@subprogram32]

This is a very good time for that one quote by Terry Pratchett, via the medium of his book Carpe Jugulum: "...And that's what your holy men discuss, is it?" [asked Granny Weatherwax.] "Not usually. There is a very interesting debate raging at the moment on the nature of sin. for example." [answered Mightily Oats.] "And what do they think? Against it, are they?" "It's not as simple as that. It's not a black and white issue. There are so many shades of gray." "Nope." "Pardon?" "There's no grays, only white that's got grubby. I'm surprised you don't know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people like things. Including yourself. That's what sin is." "It's a lot more complicated than that--" "No. It ain't. When people say things are a lot more complicated than that, they means they're getting worried that they won't like the truth. People as things, that's where it starts." "Oh, I'm sure there are worse crimes--" "But they starts with thinking about people as things..."

[@SilverFan8]

Wow, I never heard of that book. Maybe I need to read more.

[@TinyNeenja]

This was absolutely amazing. Totally going back and playing through the game again!

[@user-js3nk9lh8n]

this is a beautiful analysis ! thank you so so much ! it's rare to have people actually sit and analyse games in such a complex manner so thank you !

[@Chariot_Rider]

Thank you!

[@SilentiumLitwicks]

God this game came out while I was struggling with symptoms of an unchecked dissociative disorder. The shapes conversation broke me. This game means the world to me

[@FlameRat_YehLon]

Weirdly enough, this was uploaded on my birthday, and I thought I did have way too much connection to Mae than I really should before... But nowadays it's more about self discovery at this point, likely because I do live on the other side of the earth. And that makes me, well, not Mae? It's less of not seeing others as shapes (TBH it's not super hard to stay in the social comfort zone) but more of seeing myself being, well, something, not to "prove the world being wrong" but to just "do what needs to be done" regardless of whether it "matters". Well, still to find humanity in shapes I guess, but more actively "not care". And think of it, I kinda always have the same mind but it took years for me to realize what matters and what doesn't. It doesn't matter to be popular, and it doesn't matter to be part of a subculture either, but it surely matters to not feel special about what I do that's different, and just do it because that's what I do, rather than "being like Mae" that just snuggle into place because there's where sense goes. Well, anyway, when I first played NITW it could be, basically my all time lowest point, and Mae's story kinda fits way too well, but now that I look back, I just find it less fitting, and it's no longer my lowest point.

[@DanielSantosAnalysis]

Was gonna watch, but I haven't played the game yet, so I'll be sure to do that and come back later.

[@kejtov]

*"Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."* - Alfred Lord Tennyson (and Capt. Jean Luc Picard)

[@justflavio]

I feel like a lot of this flew over my head when I played the game a few years ago. Thanks for this, I’m gonna go back and play this again I think.

[@Nizzumnuts]

This video is underrated

[@JayVBear45]

Excellent analysis. "Do not go gently into that good night. Rage! RAGE against the dying of the light..." Dylan Thomas.

[@justink8156]

This video deserves way more views, great job. Also it's cool that you got Jacob Geller to read your script, didn't expect to hear that at the end.

[@acebee46]

Wow, this really helped me get the themes! I wasn’t exactly satisfied at the end because I didn’t understand a lot of things but this helped

[@ziadconnolly057]

I also love the Meta approach to this in games that acknowledge being games, stories like Undertale, Marathon, and many more lose control of themselves, how would a character feel about it happening if they know it happens at all

[@Afterthoughts]

I love the theme you carried through this video

[@justflavio]

I feel like a lot of this flew over my head when I played the game a few years ago. Thanks for this, I’m gonna go back and play this now I think.

[@gulfy5970]

Just finished this game a few days ago. This is by far my favorite analysis of the themes of the story. You do a great job and I'm excited to see more!

[@ninjataco7777]

At the end of everything. Hold onto this video.

[@birdsrneat]

Just finished it last night and literally cried until I was too tired to continue

[@magicalblueberries]

i think its save to say that you got a lot of inspiration from shammy's review of night in the woods. which is definitely a good thing! nice video. i love night in the woods!

[@juliemassam933]

This is good! I think we all have that moment where things aren't the same and we have to figure out are we staying or are we leaving because things are changing?

[@oliviaruzicka3712]

This is a fantastic video. Thank you for making it 😌

[@Chariot_Rider]

And thank you for watching!

[@dissonanceparadiddle]

This is great!!!.... I'm gonna have to come back and watch it after I play the game though

[@odiugretsam1597]

i'm surprised this only have 20k views, it just is such a good video

[@jmh8817]

A lovely essay for a lovely game.

[@MnemonicHeadTrip]

Halloween night and I’m really liking this video. I can really relate to a lot of NITW

[@WoahSpookySkeletons]

Finished this game recently, I really like the spin you put on the game.

[@V_y-r_e]

‘Tis pretty good work! Too many people didn’t seem to give the story the credit it deserved, largely due to the fact that it went over their heads since it’s such a specific message. It didn’t go over your head, however, and it made for an enjoyable video. The only piece of criticism I have for the future is to try not to summarize the story so much. It took around 3 minutes of introducing the scenario to get to the analysis. This video seems to be targeted towards people who have played the game to the ending, so summarizing/repeating a lot of information that is told in the story and doesn’t add to your over thesis/arguments is kinda annoying (I cannot think of the word I’m trying to say, but I think you get what I mean). Other than that, though, solid work. Looking forward to what is to come.

[@kenplaysgames9692]

I think it's useful for those of us who haven't played in a while and could use a refresher at least.

[@katesterthegreatster5619]

Also, it's useful because depending on what choices you made in the game, you might not have seen all the scenes/the scenes that he's talking about

[@LithiumThiefMusic]

This was a solid analysis, I enjoyed it a lot.

[@rewcana7581]

fantastic analysis and great video!

[@Bandajify]

i just played the game for the first time. thanks for putting my chaotic thoughts into words

[@csyrup]

Good stuff my guy

[@ginko2692]

Fucking excellent video mate

[@ADRIANSKA97]

What a great video!

[@antonvierkant6286]

The problem with the "shapes" is one of the biggest aspects of capitalism.

[@EmpathicPerson]

OH MY GOD THE MY FAVORITE HUMANITY IN IMPORTANT NOVEL VIDEOGAME!!

[@ajinasociety1238]

Incredible vid

[@eeaahh]

good vid, subbed :)

[@mackmackgamer1306]

Was this game inspired by davey wreden? Because it came up when I typed up his name.

[@Chariot_Rider]

mack mackgamer Wreden also makes games with a narrative focus, however their games are pretty different. The Stanley Parable and The Beginner’s Guide both cover themes that are very different than Night in the Woods. I am not saying there is no influence from Wreden’s earlier work, but I am not aware of it if there is

[@gabesterwitz9054]

"Hopes, dreams" *Undertale Fans Liked That* Sorry, I couldn't resist. The video was quite amazing, honestly.

[@hallowhades4419]

I just dont get it like why does she have to experience this the whole game sounds like a riddle to me

[@autumn_redmoon]

У меня тоже было ощущение что всё это родное и что я это знаю уже очень очень давно😭🧡🧡🧡

[@nicktauro1839]

4:02 technically they can, but I'm not getting into that