OTH: A Detailed Analysis of To The Moon

[@Eissey1879]

I didn't tear up at the end, but when the alternative "fake" reality happened ( when river gets removed from from john's memories and replaced with Joey) I really felt like my heart was breaking. And I don't mean that in the metaphoric sense, I straight up felt like i was having a heart attack. Never has any kind of media moved me like this game did.

[@sarowie]

I was sad that John lost the life we had - and wanted to have - for a childhood dream, that is basically his live. I wanted to wake up John and say him "everything is alright".

[@floundericiouswa5694]

The absolute GALL of Eva to “just move her” and gamble on the way to make it work…oof heavy

[@qoganjacks146]

"Never has any kind of media moved me like this game did" Indeed my Fri, Indeed

[@carljacobs1260]

I'm no part a gamer and I only played this game because my daughter recommended that I play it. She said "You will like the story." I started about 7:00 pm and finished at 2 in the morning. Once you start, you find you can't really stop. In truth it's not really a game so much as an excuse to tell a story in which the player may participate. I discovered a personal affinity for this story very quickly because of the autism story line. My own daughter (she who recommended the game) was, like River, diagnosed on the spectrum in early adulthood. That made it easy for me to pick up on River's "problem". The affinity came from the fundamental integrity of the attached dialog. There were echos of my own daughter's words all over the place in this story. That kept the story rooted in reality even as the memory device tended to push it into fantasy. It made it much easier to focus on the underlying point and let the memory machine simply provide the structure for the narrative. I must say however that the power of the story is found in the answer that was true and not the answer that satisfied. Eva and Neil sought to create a transient illusion in order to address the transient needs of a dying man. However that resolution ignores the true value that was displayed in the marriage of John and River. The game presented the marriage as a mistake born of tragic circumstances. It offered an alternative illusion in which the marriage could have been happy and it was that false memory that allowed John to die in peace. But any peace born of illusion must likewise be an illusion. The greater story is the love that John showed to his wife through all the years of hardship without exactly understanding why. That story of marital fidelity is what is submerged by the illusion - a story that is powerful not because it spoke of that which was easy, but because it spoke of that which was hard. That story re-emerges only at the end with the two graves side by side. That is when we see that the marriage was a success and not a mistake. It's at the end that you judge a marriage and not at the beginning. The ultimate moment in the story was River's description of the Lighthouses. That is when we come to understand the metaphor they have played through the entire story and all the pieces suddenly snap into place. That is the truth that John need to hear - that he wanted to hear. In the end, Neil was right and Eva was wrong. She took a risk, and in so doing buried the truth beneath an ethereal moment of seductive deception. [I wrote this before I listened to your review. I wanted to react cleanly.]

[@random53587]

wow, this was beautiful. thanks for sharing.

[@XG417]

That is the hidden tragedy behind this beautiful tale. Johnny died happy, sure. But on the other hand, River died never understanding why is it that he can't remember their true first meeting, the moment her life changed. Looking at it now, it seemed so unfair that it had to end like that. Really brings into question whether Neil and Eva's job is as noble as it advertises itself to be or not...

[@Silver-FoxYT]

Your daughter has excellent taste

[@Rippone]

Thank you for sharing your insight, it was very interesting to read!

[@Kayta-Linda]

Exactly right. Honestly, I found the ending too disturbing to really cry. And at the end, I just felt numb. Like... a good thing was just destroyed forever. Not to be replaced by something bad though. But just... gone.

[@vuevuevue2002]

I can never play this game again. Unless it's possible to forget what everything about it so that I can experience it for the first time again.

[@AeonQuasar]

You could write it down and "hope" for a similar condition to John. Then enjoy it every time.

[@hipporopinguinninis6650]

Man, i played it 10 times, and every single time i discover something new, that make the game even better than it was the time before. That is the range of quality this pice of art offers

[@kevinm5940]

Well, they made a sequel and there's a third game coming out.

[@moreno9381]

@@hipporopinguinninis6650 wow you are so brave

[@moreno9381]

@@hipporopinguinninis6650 wouldn’t you cry?

[@lorxlxi]

I played this game with my dad when it first came out. And he cried playing it, but me? I just replayed the horse chapter over and over and over again (until he took me to actual horse riding lessons and equine therapy) and just 2 weeks ago, I think I played the whole game by myself. I have never felt more emotionally attached to characters more, and no game has made me come this close to crying. The only reason I didn’t, is because I wanted to prove my dad wrong :) Anyway, this game is amazing and I love it so much that I’m scouting for content 8 years later. I also love how steam always said “preparing to launch to the moon” as if I was really going there.

[@oldstoffire]

Before clicking: Oh boy! A To the Moon video by SolePorpoise! I'll be engaging my left brain in my everlasting pursuit of knowledge After finishing: *unintelligible sobbing*

[@icantthinkofaname7293]

Toastoffire He favorites this comment, guess he's still checking back several years later.

[@oldstoffire]

End Me That doesn't really surprise me. His channels a lot smaller than it has any right to be, so he likely has email alerts on for comments. It's kinda funny, but the best way to read comments on your stuff is through your email, rather than the thing being commented on imo.

[@icantthinkofaname7293]

Toastoffire I just get notifications that aren't from Email

[@joshuacruz5436]

I taught a course to PhD students in education last summer... it looked at the relationship between humans and technology, using video games as a conduit through which to have conversation. To the Moon was the first game I made the students play! We had great conversations about the nature of narrative, meanings of life, the ethics of removing or changing memories... it was a pretty great course. And now we're publishing a book chapter about it. I love my job.

[@munasiri29]

This is amazing!!! What was the class?

[@joshuacruz5436]

@@munasiri29 Technology and the Humanities: The Intersection of Self, STEM, and Video Games!

[@mattdos7171]

@@joshuacruz5436 My god if I saw that title in my college course list I literally couldn't register faster

[@spentmoss]

"My wish? Well, I want to replay To The Moon... All over again."

[@DoctuhD]

One of the things that I love about the ending is that while it's sad that Johnny's wish to be reunited with River was only fulfilled artificially, River's wish for Johnny to remember the night they met was fulfilled even if she couldn't be around to witness it. And figuring out what had created that separation between them was the reason behind Johnny's wish anyway, so even though what happened wasn't "real" in the strictest sense, it wasn't any less meaningful.

[@bonnieboo2159]

I cried so hard during the montage when River was “removed” - and when Joey was brought back - and I also cried when River appeared in the space station. For a few moments, In my mind, Eva was the biggest jerk. Until I understood what she had actually done. I applaud the creator of this stirring work of art. It’s not just a game - it’s an experience like no other.

[@robhays5546]

Great analysis. I’ve been on a kick of Free Bird related videos with the release of Finding Paradise and stumbled on yours. Spoilers ahead- Something I’d posit as a response to the unreality of the climax is to consider two items. The first is to ask the question, “If given the chance, granting that Johnny has accepted River’s request to care for Anya and build the house, what would River wish for on her death bed?” We know what Johnny asks Sigmund Corp for. When looking to River, we recall that she gives Johnny the colored origami rabbit as she tries one more time to remind Johnny of their childhood encounter. Her wish is for Johnny to remember it, why? Because she can see that he is lost and has forgotten-her spoken fear from their first meeting. On her deathbed, she is not trying to get Johnny to remember his past for its own sake, She wants him to have peace in her passing by knowing that he can find her on the Moon. This speaks to the second point which is the intercut scene in the credits where Johnny and River are in their childhood forms where Johnny returns the platypus to River. As it takes place after Johnny dies, this is pretty clearly a scene showing that Johnny found his way in the afterlife to reunite with River. Despite the unreality of the climax, that his life with his brother and reimagined life with River are the invisible clothes of the emperor, this false narrative highlights their real wish. Johnny didn’t want to go to the Moon. His wish was to be reunited with River. The false narrative is the vehicle that allows them to find each other and fulfill both of their dying wishes. I think your point is particularly well-taken with respect to the fabricated existence of Joey. We players want to believe that the tailors have created something real. Thank you for your video!

[@geoffreyprecht2410]

Somehow, this video almost made me feel like I was experiencing the raw emotions of To the Moon for the first time again. I saw the story from a fresh perspective and it really affected me. This is the first time in a very, VERY long time that a KZbin video has made me shed tears. Thank you for this beautiful video. You've definitely earned a new subscriber.

[@lokp7]

i believe that river represented realism and john romanticism, but then, as they grew, she became a romantic to remind him of the person he once was and forgot, like he forgot what the bunnies represented and etc. The ideia of growing old and becoming more "realist" also comes in mind, we do crave for that naive romanticism of a younger age, once we become adults, but john couldnt, so she did for him, sacrificing, in a way, her own personality and later, her life.

[@lokp7]

To clarify, I do believe river had a romantic side too, however, her obsession with those concepts, like the lighthouse, were only there, because it represented that part of their lives and the person she first met, she couldn't let it die. We attribute it to her disease, the obsession, at the point of giving her life, but if you think about it, maybe we shouldn't; or maybe we should, but in a good way, seeing that if she wasn't autistic, she could have let them fade. In the end, it wasn't only a weakness.

[@GearHead_Media]

Wow man your analysis of games never fail to blow me away and leave me wanting more, seriously, very thought provoking and well put together. this needs to be something that people do more often whilst playing games, it's a shame that they don't. On a partially unrelated topic, HOW DO YOU NOT HAVE MORE VIEWS!?!

[@jasonpark1987]

Hope you play Finding Paradise soon; love to hear your opinion on it.

[@KitsuneLacksSleep]

Only recently got to the game, and was interested to hear someone elses thoughts on it (after I finished it) it's definitely a very emotional story, I can't say I cried, but it managed to tug on my heart strings harder than I thought it would. it was a great journey that I can recommend to anyone.

[@a.waldall]

Thank you for this viewpoint about the parallels to The Emperor's New Clothes. I kept wondering what the connection was but now it's all too obvious, even the meta-perspective about how the audience is self-deluded as well (although I had a kind of duality of my own, and at the end of the game while feeling satisfied ALSO found myself defiantly crying to the screen, "B-b-b-ut it's not real! It didn't really happen!"). Poor River spent so many years trying to jog Johnny's memory. Up until that becomes clear, you think she's a cold, distant, troubled woman. I thought the game was a fun mixture of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Vanilla Sky (reluctance to accept reality/ preferring to live in an alternate one) and...perhaps a dash of the movie Up, lol. Anyway, you also helped to underscore how River was symbolized by the moon and Johnny, the stars. Eloquent and astute analysis, sir. A river of tears awaits the next intrepid adventurer who embarks on their own...real experience.

[@EspaALSC]

Oh my..God, this review was amazing! I mean, wow, you're really good at this, this was absolutely great!

[@SolePorpoise]

Espanholina A Sonhadora Thank you so much! :D

[@Annatar_the_admirable]

Loved your first videos, but when I saw you were doing this... Man, I tear up just thinking about "Everything´s alright". Keep it up, you are amazing.

[@SolePorpoise]

I'm definitely keeping at it. It doesn't help that I'm lazy but I'm overcoming it to get more content out there! :D Thanks so much for the support *and* for being the first comment on this video! :D I sincerely appreciate both!

[@Herf18]

Good video, and has some good points. The end for me I cried initially at the ending it showed, but then I quickly said to myself "poor River" and that's what got me to truly feel the weight of it all. She suffered so much.

[@Allafif]

Interesting observation on the audience's viewpoint in the ending. I'll have to think about that. While I thought the ending was a nice moment for the patient, I was sadder that River wasn't there to experience it. What really affected me was finding out the reason why River made so many paper rabbits, and her inability to communicate it to the very end.

[@theshoes7488]

Why what happened? Can you tell me please?

[@tangibleghooosty]

@@theshoes7488 River was saddened when John revealed that he believed that the first time he met her was in highschool. She made the paper rabbits as her own way of trying to remind him of the real first encounter but his childhood memory loss wouldn't allow the connection. Then the last one she made was blue with a yellow belly to really drive the point home but it still didn't click for him. I too ended the game very sad for River because she died without that closure, and still unable to express that their first meeting was in childhood.

[@ColdFear22]

River spending the rest of her life trying in vain to get John to remember with the paper rabbits was, without a doubt, one of the most heartbreaking realizations/reveals ever. That was when I really sprung a face leak. Although to be honest, I was welling up for most of the final acts.

[@underwhelmingsummer6915]

YES i know it's been 3 years since your comment but that's what completely broke me today, I never cried like that in my whole life jesus christ lmao

[@aishashaikh5699]

love the parallel you drew between Johnny's attempt at changing his memory and the developers attempt at storytelling

[@sunlightswift]

When I read the emperor's new clothes I couldn't help notice all the descriptions of the beautiful fabric on the empty looms and their colors. I began to think about the difference between what people think if the fabric was there or not. I realized that all the beauty we attribute to the fabric even if it were real is still an imaginary construct of sociology and culture. Initially I thought the emperor became the fool he feared being discovered as, but as I thought about the focus of the story, I think really he stands as a determination to hold to ones own belief despite the opposition of others. In a way, the audience who discovered him naked could be called the fools, because they believe that the beauty actual clothes would bring has an absolute significance independent of cultural imagination. But really it doesn't and beauty itself is imagined whether clothes are present or not.

[@Holyhesk]

The piano work for this game was just amazing , not a fan of this instrument but it was truly fitting for this story

[@Hannah-en7wv]

That ending was beautifully said. Real or not, it doesn't take away the meaning, and the way stories impact our lives is very much real. There's only one thing I disagree with in this video though - about the doctors staying detached to the situation. (To the Moon spoilers) Eva talks to a simulation of Johnny who was grieving over River, even if it had nothing to do with their job. Neil claims he doesn't care about the people they encounter as they're just simulations, yet explains the situation to them, again without it being necessary for their goal. A major plot point in the story is Neil pouring his heart out to convince Eva not to remove River, because he cared about Johnny's happiness and understood River's importance more than their contract. And despite Eva pushing through it, she was hoping that Johnny and River would meet again too. At the launch of the rocket, Eva invites Neil up on the platform to watch it with her and there's a sentimental atmosphere. If you consider the sigmund minisodes too (spoilers for the minisodes ahead), Neil keeps a paper rabbit and makes a game about their case with Johnny, which Eva first calls disrespectful but comes to realize that Neil remembered all the significant moments of River and Johnny, and tells him that his game wasn't too bad. I just think it's very interesting that despite their lighthearted, sarcastic and sometimes inappropriate remarks, and how much they emphasize that this is just another job, the doctors still end up caring about their patients, their lives, their stories. There's something so human about it that makes them amazing characters to view the story through.

[@PatalachyPada]

There are not many things that can get me tear up, this is one of them; I don't even know what broke me the most - the ending, the blockers, or learning what the title even means. I'm still not ready to play Finding Paradise

[@PatalachyPada]

But I'll be honest, I didn't agree with the metanarrative angle at all - but still, a good video

[@TheSach]

I remember watching this like a year and a half ago and being absolutely amazed by this analysis. Time flies by too quickly :(

[@romainlaugier5915]

I think you managed to capture the spirit of this game. Many people need to be reminded that ALL stories are REAL, even though some acually happened, and some did not. This line was inspired to me by Patrick Rothfuss. If you are not familiar with his work, do something about it...

[@Frostyflytrap]

Wow, I've gotta say, that this analysis made me less angry about those people who didn't like this game. You have some very great points that rightfully describe and defend this game's unconventional method of storytelling, bravo. I was also in the making of a To The Moon explanation, but I got caught up by some painful criticism that I ended up not making a part 2 to my old explanation video of this game. Now I wish that I didn't put off watching this video and that I saw it much sooner. You did such a great job explaining it in so many ways that I can't seem to find a way for my to top that. XD I'll still try, though, I'll eventually make that part 2. Thanks again for the wonderful video, man. :D

[@uzairalikhan6232]

A phenomenal game indeed, These games are one of a kind. The sequels are equally as amazing. Didn't even realize this was 8 years ago! The game is timeless

[@theimortal1974]

another question is what happened to river? between the ending and a dub i heard (where river sounds "normal" at the end), i think river was diagnosed early on in the new reality so she could be as "normal" as isabelle. that allowed her to be able to become an astronaut and have her and john both go to the moon.

[@davidgn40]

I think it was just that Johnny was never aware of her having Asperger's Syndrome when they were children, and since Eva changed most of his memories past his early childhood, he probably never got an artificial memory where he learnt about it, and thus thought she was a neurotypical person. That's probably why she speaks normally when he met her again at NASA.

[@RayOfTruth]

Something interesting about teenage John's reasons for being interested in River is how it's a deconstruction of the manic pixie dream girl trope. Finding Paradise plays with this trope in the opposite extreme.

[@jessbragg1]

if you end up on ANY emotional rollercoaster, and its real enough to change you, then maybe you really did experience something, even if it was nothing at all

[@qoganjacks146]

To The Moon is the first piece of story that made adult me cry. As i get older, I found it harder and harder to root in characters and be moved by a piece of art to a point that those stupid waters can't stop dropping from my eyes. Life Is Strange got close to do so but failed at the last second. Guess I'm very good at holding my tears : ) yet To The Moon somehow managed to singlehandedly drain my tears. It's another reminder of why i love this medium so much.

[@Norepicklin]

Beautiful video. Reminds me of some of the story beats in Sanabi and how they also play with Romanticism. I'm not going to go into more detail here for spoiler reasons, though.

[@MattEland]

What a great way to end that video. Thank you for this analysis. I'll have to check out some of your other work. I just finished Finding Paradise and I wanted to revisit TTM via commentary / analysis and this helped a bit on that front. I feel that these games are so very important and so very real in their own ways, as lenses to look at the human experience and human emotion through. I feel you're absolutely right on Kan Gao - the man is a talented genius. Set aside the fact that he wrote the music and the music is incredibly powerful for the story, the writing and the way it weaves between themes and emotions to tell a well-designed and well-plotted story is absolutely remarkable. Even beyond that, there's enough in these stories to have a meta level as you look at what may or may not be going on with the two doctors in their own lives outside of this isolated story. Thanks for covering this.

[@kaimukiwahine16]

Keep rewatching this from time to time, hoping that maybe one day you may do one on the next games in the To the Moon series. You did a really great job for this game so crossing fingers for the following ones!

[@TheShoCookie]

your videos are actually so amazing, yet they go so unnoticed. will share with all my friends though!

[@johnnyhshify]

Played FP first then TTM after being blown away by FP. Found more resonance with FP.

[@petermozuraitis5219]

Cant wait for your triumphant return SolePorpoise

[@curiousj87]

Wow... You're good, that was deep 🥲

[@SaberknightX]

Great review mon, I never read the emperor's new cloths, this makes a lot of sense. And thank you for explaining Romanticism to me. After learning about the romantic era with books like The Monk, and Frankenstein the new Prometheus ... I always thought Romanticism was a cynical movement elevating nature, fearing industrialism, and woeing over the fall of the roman empire. Your definition is much more useful. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I was too drawn on the character conflict in To the Moon. Especially when they fought about: "We try to make our client happy." and how near the end their goal seemed to contradict itself. I appreciate Kan Gao more, because he probably hid all kinds of Easter eggs like this, and I am not worldly enough to know all of them.

[@kylejones1532]

There will never ever be a more beautiful game that can literally pull a grown man to tears amazing game and it's only made by 1 person so impressive

[@TheZavinskiStories]

You are brilliant sir! So glad I stumbled upon this channel!

[@adf9251]

thank you for posting this bro

[@lunia8889]

im glad john got his fabricated but happy end.. but nothing will remove the depression knowing that river died while trying so hard to get john to remember their moment, and he never did..

[@retrogamerdad9621]

A different take than I had. Well thought out with good points to consider, thank you.

[@davemathew4690]

Beautifully crafted video!

[@logixindie]

I think it was interesting that there were 4 real characters witnessing John's artificial reality. That made it a bit more real, as the concept of real could be about if anyone else is witnessing it. As if something actually happens but leaves no trace, its realness is meaningless.

[@minsklit5811]

oh man I just found your channel, I love it! keep it up!

[@Inuyasha619]

I would love to hear what you have to say about Finding Paradise

[@cruxlorewolfe3312]

It's a mad mad mad mad world.

[@mschanandlerbongofficial]

what an amazing story

[@ethaniel4505]

really no one gona talk about what happen to neil in the end?

Awesome explanation for an awesome game! Thank you so much!

[@SolePorpoise]

Thank *you* for watching! :D

[@Rawnchie14]

Late to the party but holy shit, this is a crazy well made video

[@pety3554]

Awesome video, thanks for doing an analysis on to the moon, for a while i have been struggling with moving on, and your video just helped me overcome it!!! the only part that i don't quite understand is wether river gets a happy ending too, what's your option about this?

[@SolePorpoise]

Thanks so much for the kind words! And yeah, I certainly think she did have a happy ending. She got to rest next to her lighthouse while Johnny got to meet her on the moon. I think they both got what they wanted considering he was the romantic and she was the realist. :)

[@eggnog4266]

I still cant help but feel that its still a little sad, that in remembering the promise that johnny made for river, he lost his memories of him and river's real story, and of river's attempts to bring back the memory of when they first met.

[@ShanksTyata]

pretty deep story for a video game don't you think

[@L-_-T]

This was beautiful and so well done. Just a slight pseudo-corrective, I thought it worthwhile to note that, philosophically, realism was the naive default position rather than arising "in opposition to romanticism." The romantic reaction occurred against the increasing domination of empirical observation over philosophical insight. As Sydney Hook (Pragmatism and the Tragic Sense of Life, 1974, p. x) brilliantly said “not a single new argument has been advanced against the supremacy of rational method in the understanding of nature, society, history, and man since the romantic reactions against modern science that stressed feeling and intuition as sources of self-authenticating insight”

[@madeinedmundston]

WOW....can't wait for Thursday!

[@ambergong7201]

This is so beautiful!

[@projectpems8304]

To The Moon is getting a sequel. Check out Kan Gao's channel

[@siddharthgupta1675]

Dude where was i before!! Very well explained!!!

[@OgagSoriano]

🎵 Sa’n ka punta? To the moon Road trip vroom vroom Skrr skrr zoom zoom Sa fake na room, mga mata namumula 'Asan ang trees, nadala mo ba? Bawal ang tus at peke sa biyahe Kung isa ka d’yan ika’y bumaba 🎤

[@tulegendarbassov5148]

Very good. Make more videos about games that weren't advertised widely.

[@sutranitsua]

I didn't get the reference, but i did notice it.

[@dexxboii3080]

Even just the song gets me broken down

[@theimortal1974]

i don't understand why river needed to be gone from his early life. is it because her realism is what kept him from going to the moon?

[@TheKrigeron]

It was alright.

[@Gomle1]

well said!

[@Mauricio_Magus]

Just finished Finding Paradise so I'm revisiting some old To the Moon videos, I wonder how you feel about the Sequel and the Mini Episodes we've gotten, anyways, great video.

[@kieudung]

Awesome vid dude!

[@Merlandese]

Great vid, man

[@ReadyAimFire_]

Not gonna lie, i cried when playing it.

[@ARVEN1UM]

That voice-over tho HAHAHAH

[@Samps76]

IMPOSTER FACTORY TODAY! Who's excited?

[@anuvette]

Pls make one on finding paradise

[@matthewconley7568]

May I request a video on this game's prequel/sequel combo: A Bird's Story and Finding Paradise?

[@VermontConnection]

I can't finish the game because it doesn't save my progress, Steam discussions showed others having the same issue but no fix :(

[@undeadwolf5844]

DUDE THERE'S A SEQUEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's called Finding Paradise btw.

[@WIIND1]

dude your videos are just awesome, i wanna ask if you have any interest in doing a video about the Metal Gear Series

[@SolePorpoise]

wind565 Thanks so much, man! :) I did actually! It's hard to say if that will come to fruition though for a lot of reasons. I did a couple months'-worth of research but it never came to be. One of the reasons is the fact that Kojima has said video games aren't art; it made me feel like I wasn't finding things that were actually there, but were instead mere coincidences. And, as you probably know, MGS games are pretty weird. :) So It's hard to see contrast in the things that are weird for artistic purposes, and things that are just weird because that's Kojima's style. This makes it hard for me to feel confident in my reasoning and I started to feel dishonest when building my case. With that said, there are a ton of really incredible theories out there that I totally subscribe to, I just felt I should postpone it until later. If it's going to happen, it'll happen after The Phantom Pain comes out. I'm really looking forward to that and I have a my notes ready to see if the stuff surfaces in that game too. Depending on how my theories line up with TPP will depend on if that video gets made or stays in the "maybe pile." Thanks for the support and the recommendation! It's awesome to know there's interest out there for that. :D

[@adrianli7757]

SolePorpoise But that's okay! I'm sure you'll agree with me that authorial intent is only a small part of what makes a piece of art impressionable and exciting for everyone else. Very much to the spirit of this video, it's not the game I am so enamoured with, but what you, dear sir, have extracted from it. That in its very own right makes me stay up in the middle of the night watching your videos. I have not done much in my life, but I will be satisfied that I have encouraged you, the great Sole Porpoise, to confidently push forth your own interpretation of what art is available to us in our generation.

[@SolePorpoise]

Adrian Li Hahaha I'm going to print out and frame that last line! You're way too kind but thank you so much for your support. I'm thrilled to have it! :D

[@adrianli7757]

SolePorpoise You should really get on Patreon and have a FB page! I'm already following you on Twitter. I'd be shocked if this wasn't your full time job already. I'd like to make it so.

[@SolePorpoise]

Adrian Li Oh my God! :D Thank you very very much. I have a Patreon in the works but surprisingly enough, you have to be delicate about begging for money. Who knew? :D I should have one up in the next month or so. Thanks again, man!

[@danashrulez]

Can you please make one on finding paradise?

[@brentramsten249]

if a machine were to simulate the senses perfectly we would perceive reality the same as we would without it, what proof do you infact have that this is not currently the case? what is "real" or reality for that matter? real is just what we have to latch onto, not a whole lot more, and certainly not less.

[@spraynpray1010]

Going back to the last of us review look at the title screen do you see the knife in the window it looks like Ellies i wonder what it means any ideas?

[@SolePorpoise]

That's a really awesome observation! I just went back and checked but I can't quite make one out. I think I see the hilt of a knife at the top of the screen and a little to the left of the window, but it's too dark for me to decisively say it's a knife and not peeling paint. My screen just not have the adjusted colors that let me see it. Is that what you're talking about, though? If it is a knife, and Ellie's knife at that, I'd guess it's foreshadowing of Ellie's character. That would be my guess but please let me know your thoughts if you have a theory! :D Thanks!

[@spraynpray1010]

SolePorpoise my thoughts on it were the old saying bring a knife to a gun fight in that battle with the canibal clan she was way way capable of carring a gun (not it in that fight) she had the smaller knife and won. She is the youngest of the 2 characters. She did kill him with the butcher knife she did use the bigger one. So maybe he next last of us joel leaves and ellie picks up a kid. This is coming off my head it may not make sense. U tried me best so

[@SolePorpoise]

spraynpray1010 That's a brilliant idea for a sequel if we get one. I hope you're right on that!

[@Goldsavergamer]

So who is Anya?

[@katilonglkr9762]

The lighthouse

[@AD-ij2wj]

I haven’t played this game. Did you just spoil it for me?

[@cloroxbleach5368]

There is still one thing I don't understand... Does John even "experience" going to the moon? Because if the doctors are simply altering his memories, then wouldn't he just have the vague memory of it?

[@Leinarth_]

+Clorox Bleach He dies with the created memories they give him, reaching the moon I think is one of them because although the game didn't show it, it would be a giant memory impossible to forget.

[@PonzooonTheGreat]

He was given the memories total recall style so that he could die without regret.

[@takayasakaki4412]

Change the thumbnail. We can't tell it's "to the moon" since it's covered up by the runtime on mobile. And the title is too long to read "to the moon" on mobile.

[@SolePorpoise]

Thanks for the feedback! I wasn't aware of that so I'll make the change ASAP!

[@theshoes7488]

There isn’t a single storyline video on all of KZbin 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@FiggsNeughton]

Guys, serious question about To the Moon. I tried to play, but the dialogue seemed really awful! The first two people you meet are some kind of anime trope of the goofball male and the angry female, where he acts like a little kid and she nonstop abuses him. So my question is, does the dialogue ever get any better? I really want to experience this game but I can't help but think that it's just a specific subset of gamers who can engage with this sort of thing.

[@SaberknightX]

No it doesn't. Not really. I transfigured the dialogue into something more palpable as I read it. Because although the dialogue lacks finest, the other components make up for it. To me, the directing is meticulous; the character gestures, and music beats helped me understand what the scene(s) was going for. So I changed what the characters were saying to what I thought they were trying to say, I know enough turn of phrase and tropes that it became easy. Maybe I missed some nuances but the story in it's simplest context is beautiful to me.

[@Staenhus]

A little late, but the answer is yes. I can see how the start is a bit rough, but as soon as you get into the actual dreamworld, the story picks up and the characters gets a bit more direction to their quipping. The kid-like behaviour/stern nature of the doctors is not all there is to them and, well... this story kind of creeps up on you over time. It's well worth it to play, and if you find it tedious to play, watching a Let's Play of it is an option (if yet a less qualitative one, I would say). You'd do yourself a favor to experience it some way though, because even if it might be rough sometimes, it's very much worth it in the end, at least in my opinion.

[@SquidwardAF]

If you're interested I finished the game and hated it from the beginning. Great Last of Us video though.