The Most Despicable Game Ever Made?- Rachel Foster vs. Gone Home Review

[@cryptfly]

Here's the thing, a daughter and mother being very defensive and unwilling to accept the truth about a man that abused a young girl and destroyed two families is unfortunately realistic. A lot of people absolutely do not want to lose their idealized version of someone, especially of a father and husband. Blaming the victim in favor of a man is basically more common than not, I have personally seen it. In fact, the abuser being "loveable" is also believable, abusers will go out of their way to make everyone else think they're the most wonderful person so no one believes any allegations. Playing as a character in those shoes is certainly uncomfortable but has merit, a story to explore. The protagonist having to face the facts, the truth from the victim's side and shattering her beliefs about her parents would make for an impactful story. But for the story to then also defend him and excuse the abuser, giving absolutely zero voice or agency to the victim, is so infuriating and honestly, just bad storytelling. It's so clear that they only barely understood the subject matter they wanted to play with. It's so much shock value and so little emotional weight. The setup had promise, but there was no point to the story. Deeply disappointing.

[@digitalhauntology]

You’re right. And during the opening chapters I thought that it was an interesting angle. I could tell Nicole was still idealizing the man. But between the rest of the story, the brother calling the abuse “a love” and then the game going out of its way to evangelize the man while also trying to skirt that line of age of consent technicality. Nah. Rachel should have had some characterization, but given the rest of the game’s writing. We may be better off having been saved from whatever bullshit they’d have her say. Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching!

[@cryptfly]

@@digitalhauntology good point, we may have dodged that particular bullet 😅

[@IAmNotAWoodenDuck]

I'm just baffled that this is the story they were trying to tell. I half expected it to end with her figuring out that her father was a monster and that she was manipulated into forgetting and forgiving him for what happened. That her glorification of him made her ignore the truth and see things in the wrong light. But no, that's not what they meant. Even the fact that Rachel's missing photo depicts a modern girl with a more mature look and not a 16 year old from the 80s who still wears a retainer makes me feel like they were trying way too hard to convince the player that Rachel was mature enough for him. And that's... honestly sick. The "an act of love" line made me feel sick to my stomach. She talks about how someone was putting pieces of her past in front of her to show them to her in another light, but that's not true. They put them in front of her to say "hey, it's okay. Your daddy's a good man, just like you thought. He didn't do anything wrong. Mom was right, Rachel ruined the family." That's not a different light. That's the exact same opinion she had as when she walked into the hotel. The game might as well not have existed at that point because there's no progression, only justification. The fact that they could show so clearly that not only Nicole's father but also Rachel's brother were complete monsters and then still try to convince the player that it's all about love and that it's all beautiful and good is sickening. That's the only thing I can think of. It's sick. I won't get into it either, but I have experience with men like Nicole's father. They're already really good at making people feel like they're the true victims. They don't need a whole video game to do it for them.

[@digitalhauntology]

The whole thing is completely baffling. And yeah im sorry you’ve got experience with this stuff. A few people in the comments including myself have had to deal with people like this. Truly a gross game and they really should have done their research.

[@WASTEOIDx]

Goddamn there was a lot in this one. Not only did they defend child abuse, but they also pulled the "oh no these rape allegations sure did ruin HIS life. Yup, he's the real victim here. The man." The writers took all the worst parts of the shining, dont breathe and silent hill and just went "well it references all the things I like, it must be art". Great vid dude 🤘

[@digitalhauntology]

True I wish I had said that bit about it ruining HIS life. I think I said enough to kinda make that obvious, but it is exactly as you said. Thank you for watching!

[@WillieManga]

The only time the accused abuser deserves sympathy is if the abuse allegations are actually false. While it does happen where it is a lie, this scenario makes it pretty much clear that they're not.

[@flaurehn]

Someone: We should make a (game/movie/book) about pedophilia. Other person: Oh, are we going to explore the subject from the POV of the victim, their thoughts, and how they feel trapped in their situations, as well as doing a very well documented investigation with organizations dedicated to combat child abuse? First person: WTF? Of course not, the misunderstood abuser is the actual victim here!

[@digitalhauntology]

It was definitely a choice I haven’t seen before. Probably for good reason…. Thanks for watching!

[@Adelynoir]

Here is a way to improve the story. To begin, why did Leonard marry Claire? He is charecterized as a flighty, selfish person who cares more about hos own intrests than empathy. He knocked up his first girlfriend at 16, and due to her religious beliefs was pressured to marry her. But after Nicole was born, he was devoted to his daughter and so kept his relationship with his wife and played happy family for her sake. Second, get rid of the infantalization of learning disorders. Rachel's father was a new priest who moved to town. Because Claire is a huge member of the church Leonard met the priest and became fast friends. The priest asked for Leonard's help to tutor his daughter in math but Leonard discovers she is dyslexic and wants to help her with that too. Get rid of the creepiness about viewing Rachel as an adult. Nicole was only ten years old, and admired Rachel like a big sister. She viewed Rachel as perfect because she was a little girl looking up to an sixteen year old who plays with her. In the end, Leonard is caught kissing Rachel, and all hell breaks loose in town. But from 10 year old Nicole's perspective, all she knows is Rachel doesnt visit anymore and her parents are always fighting. Then, Rachel is found dead, and the story continues from there. Throughout the story, Nicole learns of her father's affair, but also learns about some darker aspects of her dad. Notes idolizing Rachel as the perfect woman, young and beautiful, childish and pure. Red flags But then Rachel gets pregnant, and Leonard doesnt want the baby because it reflects what tied him to his unhappy marriage with his wife. But Rachel wants the baby. In the end Leonard killed Rachel, because she didnt match his perfect vision of her and his obsessive and controlling nature is revealed he was a man who groomed a young woman he was tasked to care for, by essentially love bombing her, trying to make her into his 'perfect girl'. Realizing this, Nicole must come to terms with her negative feelings of her mother who she disliked for taking her from her beloved father, but who hid the truth of his heinous acts so she could remember him with love.she has to deal with the image of her devoted father, and a man with a cruel and controlling streak who was obsessed with reclaiming his oppertunity for love at any cost.

[@digitalhauntology]

That’s definitely another take on it, and I’d go as far as to say a better take. But the more I think about it, the game would require a complete re-write like this or just burning it down and starting over in order to get it to work. As it stands, the game is in real rough shape.

[@lukemcdermott5244]

Though it was claire that struck the physical blow, it was lenoard that truly killed rachel. He destroyed everyone. A tough story this one!

[@CakeoftheMews]

The justification for pedophilia is one (extremely disgusting) thing. But the PLAYABLE SUICIDE is a whole other level of fucking inept.

[@digitalhauntology]

Yeah it's insane. The whole game is insane haha. I have played games where suicide is presented in a playable manner- Visage being one of my favorite games in recent years, and I think that it can be done well if it makes sense to the plot. But here... I don't know how they got there. Thank you for watching.

[@kariissmol9172]

I mean... I think its always more usable than cutting myself. Modded sims goes yay

[@lucidpinkk]

god i hate the rachel foster game. the justification of the grooming is so… if they’d just reframed the game around RACHEL and shown how leonard ruined HER LIFE not the other way around, it might actually be playable. loved the video

[@digitalhauntology]

Yeah the game is just… gross. They could have done so many different things, but given how they wrote the game- I think the less we heard from Rachel, the better. I couldn’t even imagine what type of horrible stuff they’d have her say. I’m glad you liked the video! It was a weird one to make for me and took a lot of effort. Thank you for watching!

[@elvingearmasterirma7241]

Hey pro-tip to aspiring horror/drama writers If you want to write about these kinds of situations there are good guidelines to follow A. Research. Every angle. Until you have a bunch of word documents saved to reference. B. If you want to write about CSA, read from websites by oroganisations dedicated to fighting CSA. C. Put more sympathy and focus on the victim/suvivor. Like, do the opposite of what this game did. Please I beg. D. Take mental health breaks. Dark topics, when treated with the respect it deserves, will drain you. Its not fun.

[@digitalhauntology]

💯

[@elvingearmasterirma7241]

Ah yes this game. If I ever meet the writers irl I really wanna talk with them. Uh yell. And then grill them

[@digitalhauntology]

Hahaha, I hear you. I’d settle for a commentary track or a long Q&A. But who knows, they might just be creeps. Thank you for watching!

[@elvingearmasterirma7241]

​@@digitalhauntology i may be highly biased due to my own past traumas but I am leaning into: They're creeps. Seriously. You can write things that do not align with your morals and dont have to moralise. But the choices they made? HEAVY SIDE EYE. It makes me _sick_ no 101 i am not going to sympathise with a r pist and pedo and you cannot make me!

[@digitalhauntology]

Agreed. I think the part that troubles me the most is that they tried to hide behind age of consent law to muddy and otherwise minimize. The game put me into a bit of a depression in the making of this video, I just wish I could hear why in their own words they made the choices the made. And I wish I understood how it got published. But with this publisher just putting out Gollum… they clearly aren’t too smart either.

[@elvingearmasterirma7241]

​@@digitalhauntology I guess publishers dont really look at the content. Or dont care. Its about that money. At the end of the day, I don't think we will ever get answers. And its better to accept that some people are questionable and it shows in their writing so it doesn't eat you up inside. I just implore you to take time off. Play soothing happy games and try not to focus on this game too much. Mental health comes first!

[@elvingearmasterirma7241]

​@@digitalhauntology (Also, grace of an adult makes me think of how adults will tell children or teens that theyre "Mature for their age". That is a common grooming tactic. Y e a.) Also if it makes you feel better. This video is cathartic for me. Hearing someone express anger and frustration to dialogue and moments that is clearly trying to make Rachel out to be the evil one is cathartic to levels I cannot fully express. Especially as someone who has had experienced various levels of victim blaming. (I wont trauma dump here.) So this video was taxing to make no doubt. But for others like me, who stumbled on this sickening game and wish they never did? This video may help others.

[@AVGgrendelmain]

Yeah you’re right. That lava lamp looks WEIRD

[@digitalhauntology]

Hahah I kinda liked it though. No joke, it might have been my favorite part of the game.

[@jacobwilliams1223]

It's rather telling that this game has a way to get everyone's persecutive on the matter: The father, the mother, Nicole, Rachel's brother etc. though live commentary or old letters/recordings...except Rachel. The most important person in this story is the one who goes without any voice or perspective of what happened. A disgustingly deliberate omission.

[@digitalhauntology]

Couldn’t have said it any better. Rachel having absolutely no say- it makes this game’s viewpoint feel especially horrible. Thank you for watching.

[@MuteCircle]

Great video essay. It's especially a shame because there seems to be so much promise in the idea behind this game (as one of the comments says below, "I half expected it to end with her figuring out that her father was a monster and that she was manipulated into forgetting and forgiving him") but it seems like they fumble to a pretty absurd degree at almost every meaningful engagement with its themes. I'll definitely have to check out Titan Chaser though - never heard of that one before.

[@digitalhauntology]

Thank you so much. And yeah, that user nailed it. Much better than the actual game ever could. It is a case of wasted potential and just an overall narrative failure. Titan Chaser is Ace though. I had actually previously subscribed to your page, and you make dope music. Just wanted to give you a little shoutout. Thank you for watching!

[@MuteCircle]

@@digitalhauntology Thanks massively! That means a lot, especially coming from a fellow enthusiast of the term "hauntology"!

[@digitalhauntology]

I meant it. Your music has a Trees Speak kind of vibe to it. Rad stuff. Keep going

[@unknownbyself]

I feel like the devs need to have their hard drives checked, holy shit. Presenting a story about child abuse and painting the *abuser* as the real victim is... certainly a choice.

[@digitalhauntology]

Yeah, probably one of the most unhinged choices Ive ever seen made in a game. This one is in a league of its own. Thank you for watching!

[@mimi19932]

Oookay! So, I finished the game and boy oh boy I am just shaking with rage! Now I understand how this game just played the pedophilia angle as if it's some sacred love. But that's not my only issue! I am bummed that how Nicole's dad is painted as a "saint" in this narrative, the do-gooder. Whereas he is another monster just like Nicole's mom!! But then what really made me angry was that Irving sort of blame shifts Nicole for not doing anything! Come on, she was a kid at that time and didn't know her mom killed Rachel. That idiot forced Nicole to face the truth by lying to her, blame shifting on her and traumatized her for life to the point where she either becomes delusional or eliminates herself. If I see two people who were the real victims, they are Rachel and Nicole. This game is seriously pointless, imo! Great ambient and gameplay but very bad narrative. Such disappointing endings! I still chose Nicole to live because there's hope for her. Jenkins is out there, he will bring her back that's what I believe. Sorry for the rant! I now understand why people got so furious about it!😂

[@digitalhauntology]

Yeah don’t apologize for a few paragraphs. This video was crazy long to more or less say exactly what you just laid out here. It is an infuriating game. So many insane choices- and all of them are so bad considering the material they are working with. The game is easily one of the worst written pieces of media I’ve ever seen. Thank you for watching, though 🙏🏼

[@miguels.b.2749]

People get too caught on the grooming part... Could we please also note that there's also the BRUTAL MURDER of an underage girl at the hands of a psycho grown up woman????

[@digitalhauntology]

Definitely spent a decent amount of the video talking about that too. This game is all sorts of messed up. Thank you for watching!

[@lottethevampire]

I Think the worst part is that her father Got away with grooming and her mother Got away with murder so i Think the both a bad person for there own kid

[@digitalhauntology]

@@lottethevampire Yeah, it seems like every character in this game is an awful person by design. With the father and mother being the clear worst. It just seems like the writers wanted to vilify mom way more. I dunno, weird game. Thank you for watching though!

[@romelohdz]

Lenard’s just some nerd that’s self indulgent that should’ve been cuffed and thrown in jail

[@digitalhauntology]

💯

[@jennyward9413]

Theres the potential for a really interesting story here about Nicole entering the story idolising her farther and not knowing the truth about Rachel. She would slowly have to come to the horrific realisation that her father is a monster based on the evidence provided and learn about the damage done to someone who was her age, someone like her. The game could have taken time to humanise Rachel, make her a real fleshed out person and make Nicole understand what she went through. Fleshing out Rachel, making Leonard the villian and making the conflict be Nicole confronting that the father she loved was a terrible person, this game could have been incredibly impactful. But i guess the 49 year old and the 16 year is true love. Nothing else to way 🙃

[@digitalhauntology]

It’s such a mess. I agree that there definitely was potential, but the ball was dropped at every possible moment. Thank you for watching

[@skunkgirl456]

Im sorry, but JAIL. all of the people who made this game need to be in jail. Like what in the actual fuck is this?? This is so offensive im suprised it wasnt chucked off of whereever they published it.

[@digitalhauntology]

It’s pretty wild to be sure. I still can’t believe the game exists. Thank you for watching, though.

[@skunkgirl456]

​@digitalhauntology Honestly, your commentary is the only thing getting me through this shit show, but yeah I'll probably watch something else of yours later to get a pallet cleanser later. Because jesus.

[@digitalhauntology]

I appreciate it, yeah I don’t really make a habit of covering games like this one. For my sanity’s sake. I just kinda stumbled into this mess.

[@Crybaby0ttant0tt0]

Till the very end, I expected for NICOLE herself to have killed Rachel and blocked that out of her memory (the game says Nicole is a sleepwalker, I thought it was a hint). That could have explained the many inconsistencies, like the most egregious: -Nicole remembers Rachel as a refined girl who walks and TALKS with the grace of an adult... Rachel, the same girl who had a dyslexia so severe she was bullied and called a re**rd.

[@digitalhauntology]

That would have been a twist for sure. I’d have preferred just about anything to the Claire reveal. Such a weird way of handling things. Yeah I tripped on that grace of an adult thing too. It annoyed the hell out of me, because basically it sounded like all the characters were saying, “Well, Rachel was hot, so she kinda had it coming.” This game has problems. Thank you for watching!

[@panam6074]

I hope everyone who had a hand on this game get blacklisted

[@digitalhauntology]

Totally understandable. The game is beyond gross. Thank you for watching!

[@panam6074]

@Digital Hauntology No problem. Thanks for speaking about this. Gonna check out more of ur content!

[@chrisdiokno5600]

Yeah, this and The Medium were just....yeah

[@digitalhauntology]

I haven’t even looked into The Medium. Skip it?

[@chrisdiokno5600]

@@digitalhauntology Yeah it also handled things like sucide and grooming in a....rather divisive manner. There have been vids covering how it uh, flubs things.

[@digitalhauntology]

I’ll check out some one else’s videos. I’m good on the heavy shit for a while after this one haha.

[@chrisdiokno5600]

@@digitalhauntology Understandable. MertKayKay's vid was what told me about the more....suspect shit in the game

[@DarbyAllen-sc2kc]

This video was fantastic! You should consider doing an analysis of Omori in the future, I think you would really enjoy it👌

[@digitalhauntology]

Thank you. I actually hadn’t heard of Omori before you mentioned it- but it does look pretty rad. I’ll add it to the list. Thank you for watching, and for the kind words.

[@danielpeckham5520]

I feel like someone should point out that the creators of this game were Italian, and the age of consent is 14 in Italy. Actually the age of consent is 16 in Britain and Australia. I just checked Google and surprised to find this out about America "As of April 2021, of the total fifty U.S. states, approximately thirty have an age of consent of 16 (with this being the most common age of consent in the country)" from wiki page on ages of consent in America Damn... I am surprised actually. Btw I'm not trying to justify anything here. Obviously just because something is technically legal does not make it right. And this video game probably is in poor taste. But considering this stuff is rather normal in some European countries, that's probably why the creators didn't see a problem with it. I haven't played the game so I can't really comment much otherwise.

[@digitalhauntology]

You have a point in terms of Italy and differences in the laws, but there were a lot of choices in this game that show not only a clear choice in terms of where they set this game, but also a overall reverence for the groomer in this scenario while simultaneously going out of their way to blame the victim. I go into a lot of these topics in pretty rigorous detail in this video. The game is pretty gross. Thanks for watching, and it’s awesome seeing you pop up in the comments, my friend.

[@danielpeckham5520]

@@digitalhauntology yeah it's a credit to your video that you mention the age of consent laws in early part of your vid putting it into some perspective. I just find this game... Odd. From what I've seen in your video and reading a bit online, I can't imagine what kind of point the creators were trying to make. With the way it seems to just side with the 40 something year-old dude and have no empathy for the girl who is the actual victim. I don't know why anyone would think that's a good idea for a story. The whole thing seems to be handled in a baffling way.

[@MM-ig1iv]

I was more caught up in the vibe and the storm and exploring more than the story.. I pretty much ignored a lot of it being the creep vibes I picked up on early.. like yeah I don't like her dad. How can she not be way more pissed about it!? What's crazy is the dudes like a genius! But sick! How can a person be so smart but not realize it's wrong and weird to be attracted to a young little immature girl!? He's 50! Come the hell on.. It's sick! But.. the atmosphere was great! I could imagine a game like visage in this exact lodge. Lol

[@digitalhauntology]

The atmosphere was the main thing that kept me engaged. Beautiful looking game, and the sound design is top tier. The story and some of the choices made here though… Kinda poisoned the well for me. Visage is god tier. Something like that here would have been incredible. Thanks for watching.

[@SchnozMeister]

yikes dude, the rhetoric in Rachel Foster is like, comically bad Great vid though, I really enjoyed the deep dive and the comparison to Gone Home. I don't really play these kinds of games myself so I appreciate vids like these, keep up the great work dude!

[@digitalhauntology]

I appreciate the kind words. Rachel Foster is a shitshow, but Gone Home really does something special. I just checked out your channel and subbed. Looking forward to checking out more of your videos. Thank you for watching!

[@microd0se]

My KZbin suggested this video. It was so amazing

[@digitalhauntology]

That’s awesome. Thank you for checking it out, and I’m glad you enjoyed it!

[@CupcakeSprinkleUwU]

I bought this game on sale. I thought maybe it would be a good game, shed some light on tough topics, and something that could create a larger conversation and create awareness. Imagine my surprise when I actually PLAYED through the game. 0_0 By the time I understood where the story was going with the relationship between, well, you know, it was too late to refund. (I'm not so smart and I basically spent A LONG TIME walking around trying to figure out what I was supposed to do because I just wasn't understanding.) BUT HOLY, I wish I looked more into this game before buying it. I only read some reviews that were saying it was really good, only to find out it's the total opposite of what I assumed the game would be. XD

[@digitalhauntology]

I had a similar situation, bought it dirt cheap, but didn’t look it at all. Wild game. Can’t believe it found a publisher. Thank you for watching!

[@jeffreyl5549]

If they made her 18 1. Would it have in the story? No 2. Would it have been better real life pr ( and generally people not thinking you’re a weirdo) that everyone is completely consenting adults? Yes

[@potatobugz]

woah your channel is incredibly underrated, great video!

[@digitalhauntology]

I really appreciate the kind words. Doing my best to build up the channel, it’s a slow climb, but I’m still learning with every video. Thank you for watching!

[@CynicalGamingBlogTerry309]

The Warcraft 3 Custom Game that glorified the columbine school shooting is a strong contender I'm not really a huge fan of these walking simulators to begin with but this one comes across as being especially pretentious.

[@digitalhauntology]

Yeah, you have a point. There are definitely games that are more shocking and immediately gross. This game just is a failure on a moral level with writers that thought they were doing something special. Do not recommend hahah.

[@bottheskitarii8881]

Wait - there was a warcraft 3 mao that glorified the combine shooting?

[@er8105]

Really enjoyed this video - can’t wait to see more from you!

[@digitalhauntology]

I’m glad. It was a harder one to make. Thank you for watching!

[@DaysieRose]

Amazing review, very well written. Also I'm glad you're doing better 🫂

[@digitalhauntology]

Thank you so much. I’m doing great, some rough stuff in the past- but time heals most things. I’m glad you enjoyed the video, thank you for watching.

[@blackmonish]

You'd think someone wouldn't miss so many prepositions in a suicicde note. (Unless they were leaning WAY too hard into the dyslexia) I'm concerned with the portrayls of pedophilia, being painted in a more positive light, becoming more prevalent; and I'm just waiting to see who will champion their cause first. Will the far left continue to say that more and more things are subjective, and therefore do not matter, but do, but don't, but do, and therefore all relationships are wonderful, and imply the right are bigots for not letting babies experience their first same sex or interracial kiss? Or will the far right find someway to use some obscure ancient ideaology, in order to paint it as beautiful, and imply the left marries aborted fetuses? We may soon see... Also, "Gone Home" was the only game that I took the time to complete delete from my Xbox account. Appreciate some of the emotional complexity, but if you want a snapshot of where the highschool relationship, portrayed as the deepest ocean of love- read the first volume of Sandman, specifically the tale "Passengers" (read the whole thing actually, or the audio drama... James McAvoy is incedible as Morpheus). If Sam was running off with a guy, I feel like the game would have (rightfully so) painted it as much less hopeful. Great video man! Thought Gone Home was silly myself, but this game is on a whole other level of crazy...

[@digitalhauntology]

I feel like it is only fringe people that would ever try to justify that kind of bullshit. But I think the Libertarians are the most likely to lead the charge. I always thought Gone Home had some subtext to it that went missed. Even though the game ends on a positive note. I mean Loni has effectively decided to go AWOL. There is going to be some pretty heavy consequences to her actions, unless they decide to flee the country haha. I appreciate the kind words. I put a lot of work into these videos. I’m glad you enjoyed this one. Thank you for watching

[@leilanyx_]

it sucks because this is a very pretty and well-made game in most other aspects except the story. the visuals are gorgeous, the atmosphere, the sound design, the voice acting... if this was made by a different studio/writing team who weren't trying to glorify and show sympathy towards a child predator it could have been a pretty good game.

[@digitalhauntology]

Yeah I hear you. The environmental design is solid and like you said- the atmosphere rules. It’s a shame really.

[@joearnold6881]

Someone needs to check the writer’s hard drives, immediately.

[@digitalhauntology]

Might be a good idea.

[@creationzikaz4836]

Loving your videos! Glad I found your channel.

[@digitalhauntology]

Thank you so much! The next one is coming very very soon. Had to take care of some real life stuff. Thank you for watching, and I’m glad you’ve been enjoying them!

[@daiymohermitaurenjoyer9160]

at least games like Postal 2 are layered in sheer amounts of irony, but this utter abomination of a game does it's awful themes fully straight faced

[@digitalhauntology]

Yeah, I can’t tell what they were thinking with this story- absolutely insane

[@daiymohermitaurenjoyer9160]

@digitalhauntology and like games like Postal, the bad people are often butt of the joke

[@digitalhauntology]

@@daiymohermitaurenjoyer9160 yeah, it’s definitely similar to the South Park approach.

[@charlieni645]

This game came out not long after Campo Santo was bought by Valve and their new game suspended indefinitely. I bought it at release in grief of it as I am a big fan of thoughtful walking sim. Turns out that's 10 dollars I can't get back and I'm stuck with this vile piece of software.

[@digitalhauntology]

Yeah, I was also looking forward to In The Valley of Gods- but hahaha. This is definitely not going to be the best substitution. Good atmosphere at first, but the story craters pretty much anything I can say positively about it. Thank you for watching, though!

[@nataliebateman1151]

This game is disgusting. The age of consent where I live is 16, I live in the UK. But I would NEVER date anyone under 18, because there is such a huge power imbalance (I'm 21). Not only that but I can bet you, she was younger than 16 before they started their relationship and only waited until she was 16 to get sexual. This game was trying so hard to be Lolita but failed MAJORLY.

[@digitalhauntology]

I think the thing that bothers me about the game so much is that the team, from Italy, was really strategic in setting the game in Montana. They clearly were going for a “The Shining” vibe and could have placed it in Colorado of any of the states with ties to the novel and film. But they chose the one state in the Rocky Mountains with the lowest age of consent. They did their research. But when it comes to sensitive issues like abuse, suicide, and grooming, hell even learning disabilities- they kinda just went full Joker mode. I wish the team did interviews. I want to believe that they had some sort of message they were trying to get at, but they were just shit in the way that they wrote it. But with the radio silence, the whole project just kinda feels gross and edgy as well as morally bankrupt. And as far as your decision to date age appropriate people- I think that just points to you be a normal person haha. But I guess this team didn’t quite get the memo. Thank you for checking out the video!

[@nataliebateman1151]

@@digitalhauntology I think you handled the topic really well. Personally I like reading about dark themes. There's a difference between handling and glorifying them. When dealing with themes such as suicide and grooming and stuff like that, they need to be handled tactfully and delicately. The game had potential and it was clear they did research and the atmosphere they set was really good. But I definitely agree that when it came to handling the core topic, it felt like they just didn't care. It feels like they read Lolita but that they interpreted the message wrong (I won't get into how publishing companies and movies screwed that book over and turned it from a predator rationalizing with himself and an unreliable narrator to a love story. I have major problems with that but back onto this game haha). It's such a disappointment to see something with so much potential become an insulting mess.

[@digitalhauntology]

Yeah, I agree. It’s a shame. The team definitely created some awesome atmosphere and the environmental design is really solid. But the storytelling and characterization undermines the cool stuff they are doing.

[@nataliebateman1151]

@@digitalhauntology They have potential, but it's a shame it all got erased with the horrific messages. I think they might believe the garbage they're spewing. When a couple of characters believe something it's a trait/flaw. When every character believes something, it's the writer(s) inserting their beliefs. The only characters who had problems with the 'relationship' are presented as evil, so I think we all know where the writers stand on this.

[@digitalhauntology]

I’m afraid you might be right.

[@effieli7230]

Thanks, now I won't waste money on that game. It sounds absolutely disgusting. And the ending omg... I just can't. And absolutely hate it, when the other person, not the cheater gets blamed. In this case I don't even know how do you suppose to hate and blame 16 y.o

[@digitalhauntology]

Yeah, the game is pretty horrible. I seriously don’t know what the writers were thinking. Do not recommend.

[@bottheskitarii8881]

Is it safe to say that we need to put the writers of this game on some sort of list?

[@digitalhauntology]

They’re definitely #1 on my list of worst written game of all time. I don’t know what it would take to move it from that spot.

[@02owo32]

This is the 1st game I played that I thought; nothing to salvage here, this game is awful

[@digitalhauntology]

Yeah I hear you. I did think the environment design and some of the sound design were pretty solid. But the mechanics and the storytelling. Straight into the volcano. Thanks for watching.

[@YumikoYouku]

Thank you for your kind words regarding suicide. You are an amazing person, offering help and kind, encouraging words. Keep going!

[@digitalhauntology]

I appreciate it. It’s help I hope I never have to give. I hope people can stay healthy. But it can be hard out there sometimes. Thank you for the kind words, and thank you for watching.

[@christallaj5517]

Jesus, this one turned up a notch.

[@digitalhauntology]

Yeah, it’s not a good time. Thank you for watching though haha

[@ladybatwing]

Great video. Very touching, personal moment from you in there too, thank you for your words. Definitely hit subscribe.

[@digitalhauntology]

I really appreciate it. I put a lot into this one. Thank you for watching, and I hope you enjoy the channel!

[@ladybatwing]

@@digitalhauntology Looking forward to the Visage one next-lots of mixed opinions on that game!

[@digitalhauntology]

Hope you enjoy it! That was an earlier video, so I now sure how it has aged. Let me know haha.

[@furmewolfy]

THIS IS SUCH A FANTASTIC VIDEO! This game is so gross and I appreciate you making this!

[@digitalhauntology]

I appreciate it. I put a lot of work into this one. But yeah, insane game. I don’t get how it was made haha

[@ClintonGlasener-sf5we]

I used to live maybe a quarter mile from the hotel in Mount Hood, Oregon. Except it's more of a tourist attraction, old, yes, but other than the name has seemingly NOTHING to do with the scenery and environmental aspects of this game.

[@digitalhauntology]

The Timberline Lodge in Oregon was used in the Shining for its exterior shots of the “Overlook Hotel.” I was pointing out that this game was referencing The Shining with its naming conventions and some of its interior design, not that they were recreating the real world location.

[@biglordgary5602]

This game seems like horrible mess wtf is up with graphic sucide at end

[@digitalhauntology]

It’s pretty gnarly. I truly wish I understood what they were thinking.

[@biglordgary5602]

@digitalhauntology this would have been great concept for a game if it was done properly and with way more sensitive outlook

[@digitalhauntology]

I think that there was a lot of potential. The space and atmosphere were great- but yeah… things got weird haha.

[@biglordgary5602]

@@digitalhauntology really werid

[@zoe_thedevilgamer]

off topic but may i recommend still wakes the Deep?😅

[@digitalhauntology]

@@zoe_thedevilgamer definitely. I’ll add it to the list, it looks pretty rad. I have a video in the works right now, but I’ll try to dive in soon. Thanks for watching

[@zoe_thedevilgamer]

@@digitalhauntology 👍 cuz I don't know what else to say sorry

[@digitalhauntology]

Hahaha you’re good 👍🏼

[@zoe_thedevilgamer]

@@digitalhauntology yay =D

[@edvard-swift3645]

Subscribed listened to you the whole time I was making stuffed bell peppers

[@digitalhauntology]

You fucking rule. I’m always listening to long form videos while taking care of business. I hope they came out tasty!

[@Butterflywings011]

Can't believe I wasted 2 hrs of my time last night watching a gameplay of this... Jesus..

[@digitalhauntology]

It’s pretty rough. At least you didn’t pay to play it haha. Thanks for watching.

[@gogogadgetrectalpunch7436]

This is strangely realistic in a depressing way. A lot of people wanna remain in a rose tinted world instead of facing a reality that’ll shatter them if they admit it’s true. Not everyone is strong enough to accept the truth and instead deny it or water it down with excuses to remain stable all the while they’re proving to be ironically unstable by living in this fantasy land. Respect to this game for exploring that side of people. Even tho there are some glaring execution flaws.

[@digitalhauntology]

No living in a fantasy land here. I have my own personal experience with sexual abuse and have seen its effects in other people I love. The whole "strong enough to accept the truth..." Nah, you don't know what you are talking about. It's okay to enjoy edgy shit for the sake of edginess, but the main criticisms I had with this game were in the mishandling of the subject matter. And those criticisms stand, not because of some rose tinted glasses- but instead from having a real nuanced understanding of these subjects stemming from an anything but rose-tinted life experience.

[@gogogadgetrectalpunch7436]

@@digitalhauntology I’m not arguing with your take on it or denying it. I’m just explaining how I see it. Could it be because I’m lucky enough to never experience something like this or be around people who experienced this? Sure, but that doesn’t nullify my view on this that I’ve already formed. I’m sorry you and people you love went through some awful shit but that doesn’t mean other people can’t have a different interpretation.

[@digitalhauntology]

You are definitely entitled to your own opinion. And I'm sure your experiences allow for you to view the things far differently than I do. For sure. Where I take some issue with what you wrote is just in the idea that people who are frustrated with this game's writing or don't like its themes- are somehow unstable or trying to keep their heads in the sand when it comes to this stuff. In my case, I didn't have the option of living in a fantasy land. These things showed up in my home. But with that said, the later half of this video points to the game "Gone Home" and how it took very similar subject matter and handled it with a level of understanding that stems from these more fucked up parts of humanity. It's totally fine if this game spoke to you, or if you just really enjoyed its admittedly impressive atmosphere. But there are several reasons someone could find it particularly offensive without being too weak to handle it. Just my opinion, not trying to nullify yours at all.

[@gogogadgetrectalpunch7436]

@@digitalhauntology I acknowledge the point you’re making here in not having the option to bury their head in the sand when personally dealing with these issues considering not everyone experiences the same thing even in a similar situation. (And that’s just the conclusion I can come to myself since again, I can’t pull from personal experience). My view may have been too broad without taking the individual person’s unique perspective into consideration.

[@digitalhauntology]

It’s all good, just giving you the perspective I had when I wrote the script here. Thank you for watching.

[@lolailo2199]

Play Ys 8

[@digitalhauntology]

I’ll definitely put it on the list. I haven’t played an Ys game yet. Is that a good one to start with?

[@lolailo2199]

​@@digitalhauntology yeah

[@LemonCookiesToGo]

I played through this game with my friends and we were hoping as it went that they would turn it around by the end. Such and awful game, and that day was even more brought down by playing God's Basement afterwards, another game I had issues with when it came to storytelling and the message behind it.

[@digitalhauntology]

I’ll have to look into God’s Basement. But based off of what you said, I might just avoid it haha. Thank you for watching!

[@LemonCookiesToGo]

@@digitalhauntology I wouldn't blame you. It pushed itself as a small horror game which me and my friends enjoy. But what I wasn't ready for was a story about God judging a young man for a mental break he had because of a series of horrific events that were out of his hands and collapsing under caretaker fatigue. As someone who has had some of that stress in my own life it came off very hurtful.

[@digitalhauntology]

@@LemonCookiesToGo Yeah, I can relate to that quite a bit. I might skip it. But thank you for sharing and maybe I'll check out some reviews or something. I hope life has gotten better since.

[@flyingvking1983]

To those who think that the developers where praising the pedo dad and his actions are absurd. There are only three ways in the game that you can learn about the dad, the daughter who ran away from everything even thoughts of dad, her memory of her childhood, and i feel because of this she still had some love for her dad as a daughter would. Then you had Rachels brother who had his own major mental issues and as a result seemed to find no fault in the pedo dad, he was so twisted he ended up staging this whole ordeal that the daughter had to go through. And then you have the hotel it's self which was owned by the farther. So to expect there to be condemnation of the dad from these three sources is just not going to happen, besides who needs to be told what to feel and think all the time, if you need to be reminded that being a pedo is bad then you have problems of your own. It reminds me of the people who said that the film American Psycho was misogyistic.....duh its a film based on a psychotic killer what do you expect. This is a game about very dark serious matters, don't expect any good characters, why do you think the daughter at the end ends her life.....like Rachels brother she feels responsible. Don't rely on people to spell out right and wrong for you all the time, reflect and make your own mind up because one day you will be lead astray, a morally wrong path just because someone spelled it out for you

[@digitalhauntology]

Keep up the sigma grindset, my man. Thanks for watching.

[@flyingvking1983]

I had to look that name up, funny that I mentioned American psycho and that's what comes up lol I guess it's the opposite of a sheep so I'm more then happy with that thanks

[@axemaster8331]

I feel like there’s a right and a wrong way to go about that. I don’t think this video game handled it well. One video game I think handled the concept well is BioShock. The whole city tries to minimize the horrible experiments going on there, and almost make jokes of the suffering happening, but I feel like it works because it’s at a point where it’s decayed to the point where they can’t hide how fucked up the society is. The stark contrast of all the posters and videos saying everything is fine, against the ruined city filled with desperate people perfectly illustrates that they were wrong, without them having to say it. This game isn’t like that. Not only is it dealing with a much more sensitive topic, from what I can tell, there really isn’t anyone arguing against it. Now as you said, we are seeing through the eyes of a very biased person, and I think that’s fine, but it just feels like it’s minimizing the issue. I feel like there should have been someone, anyone, saying how fucked this was. Newspapers, letters, anyone. Not to mention the wording consistently used is just gross. Calling it a relationship and a affair instead of what it really was, grooming and pedo behavior. And no, I don’t need someone to tell me how to feel or think, I know my rights from wrongs, but when a game developer almost supports pedophilia, I think you should be questioning their morals, not mine. These are just my thoughts though

[@min-fel]

Thank you for this video. I was so in shock after finishing the game. It's so tone-deaf and tasteless.

[@digitalhauntology]

Not a problem. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Tone-deaf is definitely a good word for it. Thank you for watching.

[@Dj.MODÆO]

Yet no one criticized the adult/child relationship central to the story in the game “Gone Home”.

[@digitalhauntology]

It was definitely brought up in the back half of this video 1:09:12

[@NottanALias]

@MertKayKay says: “hi” The game isn’t that long and maybe it’s coincidence. But it is strange that you highlight almost exactly what they did, in a very similar manner, with an almost identical title.

[@digitalhauntology]

Yeah, two people couldn’t possibly come to similar conclusions. Pretty sure they didn’t put it directly up against Gone Home as well. What a wack comment.

[@NottanALias]

Not about similar conclusions, more similar construction and highlighting to large extent the exact same things. As to comparing it to gone home as a major distinction: it’s 20min out of 1h20 and might very well be original. But it is strange that it is right after the 60min segment which is almost exactly as long as the video I’m referring to. Don’t mean to throw about unsubstantiated accusations. Just seemed strange. Ultimately, me leaving comment is good for engagement, no? Anyway. I don’t mean to downplay the effort in case I’m wrong. Hope you’re well. Cheers.

[@Hyp3rSonic]

Not to be that guy, but herpphile or whatever its called, does exist for a reason. So people should use it. Ofc, most people using that term arent pedos, so idk. Idk, i was just... kinda weired out by what you said, thats all. Oh, and also, i fekt like you could had explained it without sounded like were unintentionally rude. But otherwise, great review!!! Anyways, I dont plan 2 make u upset or anything, btw!

[@digitalhauntology]

I'm pretty sure I didn't mention any reptile aficionados in this video. But the reason I cut to that joke about ephebophilia is pretty simple. When you are talking about people who are attracted to young people- specifically in the age range of 15-19 (outside of being illegal in most cases) it showcases a desire to be with someone who is on the cusp of development. No one is talking about being sexually attracted to 18-19 year olds when this label is being applied. If they were talking about people who were of legal age across the board, there would be no reason to apply the label. And when we are talking about how it factors in to the plot of this game. A 50 year old man starting a sexual relationship and then impregnating a girl who was just as likely 14 as 15 at the time that he was simultaneously siloing her off in his man cave under the guise of helping her with her learning disability. It all speaks to a severe power imbalance within this "relationship." And then there is the whole idea that this girl was firmly in the same age group as his own daughter, and yeah, the creep factor goes up to 11. Feel free to have any opinion you want when it comes to age gaps in relationships. Just recognize that a lot of people are going to find it creepy. And anytime someone needs to look up age of consent laws before starting a relationship- it may be a sign that they need to take a step back and get some help. I appreciate the kind words when it comes to the video, and I get this might be a misunderstanding just when it comes to words and definitions, so I hope I didn't come across like I was being rude to you. I personally have dealt with sexual abuse when I was much younger than the characters in this game- and I have close friends who have been through a lot of fucked up situations when it comes to boundaries being stepped over and power dynamics being exploited. So this whole topic, I take it seriously. Thank you for watching.

[@AraneaTempestatibus]

11:44 Pedophilia would be an incorrect term, it is ephebophilic due to the age of the girl, but the point is still understood. Edit: Lol, at least you mentioned it, but using correct terms doesn't make you ped, so meh (?

[@klittle5627]

Important video, important subject, and perfectly written and narrated. One request: please keep your videos at 18 minutes or less (10 to 15 is best). Maybe you could have broken this into four parts. 1 hour and 20 minutes is a movie and I just don't have time for that length in a single video.

[@digitalhauntology]

Sorry about that my friend. It felt like it just had to be this long this time around. I think what I’ll do going forward is write the videos in such a way that allows for little breaks, and then I’ll put the breaks into the KZbin chapters section that way they can be more accessible. Thank you for your feedback and kind words. Still learning as I go forward.

[@myxini]

Personally I'm unlikely to watch any video under 30 minutes. Would not have clicked on this if it were 18 minutes long.

[@maddieb.4282]

No! I love long videos. Different ppl have different opinions and he should be authentic to his creative voice

[@klittle5627]

@@maddieb.4282 I very much like his videos and I support him but it's a statistical fact that more people will skip very long videos. It may be your preference and that's understandable but the majority of successful youtube channels keep their videos under 20 minutes. Gameranx, Yongyea, the quartering, CNN, Fox, Tim Pool, IGN, Noisy Pixel, Mr. Matty Plays, Fextralife, WhatCulture Gaming, Playstation Access etc. etc. There are exceptions of course but those usually established creators such as Act Man. I really want DH to succeed. I love his channel. It was only intended to be some friendly advice.

[@digitalhauntology]

For now I’m going to take it on a game by game basis. I feel like 30 minutes is kinda becoming my average at the moment. But in cases like this, I felt the need to go much longer. In the case of something smaller 15-20 might be perfect. But I am planning on keeping the viewer in mind and utilizing the chapter feature so users can choose either to watch it all at once or take breaks to fit into their day. I’m still figuring things out on a video by video basis. And I really appreciate all of your input. You are all beautiful people.

[@TheIrland09]

Sorry but if you're going to say this game is sympathetic to pedophiles then what's stopping you from saying The Godfather is sympathetic to the Mafia? Just because a game is about a certain subject does not mean it condones it.

[@digitalhauntology]

The problem isn’t condoning pedophiles. The problem is that the game went out of its way to cast blame on everyone in the story except for the pedophile. The victim has no words of their own, and the developers went out of their way to excuse the actions in the story. You can make a story about horrible people all you want. But what is the takeaway from this plot? I don’t have a problem with the game existing in its current state. It’s just incredibly cynical and poorly written on top of being morally reprehensible.

[@matthewzaslavets8423]

The pro-life diss was rather uncalled for

[@digitalhauntology]

You’re entitled to your opinion. And that one is mine. I’m gonna let it rock. Thank you for watching that far in.

[@melodyscorpion6606]

​@digitalhauntology I don’t mind tbh I just support any dig at the game writing 😂

[@matthewzaslavets8423]

@@digitalhauntology no probs, good video

[@dono5529]

this game frustrates me so much because i genuinely believe a disgusting, visceral story about Nicole learning how truly awful her father was could've worked if it was handled with tact and wasn't written by actual fucking pedos. maybe it could've taken more inspiration from the shining and even leaned into the supernatural a bit with impossible layouts and designs? or maybe it could've been more grounded in reality, nicole delving deeper into the building and slowly crafting a timeline that shows how crazy her father was up until his death, the rooms themselves becoming more worn down and just plain weird the further she goes in. maybe even build up rachel as someone older, hell, maybe even make her an actual adult by her time of death. only later do you learn how deeply Leonard was obsessed with this girl and how this lodge was where she was held prisoner for most of her life, and forcing nicole to truly face how depraved her father was? i dont fuckin know, all i know is that a story like this could've worked but ive never, EVER seen a plot of this nature be handled THIS fucking poorly. what a disgusting shame

[@digitalhauntology]

💯