I really really really really enjoyed the guilt trip sequence, even though it never really goes anywhere other than remind you the story before the last decision. Also, the sequence that let's you watch David get murdered over and over again in different ways is really funny.
Really didn't care for the ending (going to youtube and watching the other ending really makes it so that the ending in the video is the only true ending to the game). The obvious way to handle things is to just walk outside the bathroom, and intercept Chloe before she walks into the bathroom. It's kind of a shame that the story didn't explore anything like that after the final decision, but it is what it is.
The whole plot of the entire series is that Chloe died and the newly adult Maxine (she just turned 18 as her SMS message suggests) must deal with this. The time travel is the power fantasy we all dream we have so we might avoid dealing with issues beyond our direct control. Basically an allegory of what some might define as becoming and adult.
I've pondered writing some kind of post to this effect since the game is riddled with references to this. From the Journal to the SMS entries to the pompous speeches of Mr Jefferson the game deals with issues that seemed black/white until you look deeper and find out that everything is far more complex and nuanced.
The game itself comes to a close by having you realize that solving the case of missing students was not what was going on. Everything that happened was really just a stall so that Max didn't ever deal with her grief over the loss of Chloe. The storm is almost literally Max's chaotic mind refusing to accept a reality where Chloe is dead. The final choice is choosing to face reality or regressing inward and living in the fantasy world forsaking everyone else.
I can't imagine the smell of those whales. I was at the beach once and a dead shark had washed up, about 5-6 feet in length. It was a good 3/4 mile away and even from that distance it stunk real bad.
Interestingly when they dug up Rachel's body in the junkyard it would have actually been immediately obvious due to the smell dead bodies produce. There is a Mythbusters episode where they put a dead pig in a car for 3 months and the stench was so overpowering that a single tool that had touched the flesh cleared out their entire shop.
Great piece Austin. It's amazing how much pushback we've seen from fans who believe that the monomyth has a single immutable form. Something they have internalized to represent a golden untouchable rule that may even psychically harm them when used to subvert.
While I can agree with all the points I think it's important to note that a lot of what fans saw in The Force Awakens was using our expectations against us. The heroes can be women, the faceless enemies are human individuals under their masks and that fear, anger and hate lead to whiny outbursts not power.
I feel like in an era when remake is the new 'new' I don't think it's unreasonable to feel like subversion is a justified method. It's the basis of transformative work and an argument could even be made to say that it's the basis of many works of science fiction.
Edit: @austin_walker To answer your question about which games my immediate go to is Axiom Verge. That game takes the Golden Rule of Metroid and subverts it again and again wtihout losing the feeling of it's heritage. It subverts your expectation of how to play but allows you to learn the game like you did while playing the original Metroid. It's pretty much the only way you'll get that feeling of Metroid for the first time all over again.
I'm super glad GBeast exists and Alex's list is a direct demonstration of why. I feel there are a ton of games here that would likely have never been touched without the GBeast spin.
This year's GotY has placed a huge lense over issues with awards of this nature at all. That being that people only have so much time to see a very specific slice of content per year.
It was not the games that appear on anyone's list that I am disappointed by, but the lack of games appearance simply due to the fact that they were not played. Due to people prejudging an IP or simply underestimating the game from it's premise.
I can only hope that this becomes a teachable moment for the GB staff that perhaps they should take some risks like our friend Patrick Klepek and step outside their comfort zones to expose some truly amazing gems.
Finally Life is Strange getting some chatter but supreme disappointment over the lack of anyone talking about Tales from the Borderlands. The moment of episode 4, Escape Plan Bravo was incredibly moving and the fact that no one saw it is kinda sad.
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