Static places that are already fixed in time and space, is photography worthless there? Well, there comes perspective as a way of reinterpreting those places, emphasizing what the photographer considers most important.
But before the player can put their subjective view there are objectives to complete. While a weird decision, to say the least, I can welcome the developers giving a guiding hand to help lazier people (like me) in appreciating the details of these spaces. But what is it that the developers emphasize with these objectives? I’m sorry but I hope it is understandable that I don’t really have much energy left after making me shoot “a text that reads 'Property of the UN' in a sarcastic tone” or “a picture that contains ‘Gamer’ at least 7 times” (I don’t need to search for neoliberalism when it is all over the place), applying some filters to the photos, doing all of that hopefully in less than 10 minutes and then getting paid some money.
At least after that I can give it a rest and now take on a more free view of the stages. But I’m still unconvinced. The world is ending so I get the carefree youth trying to enjoy what they have left with the 15 years old nihilism written on the walls, I’ll let that slip. The critique of the world capitalizing the worst disaster even when the world is about to end is neat, definitely shows that the game was developed through 2020. The critique to cops and military forces? That’s another story. Countless messages written on walls denouncing how bad cops are and how hollow it ends up being a soldier. But then you turn around and what are these supposedly bad forces doing? Soldiers fighting the aliens with all they have in order to protect humanity? I understand the duality between the youth that has already accepted the end and the forces that refuse to give up, but neither of them are exactly doing anything bad, just dealing with the inevitable as best as they can.
What is left? I’ll go and ignore everything and take a picture of all my friends, nothing can take that away no matter when and where. Everyone on frame... 3, 2, 1…
“3.17$ COLORFUL DETAILED FISH EYE GROUP”
But before the player can put their subjective view there are objectives to complete. While a weird decision, to say the least, I can welcome the developers giving a guiding hand to help lazier people (like me) in appreciating the details of these spaces. But what is it that the developers emphasize with these objectives? I’m sorry but I hope it is understandable that I don’t really have much energy left after making me shoot “a text that reads 'Property of the UN' in a sarcastic tone” or “a picture that contains ‘Gamer’ at least 7 times” (I don’t need to search for neoliberalism when it is all over the place), applying some filters to the photos, doing all of that hopefully in less than 10 minutes and then getting paid some money.
At least after that I can give it a rest and now take on a more free view of the stages. But I’m still unconvinced. The world is ending so I get the carefree youth trying to enjoy what they have left with the 15 years old nihilism written on the walls, I’ll let that slip. The critique of the world capitalizing the worst disaster even when the world is about to end is neat, definitely shows that the game was developed through 2020. The critique to cops and military forces? That’s another story. Countless messages written on walls denouncing how bad cops are and how hollow it ends up being a soldier. But then you turn around and what are these supposedly bad forces doing? Soldiers fighting the aliens with all they have in order to protect humanity? I understand the duality between the youth that has already accepted the end and the forces that refuse to give up, but neither of them are exactly doing anything bad, just dealing with the inevitable as best as they can.
What is left? I’ll go and ignore everything and take a picture of all my friends, nothing can take that away no matter when and where. Everyone on frame... 3, 2, 1…
“3.17$ COLORFUL DETAILED FISH EYE GROUP”
7 Comments
@heatten yeah, showing the soldiers as the people who are trying to defend everyone, especially after they show their rejection of the military, was fine to me. But anyway, I was still missing some of the oppression that is mentioned but that I cannot see so easily. In fact, I would consider that the population was quite well protected with all the gigantic walls and everything, like yeah the prime minister was on vacation or something like that, but it doesn't seem like a different attitude from that of the youth that goes out to dance in the street. And seeing the end of the game I don't think that anything else could be done in that aspect.
I'll keep in mind the dlc for the future, maybe something that I mentioned is addressed there.
I'll keep in mind the dlc for the future, maybe something that I mentioned is addressed there.
the dlc pretty much explains a lot about the world and its situation before the base game. it is also way more aggressive, too. it really re-contextualizes a lot of things imo.
what makes you convinced that the creatures are trying to destroy humanity? what makes you so sure that the mission of the soldiers is to "give their all to protect humanity"?
@Woodaba Nice point! I didn't think about it and I may be tricked by the in-universe propaganda into thinking so, or maybe it was just me being on the defensive, but I don't think the creatures are friendly.
As I said, I would really like to revisit some moments to be sure, so if you have something indicating that the creatures are not harmful to humanity I would be very glad to hear.
Now, I think they do not intend good for humanity for various reasons. First, as far as I know, the action is taking place on Earth so unless the creatures are reclaiming something that was theirs from long ago this seems like an invasion. Sure, maybe humans were the first ones to shoot, but if they came with good intent and were received that way I don't think they would start a war, they would run away at least. And if I remember correctly the game closes with "Umurangi Generation: The last generation who has to watch the world die" just after seeing a giant creature on top of a devastated world. Is that last creature something from humans? Did the world die from some other reason? It may be but right now I'm really struggling to see that.
As I said, I would really like to revisit some moments to be sure, so if you have something indicating that the creatures are not harmful to humanity I would be very glad to hear.
Now, I think they do not intend good for humanity for various reasons. First, as far as I know, the action is taking place on Earth so unless the creatures are reclaiming something that was theirs from long ago this seems like an invasion. Sure, maybe humans were the first ones to shoot, but if they came with good intent and were received that way I don't think they would start a war, they would run away at least. And if I remember correctly the game closes with "Umurangi Generation: The last generation who has to watch the world die" just after seeing a giant creature on top of a devastated world. Is that last creature something from humans? Did the world die from some other reason? It may be but right now I'm really struggling to see that.
@rubenmg i think the questions you raise are interesting! personally i think they were answered very comprehensively by the base game but I kinda have a benefit of coming in knowing the signifiers a fair bit already. i think the presence of an honest-to-god evangelion in the last episode is very pointed. i also think the DLC will absolutely clarify a lot of your questions, I second heatten on that one.
i don't wanna influence your read too much in case you decide to give the game another look but I will ask this question: what do you think is the monster destroying the world outside our window? because it isn't bluebottles.
i don't wanna influence your read too much in case you decide to give the game another look but I will ask this question: what do you think is the monster destroying the world outside our window? because it isn't bluebottles.
(quite a long comment, sorry to whoever it may concern)
@Woodaba I'm yet to have a more deeper revision of the game and to play the DLC (you and heatten convinced me to do so and from what I peaked it seems it will address some of my problems), but I already revisited some places briefly.
It was kind of a very blind move from me to reduce the creatures to antagonistic figures, especially considering the Kaiju references (Shin Gojira to make it worse for me) that I consider to know enough to have a less literal perspective. I kind of see it better now how the appearance of the creatures and ultimate destruction of the world have a more rooted origin in humanity than what I thought. After reading some interviews, yeah, things like wildfire and something even weirder like corona virus may appear from "nowhere" but the big damage was mostly caused by human "irresponsability".
Even then I would like to clarify that I don't think the soldier's stance is really bad. I think it is better to compare with Mothra within all Kaijus to see my current view. While Mothra is set out to protect the nature that humans are destroying, when she gets pissed off she just goes and reasonably decides to destroy everything. But as well as the Kaiju side is taking a radical decision with good intent, the humans who wish to continue living have my sympathy too. I must remember that these are not soldiers defending the UN, more like people defending humans through the UN tools. In fact, the ones who do not have my sympathy, government and capitalists making profit, are never even seen in the game, presumably being very far away while the common people has just been condemned to end.
About the ending I don't know how to feel yet. From a side, now I see the more spiritual view, maybe this was the only way to cleanse the world at this point. However I'm still not so sure on that view. Mother 3 does something similar, but while in that game the last image suggested a pure white successful purification of the Earth, Umurangi presents a world covered in red where only souls can withstand the mysterious figure that shows its silhouette on top of the new world. Does humanity get liberated even if it has to be in the afterlife? I'll have to think about it.
(Thank you very much for your comments, it's always nice to have someone to challenge your views in interesting ways)
@Woodaba I'm yet to have a more deeper revision of the game and to play the DLC (you and heatten convinced me to do so and from what I peaked it seems it will address some of my problems), but I already revisited some places briefly.
It was kind of a very blind move from me to reduce the creatures to antagonistic figures, especially considering the Kaiju references (Shin Gojira to make it worse for me) that I consider to know enough to have a less literal perspective. I kind of see it better now how the appearance of the creatures and ultimate destruction of the world have a more rooted origin in humanity than what I thought. After reading some interviews, yeah, things like wildfire and something even weirder like corona virus may appear from "nowhere" but the big damage was mostly caused by human "irresponsability".
Even then I would like to clarify that I don't think the soldier's stance is really bad. I think it is better to compare with Mothra within all Kaijus to see my current view. While Mothra is set out to protect the nature that humans are destroying, when she gets pissed off she just goes and reasonably decides to destroy everything. But as well as the Kaiju side is taking a radical decision with good intent, the humans who wish to continue living have my sympathy too. I must remember that these are not soldiers defending the UN, more like people defending humans through the UN tools. In fact, the ones who do not have my sympathy, government and capitalists making profit, are never even seen in the game, presumably being very far away while the common people has just been condemned to end.
About the ending I don't know how to feel yet. From a side, now I see the more spiritual view, maybe this was the only way to cleanse the world at this point. However I'm still not so sure on that view. Mother 3 does something similar, but while in that game the last image suggested a pure white successful purification of the Earth, Umurangi presents a world covered in red where only souls can withstand the mysterious figure that shows its silhouette on top of the new world. Does humanity get liberated even if it has to be in the afterlife? I'll have to think about it.
(Thank you very much for your comments, it's always nice to have someone to challenge your views in interesting ways)
heatten
2 years ago