i think it's abhorrent that this thing ultimately wants you to smash the bird with a rock. this bird who might be dying, but otherwise appears to be at peace. i've had birds as pets, and even held sick and dying birds in my hands, and i would have never, ever thought to do something as violent as crush them with rocks and sticks.
"getting help isn't making me weak, but refusing it is" says the text bubble, as if these are the bird's final thoughts. i just find it strange and clumsy. who is supposed to benefit from this?
i removed the stick and the rock from my sight and then placed each flower in a crescent around the little bird's face. compassion comes as simply as being there, requiring no bloody "act of mercy" beyond sharing in one's suffering, hoping to bring comfort by doing so. obviously, there are situations where granting a living creature release is the right thing to do, but that all seems outside the scope of this thing. closed the window feeling a mixture of heartache and disgust. i miss my birds.
"getting help isn't making me weak, but refusing it is" says the text bubble, as if these are the bird's final thoughts. i just find it strange and clumsy. who is supposed to benefit from this?
i removed the stick and the rock from my sight and then placed each flower in a crescent around the little bird's face. compassion comes as simply as being there, requiring no bloody "act of mercy" beyond sharing in one's suffering, hoping to bring comfort by doing so. obviously, there are situations where granting a living creature release is the right thing to do, but that all seems outside the scope of this thing. closed the window feeling a mixture of heartache and disgust. i miss my birds.
4 Comments
@moschidae: if it's a game about mental health, it's very concerning that the final act is putting an animal down.
you nailed it. yeah, it's kinda gross. i certainly had no desire to see it, let alone do it. i have to wonder if the person who made this (and i assume their intentions were good) has any idea how uncomfortably conflicting its mixed messages are.
<3
you nailed it. yeah, it's kinda gross. i certainly had no desire to see it, let alone do it. i have to wonder if the person who made this (and i assume their intentions were good) has any idea how uncomfortably conflicting its mixed messages are.
<3
Been dreading the day i'd see this on Backloggd ever since I played it on the Palestine Itch.io bundle.
Thank you for making a review like this, theres so much I want to say but I refuse to mark it as played, its just a sick wolf in sheep's clothing of a game. The fact that it give you 2 tools for it, makes the blood color contrast heavily with the scenario, have the bird mimic gestures of those suffering from cardiac arrest thus making your "well intentioned actions" backfire...
Genuinely nothing of value here, a vile ignorant piece of media that sees birds as lesser life forms undeserving of love.
Thank you for making a review like this, theres so much I want to say but I refuse to mark it as played, its just a sick wolf in sheep's clothing of a game. The fact that it give you 2 tools for it, makes the blood color contrast heavily with the scenario, have the bird mimic gestures of those suffering from cardiac arrest thus making your "well intentioned actions" backfire...
Genuinely nothing of value here, a vile ignorant piece of media that sees birds as lesser life forms undeserving of love.
moschidae
1 year ago
What you said in those last few sentences are very beautiful and true. Grieving for animals is hard, I've been there for both my dogs myself as they were put to sleep. The ultimate compassion you can have for another thing really is simply being there. I'm very sorry about your birds, I hope you can find peace <3