real ramble
vn
zato second playthrough
i just can't keep it all inside me!!! i hope my signal will be strong enough...
a concept of a zato... i havent grown up in one, but it did feel like it at times - a small nondescript village somewhere in siberia. everyone knows everyone by name, everythings close yadda yadda... that hooked me in immediately
intro text flowed so naturally too - its just feels so similar. from a single common fact to grandiose realizations of everything there is.
the thing about the universe not existing solely to be observed... never would've thought about it from that angle. an "unwell" creature, so interesting to observe from a scientific angle, just how did it come to be like this? how did everything happen? really is a miracle. but that miracle might wanna give something to someone else, whatever it might be. if the universe is everything, you cant really give something to yourself can you? you need some observers to give to!
on second playthrough i cant help but read it all as asya making sense of herself, yknow especially with the ending where she carries a message to the universe, which evades her as she climbs the tower. theres a theory that tosya is another part of asya. both climbing up to reach the universe, the universe being the "whole" asya. the end art did strike me as oddly similar to asya instead of tosya. and the thing about the names being replaced with "me" and "you", made me think this was asya writing this story to herself. "me" is asya, and "you" is asya, and thats how it should be. love yourself, now!!!!
urgh the subtle digs at herself being arrogant, not being thankful enough, etc hit so hard home. almost preemptively responding to a question from a hypothetical listener... trying so hard not to seem like a spoiled brat, because you've got everything, what is there not to be happy about? you should be thankful you're even alive!
talking about humans as "creatures", "animals", "survival". hits so close home - not entirely sure of how to explain why "these" thoughts come to your mind. it's easier to look at it from a scientific standpoint, fundamentally we should be acting according to nature, or "code". kind of makes sense asya on her way to accepting herself would come to terms with it. it simply is. some people are just more inclined to look inward, explain themselves as being part of nature. everything makes sense yes!...
might be somewhat selfish of asya to think of herself as the universe (which she does point out multiple times!), but what is there for a mind like hers? prone to digging deep, you cant really dig too deep into other people - you end up putting yourself in their heads - you end up digging into yourself. when you try to rationalize what other people think, you arent suddenly transported into their heads, you're still in your own mind...
coming to that realization, that you're quite literally built different, born this way, born to work this way and think these thoughts... makes sense to think of yourself as something more than a "normal" human. rationalizing your own "abnormal" feelings and thoughts, regular "human" logic doesn't quite feel right to apply in this case. there has to be some other explanation, something greater.
thinking of a universe as a child that hasnt quite matured yet, not having gotten to develop self-awareness. self-awareness can hurt, trying to understand what other people think of you (once again you're just placing your own mind in theirs, digging in yourself) is hard. maturing is scary. growing up is scary. feels comfier to be a child, curious about itself. everything is you, you are everything (if you keep thinking, you're in your own mind!)
still you can only dig in yourself so deep, you still have a natural desire to be perceived, to be part of something.
"the universe gradually felt the desire to be seen. it wanted to be admired, loved and observed, because there's nothing more a world can do but to observe itself. it's the best and only pastime there is, as far as the world is concerned."
"if observation is good, more observation is even better!". it's interesting to understand how others perceive you, even if it hurts you just feel the need. introspection is good, but expanding to include other conclusion about yourself is even better! can't understand yourself fully without including other people's view of you. once again, don't get stuck in your own mind, it's good to have someone else!
"infinity plus one exists". you can infinitely dig in yourself, but there is technically a bigger number! you can't reach it if you were the single observer.
might have just dumbed down, chewed up her thoughts and conclusions...
have to give credit to asya, it's such a beautiful way of making sense of everything... feels good to have asya give so much credit to the universe- and at the end with universe becoming herself!!! oh god its so beautiful!!! the self love is incredible!!!!
then she drifts back to thinking of us all as worthless insects, herself included... so close asya... so close yet so far!!! i can't help but feel like this train of thought is so familiar. thank you game!!!
vadim... you're so familiar and i hate it. even his surname, "Garin", "Гарин", "Гарь"... he really does stink! him and his group of classmates are so comically mean... kind of makes me think... the universe, asya is the universe, vadim and his classmates are just personifications of asya's self-loathing. but she can't be angry at them, after all the universe is so beautiful!! you should be thankful all of this even exists!!! this is how it should be.... this is the code... this is the absolute line... everything is as it should be...
their conversations... these thoughts... they all make sense, and yet its still ticking her off... there's still a part of her humane self that understands how mean and unwarranted this all is... too bad she's not quite accepting of the reality at the beggining. still afraid of seeming like a selfish brat, even beginning to think this is mean! the universe created these people! its how it should be...
a glimpse of understanding - "nobody will save me... gross". gross?? oh please asya!!!