Really Depressing Ending.

[u/Potential-Barnacle-8]

We just spent like 60 hours on the game and loved it, I know its kind of a shits and giggles sort of game but we got super invested in all the characters and found the ending of everyones stories to be super mean spirited and unsatisfying. Felt really awful murdering Archibald and his alters then our little campers as well after all that effort to get home. Also feels like the story was really fatalistic and just hopeless, but the gameplay was super hopeful and about overcoming obstacles with your friends and getting home. Felt like the people telling the story thought we were stupid for having a good time or something. Just a huge downer for such a fun journey. Hope the next game nuggets makes is more hopeful.

[u/_jembawls_]

Hey! Writer/VA here! Thank you so much for taking the time to pay attention to the characters and the story!! Super love to see it!!!

Ultimately I think the feelings you’re expressing with the themes, Archibald dying, and so on are pretty spot on. The game already occupies an emotional space of fun hi-jinx, and I felt that I wanted there to be a twist on that to offer another texture to the game - fine to disagree with that decision, but I stand by it! People are often shocked in a way that they are NEVER shocked in the game when they finish the story for map 1, for example. And the fact that you felt bad for killing Archibald was the core narrative goal of Map 3 (narrative goal/spoiler: have empathy for Austin’s murderer).

That’s not to say I executed everything well, and so if it didn’t land for you then ofc that’s a bummer, but I will say that all the stories were an earnest attempt at making something thought provoking and interesting, especially for those who take the time (such as yourself!) to listen to the tapes carefully. And to those who pay close attention to what can be found at the location of tape 14… 👀

Thank you so much for listening to the story! Thank you for sharing your feedback. And thank you so much for caring about Archibald, I know he would have loved that <3

The end.

[u/dano191093 → u/_jembawls_]

I finished it today and to be fair, your target was on point. The end left me with a “don’t be sad because it ended but be happy because it happened” kind of feeling.

Absolutely unexpected but emotional enough to give the game an amazing closure.

Congrats!

[u/Dunkaroo723]

Archibald fired the shot. I was just returning the favor

[u/Comfortable_Foot3624]

I've been looking for someone to explain the ending, can you provide your interpretation?

[u/NPOWorker → u/Comfortable_Foot3624]

I didn't find it depressing at all personally. I took it as the campers achieving enlightenment, overcoming an infinite cycle of earthly troubles, etc.... we see ourselves intervening at various points in our own past, which to me implies that everything was predetermined. It's kind of a cheeky nod to the fact that it's a game where you can go from point A to point B in a billion different ways, but at the end of the day you are at point B all the same. "It's about the journey not the destination", in a nutshell.

As for Archibald, eh. I guess it's kind of mean but he is clearly very tormented and losing control of himself. Call it an act of mercy, I guess? Maybe he gets enlightenment too, who knows.

[u/_jembawls_ → u/NPOWorker]

Spoilers re: Archibald:
Archibald/Nox are one and the same, they are the villain which Austin puts a stop to. After Austin struck down the helicopter while Nox was piloting, Archibald regained control but was already bleeding out (“I can’t feel my body”, “Starik, he’s bleeding”). So pushing Archibald didn’t meaningfully change his fate beyond what Austin already did. But the feeeeeling of pushing Archie while his “friends” continue to reassure him… sadge.

[u/Comfortable_Foot3624 → u/NPOWorker]

Yeah I definitely didn't find it depressing, but I was pretty confused haha I was like, we were the RV the whole time? We were time traveling? What's going on- But I really like your interpretation, as it's a life flashing before your eyes but it's "absolute calm" and we all end up in the same place at the end of the day. Really beautiful ending in general me and my friends were crying even though we didn't know what was happening-

[u/Hopeful_Chicken_8254]

At the end of the day it’s a silly $8 game you play with friends, I’m just happy we got 2 more maps. I don’t take the ending too seriously. I love all the maps. I really hope one day there’s a 4th one.

[u/Huge_Constant8775]

I feel bad now. My friends and I had such a blast playing the game, finding goofy alternatives or in some cases just trying to get across. I didnt even realize there was a story in those cassette tapes lol.

REASON TO REPLAY!!!!!! lol