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[GregWS]

OK, so while playing I Was in the War I started to read into it too much, and while talking about the game/my ideas with someone else, I realized that my conclusions were quite funny and very absurd (at least to some).  Here they are:

So as you survive and run farther into the war zone you get bigger, and you become easier to hit because of that.  Getting hurt shrinks your size, and so does just standing there.  I think the size of your character reflects the characters ego; when it's big he's riskier and gets hit more, and when he gets hit is ego is literally deflated.

OK, so I'm not sure if that was actually intentional on the part of the designer, but regardless, I noticed it, and read way to much into the game.  I think it's possible to do this with lots of games, and to make bullshit conclusions too, which is even better.  So read into things too much and post your really stupid conclusions!

[pnx]

I for one feel there is a great deal of symbolism in Meat Boy.

The entire story of the game is about abortion. Meat Boy's great life with his girlfriend band-aid girl is suddenly interrupted by the fact that they discover that she's pregnant (the unborn baby symbolized by Dr. fetus). Now Meat Boy then chases off after his girlfriend trying to keep it together as this hectic journey continues. He wants an abortion she starts to swing his way, but is drawn back by the want for a child (as symbolized by Dr. fetus grabbing her at the end of each level). It starts off in the forest, which is where everything is alright, then it goes to the salt factory (symbolic of the need for their relationship to heal) and finally it goes to hell (which is where every relationship goes).

In the end after she has experienced a particularly "joyful" moment of the "joys" of pregnancy she aborts the damn baby, and they're back together again.

Now I just need to figure out what the super special secret symbolizes.

[FishyBoy]

Cave Story is a metaphor for waking up in a cave and saving a floating island of rabbit people. I know this sounds crazy, but I'm sure of it.

[GregWS]

Set the Rope on Fire is actually a game about erectile difficulties.  You wouldn't think to "set the rope on fire" and would normally try and defeat the boss with axes, but axes won't "set the rope on fire" and the game tells you how to fix your problem (WARNING: please do not actually put fire near your genital area; that is a horrible and dangerous idea).

This is more what I meant for this thread; complete bullshit.

Standard Bits is actually about finding your way home during a night of heavy drinking.

[Xion]

Might as well copy this from Pixelation. It's about Adam Atomic's Gravity Hook:

"I think this game is about desires and aspirations. You must constantly set new goals for yourself or the ones you settle for will be your downfall. We mustn't settle for anything for then we will merely stagnate in our ways and become victims of mediocrity. Yet we must set goals nonetheless, and we must reach them, as near as we can and to the best of our ability, or else we merely stay grounded to the known, and the safe, and the never hope for anything more.
This is made evident not only in the actual gameplay, but also in the game's design - your personal best lies at the top of the screen, where you desire to be. It is not the all-time high of some other faceless three-character being thousands of miles away, one that we know we will never reach. Some absurd number. it is your personal best, indicating that you have done it before, and you can do it again. And if it can be done again, it can be done better. Seeing the number motivates us. And yet, when we choose to quit and return, we find the number - "my number" - gone, wiped away as though it never were. Thus we are forced not to settle even for our own all-time highs, but only the recent ones. We must constantly re-assess our abilities, and set a fresh goal with every beginning.
We are not kings. We are not gods. We are all mere civilians, deep beneath the ground. But only those few diligent and brave enough to set goals, to reach those goals, and to surpass those goals with newer and greater aspirations - only those who wonder how deep they really are - will ever actually find out."

[Radnom]

SeiKKKlus:
http://www.64digits.com/users/index.php?userid=kafeithekeaton&cmd=comments&id=8138


this is a PERFECT example of "reading into" indie games more than you should.

[battlerager]

SeiKKKlus:
http://www.64digits.com/users/index.php?userid=kafeithekeaton&cmd=comments&id=8138


this is a PERFECT example of "reading into" indie games more than you should.

IT IS LIKE THE PLANTATION OWNER IN THE 1800S!

I lol'd so hard, thank you for the link  :D

Good thing it's a joke

[GregWS]

That was really hilarious!  :D

[Movius]

The seiKKKlus article is quality.

going to have to promote some of my own work again.

[muku]

going to have to promote some of my own work again.

That Mario piece is brilliant.

[GregWS]

OK, when possible please just quote the stuff here; I'd rather big messy posts than a bunch of links.

And from what I've skimmed of them, those things are great Movius!

[Terry]

Slightly off topic, but this is Kieron Gillen's analysis of Mighty Jill Off - it's pretty good - it picked up on an aspect of the game that I hadn't really thought of. As for whether or not dessgeega intended things that way I don't know. It's more than likely that she did.

[handCraftedRadio]

Haha this hilarious because its exactly what I felt like all my English teachers used to do with the classic novels and plays.

[Valter]

In other news, anything can be related to communism. It's true, give it a shot some time.

For example: Cave Story was clearly pro-communist propaganda. The mimigas represent the people, toiling to survive and yet happy with their position. The Doctor is the terrible face of Representative Democracy, exploiting the people for his own good! He lies to them and uses them, and then discards them as soon as he has no use for them anymore! See how easily they lived in their villages, before the monsters wearing the "Demon Crown" (here representing autocracy) tried to shape their lives!

It's not my best, but I could probably do better with some more time.

Also, this would mean that the Mimiga hero Arthur represents Stalin or the USSR. He fought the evils of democracy but was crushed by Democracy's crushing grip! Never forget his accomplishments!

[dessgeega]

As for whether or not dessgeega intended things that way I don't know. It's more than likely that she did.

i don't think i was terribly subtle.

[Terry]

As for whether or not dessgeega intended things that way I don't know. It's more than likely that she did.

i don't think i was terribly subtle.

Subtle enough for me to miss it. Whatever that's worth.

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

I've noticed that people differ wildly in how good they are at getting messages and such -- for me it's pretty easy, and always notice people completely missing things that I see.

As an example, Ikiru (SPOILERS ON THIS MOVIE FROM THE 50s) is a movie about an old guy who spent his life in a boring job doing nothing who gets stomach cancer and has to decide what to spend the last six months of his life doing, and tries different things like parties, drinking, romance, family, etc., none of which bring him happiness, until finally at the end he decides to do something good by using his position at his job to get a park for children made from an area which had been covered in sewage.

Then he dies, and during his funeral most of the people he knew downplay his achievements, saying that he wasn't responsible for the park at all, that it was just circumstance that got the park built. My mother thought that was a sad, depressing ending, since the main character died (she hates movies where people die), whereas I saw it as a more life-affirming ending because even though he had no recognition for what he done, he did something and was made happy through it, and his life meant something because that was something worthwhile he finally did before he died.

[azeo]

In other news, anything can be related to communism. It's true, give it a shot some time.

Proof: http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/307402

[Tanner]

In other news, anything can be related to communism. It's true, give it a shot some time.

Proof: http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/307402

Why did I know what the link was to before I even clicked it?

[GregWS]

In other news, anything can be related to communism. It's true, give it a shot some time.

For example: Cave Story was clearly pro-communist propaganda. The mimigas represent the people, toiling to survive and yet happy with their position. The Doctor is the terrible face of Representative Democracy, exploiting the people for his own good! He lies to them and uses them, and then discards them as soon as he has no use for them anymore! See how easily they lived in their villages, before the monsters wearing the "Demon Crown" (here representing autocracy) tried to shape their lives!

It's not my best, but I could probably do better with some more time.

Also, this would mean that the Mimiga hero Arthur represents Stalin or the USSR. He fought the evils of democracy but was crushed by Democracy's crushing grip! Never forget his accomplishments!

:D  Valter, it's stuff like this I was hoping would come from this thread!