Absolutely!

It's a bad game buddy

@@purpleclaws202 i don’t remember asking what u thought ab the game lol

@@purpleclaws202 You spelled good wrong try better next time.

Yeah.. same... I don't know where to find someone making a deep look into Life is Strange: True Colors... And sharing their insights here on KZfaq... Bah..

I am so happy that she made this video to share... Yeah.. finally, someone really spent a lot of time and actually cared about the story with its elements...

I absolutely agree, especially considering that many fans of the first Life is Strange didn’t like this one... There is a clear double standard in my opinion. I’m glad you liked this video and that it hit the mark for you 💜 -Sara

Hey man, fuck you for implying some stupid reason as to why I don't like this game. I for one, think the writing is just hot garbage.

Thank god you guys existed... You guys really care about these games! I really love our collective enthusiasm for these stories... It feels nice to know that we are here, and we could really see what the storytellers at dontnod may want to imply...

as a person of LatinX origin, your comment is very offensive.

Tbh I didn't like Lis 2 because I find the story boring and uninteresting. The game didn't managed to mix well all the elements of realism and paranormal, witch is something the first game and the prequel did way better. Those games made you really feel fully immersed in the world and in the characters, while this one made me feel like i was only "spectating" wathever shit was going on. Plus, Sean Is a very bland protagonist imho, even more than Max in the first chapters.

Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this lovely and thoughtful comment! I totally get you - though most racialised people experience racism in some form, either interpersonally or structurally, we have different experiences of racism. Factors like class, gender, sexuality, and sociopolitical context influence this - the Diaz brothers are a good example because even though there are some things I relate to, they have a very particular experience of racism as homeless young men, much of which I haven't experienced. If I were to make this video now in 2022, that's probably something I'd talk about more as I have a better understanding of it now - that people are racialised differently in different contexts and racism isn't a homogenous thing. For example, from learning from Latinx people and learning about the history of colonialism in South America, I now understand better that Latinx people are racialised in a homogenous way in the U.S., while in South American countries they will be racialised differently, and the experience of white, Black, and Indigenous South Americans are vastly different. I have no lived experience of this myself, but I have my own particular experience of racialisation and racism as a South Asian and Arab person living in Britain. This nuance is something we try to bring out more in our video "Decolonization is not a metaphor" - which you might be interested in checking out if you liked this one! I definitely want to discuss race and racism in games more in the future as well. Again thanks for taking the time to watch this video and to leave this comment 💜 -Sara

@@GameAssist I truly appreciate the content you've been putting up. I'll definitely check the video, I'm intrigued! Ty, Sara

so awesome that it impacted you so much

i love ur comment! please share the other essay that you liked

Yes definitely, he is racialised and perceived as 'other' therefore he has those experiences (we talk more about 'racialisation' in our other videos), and his white family doesn't understand that and even perpetuates racism towards him. It might be different if he were 'white passing' but he is clearly racialised and perceived as Mexican not white. That must be so painful and I'm so sorry that you and others have that experience with your families.

I couldn't agree more. As much as I love the first LIS, the double standard in fan reception to both games is so clear. I argue in our video on disability and gender in LIS1 that it's a very political game too, in a different way, but it's very telling that people think racism is 'too political' or that LIS2 is 'unrealistic', isn't it! It really shows the extent to which people are desensitised to and willing to ignore and overlook the violence that POC face, and how uncomfortable they are when forced to confront their whiteness. -Sara

As a younger brother myself this game does hit different.

Absolutely, there's such a double standard. There's fair critique to be had about LiS2, some of which I tried to touch on (like arguments that it's trauma porn, that it normalises the idea of the 'good cop', or that it associates Mexico with criminality) but overall I think it's an important game which does a lot of stuff very well. All LiS games are political, it's just 'too much' for some people to be confronted about racism ig...

LIS2 is incredible, I'm glad it hit you in the same way it did me!

I'm neither white nor Hispanic and this made me uncomfortable, I can see the reality of it all, my eyes are not closed trust me....some of it was too much like the kidnapping and chaining a minor so you can call the cops...like fr that is a crime bigger than what you accused them of commiting. Part one was more enjoyable for me. It took you for a crazy ride but didn't leave you feeling some kinda way lol

🙄

@@MaladroitFilms 🤡

Glad you enjoyed it!

I think I'm coming to terms with just how life effecting this game has been for me.

We're so glad you liked the video! You're definitely right that this game deserves to be appreciated despite its 'agenda'. All games, and all forms of art for that matter, have a purpose. They all aim to tell us something. What these people really mean is that they don't like the way the message is being portrayed because they don't want to acknowledge their own complacency and part in the system. Most games before LiS 2 showed us racism in fantasy or sci-fi settings, through metaphor. The reason this game hits differently is simply because of its grounding in our own reality. Thanks again for your comment, and we hope you continue to support us!

@@GameAssist oh 100%. it hit too close to home for a lot of people and made them uncomfortable, which is what good art does. i just hope lis 2 continues to be re-evaluated over the years. i will definitely continue to support you guys

@@ASS_ault why

Guess it’s only bad when the us does it huh instead of literally any other damn country it’s pushing shit agendas

@@unusannus..8005 when did the game ever even imply america is the only country with police brutality as an issue?

Thanks so much for the lovely comment and the sub! I We hope you enjoy our other video essays, and for sure keep an eye out for more content soon 😁

LIS2 is my favotire by far, it hits hard and gets too much hate.

Couldn’t agree more!

White people deal with racism more than anyone. Mainly because of our history or our race over all. We’re constantly being made fun of and called “crackers” or “white boy” or “white girl.”

@@ThatOneGuyInKZfaqComments please tell me this comment is satire

@@Lukeishness yes, it’s satire.

@@ThatOneGuyInKZfaqComments you really gotta work on that cause it did not sound like it was a joke at all.

​@Leonard Trent And you are the type of person this video is directly criticizing. You came to a video that clearly and demonstrably showed the incredible quality of LiS 2 and how it brilliantly addressed the very real problem of institutional racism, just to assume things about me and tell me to "get some standards." Your opinion of me and this game couldn't be more wrong. So why don't you get yourself some standards, learn to respect a good game that you simply can't bring yourself to understand, and leave your shit opinions at the door

@Leonard Trent Are people not allowed to like games? In my opinion, this game was really well written and had an amazing plot. You do not have to agree, but respect people who do.

People also bash it for the racism in it being obvious. Let’s be real. Racism from overt racists, is never, ever, subtle. That complaint is invalid. Real, visceral, life shattering issues like this aren’t hidden. They can be, but when it comes to police brutality or persecution like this, it’s in plain view.

are you sure? why are they in Lone Wolf too then? hm 🤔

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

tbh i always lumped clair with the bigots... she was quite overtly racist to me and almost every interaction she had with sean was a micro agression. i was surprised by stephen owning a maga hat (didn’t even see it in my gameplay), but it makes sense when we analyze claire. i don’t doubt that they love them but the racism is still there... as for brody, he looked like the text book definition of a white liberal. at least these 3 were helpful i guess as for the ending, i chose blood brothers but i just wish that they could just get to mexico and live a normal life, without getting into any trouble... but i still think that and parting ways are the best endings and especially the ones that make sense.

Racists? Opressive system? Can't you please stop saying bullshit?

Who cares if they are racist,people are free to have motives and I like the characters

@@alventuradelacruz522bruh… 😐

I loved LIS2 and love to find others who loved it too!

Thank you so much for your kind words! We really appreciate the support, and we're glad that we're not the only ones thinking about racism in this game.

Completely agree, couldn't have said it better ourselves! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this comment, we're really glad that you liked this video. We hope it helps people examine themselves and their assumptions, and to come to the conclusion that you've described.

yeah, i immediately understood why sean saw fleeing as his only chance of surviving, because there was no way they would’ve believed to latino kids over a dead white cop. it’s unrealistic. and all of this makes the surrender option at the end of the game so dumb, if sean wanted to do that then he should’ve just stayed in seattle, which is why i decided to cross the border immediately

@@lanadelreyisgay _"sean saw fleeing as his only chance of surviving"_ you hit it right on the head. especially bc after sean wakes up, sees his father's body and the mayhem around them, you (and him) immediately hear MORE cop cars on their way. why would he stay and wait to face more cops literally a few minutes after one just waved a gun in their face and murdered his father? i never understand ppl that say sean was unreasonable for running like what are yall even talking about

It bothers me how many people try and pick this game apart from the incighting incident.

Thank you! Yeah it really is the best ending

Yeah I think you are right. And I'm sorry, I'm right there with you and share your pain but you're not alone 💜

No you aren't.

@@greghauser742 lol i sure am.

Thanks so much for the kind words, and for sharing your experience with us 💜 We're all on a journey with unlearning these violent systems we've internalised and doing everything we can to fight them every day. At Game Assist we're humbled to be even a small part of that journey for folks, which is what our channel is all about. Proud of you!

Thank you so much! Yes, I can understand why the initial reaction would be to think that Flores might be more sympathetic as a fellow Latinx. As I argue in the video, it's a telling example of POC participating in racist structures of power and perpetuating racist structures. Capitalism teaches us that we will be fine as individuals and can 'make it' if we simply assimilate into the existing (racist) structures, never mind the liberation of all of our people. Personally when playing, I immediately distrusted Flores because she is an FBI agent. Regardless of individuals' intentions, as I've described, the FBI is an inherently racist institution, founded by people like J. Edgar Hoover with racist ideology, and purpose-built to enact racist violence. By participating in such an institution, one is complicit in racist violence. This has been true throughout the history of the FBI and the police and is true to the present day. There's a lot of good literature out there about this, but recently I've been reading the autobiography of Assata Shakur, in which she describes how the FBI and the police systemically murdered, imprisoned, and scapegoated the Black Panthers and other Black revolutionaries. I also recommend the website Abolitionist Futures: abolitionistfutures.com/ -Sara

Bihh your name is Peter Von Harten you are the furthest thing from Latino lmao

@@FireRayquaza24 I never said I was, but I can see how my comment was misconstrued. Edited it for clarity lol.

Couldn’t agree more! Thanks so much for your comment 😊

Also, this video is excellent, and I'm so glad I discovered this channel.

Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed the video! And that's such an interesting point - I haven't read any Carol Gilligan but definitely interested in checking this out. The gendered/caring nature of this construction of 'morality' hadn't occurred to me but it's especially interesting regarding Sean's positionality as a queer young man of colour in a caring role, displaced from the ethics of state really as soon as he runs away in the first episode. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts! -Sara

Thank you for the comment 💜 Personally I do believe the idea that “everything is political” - I think it means that we live in a world which is shaped by political forces and power structures, therefore everything we experience exists in a political context. Something I tried to get across in this video is that racism is everywhere because it isn’t just interpersonal violence, it’s embedded in the very fabric of society - in the existence of capitalism, criminality, borders, policing, and more. Interpersonal violence is just an extension of that, but an important one. The ways we relate to ourselves and each other are absolutely shaped by systems such as racism, misogyny, queerphobia, disablism, and capitalism. I agree that we have to be willing to face hard and uncomfortable truths, including our own complicity, if we ever hope to dismantle these structures of violence in our world, and build a more compassionate future. (Which I wholeheartedly believe we can 💜) I always recommend this reading list for folks if you’re interested in learning more about the angle I was coming from in this video, the angle I think this game portrays so well! x abolitionistfutures.com/full-reading-list

@@GameAssist thank you for that insight! i guess i missed something!

No worries at all, I really appreciate you taking the time to engage from a place of compassion and leaving such a kind and thoughtful comment on the video 💜 I hope you’ll consider checking out some of our other content if you enjoyed this one!

Thank you so much that's so kind 🥹

Great, I am Latino too and Sean received more racism in Episode 1 than I have my entire life. This game was way too on the nose with racism. It’s generally way more subtle.

Yes, we have plans for videos discussing issues such as disability and gendered violence in LIS1 and we will be discussing the nightmare sequence as part of that so do keep an eye out! Gone Home is an old favourite of mine (Sara here) so I'd be very interested to re-play it and talk about it for the channel!

It's true, there is such a double standard! And it's a bit shocking that people are sometimes only interested in art if they can 'relate to' it, it's a good thing to be interested in experiences that aren't your own as that's part of what makes us grow as people and build community

Also Sean and Chloe not having powers was thematically important for both of their characters and stories and it was a very interesting choice!! I will die on that hill

@@GameAssist I really enjoyed your video keep up the good work 👏

@@pixlpuk3 Thanks so much, and thanks for taking the time to leave thoughtful and kind comments 😊

Thank YOU so much for watching, and for leaving such a thoughtful comment! I really enjoyed reading your words and I really appreciated you sharing your experience. I found it really powerful to read because it came across as having a humbleness and an openness to challenging your assumptions and reframing your thinking, which I think is a wonderful and very important quality. I certainly don't pretend to have all the answers myself, and I'm sure if I made this video now it would be a bit different, reflecting the learning I have done since then as well - but I'm really glad that the analysis I did three years ago (I can't believe it's been that long) has resonated with you. Comments like this make me feel heard, and they make me feel connected. So thank you for your openness and for taking the time

@@GameAssist Thank you so much for the response. I was really moved by your analysis even though it was written three years ago! I appreciate it so much that you took the time to create something like this that was able to give me the chance to learn more and reframe my thinking. A lot of people think they know the whole story when it comes to a situation like this and it is because of the people like you that others can learn. If you ever attempted an analysis on this game again, I think it would be just as powerful- if not more, and I would love to hear it. I think you are doing an amazing job and I hope you never lose your voice. Thank you again

Thank you so much for watching and for taking the time to leave this lovely comment! I’m so glad this video resonated with you 💜

Thank you so much, I’m so glad this video resonated with you!

Thank you for taking the time to leave this lovely comment. I'm glad this video can help illuminate why this game, and talking about this game, is so important 💜

I'm really glad this comment section feels like a space where you can share your opinions safely 💜 We certainly appreciate you taking the time to share here!

@@GameAssist thank you! looking forward to getting through your other videos :))

Thank you so much! Yeah I also prefer the 'Sacrifice Arcadia Bay' ending as I discuss in our video on disability and gender in Life is Strange 1. We really appreciate your support and we're so glad you enjoy our videos!

Agreed, I feel that BLood brothers or parting ways are the best. BOth endings the brotehrs are free and alive.

@@lachdownproductionsyt exactly

Thank you so much 💜

Thank you so much for this thoughtful, vulnerable comment. I want to assure you that everyone has internalised racism, and those of us who are committed to unlearning it are committed to a lifelong journey, which requires vulnerability, humility, and the willingness to learn and grow. You have demonstrated these qualities and such wonderful open-mindedness in this comment, it truly means so much to see. It's natural to regret our past actions and beliefs once we've questioned them and realised the harm they cause, but I hope you can be proud that you have demonstrated such a willingness to change. I'm humbled to be even a small part of that. Much love and solidarity 💜

Thank you! We've no plans on stopping this kind of content any time soon 😊 - Errol

Thanks so much for the lovely comment! Me too, and that's a great way of articulating what I find so compelling about Dontnod and why I keep coming back to their games again and again. Unfortunately I think people on both sides have dismissed this game, either for falling short of moral or political perfection, or for being SJW nonsense attacking the integrity of real gamers

Thank you so much 💜 And I could go on about it for hours to be honest! We're thinking of doing a Stream/Let's Play with commentary soon to discuss some things in more depth

So glad that this has been meaningful to you and that it's encouraged you to play this game. There's been so much vitriol from (white) people saying that LiS2 is 'over-the-top', 'unrealistic', 'too political' and so forth, I think it's super important for us to play it, to support it, and to spread the message that we WANT overtly political and anti-racist games. So thank you!

Part two was messed up on alot of levels....I can see how it reflects what really goes on in America to an extent but really...some of it was too much...like the racial slur, kidnapping a minor and chaining them etc. It definitely made white people truly villainous, there was no balance

Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such a lovely comment! Really glad you liked the video and found it apt.

THis game hits so hard.

I can definitely relate, I found it so hard to play again. But really glad you enjoyed this video, thank you so much for taking the time to comment ☺️ -Sara

@@GameAssist thanks for the awesome content :")

@@GameAssist I have to say parting ways is the best ending in my opinion they both deserve to be happy even if their not together daniel does not seem to be happy in mexico and also sibiling's need their time apart and to not be codependent

We're so glad you're enjoying our content! Any support is much appreciated. We're only a small and relatively new channel, so likes, comments and subscribes are great, as well as sharing our content and telling your friends about us! We also have a Discord community which you can join if you become a Patron.

Thank you so much for the lovely comment! Glad you liked the video 😊

Glad you enjoyed it! 💜

Thank you so much, I’m so glad that this video could be helpful 💜

In the same boat.

Thanks so much! This one is incredibly underrated so we appreciate being a place to give it some love

It's so true and such a shame that many white people find being accused of racism more harmful rather than... perpetuating racism. I'm personally of the opinion that (a) it is consciously or unconsciously a tactic for re-centring their own feelings; (b) it makes people defensive because it makes them feel like they are being judged as a 'bad person', but we need to move away from thinking of 'a racist' as an evil caricature and more understanding that we live in a racist society therefore we have all internalised racism and are capable of perpetuating it, and of course white people are benefitting from it. And white people need to be doing this self-work so they stop being defensive and self-centring, and actually can contribute to the fight against white supremacy. I think an interesting thing about this game is actually that it explores some of those nuances... most (but not all) of the white characters feel not like evil caricatures of racists (maybe like he white people 'hunting' immigrants at the border?) but like complex and even sympathetic humans who are *also* doing a racism, sometimes without even realising. This is very, very, very important for white people to engage with!!! And it is a shame many white audiences won't engage with this for self-reflection because I think it would benefit them and of course us all

@@GameAssist i completely agree! it’s crucial for people to recognize the significance of these conversations. if one is confident in their stance against racism, they shouldn't perceive such discussions as attacks. as a black woman with an african heritage, I'm aware of issues like homophobia within my culture and country. others addressing these matters doesn't feel like a personal attack; on the contrary, i welcome these discussions. talking about these topics is vital, as it helps us confront unconscious biases and promotes personal growth. unfortunately, some individuals let their pride hinder these important discussions and continue being complicit in it

Thanks for bringing that up! I'll try to be more mindful of my language in that regard in the future. And I appreciate your comment very much, we're happy to help you feel less alone 💜 And don't worry about your English you're doing great!

I understand why you would feel that way but I wouldn't beat yourself up for being "fake" anything! I think this game can help us understand though how race and ethnicity are distinct, and race is this socially constructed thing which is dependent on context, like place or time. (We talk a bit about this in depth in another video, Decolonization is not a metaphor.) Something I would want to talk about more if I did this video again would be how when I use 'Latino' here I am talking about how in the specific context of the U.S. a certain racial category of 'Latino' is constructed, and how Sean and Daniel face this specific kind of racism of being marked as Latino/racially other therefore marked for homelessness, persecution, and even death. By contrast in South America people aren't racialised homogeneously as 'Latino' but as white, Black, Indigenous, Mestizo, etc. and that's a whole other kettle of fish entirely. A lot of us as racialised people live in precarity (our membership of Western society is conditional, something we talk about more in our LP of the game) but might not have experienced the same kind of racism as others, especially on a structural level (looking at immigration status, criminalization and homelessness in this case). For example I think a big part of the reason Sean and Daniel face so much overt racial discrimination after being made homeless and criminalised is because they're turned into easy targets for this sort of abuse and harassment. All of this is to say I hope you don't take anything to feel bad or "fake" about yourself personally, but to learn more about how complex race is, and how even as racialised people we don't always understand each other's experiences of racism, especially when it comes to structural issues like the ones looked at in this game, and that's ok! It just means we develop understandings of race and racism more deeply every day by learning from experiences and knowledges that aren't necessarily our own. (Sadly an attitude I've seen a lot in this comment section, is people considering their personal experience as POC as the be all and end all!)

Thank YOU so much for the lovely comment! Really glad you enjoyed it and found it informative 😊

Thank you so much! Yeah it's such a shame that it was so poorly received, I really do think this game is very important and very underrated. It's the kind of game I think even if someone doesn't like it on a personal level, or has fair critiques of it, I would still hope they can see why it's important for a game to be trying to do what it's doing!

Thanks for watching and for leaving such a thoughtful comment so full of love for this game 💜

Thank you so much! 💓 I think I got Parting Ways the first time and Blood Brothers the second. My favourite ending is definitely is Blood Brothers though and I always cross the border -Sara

Thank you so much 😭😭😭🥰🥰🥰

Thank you so much 😊

First of all, what Daniel wants is *dependant* on what you taught him. Saying he never wants to go to Mexico is just disregarding the immoral influence and labeling it as "obviously bad" which is bs. Lone Wolf would NEVER be possible if what you say was true. Also, Parting Ways ending isn't that good at all, because you condemn Daniel to being tracked by the U.S. authorities. You exposed his power and lost him for good. I dislike how people romanticise Sean's mistake by being like "aww, Daniel went his own way" or "Daniel sacrificed himself for Sean". No, Daniel freaked out and left you because you taught him morals, then suddenly turned on him and asked to hurt the officers. If you teach Daniel to be moral/lawful, then *own it* and surrender. Just like crossing the border leads to a better outcome if you made Daniel a survivor. Plus, there's actually no implication Daniel's unhappy with Sean in Mexico. That melancholic face at the beach literally could be just him missing dad, because Sean pulled out the lighter.

@@johnsk.j6894 "What Daniel wants is dependant on what you taught him" I strongly disagree, because that would completely destroy Daniel's sense of agency as a person and character. The brothers have certain traits and desires that are set in stone. Just because you can make choices and direct the flow of the story doesn't mean you can customize everything about them. Daniel's desires are immutable. Sometimes they involve his desire to follow Sean, but not always. And no matter which choices you make, he still says "f*ck Puerto Lobos" or "who cares about Puerto Lobos" and still raises apprehensive points about going. He also went his own way a lot of times, like in spending time with Chris or asking Sean "why do you always force us to run". I don't think Parting Ways condemns Daniel to being tracked by the authorities. As a child, regardless of Sean's choices, he still deserves to go to a loving home where he's safe, happy, and cared about, and I'd argue all the photos shown imply that. Sean can never provide for Daniel at the level the Reynolds can, and it's obvious Daniel is more culturally dependent on the US system as a child, whereas Sean is experienced in survival, knows Spanish, and can travel anywhere. The only reason I think Daniel has an ankle monitor in PW is because he had to experience some of the consequences of his choices without Sean shielding him all the time, a fate he accepted by jumping out of the car. And he's on house arrest, it's not a maximum security cell, so it's fair to say he was seen using his powers in the open at some other point (possibly the school bus he saved). I'm not saying that's just either mind you, but it does play into his acceptance of society's rules. The fact he's also shown in Chris's treehouse at age 12 (which isn't at the Reynolds) implies he wasn't on house arrest when he was first returned to his grandparents, so we know the ankle monitor is not due to the border incident. While I don't think Daniel was old enough to know if he'd end up at the Reynolds (he thought he'd be going to prison), he does state "I hope you'll be happy in Mexico" to Sean, because he cared more about Sean's happiness than his own. To be honest, first time players are surprised at this choice, and I'm not sure I'd pick PW if I didn't know Daniel would end up with the Reynolds, but it does make total sense to me, and I do pick PW in hindsight because Daniel deserves his family, his new dog, seeing his mother again, and having his friendship with Chris. I got Blood Brothers on my first playthrough, for the record, and I like to think that eventually they would end up happy in Mexico together. But that was before I saw all the other endings and considered how it's possible their brotherhood turned unintentionally toxic along the way, with Sean always clinging to him and instituting rules Daniel probably saw as being just as restrictive as Claire's. Finn even says "the more you try to control him, the less you have" and based on further playthroughs, I've found that's true. You need to allow him SOME agency. Daniel's power is an immutable part of his nature after all, so forcing him to withhold it at every opportunity doesn't bode well, and neither does restricting him from making friends. The reason I don't "own" the morality to get the Redemption ending, as you said, is because it was always Sean who wanted to go to Puerto Lobos, not Daniel, so choosing PW ensures they both get what they want in the end. Plus Redemption is terrible to me, because Sean gives himself up to the same system that got their father killed. While this could've been true for Daniel, he's more free than Sean would be. While I do value morality, there is societal morality and brotherhood morality in this game. In a perfect world, those two types of morality can only remain more or less equal if you're safe, protected, and sheltered, but since the boys are forced to live apart from society, they have to develop their own rules and the scales are constantly tipped, so every choice you make causes cognitive dissonance. In the levels in which you exist within a society, like the Reynolds, I noticed the brotherhood rules can prove catastrophic. They tend to only be applicable out in the wild. But some choices, for me anyway, supercede both of those as being immutable human moralities that are unchanging regardless of the environment, so the choices could swing either way for me at those points. Like the decision to save Chris, or the one to go to Puerto Lobos, I make that choice for the boys both because it's what Sean wants, and because I now know where Daniel will end up. The choice is also important from an ethics standpoint because once a child is dependent on you or any system, it's unethical to tear them away from that, though I think living in a comfortable, protective home is what Daniel needs most and regardless of Sean's reasoning, it was unethical for him to rip Daniel away from the Reynolds (or chastise him about wanting to seek out their mom). He deserves stability. But if I didn't know otherwise, I would pick Blood Brothers, even though I was a little disappointed in that one. It's not just Daniel's expression, it's also that he's looking through Sean's journal and very likely seeing all the times Sean wrote "Daniel had another accident, we have to run AGAIN because it's not safe", and I don't think he'd feel too great about that in hindsight, because he'd feel he's the reason everything bad happens. As Karen points out in Faith, "making your own choices doesn't mean you can never fool yourself", so it's my opinion that Daniel has some deep-seated regrets about following Sean and now having to live a rough life when he could've stayed with the Reynolds and had some sense of normalcy. He was obviously tired of going on the run all the time, and it's no way for a kid to grow up, so even if PW does mean Sean loses him, at least he'd be safe and cared about because he's not ending up in prison or a government lab (there's definitely no evidence of the latter so idk why some people even assume that). And yeah on the one hand if he's high with societal morality, he doesn't want to be separated from Sean, but he also doesn't want Sean to get hurt because of him anymore, as he feels enough regrets about his eye and all the other stuff. But even if he's lower morality, the way he clears the road and then says sadly "we can go now", it just doesn't seem true for me that he would love Puerto Lobos all that much. And in Lone Wolf, he may seem happy to reach Mexico, true, but imo Daniel only made that choice because he wanted to prove to Sean he could get them there himself, and he's happy he proved himself right until it becomes a horror story. Given the pictures, it can be argued he came to enjoy Puerto Lobos for a time, but he still holds a lot of regrets over what it cost him, and he seems very cut off from the world in the end regardless.

I agree with every bit of this! So eloquently worded.

Thank you so much 💜 I hope you had a great convo with your dad! Yeah I mean unless there are explicit statements of intentionality it is always something hard to read, but in terms of the text itself I think it's there, black and white colouring as an indicator of morality has been around in fiction for ages (both in the classic Western sense of dark is evil, white is good and in subversions, like the way Audre Lorde makes black a place of depth and comfort and white a place of violence). Like any game or text there are things I raise my eyebrow at and I think it's important to have those constructive critical conversations, but I do love this game so much and I value so much that we are having this conversation at all because of this game being a thing that was made with a lot of thought and love

i think because of how the game throws you into places without seeing the gaps of everyday life it would seem unrealistic how much racism occurs. This game pans out between 10ish months (i could be wrong). I also think because the game creators are white men who don’t live in the united states it was a bit harder to fully grasp how subtle racism really is.

Thank you so much! 🥹 Blood brothers forever

Thank you so much, glad you enjoyed it!

You have a point. Too bad they ignore intelligent comments like this.