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(+5)

On a literal in-universe level? No idea, besides the base level "people are being driven towards it in a state of madness" thing (i did think of "her" as being the ocean (or i guess an entity within it but that distinction doesn't really matter imo) (which i think is kind of fun because of the whole deal where historically the ocean has been gendered like that (similarly to boats))).

I think the reason I wasn't left confused/maybe unsatisfied was that I just don't really care to know exactly what events are taking place, especially because from, like, June's perspective, she has no idea what's going on either, and that adds to the horror of it, like "hey what's happening why are these people who i know and love acting like this!?" Like a short story, which is kind of what this is, just in video game format. Then I can try and wrap my head around what I think is happening on a more thematic/figurative/allegorical level (still working on that one, but I have enough to go off of that I don't feel let down) which is the part I just generally care more about in fiction. It's a balancing situation where if more is explained, it gets less scary, which is bad for a horror game, and maybe it doesn't work as well as a vehicle for whatever themes the author is trying to communicate, but also the audience is left hanging on some points that they'd maybe really rather not be. I don't know. word vomit reply. tldr i'm as unsure as everyone else on some key points i'm just coming from a different angle i guess which makes me fine with it (and both ways are fine obviously etc. and my previous comment was maybe a little misworded lol)

(+1)

I appreciate the response. Although I don't need a full grasp of the horror elements of the game (as you said, knowing everything would diminish the horror) I find it difficult to be scared at all when there is so little to go off of. Say like with zombie shit, that shit scared the FUCK out of me, and its due to the infectious nature of it. At first I thought this was going down a similar route, but June, our player character and therefore audience insert, is seemingly unnaffected, which separates me from the whole horror of being infected. Now obviously homegirls who go into the ocean die from at the very least drowning, but the reasoning why, if hinted at, could add to the horror or depravity in my eyes. Was it all for nothing? A revenge plot by the sea herself, as if, like in the novel Solaris, it was a living breathing being? I think I completely agree with you about knowledge and horror, and that knowing too much certainly diminishes the tension of the scary media, but I also think knowing too little can do that too, and that's how I feel about this game hah. Sorry this is a lot lolz, didn't expect to get so into it, but for me at least, this has been a pretty interesting conversation haha!

Going to have to copy you and say that I appreciate the response, haha. There's definitely a lot to think about here! :) good discussion