This game is inspiring to me. There's a secret ending you can get by climbing some geometry and escaping the map. The fourth wall is broken, and the developer speaks to you directly. Throughout the dialogue leading to the ending along with the ending itself, the game's atmosphere gets stripped back. The levels are shown from the editor, all immersion removed. The dev talks on it all very casually, maybe a bit awkwardly. He mentions that he's a bit insecure about the writing but it's clear he didn't compromise his ideas. He made the game he wanted to make, he had some things he wanted to say.

Including this kind of thing in a game that's so focused on atmosphere and immersion is kinda wild, but I'm very glad that it's there. Seeing everything stripped back shows the game's strengths. It's not a very large or complex game, but it doesn't need to be. It shows just how effective all of the retro graphical effects can be, how far a good soundtrack can go. Revealing all this puts the game in a vulnerable position with the potential to spoil the magic, but for me it only deepened my connection to it. I would argue this ending fits in very well with the rest of the game and serves its themes just as well as the others.

I have a difficult time making any kind of art despite a deep desire to do so. Anything I do make I tend to not show to anyone. I'm scared to present myself to the world, to put myself in a situation where my beliefs and skill are being analyzed. I'm trying to be better but it's a difficult process. Seeing this game present itself so plainly from an outside perspective is inspiring. Putting yourself into your work is very personal, but I think it's essential for making something meaningful.