Yo Bro Pass The Pencil

Pico’s character/reaction is the biggest thing I would change. Perhaps have him take a bit of hesitancy when first coming & talking to Cyclops. A slight stumble over words is all you really need. As the game continues, this hesitancy can be forgotten or pushed aside as Pico continues having to face people. This is a situation he and all his classmates never planned to be in. A bit of this reflected in the beginning would drive that notion.

I want more of Pico trying to talk some sense into the other members of Cassandra’s group, only for his words to be dismissed as the group’s set in their ways/plan. Like, trying to make them understand they could’ve done literally anything else, not the whole being a survivor would help sensationalize the event. I like the “Society sucks, but you don’t have to kill your classmates to stand out” + “try making music instead of just listening to it” and I wish there was more of that. Adding some more of this would also still show that Pico has a high self-preservation, as though he wants them to realize/learn what’s wrong with what they’re doing..,he will do what he needs to make it out of there.

I feel like the ending fight where you blow up the wall is necessary. The story’s so rediculous that I feel like, in the setting of the world, you need more witnesses on what the hell’s going on. Best way to do that is by blowing up the wall and revealing what is happening to those outside. I don’t want to change the rediculousness of it, just the fact that others need to see it too to solidify what would be Picos later recollection. (Perhaps multiple endings?)

For those of you new to me/my blog, Aftermath/how trauma affects someone is a big thing I am drawn too. It isn’t necessary as what the game gives you is something and has an interesting commentary...but I just wanted to go ham on this aspect.

My initial aftermath:

We see Pico walk out slowly, evidence of the event drenching his clothes. The bright red and blue lights highlight the blank face of shock present on the child’s face. He stands in front of the doors...unmoving. Not really taking in the scene around him...Just breathing. His weapon hits the cement beneath him. *cut to black*

After that aftermath (definitely not necessary but wanted):

Jump cut-Pico sitting in an interrogation room. He has a blank, still shocked stare aimed at the viewer as voices are heard (but no one else is seen).

“He’s not talking.”

“Can you blame him? Everyone even remotely close to his age was killed, in front of him. Why are we still keeping him?”

“Are you kidding me? Did you hear his story?

“When there are multiple officer eye witness accounts, yes! You can’t honestly tell me you expect everyone just had a collective hallucination!”

“.....”

“That’s what I thought. Now, let’s get him out of here.”

Another jump cut-The School. Pico snaps from a similar blank expression as the two scenes prior...After that, it just plays out like the actual game. (Maybe cut to black before Pico pulls out the gun? Idk for sure).

As I said, this stuff isn’t necessary. The ending given is sufficient enough as is. This is just what I would do with an ending if I had the gall to make a game. A bit more dramatic than the comedic....

Other things I’ve thought about:

I thought about solidifying Pico’s age/grade when this took place but keeping his age ambiguous adds an interesting layer. While this game was influenced/‘inspired’ by the Colombine shooting, there have been many shooters from varying age ranges who have claimed lives of victims of same varying age ranges. There’s also the fact that I know of kids as you as preschool/kindergarten who swear like sailors, so having a younger protagonist swear isn’t as rediculous as it seems.

Cassandra and her teams reasoning of being oppressed or trapped within a failing system falls into a similar vein. From the recollections I’ve heard, many shooters (Columbine, Elliot) have used this kind of reasoning to ‘justify’ their acts. Meanwhile, Some just do it to make others feel pain. There is no excuse/reason that would make what they’re doing better and, the current one that is portrayed, this falls aling with real life scenarios.

Granted, taking it out on those oblivious or suffering in the very same system you are fed up with won’t do anything to tear down said system. In fact, it’ll inadvertently make it worse as regulations and safety measures are taken to try and avoid situations like that from happening again.

To be fair, I could be reading way too much into this simple game. I just think stuff like that is insightful commentary, even if it wasn’t intentionally planned as such. That’s why, even though a part of me wants to change it, I decided against altering these points.