The Emotional Peak of The Last Guardian
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- Опубликовано: 6 окт 2024
- One runs the risk of weeping a little, if one lets himself be tamed.
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Fumito Ueda Interview: • Fumito Ueda and Geoff ...
Thumbnail Credit: HotCyder- / hotcyder
Footage Used: The Last Guardian, Shadow of the Colossus (2005 & 2018), ICO, Uncharted 4, Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, Control, PS3 and PS4 trailers
Music Used: The Last Guardian (Overture Lore, Victorious, Epilogue, End Titles- The Last Guardian Suite), Shadow of the Colossus (Silence - Battle with the Colossus), Okami (Issun’s Theme, Promise), Life is Strange (ambient background music)
Description Credit: The Little Prince
If you join my Patreon, you'll get access to a full-length video director's commentary on this essay! and also I will be able to buy more treats for Tori! It's a win/win, really.
Cool video but those weird cuts involving ramping up your dialogue before shutting it down to a totally black screen with the music stopping is kinda annoying and redundant.
@@sirrealism7300 not really.
@@sirrealism7300 It was referring to the way the game is. He said that it never really aloud you to feel sentimental, it would cut you off, until the end where there is a nice moment of emotion and happiness.
@@1boyofsteel121 kinda just felt like gay amateur film cuts to me
@@sirrealism7300 that's fair
"To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world . . ."
Where is that from? Pax?
@@joringedamke5597 The Little Prince
@@joringedamke5597 The Little Prince.
@@joringedamke5597 KNACK 2 BAYBEEEE
The little prince was a good book and movie.
Video that shows people the end of a game
Most people: Spoiler warning.
Jacob: Implied subjectivity warning
This is a man of culture
Honestly, you shouldn't need spoiler warnings. common sense should tell you, "Oh this is a video about a game/movie/show I haven't played/seen yet, maybe I should wait and watch/play the actual thing first. People who care about spoilers are people who lack accountability. You have so much more control of your environment than you think.
@@Jake38nineespecially when the title says emotional peak, it should be common sense there are going to be spoilers. The endings are always the most emotional, and generally you can’t really talk about scenes that evoke strong emotions without them being a spoiler.
@@Jake38nine to add to that: at some point in time the game/movie/book or whatever else will be to old for spoiler warnings. Nobody will be mad for talking about the ending of Moby dick in an essay without a spoiler warning, and it's weird if people are at this.
To be fair though, if this was an isolated incident and you were to go about telling 1 person about the ending and they havent seen it yet and they tell you not to spoil it, you SHOULD NOT spoil it for them. Thats a dick move if its an isolated incident. But on the internet? Nah, you cant control spoilers, but you can prevent yourself from looking.
@tellux040 But that's the thing, nobody really understands deferral of gratification or prevention. People only ever want cures to things, which is just impossible. You can't cure everything, but you can prevent a lot of things.
When I played through The Last Guardian, I had this distinct feeling that there would probably never really be a game like it again. It relies on players having a kind of patience that I have never really seen in a game before, at least not one from a major studio. While there are certainly a few layers of jankiness that were not intentional, most of the things that I found frustrating about the game where intentional. It does this amazing thing where you are always a little annoyed with how things are going until you hit those bigger action moments where everything between the boy and Trico is in sync. And this feeling is so easy to relate to. Whether it be with a pet or even a real person, relationships are a lot of work. Building trust is a lot of work. The Last Guardian gives its primary relationship time to grow in a way that no game I have played really does? Like, I love the Last of Us, but you can look through that game and really pinpoint 2-3 moments that led to Joel and Ellie becoming bonded, but you can't do that at as easily here. There are a few moments that emphasize the bond (the boy almost dying, Trico almost dying, and the top of the tower), but they are the result of how the bond grew on a moment to moment basis through game play. And I think that those moments are so meaningful because they feel so earned. As you touch on, they are these sort of forced moments of reflection where you think, "God dang, I love Trico."
GOOD GAME. GOOD VIDEO. GOOD.
@Razbuten
Any plans on making a video on Last Guardian? I'd love to see your take on it too.
@@sahus Nothing exclusively on it. I am working on a piece about the intersection of game mechanics and storytelling, and this will definitely have a place in that video. I have had thoughts of doing a big piece on the three Team Ico games, but at this point, that is more of a "this would be fun" instead of a "I have an interesting take on this" so I need to wait until I have a more concrete idea for it.
@@razbuten Yeah, I wouldn't want you to make a video, on a game that you didn't have an "interesting take" on, just cause I like the game.
For what it's worth, the only other AAA game I've played since TLG that relied on player patience as much as TLG did was death stranding. They're incredibly different games, but the minute to minute gameplay of death stranding reminds me a lot of a team ico style game. Somber quiet, where it's just you navigating a world coupled with the obscene level of detail and complexity with which the world is rendered and able to be interacted upon. Climbing a mountain in death stranding reminded me of climbing cliffs and colossi. You slowly navigate and use careful planning to determine spots where you can rest and catch your breath.
@Razbuten notice me sempai
Definitely planned on crying on my lunch break today. That was completely intentional.
Beautiful video Jacob, hot damn.
I did not bring my permission slip for this feels trip.
today i woke up and thought: today is a good day to cry over a video about a game that i didn't play! how can i achive that?
Last Guardian came out about 6 months after my cat had died and playing the game helped me grief. By the end I was crying so loud I think my neighbours heard me. Is it technically a perfect game? No. Do I think it's still a perfect game? Absolutely. It's special to me in a way art that really hits home is.
This is my same exact relationship with the game. I had just lost my cat of 19 years, and this game came out exactly when I needed it to. After already waiting so long, for it to come out at that timing felt like it was all a weird dream. By the end, I was crying like a baby, but I am convinced that getting to have that connection and trust with an animal again, even a fictional one, helped me through my grieving process immensely. I will forever be grateful to this game for that, and it will forever be one of my favorite games. To me, it's perfect. It feels like a part of me, now.
I can understand that. I played it several times with my corgi including the first time I played. She used to always look up at the tv anytime she heard trico (I had the surround sound way up lol)
The days before I knew I had to put her to sleep (she had a degenerative disease), I played it with her one last time.
I still feel like the bond between trico and the player is very similar to the bond we share with our pets, only condensed into a 12 hour experience
I played the game, knowing it would probably destroy me, about a month after my dog died. The only dog I ever had for about 15 years of my life (more than half at this point).
The game just gave me reminder after reminder. I owned a dog, and the patience of dealing with Trico was... surprisingly easy. But my god the ending made weep... and that moment. The one after the fight with the other trico you find and you fall off a bridge. Where Trico seems to be just barely alive and you just feed it barrels as best you can, and you try to pet it and help it... it reminded me so heavily of what my dog looked like near their final days that I just couldn't handle it.
@@RPGgrenade💔
when the video essay is as much art as the game
Daniel Wallace teachers pet
Articulated perfectly
Facts bro - this essay is beautiful
Jacob, your videos always fill me with joy. For the level of quality, for your eloquence, for your passion, for the fact that I'm living in a time where people like you are able to produce content like this that is easily available to people like me. Those Patreon dollars are the easiest I've ever spent. In this video that joy did spill over into the lump in the throat and moistness of the eyes-territory, and boy am I happy for that. Thank you, well done.
To this day, the fact that so few people played The Last Guardian still breaks my heart.
And also I cry every like a little b*tch every time I'm simply thinking about Last Guardian's ending...
i only know one youtuber that did and that's jacksepticeye and i loved his playthrough because he didn't give up and he felt the emotions and felt it all and finished it with a broken heart
@@lrkeribergaard6110 gonna check it out!
Well that was beautiful and also made me cry, so a fairly standard Jacob Geller video then. :P
(seriously though the personal anecdote at the end was the perfect climax for the video. Good dogs are good!)
The moment that destroyed me was Trico realizing that they possibly killed the boy. You have no control over the situation except the camera, and Trico is basically controlling you, trying to see if you come back, and gosh that part was so sad, but at the same moment the boy came back and Trico was all happy and jumping all over.
Basically, I think that Fumito Ueda does these really sad moments, but at the same time, there's fun and hope too. Like the end of SOTC, with you never really uniting with your loved one, but she and the land are back to life and free. The outcome isn't perfect, but the horizon is beautiful.
Ueda is a softie at heart and it's crazy how few people realize this. None of the main characters in all three of his games actually die, none of them. Even Wander gets another chance. And all three games end on optimistic notes, which is the most important thing, where they actually end.
Even some fans of Ueda can't seem to handle this, and will come up with theories that twist the plots so they're secretly dark and sad - Mono becomes the Queen from Ico, Ico and Yorda are actually dead and the beach is the afterlife. They can't process the positivity.
"the outcome isn't perfect, but the horizon is beautiful." Fuaaark man that made me feel things I haven't felt for a long time
My favorite part is still the post credits. It gave me the happy ending I really wanted. That was the part that made me lose it. I was holding in tears the entire time but when i heard trico groan and then saw the baby trico, I lost it. Even now just thinking of it I get choked up. And I am not an emotional man. I'm super repressed tough guy douchebag type and this game just tore me apart
I get it. The happiest memory I have in my life is laying on my bed with the sun coming though the window in the summer and my cat napping next to me. He died half a year ago. His name is Midnite. I love him and miss him so much.
Rest In Peace Midnite
It always hits me so hard that the very last thing you do, the last time you actually play the game, is when you send Trico away. You say goodbye.
jfc jacob you made me cry over your dog, i hope you're proud (you should be. what you two have built is beautiful)
I've been a dog person my whole life and when my Dad died when I was 25 I was ready to call it a day. Few months later my best friend committed suicide but the one constant during all that pain was my little dog Ted. He gave me a reason to live and get out of bed in the morning. Nights and days I didn't want company but he never left my side. 8 years later hes here with me in my own house, helping my battle my demons. The power of dogs is immeasurable. They are an extension of mankind. Much love to all the dog owners out there who take dogs in and unlock the dogs true purpose and power into their lives.
This game ripped my heart out as I had no idea how the ending would play out and got WAY too attached to Trico. I would spend time to just groom Trico settling their ruffled feathers and just playing with them.
Thanks for the tears, my dude. I'm crying in the club.
Get out of my head Jacob. I literally replayed The Last Guardian yesterday. I can't handle this...
I feel like Jacob Geller has now become one of if not my favourite RUclipsr, which is both a good and bad thing. A good thing, because it means that I am subscribed to someone who always produces quality of the highest content, even if he doesn’t think that. And a bad thing, because it has now dawned on me how little passion and love there is left on RUclips. Very few people in the hundreds of millions on this site actually give me pure, unadulterated joy when I receive a notification. Thank you Jacob Geller for existing.
I don’t agree with this. I think there is more thoughtful, delightful content on this platform than ever before. Perhaps the percentages aren’t great, but that’s because this is a service that is free to use for literally everyone. Of course there will be lots of soulless, lowest common denominator creators, but my subscription list is so full of wonderful stuff that I can’t keep up with it all. If you want some recommendations let me know, because I definitely admit the good content can be hard to track down.
@@Tinyvalkyrie410 I always like quality recommendations. Does that offer extend to a different internet rando?
@@samuraishodownmugenproject5094 sure thing! What are you looking for?
Edit: the stuff I know best is video game content, both essays and lighter stuff, tabletop gaming, science and engineering stuff, pop culture analysis, and animal care stuff. I do have a list of other random things as well. I spend a worrying amount of time on RUclips 😂
@@Tinyvalkyrie410 Is there any philosophical type shit you know? I am addicted to these kinds of videos
@@minhngo9970 tragically I do not, unless it’s tangentially related to other stuff (like Nier Automata). That said, it is definitely something I am interested in learning more about. Do you have any recommendations on good videos or channels?
Edit: there are a few channels I watch that deal with philosophical issues like Ask a Mortician and Contrapoints, but I assume you mean more classical academic stuff
OH MY GOD YOU HAD ME SO GOOD WITH THE BIT ABOUT YOUR DOG. I'M SO GLAD SHE'S SAFE AND HAPPY AND HAS A HUMAN WHO TOOK THE TIME TO LOVE HER THROUGH THE ROUGH PATCHES
8:31 stopped me in my tracks and by the end of the video I was crying in the middle of the cafeteria I was eating lunch in.
Phenomenal job, Jacob. As always.
The thing I hate about your videos
is that they don't have enough views
Other thing is, in this case I can't finish it because less than half way through I'm convinced I need to play this game. ;P
@@argenteus8314 play it, it's really good
@@BornEvilXIII I plan to! I've got a LOT of games I need to get through though. I say that like it's a bad thing, but obviously it's amazing that there are so many incredible games out that the only problem is which ones first.
@@argenteus8314 yeah I have this too, I'm playing breath of the wild, Persona 3, Dreams, Devil may Cry4, Sekiro, so many games
I wonder where that idea came from, that Last Guardian would have to have ended with either the boy or Trico dying, seeing as neither of the previous Team Ico's games killed their main characters and that's hardly the only way to write an emotional and impactful ending?
Is that sort of gut-punch really so overplayed, that we can no longer look at a cute animal in story-based media without thinking of it getting killed off for an emotional beat?
I think that's Shadow's fault to a degree (Wander's state at the end is... ambiguous), but probably also the default "saddest thing." When I think about characters I don't yet care about having a bond I don't understand yet, then the saddest thing I can imagine happening to them is one of them dying. And there is an expectation, with Ueda, for a bittersweet ending. So I think most people just didn't make the jump to "forming this bond and then separating the two forever is the saddest way this can go," because that requires an assumption that the bond will be built well and people will care about it. One half dying is sad even if the narrative otherwise fails.
When I was in elementary school, our teacher read us a book called "No More Dead Dogs" that was a funny story about a kid sick of the "animal dies in the end" trope. Those memes about The Last Guardian really reminded me of it, haha. Because yeah, Ueda always goes for a much more interesting and bittersweet ending than the easy/obvious tearjerker copout. It's a big part of why his storytelling is so beloved to me.
It is overplayed and it's also super cheap. I literally refuse to watch movies that do it. Even movies that aren't at all about the dog like I am legend and butterfly effect. Those both upset me so much that I will never watch them again and will always say fuck those movies (especially butterfly effect. I feel straight up traumatized by that shit)
So I absolutely loved the way this game truly ended (post credits). I held in my tears through all the worst moments and saddest parts, but the post credits completely broke me. It made me so fucking happy and still does.
@@littlekitsune1 so true. Couldn't agree more. I especially love it because he gives happy endings while also not playing it safe whatsoever. He's a genius and I will forever love him for the gifts he has given us
@@HugoStiglitz88 You must REALLY hate John Carpenter's "The Thing" I'm guessing. XD
Never felt this close to a game - the absolute best work IMO of this amazing studio. A game about making bonds instead of breaking them - befriending an other instead of killing it.
It's incredibly special, criminally under-experienced, and hopelessly intertwined with my soul; a realization of what games can be. Thank you for the tribute to it, and thanks for sharing such a lovely personal story along with it.
Same. It's why I never shut up about it. Ask my friends. They'll confirm that lol
This video came out a little over a year before I lost my first dog. She was the biggest, sweetest old English sheepdog, no, the sweetest dog I've ever met. I've not been able to get my hands on a copy of this game due to college and work and what not, but only yesterday I picked it up and immediately thought back to watching this when I was still in that muddy haze of grief. I can't describe exactly why I immediately fell in love with trico but seeing him right at the start with spears stuck all through him, struggling to stand, reminded me of the last week or so of her life. She was an old dog and there wasn't much we could do to help her besides putting her to rest, but being able to pull the spears from trico and really help him back to his feet actually made me cry. It's not closure, but it helps.
God, when you got to the "and neither of us bite each other when we take away bread" I almost burst out crying at work. This is beautiful. What a wonderful, transformative piece of art you've made.
Good job, thank you, and best of luck.
Jacob, you need to stop making cry so much with every video. 😭
I had all the same feelings you did playing this game and I also got a dog to help with my depression since antidepressants don’t really work on me.
His name was Rex, an Akita/lab mix and he was the best thing that ever happened to me. I adopted him when he was 7 and spent months breaking through his aloofness and my own inexperience and it felt like the greatest victory of my life when I truly felt our own bond with each other because I truly had to work at it unlike how it is with most other kinds of dogs. Then in November I found out he had lymphoma, we said goodbye to him at the end of January. I didn’t even have him for a year. I knew adopting a large senior dog came with these risks but I... always thought we would have a few years together before I really had to...
That sense of fleeting you mention with Trico, I had always sort of felt that with Rex, but it doesn’t stop like feeling the rug is pulled out from under you when you realize it’s much less time than you wanted. The Last Guardian captures this very well, because they really give you that moment for it to sink in. Thanks Jacob.
i know no ones gonna read this but damn this resonates with me. in a lot of sentimental movies too, there is the feeling of fleeting love. when you know the protagonists will be torn apart in the end. it’s not just the love that makes the parting stronger, but vice versa.
I might be a fair bit late to this video, but this game broke me in ways I haven't experienced in any game. When I played this game I was in part of the peak of my alcoholism, but no matter what there was this little cat that I came home to. I was so alone and felt completely helpless, but every day I came home from work I would meet my cat Maria. She was always there for me and gave me so much reason. There were moments when I had considered suicide but while I was in a drunken haze, that little cat was always sitting with me on the couch. I got a tattoo of the boys tattoos in this game on my right arm as a memory for the unspoken companionship found with animals and to honor the bond I had with that cat before she died. She developed a sort of immune disease thats specific to cats, and so I had to get her put down to ease her suffering and I held her the entire time while she got the injections. I held her in the same way she held me during the lowest points I've ever felt. And that's why this game was so much for me.
You know. Watching this, I realized that I’ve cried at every one of these
Dude, I was getting teary at the end there, and I wasn't even watching the video, just listening. Your writing and narration are actually perfect. Amazing work.
This video was a beautiful find, I played The Last Guardian earlier this year and it is the most emotional I have ever felt from a game. It will easily be one of my most treasured gaming experiences forever.
Easily. Easily the most emotional game ever made
@@HugoStiglitz88 Man, now I wanna replay this game all over again
Yours may be the most meaningful gaming content on the platform. Mankind well needs a light such as you.
Once again, a deep, introspective look at why we play games.
13:17 is the most beautiful moment of the generation!
Seriously, you got me so scared. Pet your pup for me
I know this video is almost a year old now, but i keep coming back to revisit it over and over. I cried the day it was released, and I keep crying every time I come back. On April 16, 2020, we had to sacrifice my dog due to old age (16 dog years are a lot of years) and since then this video has gotten even closer to my heart. I played the whole game back when it came out and I adored it, but playing it after going through saying goodbye to a lifelong friend and companion was a beautiful and heartbreaking experience. I had tears on my eyes the whole way through, because I knew that I was going to have to say goodbye to Trico once we reached the top, and that was something few games have acomplished to do.
I just wanted to say thank you, because I'm once again sitting here, my desk filled with teardrops and my heart aching. This is a beautiful essay and it has been my coping mechanism for this whole shitty 2020 trainwreck. You're something special and we do not deserve you.
All of my love to you, Mr. Geller, you handsome mf.
For me the moment I broke down was right at the ending where Trico makes his running leap to fly you home. Watching my dorky tuft of a dog finally manage to take full flight while maimed and hurt just to bring you home filled me with a feeling of pride like I can't describe. I didn't even understand why I was crying at first. I never cry at anything and i certainly wasn't feeling sad so it was alien to me.
The Last Guardian isn't a very good game. The controls are off, they don't even tell you how to command Trico, you need to have patience, the frame rate is dire, and there are one too many guide dang it moments. Now I actually got along very well with Trico and didn't have many incidents but each point I made can very likely impact someone's will to finish the game. All I'll say is to muscle through it. Once you reach the end I can guarantee that part of your journey will stick with you and whether you loved the game or hated it, that experience is absolutely priceless.
Bro EVERY SINGLE VIDEO MAKES ME WANNA WATCH ALL YOUR OTHER VIDEOS ALL OVER AGAIN
Your video brought me to tears. I also have a dog with some serious anxiety issues, and sometimes it's difficult to have anyone it doesn't know intimately into the house, but little by little we are managing to get him feeling better every day. Thank you for the beautiful content.
Jacob every time I see that you’ve uploaded a video it makes my goddamn day.
The last guardian is so underrated, it's troublesome at times but the whole game comes together so well, I love it.
And this video made me tear up as well, I had a dog and remembered all the wonderful times when you revealed that she was still alive today. Thanks for a great vid
Never has a youtube video made me cry tears of relief and joy. I have a one year old dog that has seriously saved my life. When you transitioned to talking about Toriel I felt my heart plummet; he was sitting at my feet at the time and I had to pick him up. Then you gave the happiest plot twist I've ever seen.
This game means so much to me. Every time I finish it, I start crying. I don't know what it is so emotional about the ending, I just cry. Even during this video I almost started crying again, it's just such a strong, impactful ending. And your narration in this video made it all the more emotional, especially when you talked about the relationship with your own dog and compared it to the boy and Trico. Amazing video❤!
Beautiful use of Life is Strange soundtrack!
TLG has the best last 60 minutes of any game I've ever played, those moments are so beautiful, no other game made me felt this much emotion, definetly a special game.
Hands down the best ending of any game, ever
God, that dread of separation reminds me so much of mourning my dogs. This video is so good. It hurts like peroxide on a cut, painful but healing.
I'm crying in the club Jacob why do you do this
I remember my roommate watching me play the last few hours of the last guardian and us both bawling our eyes out at the ending
Jacob, this is one of the most beautiful synopsis of a video game I have ever seen. I too had a very difficult dog, but much like yours, he saved me from a very bad and dark period in my life. He was hard work but ultimately sharing a part of my life with him was one of the most truly special things I have ever experienced. I loved Last Guardian, I like others had waited all those years, thinking it would never see the light of day. It didn't disappoint, despite how tough it was to play at times but ultimately its just too beautiful. The emotional highs it gives those who stick with it are worth more than anything in any other medium. Thank you sir
Welp! Good job on making me cry again.
The Last Guardian was one of the first games I played through after my cat passed away. She used to sit in my lap all the time when I played games. So I dunno, playing through the game was quite an emotional and changing experience. She was my best friend
Life of strange music got me feeling some type of way
that music at 9:00
its life is strange music
Its, its really strange to hear it, lots of memories attached to it
I may not be a player of any Ico games, but I can think we can agree
Games can bring emotions and tears to someone like no other form of media
Its, just, magical sometimes
The bond you can make with these people, or animals,
I dont know
Just
Yeah
I literally started crying when the music came up. Again. This game was the deepest emotional experience in my life. Seriously...
went looking through the comments to see if anyone else recognized it because it hit me so hard
This was, a very, very lonely time in my life
Being honest my whole life has been lonely
Strange, if I knew back when I wrote that comment that not even a few weeks later I would get such a close and emotional bond with someone
And that someone would eventually become my partner
I dont think I would have cried as much
but it was worth it
And even still, life is strange still can make me cry
Those games got me through the begining of a horrible time in my life
And I will always be thankful to them
Remember, even at your darkest, light is always there, you just have to let yourself see it
You need to play the ico games. Please do. If you have a decent PC, the pcsx2 emulator will let you play Ico, or the remaster version on ps3 if you have one
Shadow of the colossus has the best remake ever on ps4 (you need to play that version) and of course the last guardian is on ps4 and ps5 with bc.
Please play them. Straight up, if you don't have money, I can at least let you play the last guardian on one of my accounts for free.
@@HugoStiglitz88 I can promise you the second I am able to I will
Its always been a thought of mine to do so
Just never got around to it
When I can't deal, and am so defeated by my brain, and my life, I come to this video to hear you talk about the hard work you and Tori put in. And I can't express how much it helps.
I never comment on videos, but this video is actually fucking insane. I clicked on it and was like "Oh it's only a few minutes, hopefully it'll be interesting" and I fucking balled my eyes out. Like, harder than I've cried in a long, long time. You are doing God's work my man, thank you for making this
to a lot of people, it would sound absurd that I'd get emotional over someone talking about a video game for 15 minutes. but here I am and after watching this beautiful video I just wanna write you a message. you might never see it but that's okay. I just wanna write it. i have spent the last month or so inhaling every video you have. I watched a few before but I really dove in recently, and it has been such an amazing experience. you make some of the best content I've seen on youtube hands down. its incredible. and you've opened my eyes to a different way of thinking about games. i liked to think that I thought critically about the games I played, and yeah I guess, I am certainly a lore buff in the games I enjoy, but seeing your videos made me think a little more broadly about the emotional core of the games I play, about what they're saying. I want to write about games now. i want to write about music in splatoon, i want to write about the melancholy husk of a kingdom that is hollownest, i want to write about how hopeful the zelda series is and its all because of you. thank you. thank you, thank you, thank you.
Really nice touch to the video when you add your personal experience with your own pet.
Keep up the good work.
Impossible mode: killing those collosi after the physics and rhythm of how you climb upon them has permanently associated itself with Trico in your muscle memory
Jacob you can't be taking me on this emotional journey right now. I need to go to work and I can't be crying the whole way there
When I tell people that my favorite video game is “The Last Guardian”, they haven’t heard of it smh. It’s sad that some people weren’t blessed by this amazing game.
Same. I go through this all the time.
Especially because my ps4 has a last guardian skin on it and I have a giant last guardian poster, and the collectors edition statue prominently displayed. Most people have no idea what it is
@Hugo Stiglitz now that’s dedication
Well I shed a tear or two. This is one of your most touching videos, and I mean, I've nearly watched them all. Great work as always, and Tori seems to be the goodest girl!
Wow i cried a lot.
This is the best channel on youtube.
this man is so good at describing feeling,connections,little similarities that his videos make me tear up not cry but just realize how significant the insignificant things are.
I can't explain why these games mean so much to me, each one is so very special. It almost hurts to know that people don't even give these games a chance. I really can't wait to see what else Fumito Ueta has up his sleeve.
I don't show my emotions outwardly very often. I'm not the kind of person to cry at the movies or tear up in an emotional game. But somehow, these videos always seem to reach that part of me. They allow me to feel my emotions fully and properly. Thank you for making these. They are another level of beautiful.
I can't explain how far ahead these videos are from all other things on youtube.
Truly fantastic, please keep up the amazing work.
The Last Guardian is one of the only games to make me cry. I personally had no issues with the AI, or the physics, which in my mind, heightened the experience. I made a bond with Trico that I cannot explain. It's the first time in my life that I felt I actually needed someone there, like I would be nothing without them. When I played this game, I was at a low. Afterward, I was at a lower point than before. But for some reason, it felt good. Being sad about something that would never be reality made me happy in a way. This was a game I needed to play, and to this day I'm so damn happy I did. I still cannot believe that a game made me a better person, but it sure as hell happened. Thank you for this video, I needed this.
Your story about your dog punched me in the gut man. A good friend of mine went through a similar situation and he did everything right and it just didn't work out. I hope you two have many happy years together
It is tragically poetic that this video has so few views. Keep up the good work Jacob, we'll be right here
I don’t typically comment on videos but I have to say you are the finest video essayist that exists. Everything is so poignant and beautiful especially this one, shine on you beautiful diamond
Using okami music to pull at my heartstrings? I see what you're up to and **I'm crying**
Bruh I'm in the library not trying to cry pls
Gosh I can't express how much I love what you do man
I think one sad thing is that it was super easy to see the ending of this game on youtube almost as soon as it came out.
Damn. That was beautiful.
This is one of the most heartfelt and well-done videos I have ever watched. Thank you.
I just finished The Last Guardian. I never had a pet, be it cat or a dog, but thats pretty much what I always imagined it to be like. As soon as I started the game I immediately fell in love with Trico and no matter how badly he got on my nerves sometimes, I knew that I was ready to die for him. The final confrontation with other beasts made feel the most intense panic I ever had during any game. The moment one of them ripped Trico's tail off I had to pause and take a break because I felt like crying. And I still do. I dont think there ever will be other game to make me care for its character as much as I cared for Trico.
And thank you for pointing out how boy's parting with his friend made sense since Trico belongs in the valley high above the land. This moment made me so sad because I naturaly wanted them to stay together but now that I think about it, their story was never meant to end like this. After titles scene does hint for their reunion but we can only hope.
One of the reasons I wanted Trico to stay is because I genuinely began to hate the place I spent entire game getting out from. But now I also realise that the valley itself wasn't evil, it was the marble tower. I imagine the valley used to be a peaceful place where people lived in harmony with the beasts (hence the statues of them) but some strange alien invaded this place and created a tower in order to control it. And after we managed to disable it and destroy the mysterious force within, the valley comes back to peace, to how it used to be.
This may all be obvious but I feel like I needed to write it down to calm myself after such a journey. My god. what a game.
Moving past Trico's stubborness that many players complain about was personally one of the most rewarding parts of the game. To me, it brought attention to a communication barrier.
A child and a giant beast. A player and a game's AI. Between two vastly different creatures, there is bound to be obstacles in regards to communication. With this in mind, it gave me patience. After all, one wouldn't expect a dog to understand what you're trying to communicate right away. As a player, all of this made Trico feel much more alive.
as someone who regrettably really likes watching video essays That Part during the story about Tori is probably the best moment i can remember from any video essay ive watched
I genuinely teared up and started to cry a little when you started to talk about Tori, the sheer amount of emotion in your voice, the fact that she's still alive, everything about that little tidbit of information made me sob. You probably won't read this, but as someone who's grown up with a cat and who loves him with every bit of my heart, I really got emotional over hearing you talk about your dog and it's just?? beautiful to feel something over a small part of this video. Thank you for uploading this, and all your other videos.
I have never played this game, still the video made me tear up. That's the mark of a good video right there, take a subject I don't really care about at all and 10 minutes later have me care enough about it where I'm pushed to tears.
the attachment you have with your dog is heartwarming. it reminds me of my own dog that we lost to cancer in january 2018. her name was molly and i think about her every day. god, i miss her so much. make the most of the time you have left with yours, because, unfortunately, it is finite. in your video, when you were describing the feeling of knowing the beloved relationship will inevitably come to a sad end, it reminded me of the very same feeling I had in the last year or two of mollys life. she was getting old and slowing down and it was hard to watch her start to fade away as she was my only friend. man, I gotta say, you nailed it in this video. even though losing my dog felt like losing most of my heart at the time, this content reminded me that happiness is only real when shared. to never stop giving yourself to others because thats really the only thing that matters. its our struggles that define us. I dont know if any of this makes any sense but i wanted to say something. anyway, I dont know this game but Id like to play it. once again, bravo. your videos are very well done and I appreciate your perspective as well as the amount of effort you put into them. thank you
The Last Guardian is an unmitigated masterpiece and my favorite game.
Its an experience like no other, one where you play a small boy who has to befriend a huge creature. That bond you form, the trails and tribulations on the way and the time spent is not like anything else. I walked and climbed every inch of the nest I could, looked into every crevice and hole, scanned the horizon and carefully marked my progress at every vista, with Trico at my side the whole time. Its a place I'd go and company I'd keep in a heartbeat.
I will always cry at the end, knowing that you (as the boy) will never see your friend again
and even now, many years later I wish there could have been a sequel where the boy (now grown) journeys back to the nest to find his friend.
i was so worried when you where talking about your dog, I thought it was going to have died. very glad its still alive!
I especially love that you included this specific music track from the first Life Is Strange in this specific part of the video. Really greatly done all in all :)
That was beautiful; I'm sitting here crying in my office kind of beautiful.
I just replayed this game like a month ago hahaha. The issues I had with it back when it launched were a bit worse now but overall it's still one of my top favourite, maybe even my most favourite game for the PS4. It's not a perfect game but it's such a unique and one of a kind experience. You just don't see too many games like this. I waited YEARS (since the first trailer) for this game to come out and when it did that's when I bought a PS4. XD Trico has this uncanny valley feeling, I still got it recently. He acts so realistically even though he's a fictional creature. Then the bond between Trico and the boy builds up so beautifully throughout the story. The story is such an emotional rollercoaster ride! Tricks you into thinking the boy might die, then Trico might die. Danger is always around the corner but you find a way out! The story beats are so cinematic with the action and the music. There's so many great moments in this game. It has all the elements you need to make a great adventure story. Also to note I have a dog as well and love animals so I think that's why I also really REALLY enjoyed this game. So stuff like where Trico is not listening to you, didn't bother me as much. From my experience with dogs, sometimes they listen right away, sometimes they're slow with responding or sometimes they will be sassy and not do what you say hahaha. I guess this game was doomed from the start to be a cult hit. But hey I think people will be talking about this game for years to come and even inspire future games. There are some very unique puzzles and great technical achievements done here. I always wondered though what happened during production? I wonder if someone will ever do a "in-depth" report on it. Most articles I've read don't really go into much detail. I just hope we get to see more of Ueda's work in the future.
I have less and less issues with it everytime I play it. There are so many tricks to make it easier
Chills and I teared up, has to be one of the best videos I've ever seen. Always exited for more.
Even though I've finished the game 25 times, I still can't get over the ending. Last year I finished the game one time. That was the 25th time, and all the emotions came crashing down on me. I've always imagined the reunion of Trico and the boy happening, and I'm still waiting for it to happening.
The game in my mind is the best game I've ever played. The controls don't bother me and the game is still as emotional and amazing as the day I got it.
Even to this day, I search for people playing and streaming The Last Guardian and making sure that they can at least understand a fraction of what I see in this game. I give them tips, hints, and explanations and for that many gamers have thanked me for.
It makes me happy to see people enjoying The Last Guardian. Besides, in an interview from IGN with Fumito Ueda, Ueda said when he has the chance he'll improve the game.
It is truly a gem like no other in the gaming industry. Some other games may be fun, engaging or have huge maps where the worlds are your oyster, but very few will strike that emotional chord as hard as The Last Guardian does.
The struggle through it all could be quite painful but then you experience that moment where you just sit back and say: "it was all worth it"
The fact that the game hints at a reunion after plenty of years of being separated, but never actually shows it is so powerful yet heartbreaking. I've pictured it in my head plenty of times. How would they meet? Would Trico fly to the village and meet 'the boy' where he left him? Would they meet somewhere else, perhaps on a hill or a mountain so Trico is out of danger from other civilians? Would 'the boy' now as a grown adult introduce Trico to some kids? And would Trico go with his family so it preset his own offspring to his friend? Would they hug for hours? So many questions without answer.
And you know what? It's better that way. Our imaginations just do the rest.
The end of the video got me emotional, my family had gone through chaos, divorces, social struggles, legal pain, family struggles, struggle in school, living in deadly neighborhoods. a rough time throughout the years, the only time I had to relax was in bed, I cried to take out the held up pain, slept to hide from my issues, stared at old pictures and objects that revealed past moments of perfection, and moments of reflection.
When I got my first dog, he was a year old, a dog commonly abused and outcast from love, the jindo is commonly farmed in Korea, smugglers send them to Washington to save their species, when I saw the dog, I saw his pain, he had (and still has) a mark on his nose, skin without fur, a constant frown, a fear of the slightest noises, he and I have gone through hell, and with each other, we feel at peace together, instead of crying, I smile every time I see him.and he smiles back, a dog is a true best friend.
What is a friend, a friend is someone you are connected to, you’ll know it when you see them, because they’ll see it in you.
that last sentence is a poem i want to always remember
What an incredible video. I was teary eyed by the end of it. I haven't played any Ueda games but this video enticed me to give them a shot. The atmosphere and melancholic feeling of them you described really reminded me of the anime OVA Angels Egg by Mamoru Oshii. If anyone hasn't seen it yet do check it out. It's available on RUclips and is the easiest way to watch it since it still remains unlicensed. Once again, this was an incredible video.
Edit: Forgot to mention Yoshitaka Amano did the art, so it's breathtakingly beautiful. And it's also one of those pieces of media where it's best going in blind.
That one point watching the sky together with trico made me think about the moment i just sit beside my dog. You feel connected and you feel eachother the same can happen with people i cant explain it. But its that raw emotion without verbally speakinh that has such a warm feeling. I think thats what makes it that strong. The fact the lower parts of the game are dark , you ve been in the daek with this thing and you made it out.
_Sees it's another video on Ueda's works_
I am okay with this.
_Hears music from all time favourite game straight out of a smash cut_
I am wet now.
_Heart melts with sweet and touching story_
Jacob, i love you
Videos like this remind me that gaming discourse is, indeed, not entirely dire. So well done, and with such passion!
Crying in the club rn
jesus christ, thanks for this video, it's a piece of art on its own
I clicked on this video because this game was an amazing experience and I wanted to hear what you have to say about it. I didn't expect to find myself in your story, also having a puppy that guards her food and has bitten me on several occasions because of this. We are still working through it but we cuddle in the mornings and seeing her face light up with joy when i say the word WALK warms my heart. And you are so right, this game really does emulate the feeling of having a companion (like a dog) really REALLY well, communication is hard, it takes a while to get things working, but at the end of the day you care for each other and love each other. it's beautiful
430 am and this video nearly had me bawling just as hard as i did when i first watched this game from beginning to end. i never got to properly play it, just watched it via someone else's playthrough, but even then it was enough for me to form a bond alongside them.
years later i'm finally getting the chance to play through it on my own and i can't wait for it to wreck me again. thank you for reminding me of what makes this game hit so hard it left a mark on my soul.
this video made me cry thanks
There are few video essayists whose videos I -savor-. And Jacob? You make me relish every single video. This is excellent, and deserves a million views.
The Last Guardian means the world to me. Trico saved my life. To watch such a respectful review is like a reward. Thank you.
That was beautiful dude. Dammit the wind blew dust in my eyes again. Crazy how that happens indoors.
Yeah, it’s crazy, man. Here too.
God, but this video really GOT to me. I watched it in work while I should have been making fliers, and it just dragged me, violently, back to how I felt at the top of that tower with Trico. I started the Last Guardian right after losing my little dog - he was almost 17 but somehow that wasn't nearly enough time with him. I had to put Trico away for a while because even through the screen, making friends with this big feahtery goofball felt like a betrayal. Coming back and finishing it this year was one of the most visceral experiences I'd ever had with a game. I was so wrapped up in what was happening that I didn't even shed a tear until the credits rolled, but once they started, I found that I couldn't stop. I just cried and cried, the way a little kid does. It was very late at night and my partner was asleep, so I had to cry silently so as not to wake her. Looking back, I think I only really grieved for my little dog after I finished the Last Guardian.
Well damn at least I know what to play after my pet dies😢