The Psychology of Psychonauts - Gloria's Theater
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- Опубликовано: 18 июл 2021
- Good day everyone! Today we continue our Psychology of Psychonauts Series and move into the next world in the game. Every World in Psychonauts is based upon the Psyche of a Character in the story. As such the design and symbolism directly relate to what issues they are dealing with.
In this series, we will analyze each of these worlds and try to learn what we can about these people. In this video, Raz makes it to the gardens outside of the towers Foyer. One of the patients from Thorney Towers awaits. Gloria von Gouten was a world renown stage actress who was institutionalized after developing a severe Mood Disorder. The root of what led to her breakdown can be discovered by diving into her mind. Going through her memories and analyzing the Stageplay being performed. Let's take our time and look through Gloria's Theater.
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“Her father was a lowly gardener”
Could that be why when we first meet Gloria, she’s in a greenhouse? And why the actors are dressed like flowers?
Didn't even consider it. That could be a definite link there. It is never really said if he REALLY was the gardener or if Estrelle said that with the intention of hurting her daughter.
@@GamingUniversityUoG well at least to Gloria that is true, so it wouldn’t matter if it was actually reality
Damn there’s a lot of people putting new perspective on an already wonderful and deep game I never ever thought about!!!!
The way I look at it is the fact that her inner critic didn’t go away is because having that inner critic is important. Without Jasper, most of us would have no capacity for self-reflection, to be able to tell when we’re wrong. Therefore, his continued presence is not a sign of psychosis, but merely the mind returning to a healthier level of self-criticism.
I agree. The ending makes it look liker her critic shrunk down to a healthy size. Enough to reflect but not enough to control her actions. Looking into the Sequel I feel the Doubts enemies are similar. Doubts can be helplful and harmful.
As I recall he didn’t go away he just shrunk becoming all but none existent he still remains but now no longer torments her
@@Kpimpmaster except that the inner critic needs to be loud enough to be heard, but not so loud as to be overpowering. As I stated, we do need some capacity for self-criticism to be a functional person
@@connormclernon26 Oh yes, there are some people in the world who completely lack the ability to self-reflect and constantly think they are always right and everybody else is wrong, even in the face of valid criticism. Those are usually the worst because there is nothing you can say to show them the error of their ways nor are they able to self-improve. Its virtually impossible to deal with this kind of person.
@@wjzav1971 those are the people who absolutely need a Jasper in their mental world
One of the best choices for this game was a child star. It’s no secret that they almost always end up messes when they outgrow the stage... like the kid who played anakin in Star Wars episode 1 or Dorothy from the wizard of Oz...
I remember hearing that Gloria was one of the first characters created for the game. I can see why. It is a shame to see that the vast majority of child stars ends up with so many issues. Theft from their parents, drug abuse, and other things.
I am curious if because of the extreme validation they get during their formative years creates an addiction to that feeling so when they lose it it is like a detox they can't cope with. What do you think?
@@GamingUniversityUoG ya I’d say your right for a bunch. I think I’m this video you said something like “it’s theorized a child cries when they are born because it’s the most painful thing they ever experienced”. Imagine if the most successful era of your life happened before you could even comprehend it or have a fully developed brain.
But on the other hand there are the child stars who had the worst experiences of their lives made into their defining moments of their lives. The kid who played anakin in Star Wars episode 1 was largely blamed for one of the biggest cinematic disappointments in history. He blamed his mother for screwing over his life by getting him that role and from what I heard she blames herself too. And a lot of underaged female actors ended up getting molested aswell. It’s also often intense labor for someone undeveloped sometimes. Dorothy from the wizard of Oz was harassed on set for being too fat and had to wear an extremely tight corset.
If you read this long winded reply, thank you & sorry it’s long.
That's not actually true lol. An instance where the exception to the rule is considered the rule.
@@GamingUniversityUoG From my observations, the child stars who get into acting of their own volition seem to be the most well-adjusted. They chose to act, and by that same token, they can choose to leave the spotlight if they so desire. Good parents can re-enforce this, whatever their child's choice may be. It's the ones forced into it by stage parents that seem to have the most problems.
Mara Wilson got into acting by her own choice, and left to pursue writing when it didn't interest her anymore. Many people have asked her if she'd give any advice to Lindsay Lohan, and Mara said she'd recommend Lindsay retire from acting, because she clearly doesn't enjoy it anymore and it's only enabling her addictions. The problem is that acting is all she knows, since she was forced into it by her parents when she was very, very young. She can quit alcohol and drugs, sure, but the spotlight is one addiction she can't overcome because it's been instilled almost since birth.
@@seamusburke639 Mara Wilson also chose to get back into acting. Hey wait, isn't she friends with Lindsay Ellis? Because if she is then she may not be as well-adjusted as we think.
It only dawned on me like a level and a half after beating Gloria’s Theatre that the level gimmick is a pun. It’s literal mood lighting
I was today's years old before I learned of that pun. That's brilliant lmao
@@GamingUniversityUoGthis one is quite a bit more obvious but the happy and sad faces on the light are a representation of the comedy and tragedy masks, a common symbol associated with theatre
It's interesting that Jasper is harmed by the spotlight. I could see it that he is weakened when he becomes the center of attention. He's at his most destructive when left to harass from the sidelines, but once he's brought under scrutiny he quite literally shrivels up, as his criticisms lose their power when closely analyzed.
Also the point early on when Jasper says he's going to get this theater shut down and Becky comments that she's going to kill her self, could that be referencing Gloria herself getting ready to commit suicide?
Could be. She's far from the only suicidal person in the game.
Could be. She's far from the only suicidal person in the game.
Damn there’s a lot of people putting new perspective on an already wonderful and deep game I never ever thought about!!!!
Oh my God, thank you! I thought I was the only one who thought of the latter!
Something I find interesting about Jasper is his role as the Phantom. When you're overly critical toward yourself it goes beyond just negative thoughts. You'll often find that people self sabotage. They feel unworthy do to all the negative thoughts and criticism they target at themselves. And after feeling that way for a while they begin to choke. Making easily avoidable mistakes which just feeds into that inner critic. So I think it was clever making the Phantom a saboteur be Jasper in disguise giving his bloated overwhelming existence validation.
Exactly. The Phantom is the active saboteur and Jasper is the passive negative self talk. They relate to one another easily. I cant tell you how many times I've has this conversation with friends who keep creating the same roadblocks for themselves.
@@GamingUniversityUoG Of all the characters in Psychonauts, I feel deeply identifed with Gloria the most because of this. I've talked about this game with my therapist, and most specially about the existence of Jasper an his double identity as the destructive self-critic and the saboteur. She absolutely praised the metaphore, as she said that's exactly how it works: the bitter critic doesn't care about your sake, but about its own preservation, and thus it ensures you to be permanently hooked to a never-ending loop of self-sabotage that only serves to validate the criticism. And, as a person with constant extreme self-doubts and heavy tendencies of unhealthy self-criticism, I know this way too well. The real key here is to identify what triggered this overseized self-critic to exist in the first place, because usually its existence is the result of extra-limitations on its role due to traumatic or non-well minded processed episodes in the past.
Damn there’s a lot of people putting new perspective on an already wonderful and deep game I never ever thought about!!!!
@@Gnamutheh... what are the odds am I right?
I get the feeling the Phantom /Jasper and her "bad" Mother are merged. That is why he is large in the start of Gloria's episode. The "bad" Mother feeds the Phantom ammo. The ammo is a psychic ghost.
Gloria still loved the "good" mother who saved her from the orphanage, but that mother died when the real mother jumped.
Then. only the 'bad" mother is left. She feeds Jasper to write the narrative that "she"" was right, and that Gloria was an "imposter" who didn't deserve it.
I could agree that the voice of our critic can take many voices.
From her dialogue during her manic episode, gloria truly wanted the approval of her mother. Her entire life was centered to trying to please her. And she never got it.
@@GamingUniversityUoG Yes. Her split mood cause her to split her mother psychically until the real one died. Then, "good" mother died, and it's all Gloria's "fault."
Gloria sees Raz as "bad" mother coming to take her trophy and her "audience". After all, she "doesn't deserve it." "Mother" deserves it, even if she is physically dead.
Something that should be noted are the actors on the stage. They always speak the utter truth. They're the little voices in her head and start to latch onto Raz near the end of the level and act as such to him, calling him out for his own self deception. The only thing that alters what they say is the mood, but it's always accurate from that lens.
Well at the end of the day our inner child is innocent and never lies.
@@GamingUniversityUoG Very true, which is why so many more... unpleasant people do all they can to silence it.
So dad really was a good kisser, huh
When it comes to Gloria's theatre I find myself noticing that many people who play the game (and me myself) find it to be one of the better level, but it is never anyones favourite. Either way, what a great video to break down the bridesmaid of psychonauts levels. Keep up the good work and have a nice day.
I feel like the reason it is undervalued is because the mechanic of switching out the stage and plays may feel tedious to some. But the content itself as I mentioned is one of the most intricate levels in there. It is not just one thing but a synthesis of various issues that drove her to this place.
Having to change the mood lighting and deal with the enemies was a little annoying, but they were fairly easy to handle. It is easily one of the best mindscapes in the whole game, and one of the best ways to tell the character's story. Also probably the most satisfying boss fight to win, at least I feel like it is from a personal level. This and Milla's subtle plot when you find her secret room have been some of my favorite parts of the game.
Gloria's Theater is spectacular from a story and thematic standpoint, and the main gimmick of switching the mood lighting is a nice touch. Where it fails is the level design. It's not terrible, but it's nowhere near as interesting or engaging as the likes of The Milkman Conspiracy and Black Velvetopia. If more of the stage were designed as well as the catwalk portion, it might have been the best level in the game.
Well if im the first I like glorias theater I sometimes doubt myself in life but I always keep going even though I'm scared thats what I can take from this level.
I am very hate this brain.
Sometimes I wish psychics like this actually existed.
Imagine how many mental problems would be fixed by them just jumping into someone's mind like this.
It would DEFINITELY help!
On the other hand tho, one has to be extremely skilled as some mental issues like BPD and PTSD are one of the harder one to treat
There's psychologists for that! they don't enter the mind of others, but they can help you to find your way to solve your problems!!
@@apollw_artI wish therapy worked for me but it didn't, some guy entering my mind would be so much better
I always had the head canon that Jasper is based on an actual critic because the second memory vault had somebody who looks like him in the audience. Now I know this is correct.
Almost certainly. He becomes the embodiment of all the real critics who tore her down.
You know what comes next!
There are literally zero videos on Waterloo world on RUclips so I'm excited to see a psychological breakdown of one of my favorite stages.
No joke dude but I have had the script for Fred planned in my head for nearly a year. His is one that I am especially excited to discuss because I feel like the root of his problems is relatable to most people these days. Something we have all struggled with in the past.
Yes! Waterloo is soooo underrated!
One thing I found interesting about that level was the music. "The 1812 Overture" was written to commemorate Russia's victory over Napoleon. So while most of the music in the game is probably non-diegetic (I say probably since we are talking about the inside of people's minds), I wonder if, in this case, the music is a part of Fred's psyche cheering him on?
@@WarriorVirtue the music in milla's level is *definitely* diegetic
Yeah, that definitely seems to be the one that gets the least focus out of all of them.
This one resonates with me as someone who struggles with a mood disorder (bipolar disorder, in fact).
There's something that I've seen with many people who suffer from (or claim to suffer from) mood disorders that is potentially destructive. The idea that because it has a neurological or neurochemical basis (mood disorders often do, particularly bipolar disorder), there is nothing that can be done to manage it other than medication.
These kinds of issues (not only mood disorders, but also conditions such as ADHD and autism spectrum disorder) can respond to therapeutic treatments, and strategies developed in therapy can greatly help in managing those symptoms. Of course, sometimes medication is still needed (bipolar disorder, relevant to this example, becomes more severe the longer it goes untreated, I've gotten that warning from multiple psychiatrists), but therapy can still make things far more manageable.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that even if a mental disorder is built into the meat (ie: biological in origin rather than purely behavioral), that doesn't mean that nothing can be done.
I know it's a cliche, but there's no shame in seeking help. Even if it seems hopeless, it's still worth a try. Or at least that's how I see things.
Help is always a good thing. And I agree, even if there is a biochemist basis for the mood disorder, understanding how it makes you think and behave goes a long way. It is Metacognition or the understand of our thought patterns. My family has several members with diagnosed bipolar disorder so I've gotten used to understanding and going with the flow around them.
As a person with BPD, I see a lot of her in me as well, and I agree with all of your points.
Considering that BPD and bipolar disorder get misdiagnosed for each other often and can even sometimes cross over one another, Gloria could probably be interpreted to have either. The way they designed her level could've been made to be that way, instead of just the one.
Honestly, I would understand if they did it unconsciously too, not meaning to reference another disorder that's under the bipolar umbrella.
I really like this series, since my psych teacher was chill but disagreeded with the schools 'study book and stonks off test' plan plus he was a retired police officer
Sounds like an interesting teacher. It I'd always fun to find a nonconventional instructor.
12:39 Gives me hope that the unescapable emotional distress we feel today will fade in time and won't be able to cripple us eventually.
We certainly are being bombarded on all sides right now with things that give us emotional distress. Hopefully it will fade sooner than later.
You know the catwalks being where the phantom is most often located, assuming the commentary on jasper being fused with the 'bad' mother is true, makes sense because she may unconsciously associate such with some of the more awful bits of her so it makes sense for jasper to use that area to attack bonita from
Babe wake up a new gaming university video just dropped
Haha love it!
I really hope you finish this series. It's so sad to see how much effort went into these and how many views they got.
Next one is going up in about five minutes! And I appreciate it. Personally, the views are secondary to knowing they are being enjoyed.
I'm sorry if someone already brought this fact up.. During the boss battle with Jasper the words that he used for his attacks were from an actual review for a terrible film called White Chicks from 2004.
I remember reading that lol. Oh the early 2000s and their film trends.
It's an interesting detail that you fight Jasper/The Phantom by shining light on them. By putting his criticism under a light he shrinks away. This might be metaphorical to truth and confidence banishing lies and cruelty.
It is very jungian. One big thing for that philosophy is to metaphorically shine a light on negative parts of the mind. Bring them into the light of consciousness. If we are not aware of something we can't fix it
I didn't get very far in the game (not very good fast-twitch reflexes when it came to the Sasha Nein super-censor) but watching your examinations is quite fun and you bring up nice psychology basics that I sometimes forgot.
Honestly, if gaming gets to the point where it is as accepted as film or books I truly believe a psychology class could be taught on this game. It provides an entertaining medium to discuss some basics of psychology.
@@GamingUniversityUoG Considering your more detailed examinations of things, I wonder how you would comment on Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri. While that game is more about sociology, the psychology of the faction leaders would be an interesting object of analysis.
If you want another individual psychology heavy series, may I suggest Sam and Max from Telltale?
Will you also analise the mental worlds in psychonauts 2? That'd be great, i think the mental worlds on psychonauts 2 are amazing
I 100% am planning on continuing this series into Psychonauts 2.
@@GamingUniversityUoG I can't wait!
Finally, my favorite level, I'm going to enjoy this
From what I have been hearing, Gloria's Theater is an unsung staple of this game. Nice to see it's getting the love it deserves.
The algorithm recommended me these videos and I've been binging them hard man, excellent work on these! So excited for Psychonauts 2
Glad to hear the algorithm finally did something right lol! I'm glad you've been enjoying them!
You know, I wonder two things. First, will you'll ever do the same analysis for Psychonauts 2?
Second... After watching this series, I began having this, perhaps, silly thought... If we try and name central theme of Psychonauts 1, it's dealing with psychological traumas from childhood - or the consequences of those.
And with the second game, the theme is dealing with PTSD and unhealthy coping mechanisms.
We will 100% be doing these for the sequel as well. And I can see that. Pretty much all of these people have traumatic events at a young age, Edgar's and Milla's being the outlier since it was in high school and adulthood for them. Literally every main mind in this game with the exception of Forsythe was a PTSD response from the same event and how they coped with it.
And fred even tho it might be that he had something to cause his prefectionst thing
Yessss I’m so happy a new one of these is out. I was really wanting a new one
Happy to provide! I'm doing my best to do get as much out before Psychonauts 2 is released.
@@GamingUniversityUoG Glad to hear it! I'm eager to see you do Edgar's mind
The next person Raz meets/helps is Fred, right? Napoleon's descendant? The part where his anscestor tries to take over his body is, according to the game developers, a "genetic memory", but I don't think that's how genetic memories work, even with all that psytanium in the mix... odds are, his awareness of being the same blood as a famous dictator should open a conversation of the harsh difference between reality and expectations when it comes to upholding legacies and making family proud, even if those wacky relatives are no longer alive. I think we all come close to being driven to madness just thinking about the topic, and your insight in the next video could help many people with that problem, but I'd like to have a "preview" sample on that issue here in the comments.
I am with you. I don't view it as a Genetic Memory acting up so Napoleon himself is speaking to Fred. This is certainly a mental construct Fred created to serve a purpose and modelled after his ancestor. I hope that is enough of a preview.
@@GamingUniversityUoG It is, though the actual video would be even better. I cannot wait to see it.
Your analysis videos made the psychonauts experience so much better. I just finished the game and now i watch your videos in order to understand the lore.
I'm glad I could help! I'm surprised this series has been ignored by content creators on here with few exception. There are so many good things to discuss. Stay tuned for the next one. It's dropping sooner that you think.
Nice, another video! I have been really looking forward to these!!
Glad to hear! These have been a lot of fun to make.
I just watched this whole playlist and these are awesome! Most Psychonauts videos only focus on a few levels you going through all of them is really nice. I can't wait for the next one!
I'm glad you have been enjoying them! They are incredibly fun to research and make.
gloria's level is my personal favorite just behind the final level, and seeing it be covered in detail like this makes me honestly very happy. i connected greatly to her story, both as someone who's done research into the media's treatment of young women and child stars, and as a person who mostly grew up with only my mother and was separated from her for a time at a young age (though my mom and the situation is and was VERY different to her's). i also went through a huge theater kid phase during grade and middle school, so everything about the level design and aesthetics is super appealing to me.
It’s worth noting that in Gloria’s Cruel Training, Gloria herself is never the one getting whipped.
Great stuff. I just found these videos a few days ago and caught up with the backlog in this series. Really awesome to catch a new one so soon.
Perfect timing! I'm glad you're enjoying the series. It has been a fun ride so far.
These videos are fantastic! Hope you continue the series. Great work!!
Thank you so much! I'm glad you have enjoyed them. The next one for Mr. Fred is my focus this weekend so you won't have to wait too long.
Wow this is starting to be my favourite channel I’m really excited to see the rest of the levels and psychonauts 2 in the future ❤️
Thank you so much! I'm excited for Psychonauts 2 as well. Going to be streaming it upon release.
You're missing something essential. Bipolar in any form is not the correct diagnosis here at all. That is mainly due to the fact that the cycles of mania and depressive states are longer, as well as not being rooted in trauma. BD is a mood disorder, not a trauma disorder.
Borderline Personality Disorder is much more accurate to the game. Common causes are early childhood trauma, emotional abuse and neglect, and CSA (Childhood sexual assault), while there are other factors such as genetic markers and family history. Personality disorders are often from trauma, so will share traits of trauma disorders and dissociative disorders at least, not accounting for comorbidity.
Her mother placing her at a boarding school at a young age was definitely seen as abandonment by a young Gloria. That, coupled with abusive adults there and a living space that was likely not safe for any emotional expression would have likely caused her to have to hide her own emotions as a coping mechanism. This causes the borderline to not be able to regulate these emotions, partially due to a lack of external outlets.
BPD can also have similarities to bipolar, with mood shifts that change. However, BPD mood swings happen daily, often multiple times a day and very intensely.
Talking about a trauma disorder with a comorbid mood disorder would be different, but with how this video is structured, it gives the assumption that BD is caused by trauma.
The mentions of feeling abandoned specifically are clues, since frantic attempts to avoid real or perceived abandonment is a part of the diagnostic criteria for BPD. - Mikan
Woohoo!!! This is my favorite level from Psychonauts 1! Thank you so much!!!
Nice video, its weird you didn't try to use Freud's psychoanalitical theories of the Ego, SuperEgo and Id.
Some say that Jasper represents the Id or inner desires.
Gloria's Sun is herself so she's the Ego
And the director is the SuperEgo, the entity trying to control and keep things together.
But thinking it more through, I am not sure about the roles assigned to each character and that theory.
But anyways, even without touching that its a neat video but you have less and less time to talk about the final stages of the game now xD
I have heard it passed around the Becky represents her Superego. This would mean becky acts as a source of morality for Gloria, which I dont really agree with. If anything Becky would be the Ego trying to keep order between different parts of her head.
Trust me if I wanted to I could spend an hour plus breaking down each world. I originally wanted to get them all done before the sequel was released but that isn't practical anymore. I'm not the type to rush something to meat a deadline.
@@GamingUniversityUoG Exactly... Becky feels like the Ego, constantly battling the grandiose desires of Gloria's Sun of acting on a stage (Thus making her the Id) and Jasper, the overly critical entity that watches all from high above and tries hardest to keep Sun in check (thus making him the SuperEgo).
Becky is the one who tries to balance both.
As for the videos, don't fret much. Sometimes its best to keep them "simple" but informative. This one is kinda shorter than the earlier vids but the quality is there regardless.
I think if you go into the patch of making shorter but on point videos, you will accomplish what you set yourself to do, before part 2 comes in.
This was incredible! Very cool breakdown!
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Yay! New Video! Great job!
Thanks buddy!
Nice video! I had no idea that Estrella's manager was embezzling funds. I just thought that maybe they had a falling-out or something.
Of course, I probably just missed a bit of dialogue because I always go fast through Gloria's mind. The music in this level always annoys me after like 20 minutes or so. I guess there's only so much clarinet I can take before I go absolutely bonkers!
XD
Haha I think that is the point with the music. It is supposed to mimic her Manic State so it drives you a little loopy.
So the game itself never mentioned the details about her manager. That was in the LiPo Backstory document only. It should be considered semi-canon at best. Basically it is character backstories the developers wrote during the games production so they had a template to work with. Some actively contradict the game so I try to be careful what information I use.
Just found this channel, keep up the great work.
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoy it.
Your channel is awesome, keep up the good work 💪
I absolutely will! Thank you so much!
Jasper has one of the best Clairvoyance images in the game.
2 and a half stars
I just love how you explain everything, it makes sound all so logical and rational, you explain everything point by point, and resume the info about all the important data and similar things, just...
Professional
P.d: what's the name of the background music you use for the video?
Another thing I saw from the Lipo documents was that for a while, Gloria was actually phenomenally successful. As sucky as her time at Hagatha's was, she did put what she learned to good use, and outshone her mother as an actress. That's what led to the suicide.
Finally completed this game
Absolute masterpiece
Can't believe this game is 15+ year old
Same here! The game was way ahead of its time. I'm so happy to see it getting a sequel. It deserves the recognition.
nice video can't wait for the waterloo one then the arts after that
Me either! I am really looking forward to working on the Battle of Waterloo.
I wasn't expecting this video to hit so close to home to me
They definitely wrote these characters to be relatable
That's seven metal worlds down and three more to go. Can't wait to see them explained and the Psychology of Psychonauts 2. 🧠
I am so excited for the sequel. Going to be live streaming it upon release!
What about rhombus of ruin? It only had one world, but I'm still interested.
Amazing vid!
Thanks buddy!
I'm somewhat of a theater nerd, so when I got past the gates of the asylum, I immediately chose to go into Gloria's mind because I could tell she was an actor. I kid you not, I became more invested with every step I took. I was floored by the use of young kids performing her life and the moodlighting representing her moodswings! And her storybooks were the icing on the cake to connect her story! I swear, this game never ceases to amaze me with its genius!
Also, the "You're supposed to be dead!" line stumped me for a while. But while watching this video, I realized Gloria might see her mom's jealousy when she thinks Raz is trying to take the trophy.
Great video! My mom is a psycologist (idk how to spell that in english) and she always teach me about how traumas afect ppl
Anyways love u💜🌌
Oh very cool! My sister is a psychologist too. We don't really pay attention to how it can affect us enough.
@@GamingUniversityUoG that explains a lot....anyways gloria deserv better😁
Good video
Jasper is the voice that when you are standing at the top of a tall building, he whispers: Jump
I'm surprised that Gloria's trophy was still pristine and haven't aged or tarnished.
The spotlight never seems to treat anyone well.
It never does. We see the modern evolution of this idea with current social media influencers now. But that is a whole other topic.
Binging these.
I've seen a couple of these psychonauts psyche-dives before by others but a lot are based on assumptions, not actual content i nthe game. I don't feel like you do that, I'm really enjoying them and looking forward to the rest of your episodes for the second game.
Thank you so much! I try to be very selective on what I comment on to avoid assumptions. Not perfect but I try my best.
Nice analysis GU.
Edit: Hope gloria gets better after leaving the asylum!
I think they confirmed the asylum patients show up on psychonauts 2 so thats gunna be a treat.
Have they? I hadn't heard that. If that's true I am so hyped! I really wanted to touch base with them after they left.
@@frogmouth2 oh hell yeah
Now I can't see this level the same way again
This is one of those levels I don't really enjoy playing but the story behind it is messed up.
I think the explanation to Jasper’s and the Phantom’s existence was actually much simpler
Jasper (and by extension the Phantom) represent Gloria’s self-loathing about career raise so high it lead to her mother’s suicide which lead to her psychological breakdown and by defeating Jasper she no longer hates and criticizes herself anymore
I still haven't played the game yet, but aaaaaaaugh, Gloria's so relatable now.
Dude check these out! The game is awesome
9:38 this is incorrect as Becky says jasper was always there it's just after Gloria's mother hit the floor he became bigger
And when we finish her mind we see him returned to his previous state small and insignificant
Important point and I agree I misspoke here. Should have phrased it that is over inflated the critic. I think by the end of the video I mention it reduced him to a more manageable size.
I SOOOOO misunderstood Gloria's psychlogy xD I didn't perceive it as mood swing from bipolar disorder, but as someone with a traumatic past re-imagining it in a more happy light x) I guess I got influenced by my own experience, I cried all through the level on that one.
Welp. No matter what the level is supposed to be about, I still like my reading, it's very personal and... well... emotional to me. I'll hold to that one kowing it was not the intended reading. That the beauty of art.
Absolutely! A story is like a Rorschach test for a good reason. It provides the greatest emotional impact this way. Like the three blind men and the elephant, the story is what it is and we all see parts that are special to us.
Hold onto your beautiful interpretation!
one thing i would like to point out is that inner turmoil has nothing to do with bipolarity, the disorder itself is a cycle, which depending on the type can show a preference for mania or depression, these episodes have triggers, but irrelevant of these can happen anyways, i really liked your investigation and insight, realizing she has the same disorder that i did surely makes you connect with the characters much, much more. toodles!
Interestingly, Jasper, as the phantom hides up in the catwalks a place Gloria would never go due to the trauma
I played psychonauts quite young and this woman terrified me. The way she chases you after picking up her trophy is still deeply unsettling to me. I never managed to complete the game because I refused to go into her head or interact with her in any way.
It wasn't till later when I re bought the game on steam that I finally experienced the end of the game rather than the first few hours on repeat.
My inner critic is more like "are you sure this is a good idea?" Or at times shouting "SELF CONTROL MEEPY!" Or afterwards "you realize that was a horrible idea right?"
And the inner critic is not necessarily a bad thing. If anything it serves a good purpose to prevent us from getting a Darwin award. Jasper is just over bloated to the point where nothing ever happens.
I never realized how much I had in common with Gloria.
I feel everyone has a character in this game they can relate to. Double Fine made them so relatable.
That mood change description reminds of a book "I survived: the attack of the Grizzlies" and its charcter, Mel, has a negative mood swing from a... certain incident... I recommend reading it yourself
Yes. Good!
Glass you enjoyed!
Fun fact:Gloria's brain was the first to be developed. Perhaps this is why its one of the few that doesn't feature her.
(We are able to tell since the original Psychonauts health system was actually a mood system, and Gloria's mental world has most of intact, IE:the flowers are capable of affecting this disabled health system.)
Not sure if someone said this before but will you be making a series like this for psychonauts 2 a while after it comes out?
Yes I will 100% make a series like this for the sequel. First I will do a live stream for the game then spend some time digesting it. Might not be right away though.
@@GamingUniversityUoG This was the first thing i asked myself when i stumbled upon these videos and now i am hyped for the game AND new analysis videos!
Now that psychonauts 2 is out do these on those
Once we finish up the first game worlds we will be jumping into the sequel.
Sweet
What is the music you play in the background?
1:10 what's the ost beginning from here?
One thing that the video doesn't mentions that in the last good scene between Gloria and her mom when she leaves for Paris, she blames her mother for not caring for her, therefore departing on bad terms. This could have driven Gloria's mom to commit suicide because she felt guilt over her daughter's words and what she had done, feeling she was a bad mother sacrificing her own daughter for her manager and career.
It seems its Psychonauts day. Did you see the amount of gameplay or P2 they released? Wild
Someone posted the story trailer in the discord. I'm staying away from it as I dont want any more spoilers than is necessary. Lucky coincidence that this released now though.
@@GamingUniversityUoG oh they have released way more than just the story trailer. Good luck avoiding all the gameplay previews cause they showed a lot. It’s looking cool but yeah, spoilers are roaming everywhere.
After a decade of avoiding spoilers for 4 months between Japanese and US release dates, I'm a pro at going radio silent online lol.
Yay ! My favorite level ! Finaly !! Althoug....I gotta say...I'm pretty sure Bonita said Jasper was always there, but he used to be little...Also..Why is Gloria in the aslyum ?? Boyd was the guard, but was is her purpuse there ??
She is said to be institutionalized there as a patient. The biggest issue I have with the Psychonauts lore is the timeline though. It is said that Thorney Towers closed 55 years before the game. But we see Fred as an orderly recently. Obviously it was open so either we are missing something or there is an error in the timeline.
@@GamingUniversityUoG Maybe it was a SEEECREEET asylum ! Nah..I got nothing...haha..
9:13
Good thing we didn't have to fight *those* in that level!.
Oh god dealing with these Panic Attacks without time stop would be a nightmare here.
Something that kind a disappointed me though is that when Raz exits Gloria's mind, she announces her retirement.
Having just regained her self-confidence, it would have been nice if she attempted a comeback to show that it was her talent, not her youth that brought her fame.
I mean, maybe her growth was that she doesn't need the stage anymore to feel like an accomplished person, but some better resolution would have been welcome. Maybe she takes over Hagatha School for Girls and turns it into a more positive institution where young aspiring actresses are treated with kindness and positive reinforcement. Would be a nice resolution too that she passes on her skill to a new generation.
I See Gloria's announcement of retirement as a means of letting go of the need to be in the spotlight and ceasing to care about what her audience and critics think of her any more. Like a form of flying away from that life that repressed and tormented her.
Wow, where did you find information about early life of Gloria's mother?
All of that is from the LiPo Backstory Document. Basically it is character backstory used by the developers when writing the game. It accidentally got leaked in the game files of the Steam release before being deleted quickly. Granted it should be seen as 'Semi-Canon' and some backstories contradict the game. I try to only include stuff that compliments the game and ignore the rest.
Wow, I didn't know that stuff. Started playing the game since 2008 and still learning something new. Thank you!
Since Psychonauts 2 is Just around the Corner I really do wonder if this series will go straight into 2's Mental Worlds after it runs out of Brains from 1.
First we will do a Psychonauts 2 livestream then continue this series into the next round of Mental Worlds.
@@GamingUniversityUoG That brings up the Question of How Loboto's will be covered If it'll simply fuse together Rhombus's Lore and 2s in this massive across every game epic for one character.
There is a different cutscene if you try to take the trophy while invisible
I haven't seen that! I'll take a look next time I'm in the game.
One thing I find neat about the Gloria's Theater is this exchange between Jasper and Becky.
{Jasper: This time, I'm going to file a formal complaint and get this theater shut down!
Becky: Great. Well, I'm off to go kill myself.}
It's pretty funny at first glance, but when you consider their respective roles (Jasper is the inner critic that Gloria hyperfocuses on which is responsible for her mood swings, Becky is supposed to keep Gloria's moods in order), it appears as though "get this theater shut down" refers to Gloria not being able to process her moods at all, while "I'm off to go kill myself" is both a reference to Gloria's mom's death, and her giving up in regards to keeping Gloria's moods in order. Seemingly implying that Jasper's goal is for Gloria to become a complete shell of her former self.
It's a dark joke that becomes even darker when you look deeper.
Alright, looks like Gloria got her "time in the spotlight" for for the duration of the lecture. So one question, will u do "Fred Bonaparte" or "Edgar Teglee"?
By the looks of it, your not done with this lecture yet.
Fred is up next for sure. I'm doing them in the order you meet them.
I think Black Velvetopia should be next
I'm going based upon the order we come across them. So Fred then edgar.
“Wait a minute, you’re supposed to be DEAD!”
Something about this line bothers me. It’s like Gloria is telling her own mother, the person she cried over the death of, that she should be dead at this current moment. She doesn’t act happy she’s alive, rather… critical about her mother, I’d assume, lying. Just pulling out this new happy twist after the big emotional part. Maybe a breakout of Jasper? Idk though, just a speculation.
Definitely a flashback to her mother. Raz taking her Trophy was a trigger that reminded Gloria of her mother attempting to steal the spotlight. To take away her success. Seeing a similar pattern she responded accordingly.
@@GamingUniversityUoG Oooh! That’s an even better theory!
hoping you explain why her feet are like they are, and she moves about like a slug, just from standing around in that greenhouse for so long?
huh.... i always thought that children came out crying due to sensory overload.
literally going from a dark place with a consistent sound to the bright world of colors, screaming (because mom just gave birth), new smells, and other stimuli that all hit them at once.
That quote is more of a philosophical observation and not necessarily scientifically accurate. I've also heard it said that the crying helps them remove any remaining fluid from the lungs.
In the memory vault if you look on your right you can actually see the real jasper in the memory, so I believe jasper is a real critic in real life but a manifestation in Gloria mind. Sort of like a fake version of a real person but exaggerated.
Sounds like he stood out to her and ended up being the avatar of the critics in her head.
Do black velvetopia next
Edgar's mind will for sure be next.
Hey, I’ll edit this comment later if the video addresses it, but I don’t see Gloria as bipolar. Yes, the lights force her to look at her past as either overwhelmingly positive or negative, but the theater can be viewed as an allegory for self reflection. So, I see the light as a split in how she views her life so far, and the drama masks indicate she views her life as either a comedy or tragedy, but in the drama sense. She views her upward rise to stardom as a comedy, where the protagonist overcomes struggles to eventually succeed. But, she also sees it as a tragedy, where despite stardom she is still doomed to suffer, with the climax of her mother’s suicide.
She is unable to rationalize how she can both be a success and failure, and is endlessly reliving her past life through the theater play. Her inner critic here calls the play terrible because she sees herself as poorly reflecting either perspective of her life, not fitting within either archetype, and obsessing over the past to the point of self sabotage. I see victory over the critic as self acceptance, and a recognition that one’s self can only be recognized in earnest in full, rather than diminished to an archetype.
Either that or I’m projecting. Good video though!
So Britney Spears in a video game
Except in this version Gloria had control over her money. But in terms of Estrella, yeah it is similar.
I question the diagnosis. Bipolar depression doesn’t seem to fit the mood lighting. The stormy, aggressive “bad mood” doesn’t read to me as depressive. My completely unqualified guess is borderline personality disorder.
Instead of her behavior outside being one manic phase, we can read it as both “moods”. First, raz is there to praise and admire her, then he takes the trophy and he’s everything wrong with her life.
Either everything’s happy sunshine rainbows or the entire world’s out to get her.
When are you gonna Black Velvetopia?
I'm currently working on The Battle of Waterloo. After that Black Velvetopia is next.
You can tell the writers who worked on Gloria read about Joan Crawford.
Is this similar to Joan's experience? I dont really know anything about her.
@@GamingUniversityUoG Joan Crawford's adopted daughter wrote a tell-all book about the physical and psychological abuse she suffered for years as her daughter. Many details of the story are distinctly similar to that of Gloria's story with her mother. Specifically the neurotic outbursts and sending her away to a boarding school. It's extraordinarily depressing although Christine Crawford seemed to turn out all right despite that.
There is a movie adaptation called Mommy Dearest that lays a lot of these episodes out. Get ready to have a bad time.
Some of the better jokes in this level.
This level was ridiculous lol. The psych out during the Bonita scenes was hilarious.
@@GamingUniversityUoG if you havent seen Jaspers view of raz using Clairvoyance it made me laugh after reading his dialogue
1 and a half stars!
I do have to wonder, what's with bonita's voice? Like is her having a gruff man voice just a joke because its unexpected or is there something more to it?
I honestly couldn't say lol. Yeah it was startling the first time. The only thing I can figure is it has to do with her Animus which is a masculine aspect. But frankly that wouldn't make too much sense since nowhere else in the game do they include these themes.
@@GamingUniversityUoG I always thought Gloria was trans? and that's why her mom took her to a school for girls only? but I don't think that's the case, sadly
When is the next coach video?
The last video on the coach will be coming out after Fred and Edgar.
Yey