About Thimbleweed Park's ending, and attachments.

Maybe it's too much of a coincidence that in July 30th I started my second Thimbleweed Park playthrough, to weeks later becoming aware that Thimbleweed Park 2 was announced that same day.

The game was -75% off on Steam, luckily, and I received as a gift from an old great friend of mine. So, hmm... maybe the discount wasn't there for no reason?

I will be giving away spoilers, of course, since it's the ending we're gonna talk about the most. Thimbleweed Park has always being important to me, also, probably one of the best games to play as a couple, and I know that, 'cause I did that, with my ex-boyfriend, who introduced me to it in 2021. Two heads are better than one, as they say, right? (idk who are they) Specially when it comes to play adventure games together, it seems like. Since kid I've always enjoyed the Maniac Mansion universe (now thanks to my brother). Played lots of Dolores mini game in 2021, beated Day of the Tentacle (remastered) in 2019, and now almost finishing Grim Fandango (dubbed in Brazilian Portuguese, thank you very much).

I do wanna talk a little bit about my second Thimbleweed playthrough here. The one I just finished, this time, by myself, in the dark of my bedroom, really feeling the mystery vibes the game make us feel. As I was about to start, I remembered for a second that I really, really, disliked the game's ending, and also felt rather... disappointed. Couldn't remember why, tho. I do tend to dislike endings in general, purposely delaying finishing the games I start so I don't have to deal with the character's "death" and their entire universe in my life (did that a lot with the Lufia series of games). I feel a sense of grief, it is something that actually happens. I don't know about you guys, but it's a terrible feeling, I'll tell ya!

ZakMccracken poster!

But when it comes to ThimPa, something hit different, and that's what I was trying to find out before writing this post. 

For those who didn't play it (what are you doing with your life?), I see this game having 3 main layers:

Characters being aware of their own existence.

Characters being aware they don't actually have control over their lives. Characters being aware they are inside of a video game.

By the way, someone or something might be talking about us humans that same way right now. lol

Anyways, apparently, it was the first time in my life I dealt with characters that much aware of themselves. I dare saying that self-consciousness might have helped me not to feel the grief. It's like both the characters and the game let go of my hand before the attachment to happen. They were conscious before I had the time to suffer.

It strikes me as odd that playing the first 3 minutes of ThimPa you can already see the characters not only sensing they are in a different kind of universe -later building their own little conspiracist theories in their own little world- but rather forth-walling communicating about being inside of an adventure game. This here, of course, is just an example, there are plenty:

At the end of the day (or the game), nothing is really a surprise for them, neither for the player. I understand the humor behind "the body is starting to pixelate" instead of "decomposing", I think it's clever. But it bothers me that there isn't really a difference between reading a dialogue that is for me, the player, to giggle a little, versus reading a dialogue that's happening between the characters. I love Ron Gilbert, but perhaps, this is an example where the forth-walling dialogues could have been left out, so the ending would be a total surprise and make more sense.

 [One million graves on a town of 80 nutcases]

Interesting but not surprising dialogues from the game's very ending.

I really hope I'm not being picky! I do love this game! One more thing that I find clever, for example, is the chars sensing some kind of a loop, or reset, when all that's happening is every start ever of the game. And every time they think it's the end, it isn't, because I just lend the game to my 12 year old cousin and he'll play it again. I'm just kidding, there is no cousin, but there could be. 

"Diggin!" oh, I love Doug.

Those poor little lives, am I right? That loop thing was a great way to explain their feelings to us, the players. I wish there were more dialogues on that. In fact, even tho I know it wouldn't be the case for ThimPa -also Ron Gilbert really has a sense of humor- I do crave for a more serious note in a game like that. 

Leonard & cousin Bernard.

No, I'm not talking about the "annoying in-jokes" -which I don't even think its annoying- I'm saying it could have been an entirely super serious game, by focusing only on the murder mystery entirely, and it would have been just as great to play it.

But it's all fine by me. The game's atmosphere (and soundtrack!) is enough to make me drift away and forget about my real world, that's already way too insane to even be able to conspire a theory. Everything is just real madness at this point. 

Delores mini game (2020) amazing credits.

I think it's amazing how accurate and ahead of it's time ThimPa is nowadays. I don't seem to find many people talking about it. To me, it's a happening. It's a 2017 game, and after nine years, many thing have changed, many things were brought to light, many things were evolved, and also devolved.

I can only wonder how Thimbleweed Park 2 will be like. 

I hope it doesn't predict the future this time!

If I could change anything about ThimPa I would definitely remove the forth-walling dialogues, at least until everything makes sense to the chars. I'd also have a dubbed version specifically in Brazilian Portuguese, because why not? Also, no threads loose, ever. I wanna be able to use every single item I could initially "pick up". I LOVE picking up things in point & click games, to me, if they are not usable, don't make them pickable in the first place. I've grown to be kind of a completionist, so yeah, that would make me enjoy the game so much more.

I think that's it for today, I hope you guys enjoy non-AI text (as every post made in my blogs), it feels nice to write again, even if nobody really reads it!

Couldn't go buy the oficial Thimbleweed Park's merch on fangamer.com, so, I made it my own! That's me and my ThimbleCom poster!

Remember, "in a town like Thimbleweed Park a dead body is the least of your problems".