I would have appreciated slight variations of the formula to differentiate the stories further. This formula keeps the narrative structure that neatly bookends each story and rewards players with a definitive conclusion for each tale. However, there is a formula followed that’s easy to notice once the second recording has begun. Instead, expertly threading the victim’s account so that everything feels cohesive by the end and draws players in naturally. Their issues are relatable while showing how unhinged they are, which is a hard line to walk without forcing exposition down players’ throats. Each story is self-contained as each character had no interactions with the other, leading Desmond to question whether or not he is the cause.Įven though the tapes seemingly have nothing to do with the other, each story pulled me in, and by the end, I felt connected to the characters and this supernatural world. For example, Virginia, the first tape that players tackle, is littered with mirrors, exploring her personal trauma and eventual resolution. The premise of In Sound Mind reveals itself gradually, only sharing enough through his recordings and hints about each person that Desmond treated. All while attempting to figure out what they had in common, besides himself. Now he must dive into the tattered psyches of his former clients. While exploring his surroundings, Desmond discovers that his patients’ homes are in his apartment building, existing in taped sessions between himself and a patient. Although something is wrong, he feels like he is being watched, and it isn’t long until he sees a mysterious entity that torments him. Today, we have a survival horror title that attempts to recreate that feeling in the We Create Stuff-developed In Sound Mind.ĭesmond Wales, a therapist, has been trapped in what appears to be his apartment building. You are desperately trying to get away from the being. Dread inching its way through your veins, slow but steady, until you finally break into a run. Who knows, maybe he would have preferred to be something else, but followed this path because it's what his parents pushed for.Have you ever seen something out of the corner of your eye, but nothing was there? Maybe it’s always there and just barely out of sight, and no matter where you look, you swear that you still see it. All of this makes it seem likely that Desmond is not on very good terms with his parents, most likely because they pushed him into something he may not have even wanted to do. Also, a later phone call from Rainbow states that Desmond's parents haven't heard from him in a while. There's also the obvious that Agent Rainbow uses very informal language, likely a sign that Desmond had it in him to be less stiff and formal, and maybe even would have liked to be, but he repressed it nonetheless.Īnother thing to think about is the comment Rainbow made regarding how Desmond's parents apparently pushed him to be a doctor. Though most of the qualities "Agent Rainbow" possessed were indeed negative, such as his self-doubt, paranoia, and fears, he also had quite the sense of humor, not a bad quality by any means, but still a quality Desmond obviously repressed, likely with the goal of constantly appearing professional and serious. "Agent Rainbow" is the manifestation of Desmond's Shadow Self, all of the qualities, both good and bad, that he denied and kept repressed Agent Rainbow even says in the final confrontation something along the lines of "the beauty of the rainbow is it makes all parts known/visible, the good and the bad". “How can I be substantial if I do not cast a shadow? I must have a dark side also if I am to be whole.” -Carl Jung The two halves of Desmond's personality have finally merged together to become whole. It's that same kind of sense of humor we see Agent Rainbow use throughout the entire game.įurthermore, if you listen to his song, he says, "Don't look to me, I ain't right." Ain't, a word that Rainbow used quite a bit, a far departure from the overly formal way Desmond talked and presented himself throughout the game. We even see (at least, in my opinion) a bit of a change in him he seems a bit more confident and even makes a joke to Agent Rainbow that if he wants to talk to him, he will have to make an appointment. his Shadow Self, Desmond takes agent Rainbow's hat and starts wearing it, a sign that Desmond is finally accepting both halves of himself rather than repressing and denying his shadow self as he did for what was likely a long time. I really love in the end how, after winning his battle with Agent Rainbow, aka. I want to talk for a moment about how every little detail in In Sound Mind has some kind of meaning or symbolism.
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