An Ode to the Classic School Curse: Let's Play Misao

[Jason Alan]

"Misao was just an Ordinary High-School Student, who didn't particularly stand out at all... until three months ago, when she stopped coming to class. And she wasn't at home, either... Though nobody knew what happened to her, rumors started spreading that she'd already passed away. As they joke about the idea of her haunting the school and cursing her classmates, a sudden earthquake takes out the lights, and Aki hears a voice pleading for help. Separated from the others, she sets out to discover the truth behind Misao's disappearance and the curse..." - Misao TVTropes page

Warning: As the intro to each video says, besides the general violence, this game contains some cases of bullying and implied/apparent sexual assault at one point. I suppose if the latter is too glaring an issue, the thread may be pulled, but there's plenty of horror, grotesquery, and violence to go around besides so. Oh and as always language warning because I'm mouthy and get spooked a lot.

Anyhow, onwards with the games I have the simple, easy ability to do. The beginning warning is taken verbatim (but not screencapped) from VGPerson's site. VGPerson is the individual responsible for several RPG Maker (and Wolf RPG Maker) horror game translations.

So yes, for a short time, I am back with a flurry of videos. I need to commit to these more despite the fact that I am lazy and have little inspiration, but I would like to continue doing these. Eventually I will surely run out of good ones to play though. Oh well, I will cross that bridge when I get to it. For now, let us experience Misao together!

The main post will feature the playlist, which can be found here: Misao Playlist. It will be updated alongside the thread.

Misao (1/8) - Sierra Game Death Simulator

 

[Jason Alan]

Misao (2/8) - Gut Instincts

It's easy to listen to your gut when it's been slammed against the nearest wall, detached from your body.

 

[Erik]

The story and what I watched of the game walk through seem really creepy

Just the type of game to play when you're alone in the dark :faint3:

 

[Jason Alan]

If I had been playing this alone in the dark, I think I'd need new bedsheets given how jumpy I am in broad daylight Of course I am pretty sure I did parts of the next two games in some darkness and I can confirm the darkness makes me about three times more antsy. Misao is creepy, but I am kind of a wuss. It gets more morbid later on (aside from the bits of cheesiness and comedy abound), more objectively and not reliant on my own lack of intestinal fortitude.

Oh and while I'm here, it's time for another part! Otherwise I'll just edit it in later and I don't want to do that or have to double-post because that's terrible. It's so nice to have edited it all in one go and have a video schedule. I'll savor it because I won't know it for much longer to be honest.

Misao (3/8) - Kudos to Kudoh

He deserves some props. Some medical props. Muahahaha. Also I really like the thumbnail for this one. Good timing on the video.

 

[Erik]

Yeah I don't know about for games but for scary movies being alone in the dark makes the mood that much more sinister. I only watched part 1 so far so it wasn't that bad but I did see the warning so I'm expecting a lot more gruesome stuff to come. I wonder how gruesome you can get with this kind of low detail 2D graphics.

 

[Jason Alan]

Honestly, the warning is more because of the bullying and sexual assault than the violence (for the former, my partner sometimes begins to have a panic attack for bullying stuff due to her own experiences, and the latter is obvious as to why I would throw a warning up). I didn't put a warning on Mad Father or anything else I've done similar (I think MF is the worst of it anyhow) for violence and such, and with these kinds of game it's kind of obvious what sort of stuff is going to happen before it happens. I just wound up taking what the translator of the game put as the warning and quoted it, essentially. More of the horror comes from the idea that the human characters would be the ones responsible for the most trauma inflicted upon the characters, rather than demons, zombies, ghosts and such, and that goes more for what the warning is for (spoilers) compared to other games (like, again, Mad Father where the antagonists are more overwhelmingly otherworldly for much of the game).

Mind you, there's a lot of other games (like OFF, IMO, the only one I can say I know enough about to vouch for) that show you can do some unnerving stuff. Of course I mean one bit in particular especially, but it depends. Out and out, like, shows of violence and gore, I dunno. I'm sure there's ways to make stuff like this be absolutely visceral.

Speaking of which, update time!

Misao (4/8) - Flowers, Hanako, and the Mandragora

Ghosts won't get you if you stink. Finally, a valid reason for body odor, or for taking a dip in the nearest bathroom stall. Not like many people need an excuse anyhow, eugh.

 

[Jason Alan]

EXTRA WARNING: This video contains the more uncomfortable subject matter mentioned in the preface. View at your own risk.

Misao (5/8) - Bad End & End

Making me feel emotions is a sign that a video game has done a good job. It's probably not that hard in my case, nor given what happens in this episode, but still.

 

[Jason Alan]

Misao (6/8) - Truth: Saotome & Kudoh

If I seem silent in these videos and the previous, it's because this was all done in one stretch. I didn't know how long it was going to go on for so I decided to simply stick with it. My silence is a combination of being a bit weary and drained after what's happened so far, and letting the game take over now that it is firmly in more dramatic territory.

 

[Jason Alan]

Misao (7/8) - Truth: Yoshino & Sohta

Hate 'em both.

 

[Jason Alan]

Misao (8/8) - Truth: Finale & Rec Room

I do not like Sohta in the least. I could go on a rant but let it simply be said that he can die. I'm glad he doesn't appear to be reborn after his scenario. It's like Miscreant's Room purposely had his scene go on for so long so that the emotions of rightful hatred could stir and congeal inside of you with the realization of how much of a pathetic, despicable slimebag he is, which I commend them for. Seriously, fuck him so hard.

I do appreciate the Rec Room portion. It's interesting being given some insight into the development of the game and other behind-the-scenes tidbits. I hope you've enjoyed as well as I have, and have despised Yoshino and Sohta as much as I do.

 

[Erik]

It really is getting eerie, I told myself I'd only watch a few minutes of episode 5 but ended up watching almost the whole thing. I did find it frustrating how slowly you were moving the captions though but I remember you saying people were complaining you were going too fast before. I guess you can never please everyone haha.

 

[Jason Alan]

Oh no, if I start going too fast I'm like, "Wait, I need to slow down." No one's said anything, I just am not great at estimating I guess. Trying to think of potential viewers so I'm not going too fast, but then that has the opposite effect and I go too slow because I'm bad at time estimation. Probably had an effect on Mad Father previous. I should probably go faster, it would save a lot of time. Thankfully the next two games I have finished have a lot less text.

I guess I think that if I'm actively talking it might skew a viewer's ability to read the text without getting distracted by my words, which is usually why I stop scrolling text when I'm talking. I think that might be just me though, if there's text and someone talking and I'm trying to read I might get distracted. Either way, probably too slow since you're the first person to say anything, which I appreciate. Feedback helps. I'll get better timing down for that next time.

And yeah, part 5 is pretty much where the game knees you in the ribs until you fall over.