A few questions [beware of SPOILERS]

[Inferjus]

There are a few things I do not understand:

1. Why does Will/Lila want to kill Martha? From what I know sacrifices can keep Lila alive, but why has been Martha chosen as one? Why is Will/Lila aggressive toward her? Also why Martha's head after being choked to death turns into grotesque animal head? Is it a reference to animal sacrifices?
   
2. What is the Boiler Ghost? Is it capable of hurting/killing Lila? I think the talk with Detective Yu suggests so.
   
3. What is DADA DOG and how is it relevant to the story?
   
4. Is Tanya's shopping list present on her phone important in any way? It had a strange second sub - "-0". I thought that it's supposed to indicate that numbers of letters of other subs on the list are part of some code, but I found no use for it.

[Vitlöksbjörn]

I can answer your final question.

It's a sneaky little reference to Milk inside a bag of Milk, which I'm pretty sure is a significant inspiration to Lila (the game). You'll notice that before it says "O", it says "milk" on the shopping list.

Explaining why this is a reference would ruin a powerful moment in Milk, so I won't. I'll just say that if you liked Lila, you'll like Milk, the game costs next to nothing and is very short.

[Inferjus]

Thanks, I saw Steam recommending this game to me, might try it at some point.

[Thundercracker]

Originally posted by Inferjus:

There are a few things I do not understand:

1. Why does Will/Lila want to kill Martha? From what I know sacrifices can keep Lila alive, but why has been Martha chosen as one? Why is Will/Lila aggressive toward her? Also why Martha's head after being choked to death turns into grotesque animal head? Is it a reference to animal sacrifices?
   
2. What is the Boiler Ghost? Is it capable of hurting/killing Lila? I think the talk with Detective Yu suggests so.
   
3. What is DADA DOG and how is it relevant to the story?
   
4. Is Tanya's shopping list present on her phone important in any way? It had a strange second sub - "-0". I thought that it's supposed to indicate that numbers of letters of other subs on the list are part of some code, but I found no use for it.

1. lila wants to kill martha at least in part because martha has enough evidence to get will's body locked up for murder. there might be more motive in martha's connection to tanya, but it mostly seems to me to be covering her tracks.

2. The Empress. lila's "mother." it is capable of devouring lila, as it is capable of devouring /everything./ it is a very "high level nooshpere dweller" representing some of the most basal qualities. it's oversimplifying, but the empress is the personification of "hunger." there's also allusions to will's mother being devoured by the empress.

3. dada dog is a meme. i always thought it was an oblique reference to pepe frog, but it might be referencing something else. the meme has integrated itself into the collective brain of the general public enough to personify dada dog as a noosphere dweller akin to lila.

[Inferjus]

Thank you! Is there an explanation why the Empress is hiding in the boilers? Also who is the Janitor in the school corridor leading to boiler rooms?

[Thundercracker]

Originally posted by Inferjus:

Thank you! Is there an explanation why the Empress is hiding in the boilers? Also who is the Janitor in the school corridor leading to boiler rooms?

not that i am aware of for either. nothing in the game or supporting materials.

it could be that a boiler is just a good place for her to nap, itself being a very "hungry" item, plus the connections to electricity we see in the boiler she's not in. the game continues the david lynch motif of electricity, among other things it's kind of a gateway between worlds.

the janitor is just completely unexplained. he could be like the waitress at the diner, "not quite real,"but that wouldent really fit, as you meet him in the real world. he might be some sort of human devotee to or caretaker of the empress, but there's nothing to support this other than his job as school janitor.

we know he's not a member of the lawrence cult, the only survivors are will and strupnev. only other noosphere dwellers recognize lila. so the janitor must either be a noosphere dweller, or a human in the thrall of one, if not some other kind of undocumented entity.

[Inferjus]

Thanks, it's really insightful.
I would like to ask if you know why is last Martha's head projection (during murder cutscene) grotesque and animal-like? Is it just to shock the player, is this a reference or maybe it has some deeper meaning?

[Thundercracker]

Originally posted by Inferjus:

Thanks, it's really insightful.
I would like to ask if you know why is last Martha's head projection (during murder cutscene) grotesque and animal-like? Is it just to shock the player, is this a reference or maybe it has some deeper meaning?

another lynchian reference. this time to "eraserhead." could be present in more of his works. also reminiscent of a couple of murders depicted in various twin peaks media over the years.

if you havent seen twin peaks, and you like this game, i encourage you to watch it. there's especially a lot of overlap with "fire, walk with me," and "the return." dont skip the original two seasons, though, they are a treasure.

[Vitlöksbjörn]

Originally posted by Terrorsaur:

Originally posted by Inferjus:

Thanks, it's really insightful.
I would like to ask if you know why is last Martha's head projection (during murder cutscene) grotesque and animal-like? Is it just to shock the player, is this a reference or maybe it has some deeper meaning?

another lynchian reference. this time to "eraserhead." could be present in more of his works. also reminiscent of a couple of murders depicted in various twin peaks media over the years.

if you havent seen twin peaks, and you like this game, i encourage you to watch it. there's especially a lot of overlap with "fire, walk with me," and "the return." dont skip the original two seasons, though, they are a treasure.

This is quite interesting, normally I yell like an angry child when people try to use elements/tropes/references/techniques from film/TV because I believe games and film are ultimately not compatible, but look. Turns out it can work.

[Inferjus]

Thanks guys for your engagement!

[Thundercracker]

Originally posted by Vitlök:

This is quite interesting, normally I yell like an angry child when people try to use elements/tropes/references/techniques from film/TV because I believe games and film are ultimately not compatible, but look. Turns out it can work.

i mean, the first resident evil did that. that's why i kind of like 6, the franchise has always been based on shlocky action B-movies. there might be earlier examples, but this is the earliest that jumps to mind.

but i must say, when you spend a lot of effort to "talk" in the same language of metaphors as a specific filmmaker, especially one known for using themes and metaphors consistently over his body of work, it both shows and works better for more people, i think.