Is there a message behind Zeno Clash? [spoilers]

[Bullett00th]

I really hate looking for a cryptic meaning in pieces of abstract art where it's just abstract art that came from the mind of its creator, not his ideas or world views, but after a certain point in the game I couldn't help but get the vibe that there WAS a philosophical point to the game.

There is also a duality in everything in the game, you can't truly figure out who's the hero and who's the villain, or even if there is one or the other in the plot. It's very lifelike in this sense.


-- Ghat is a rebel and a truth seeker on one hand, while simultaneously a criminal and a brute on the other. His questionable decisions lead to unexpected yet important revelations that, if analyzed, seem to do nothing but hurt himself and others, be it his friends, foes or loved ones. He is exactly what he is: a human, and a metaphor for all humanity, ready to sacrifice anything to reach their goals, while the goals seem noble and justified due to being of cognitive nature.

-- The corwids may be insane, but they are free, they do exactly what they want and they do it by choice, not by force. It was the corwids who helped Ghat become what he became, again whether or not it was a good thing. It's a scary thought that a corwid is a being that has reached ultimate happiness by neglecting the needs and fulfilling the wants. They are to me impersonations of egoism with a purpose and a determination to fulfill this purpose at any cost. Which, again, is what many people are.

-- FatherMother is a leader and a protector, and at the same time an impostor who tries to be the former. He steals children, but gives them a sense of unity and family. He in himself is like a corwid in that way: feeling like his only need is to raise and guide other's children, and that is what he does. But however wrong his actions may be from a moral standpoint, they are somewhat altruistic to an extent. He creates a system within a world of chaos and unity in a world of conflict, and that alone is worth some praise. But, like corwids, the cost of this system is morally very questionable. I'll even go as far as saying FatherMother is a metaphor for fanatical patriotism/nationalism, that puts the unity of 'brothers and sisters' above true family, and hunts down anyone who could possibly even doubt the concept.

-- Finally, Golem. Justice itself. Direct, calm, cold-hearted, lusciously noble and almost mathematical. Bring justice to your enemy, but be prepared that it will come after you and yours as well, because that is how TRUE justice is. In a place where it has been asleep for long, once it's awakened it cannot be stopped. Hurt justice and you hurt yourself along with everyone it affects. Bring justice to a place of anarchy and be prepared for big changes, many of which you will not like.


So there. Just felt the need to express my thoughts on the game, since rarely a small game like this makes me think so much about it after beating it, especially considering that I thought it was just random abstract stuff in the beginning. It may as well be, so I want to know if anyone else shares my views on the meaning of Zeno Clash, or maybe has their own.


Either way, big thanks to the dev team for this unbelievably original and unique piece of interactive storytelling. Late to the party, I know.

[wr.exe]

Zeno clash has really underrated writing. Corwids are my favorite concept brought up by the game. A sort of dark enlightenment.

[Jorjor Wel 1984]

Yeah Zeno Clash is not abstract for abstracts sake. The developers put a lot of thoughts into each element of the game. You are right on the moral ambiguity of each character being a central point, because that's exactly what ACE team was going for.

[sere]

I never thought it too abstract. Seemed more classical but treading into a mix of themes few games could handle. Many questions and character motivations are related to the player directly. In ZC2, there are moments of borderline exposition that give too much concrete form to ideas while clearly defining characters; which is far from abstract.


The symbolism, on the other hand, is VERY present and wonderfully all over the place. OP correctly identified some of the main and most important.

[_Soj_]

To the OP: I think you're reading WAY too much into what, IMO, is essentially a weak, nonsensical story.

Fun brawler, tho...

[////]

Originally posted by ₮ẖȩ·Đḭ§ƿ∂ƫĉħәƦ (idling):

To the OP: I think you're reading WAY too much into what, IMO, is essentially a weak, nonsensical story.

how do you know it's too much?

but yes, this story can be called nonsensical too. and not weak. maybe very simple, but not weak.

[_Soj_]

Originally posted by ////:

Originally posted by ₮ẖȩ·Đḭ§ƿ∂ƫĉħәƦ (idling):

To the OP: I think you're reading WAY too much into what, IMO, is essentially a weak, nonsensical story.

how do you know it's too much?

but yes, this story can be called nonsensical too. and not weak. maybe very simple, but not weak.

I was just playing thru it again, this time with a more critical ear to what is being said, and I am finding even more contradictions. When a story contradicts itself, it is weak and not well-thought-out.

Several examples that presently come to mind:

1. Why would the "all-knowing" Golem offer advice and help Ghat but then explain to Deadra (during the boat ride) that he considers both Ghat and Father-Mother to be criminals, because Ghat was a Corwid at one time and lived as an outcast, and the world should be cleansed of his kind and Father-Mother?

(Actually, from the beginning, Ghat was falsely-accused of killing Father-Mother, hence the reason he became an outcast. But, is being unjustly outcast from one's own family and, in the interest of survival, having to live with crazy Corwids for a while, considered a crime? I think not.... Also, his family members, who were still around Father-Mother, would obviously know that Father-Mother was STILL alive (a big DUH! to the devs, here...). Yet, they continue to relentlessly hunt down Ghat for a crime that he didn't commit? Doesn't make any sense...)

2. Golem declares at one point that he knows "the secret" about Father-Mother, just as Ghat does (i.e. it's a sick-minded male that thinks it's a female and steals babies so it can call them its own. SICK and reprehensible! Almost as sick as when the late Michael Jackson would "buy" white infants and use them for his own amusement (e.g. putting towels over their heads and briefly hanging them out of second-story buildings to traumatize them...'tis TRUE ! Watch it on Youtube ! ) , but they both seem to think that this fact is not fit to disclose to a grown woman?

Deadra, being a woman of child-bearing age, would understand more than anybody else there the gravity of such a crime. She would empathize with the anguish of loss that a mother would feel when one or more of her children suddenly 'disapper' (such as via kidnapping).

She's informed eventually, of course, but why is the truth being withheld from her? Is this supposed to be "suspenseful"? Do the devs consider a grown woman too "immature" to be let in on such matters? It's just strange...

Or is Deadra meant to be portrayed as having "the mind of child"? Deadra has such a weak, undeveloped character that the devs must have added her only to keep guys interested in the game long enough to see it to its completion... (I have to admit, she's beautiful and definitely kept my interest in the game going! ;) )

There are other problems with the story, but I will leave it at that for now. Like I stated in my review, I REALLY enjoyed this game for its unique fighting, GOOD music and fantastic, "trippy" environment. But, it could have been a WHOLE LOT better had the story actually made sense (i.e. was logically intact and actually taught a moral the way a typical fable would).

.02...

[////]

you seem to be very sure about some things, which could be easily interpreted differently.

if golem in this story is all-knowing, why question this fact? or... if father-mother would be considered as sick-minded in our world (reality, whatever...), why he/she/it must be so obviously sick-minded in this story (even in our world children can't pick their parents/carers... plus, father-mother is a bird...)?

i think, we can only question symbolism in this story, and not certain characters or their actions. :/

[////]

and i must agree with you about deadra. waiting for this answer, just because of this she's very close to the player (guy or gal). and so simple-minded, almost the opposite of corwids. yet, not stupid... she followed ghat after all... and have you seen how the other guys look in that town? :/