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Community Playthrough No # 24: I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream
I’m late to the party and will be a tad late for the first chapter since I doubt I can play it through tonight. But I cleared my playlist for now and would like to participate.
Welcome! You’ll find it relatively easy to catch up.
To answer TimoviMan’s question, then I don’t know if it has any root in mythology, but in a more modern context, it is quite common that you will turn into stone if you look into the eyes of a sphinx, and you can pass simply by closing your eyes or using a blindfold.
Isn’t that the eyes of the medusa?
In mythology yes.
In Greek mythology the sphinxes are riddlers mainly known for the famous Riddle of the Sphinx.
Do not mess the Sphinx, which is known from the Greek tragedy (tragedy: a kind of theatrical script) Oedipus the King, where the Sphinx was just a guardian of Thebes and asked Oedipus the well-known riddle, with the Gorgons (there were 3 Gorgon sisters according to the Greek Mythology. Women/monsters so ugly that could turn people to stone if they looked at them. The most well-known Gorgon was indeed Medussa, which, also according to Greek Mythology, was beheaded by Perseas after making her see her own reflection on his shield).
However, the Sphinx is also a creature mentioned in the Egyptian Mythology, where I have no idea what it means.
Oh btw, any idea where I could read the short story? Can’t find it in libraries near me and I’ve wanted to read it for a while.
One of the first links when Googling the title lead me here. Saved me the trouble of having to go to the local library and read it in Dutch (which I don’t like doing if the original is in English).
The truth can’t hurt you, it’s just like the dark: it scares you witless but in time you see things clear and stark. - Elvis Costello
Maybe this time I can be strong, but since I know who I am, I’m probably wrong. Maybe this time I can go far, but thinking about where I’ve been ain’t helping me start. - Michael Kiwanuka
I almost gave the green flag a day earlier than I supposed!
I’m almost convinced to start playing a day earlier than I’m supposed to 
Do not mess the Sphinx ... with the Gorgons ...
Messed up, absolutely, but it is not me that is mixing things. In adventure/fantasy fiction mythology is often used as inspiration, but is all mixed up in one big bowl and usually only have the slightest resemblance with the original mythology, I mean just look at Xena: Warrior Princess 
In this more modern “mythology” it is a common used theme that you have to avoid looking into the eyes of the Sphinx, and it does seem like it is this theme that is also used in IHNMAIMS.
Regarding the Egyptian mythology, well here is a quote from Wikipedia:
Egyptian sphinx was viewed as benevolent in contrast to the malevolent Greek version and was thought of as a guardian often flanking the entrances to temples.
You have to play the game, to find out why you are playing the game! - eXistenZ
I’ve now finished Ellen’s story which took me a few hours. I’ve now read through all of the previous comments far too numerous to quote, so please forgive me if I don’t reference the posters & thanks to all as I enjoyed reading your thoughts!
I really liked the story & I will echo the comment - if this is the weakest one bring on the others! I loved her voice acting but agree that Ellen didn’t really reflect the personality of someone that’s been tortured for 109 years, on the other hand I think I would have got fed-up with a weak whimpering woman! I thought the voicing of AM was exceptionally good!
I thought the Egyptian setting fitted the theme of yellow as it was a prominent colour in Egyptian art in parts of history as was the use of gold. Also the confinement of a pyramid which is essentially a tomb with also more claustrophobic places like sarcophagi challenge Ellen’s fears.
After the very traumatic attack she endured in the past I think it’s possible that if she didn’t repress the memory completely she didn’t at the time associate it with the colour yellow & the fear came later? As a woman, I thought the subject of her being raped, although nasty on a verbal level, wasn’t the motivation for AM choosing her & just something that happened to her that he could taunt her with? I didn’t think it was handled too badly as her fear of yellow dominated rather than the reason why (& it could have been another reason)
After talking to ‘Innocence’ I thought that after 109 years that maybe AM had got ‘bored’ & wanted to play a different game with his victims but there was a hint that although AM had a lot of power he was denied mobility, the ability to enjoy senses & trapped in his own skin (if I got that right?)so maybe he was in as much of a hell as his victims?
I saw Anubis on the monitor in the middle of the room also. The sphinx I didn’t see - I couldn’t make sense of that part except that when Ellen went to the grail room she saw a snarling dog & when she came out she didn’t hear it & imagined it wasn’t there. Putting on the blindfold helped her to get the grail. I did wonder -
Ellen really wanted to drink some water & needed the cup to do that but because the room was very yellow & the cup was very yellow it evoked her memory & the sphinx was symbolic of her attacker?
The CD was present after Ellen took the gem. I did wonder whether it was a case of not seeing something until she knew it was there?
I’ve never played the game before & I’m impressed so far & looking forward to playing more!!
Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, Ellen is off. Many questions were answered like the ones considering her torture in the beggining. But a bigger one arises.
Who among you shall go next?
I was a little sceptical about Gorrister’s chapter. The fact that it was the only one that I failed to achieve its perfect ending the first time I played the game, made me think that perhaps I should have left it for later. But it is also the best IMO and surely one of the creepiest ones. That is exactly what we need. Also, this chapter has more right/wrong options than Ellen’s, so you better watch your step…
You have until 3:00pm 4/10 GMT to finish Gorrister’s chapter
I’ve now finished Ellen’s story which took me a few hours.
Just in time too!!
... But it is also the best IMO and surely one of the creepiest ones. That is exactly what we need…
I agree, this chapter is also the one I remember as being the best of the 5 character chapters.
You have to play the game, to find out why you are playing the game! - eXistenZ
Yeah i remember really liking gorristers chapter, the setting was cool and I don’t remember there really being anything awkward to get stuck on.
By the way is there some special you need to do in Ellens chapter to get the good ending? Best I got was green and I feel like it’s probably a good idea to get it white before moving on.
By the way is there some special you need to do in Ellens chapter to get the good ending? Best I got was green and I feel like it’s probably a good idea to get it white before moving on.
As I recall it, it actually never turns white, and light green is the best you can get. Also you don’t have to get all characters to the very best possible state to reach the best ending, there is a bit of leeway. But this is based purely on my memory of playing the game about 15 years ago.
You have to play the game, to find out why you are playing the game! - eXistenZ
By the way is there some special you need to do in Ellens chapter to get the good ending? Best I got was green and I feel like it’s probably a good idea to get it white before moving on.
As I recall it, it actually never turns white, and light green is the best you can get. Also you don’t have to get all characters to the very best possible state to reach the best ending, there is a bit of leeway. But this is based purely on my memory of playing the game about 15 years ago.
If it is bright green, then you are just fine. Perhaps I remembered wrong, but surely by doing all the best moves in Ellen the colour goes to bright green. And yes, it is possible to achieve a good ending even without doing all the best moves, but let’s say to achieve total redemption for each character, it’s perfect ending is nessecary.
And yes, it is possible to achieve a good ending even without doing all the best moves, but let’s say to achieve total redemption for each character, it’s perfect ending is nessecary.
As I recall it, and have also recently read, [spoiler]it isn’t actually possible to achieve total redemption for all characters! I think you know who I’m talking about [/spoiler]
You have to play the game, to find out why you are playing the game! - eXistenZ
Thanks, for some reason I remembered the portrait going white at the end of gorristers chapter the first time I played it.
I just have finished Ellen’s chapter.
Your comments are very inspiring and really helpful to find out more about the game’s possible meanings.
As I mainly agree with your words I haven’t much to add.
Maybe just one thing: Concerning AM I have to think a bit of Hegel’s master-and-slave-idea (hope, this is the correct English translation). AM may be not that absolute powerful master, but also in some dependence on his victims/slaves (there is no master without his slaves).
Also, this chapter has more right/wrong options than Ellen’s, so you better watch your step…
Indeed, for that matter I’m come to standstill with a certain bloody object that I’ll probably need for sure, but, but,... 
Yeah i remember really liking gorristers chapter, the setting was cool and I don’t remember there really being anything awkward to get stuck on.
But I do have to make a sort of moral choice at this point, noting that I encountered nothing like this with Ellen’s chapter.
Gorrister’s voice reminds my of an older Elvis impersonator wannabee, totally fitting for the part though, better than Ellen. 
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day.
Give a man a rod and he will sit on a boat and drink beer all day. - USA Network
By the way is there some special you need to do in Ellens chapter to get the good ending? Best I got was green and I feel like it’s probably a good idea to get it white before moving on.
As I recall it, it actually never turns white, and light green is the best you can get. Also you don’t have to get all characters to the very best possible state to reach the best ending, there is a bit of leeway. But this is based purely on my memory of playing the game about 15 years ago.
If it is bright green, then you are just fine. Perhaps I remembered wrong, but surely by doing all the best moves in Ellen the colour goes to bright green. And yes, it is possible to achieve a good ending even without doing all the best moves, but let’s say to achieve total redemption for each character, it’s perfect ending is nessecary.
Can you explain what you mean by “best moves”? The only things that I can remember in her chapter that did or would negatively impact her are consulting the book and not fighting back against her rapist. Am I missing something else? I can’t remember anything else where you had to make the best move. I am probably forgetting some things.
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