Let us languish in Sanitarium (completed)

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When we last left our intrepid hero, he had just wished from the magical talking gargoyle reflection to see his long-dead sister again. Makes as much sense as anything. So how does the friendly gargoyle reflection interpret the wish?



He turns Max into his sister...That's...lovely?

When little Sarah looks through those viewfinders, you see a short cinematic. Turns out FRAPS doesn't work well with Sanitarium cinematics, so no more screens from those. Still, watch it here. That house is obviously important. I guess?

So there's a big dude lying in front of the bridge.

He's got a big red nose like Santa!

'k. Thanks? Let's talk to him.

Well, bless my soul! How on earth did you get here, little girl?!

I don't know, mister. All I remember is looking in the water and then this flash of light ... The next thing I knew I was here. I'm kinda scared 'cause I don't remember much.

At least she has her brother's fondness of talking in ellipses.



(Name) My name's Sarah. What's yours?

What?! Why, I'm Antonio Baldini!! Genius, showman, and ringmaster extraordinaire!

(Where) Where am I?

You don't know? Then you're in for quite a treat, little girl! Because directly behind me is the most fantastical specactle this world has to offer!!

Huh?



(Dollars) Oh, but I have no money.

Hmm, tell you what, my dear. Since times are tough and the crowd is, um, a little thin this time of year, I'll give you a free pass to the Squid Squash game!! If you're lucky, you might win some tickets!

Wait, so you can win tickets in the games? Then how does this place turn a profit to begin with? Isn't this like a perpetuum mobile of carnival tickets?

Ohh!! Thank you, Mister Baldini!

Think nothing of it, my dear! And now, if you'll excuse me, little lady, I have a circus to run!!

And run he did.



Hey, you maggots! We have a customer! The show must go on!

What kind of two-bit operation is this anyhow? Hell, I'd be shocked if this Baldini feller has two bits to slam together to begin with, running a carnival like this. It's an outrage!

I would also prefer this carnival to be run by Management and his midget-with-weird-shaped-head assistant, Samson, but you gotta take what you get.

Anyway, following Baldini takes us into the big 10-in-1.



Weird. But what'd you expect. We talk to the flashy-costumed lady.

Wow!! Do you really breathe fire?!

My name's Sarah. What's yours?

Well, my real name's Jennifer Lang. But you can call me by my stage name - Inferno.

(Circus) I never saw a circus on an island before.

If you call this dump a circus.

(Costume) That's a pretty costume!

Why thank you! You're just the sweetest little girl! You're like the daughter I always wanted.

Oh...kay? That wasn't creepy at all.

Why don't you have one?

My husband and I never had the chance to start a family.

(Husband) What happened?



Keep "that squid freak" in mind, we'll keep hearing about him as we go on.

I'm sorry.

That's all right, dear ... you didn't know. I just wish I had someone to pass down my secret of fire breathing to.

(Secret) Ooo! Me! Me! Please teach me!!

Hmmm, I don't know ... you're awfully young.

Pleeeeease!!



Oh, yeah. That's not irresponsible at all.
Last, let's ask about the house.

(House) Who lives in that big spooky house on the other island?

No one, I think. That's why my Geraldo was trying to go over to it. He thought we could live there.

Who's Geraldo?

Not insensitive at all.

He was my husband.

(awkward silence)

Up in the stands are a trio of clowns. This place is crawling with clowns! ARGH!

My name's Sarah. What's yours?

Flipper!

(Circus) Do you like it here at the circus?

Oh yeah, this is my dream. All I got as a prop is this friggin' fish.

Why don't you use something else?



The next clown is sad! MUAHAHAHAHAH! I mean, er, "oh no!"

My name's Sarah. What's yours?

Simon.

(Circus) Do you like it here at the circus?

No. My sister is a real pain in the ass.

(Sister) Why is she so mean to you?



The third is the sister, who's throwing stuff at her brother.

My name's Sarah. What's yours?

What's it to ya, ya little snot?

You don't hafta be so mean! I was just askin'!

'I was just askin'! Hm! My name is Trixie, try to remembere it!

(Circus) Do you like it here at the circus?

Are you for real? This blows! The only enjoyment I get these days is creamin' my stupid brother!

...It was a more innocent time back then, before urban dictionary existed to give creaming various meanings none of which should apply to brother-sister relationships.

(Brother) I don't think that's very nice!

Shuddup! I don't remember askin' ya about what ya thought, ya shrimp!

Boy, you aren't a very friendly clown! I thought clowns were supposed to be happy and nice!

Issat so? Well, most clowns aren't stuck in a run-down circus ... on an island ... waiting to get eaten by some giant freak!

(Freak) What you mean 'waiting to get eaten'? What freak?



Oh wow. Trixie is a true, BioWare-level of deep character, with a traumatic conflict scarring her background and turning her into the bitch she is. She's the Bastila/Morrigan archetype of Sanitarium!

Except, of course, she's a clown, so she must be evil.

I'm sorry.

Sorry? Oh, that's great, kid, but it won't bring back my dog. You get away from me before I nail you with a pie.

Whoa now, easy there. Times is tough, I know, we've all been there, but this is no time to start nailing little kids.

With a pie, Samson.

Oh...oh! Well thank sweet Jesus, I had no issues with the lesbian action in Mulholland Drive, no sir, in fact it was pretty danged sweet, but clown-on-girl is too weird even for me, and I worked with Lynch!

...Take five, Samson.

My name's Sarah. What's yours?

Meano Geno! Strongest man alive!

(Muscles) Wow!! You sure got lots of muscles!!

Duhhh ... I used to have a lot more ... but I've kind of let myself go since da flood.

That was a big flood, huh?



My name's Sarah. What's yours?

Lefty! For obvious reasons ...

(Juggling) You're very good!

I am, aren't I? Hee hee! I can juggle anything!!

Really?

Yeah, but I'm getting bored. No one challenges me anymore.

No. Look, I can tackle this lot single-handed!

Yes, yes, let him tackle us single-handed!

Lots of hints at stuff to do. Learn to breathe fire from Inferno, get weights for Meano Geno, help Trixie and Simon figure out their family problems, get Flipper some props, give Lefty a challenge. I doubt all of those lead somewhere, but let's keep 'em all in mind. And first and foremost, there's Squid Freak, gotta find out more about him.

Let's talk to Baldini.

Hello, Mr. Baldini!

Why, hello, Sarah! Are you enjoying the fabulous circus?

(Yes) I guess so ... but it's kinda spooky.



Hah! Maybe this Baldini character does have what it takes. That's right, feller, just glaze right over any problems.

Heading out of the tent we bump into yet another fucking clown.

My name's Sarah. What's yours?

Like I.

Like I?

Yeah ... Like I give a rat's ass your name's Sarah! Ha har!

Ha har! Fucking clowns.

(Circus) Do you like it here at the circus?

Yeah, dis is a real paradise. Maybe when I get done talkin' to your dumb ass, I'll grab a martini by the pool!

You sure do cuss a lot!



(Balloon) That balloon looks silly on your head!

Oh does it? Thank goodness you were here to tell me that. Whatever would I have done without your keen powers of observation?

You're mean! Shut up!

And hence we come full circle on facial expressions, Sarah have the same set as Max; normal, charming, Shepard and the now-extremily-inappropriately-named o-face.

Aw, get bent, you little runt!

Screw him, let's head down the walkways.



Thrill at the extremely slow walking animation!

Inside the wagon is a Tattooed Man!

*gasp*

Not that one, samson.

My name's Sarah. What's yours?



You're mean!

Yeah? So what! When youse come inta Wilbur Smith's wagon, you play by my rules, kid!

(Tattoo) Ooo! Can I have a tattoo?

What.

What? Hah! Come back in about ten years, kid. Tattoos is only for my adult customers.

(Customers) Where are all your customers, mister?



That was a big flood, huh?

No, it was a little tiny flood. Now quit asking me stupid questions!!

(Alcohol) Do you drink this stuff?

What?! Hah! Of course not! I use dat stuff for cleanin' da customer's skin afore I tattoo 'em.

(Fuel) May I have a bottle of rubbing alcohol? Inferno is going to teach me how to breathe fire!

She is, is she? Ain't ya a little young ta do dat?

No! I'm almost eight and a half!



Look, between the abuse and giving kids alcohol, I don't think this carnival can really complain about not having any customers.

Walking on, we hit the games! We don't have any tickets for any of 'em, so we'll have to do Squid Squash first.



That's...neat?

My name's Sarah. What's yours?



Just what we need, a Melville fanboy.

(Book) What book are you reading? Is it a comic book?

What?! This is a classic, young lady, not some piece of trash! It's the epic saga of a man obsessed with killing a great white whale!

Oh!! That poor whale!!

No no no, you're missing the point. The whale is the manifestation of all earthly evils, and the man's pursuit is ... Oh, forget it.

(Play) May I play, please?

Sure ... if you have 3 tickets!

I have a Squid Squash pass that Mr. Baldini gave me!

That's good enough. Here you go!

(Squash) Squid Squash? How do you play?



(Tickets) Why do I need more tickets?

You need them to go on the rides, of course!

Look, fellers, honestly, I don't think you've quite thought this business model throu...oh, nevermind, keep on doin' what you doin'.

There's 3 other rides, ring toss, pig shoot and knock down. Trial and error showed me only pig shoot and squid squash are guaranteed ticket turnouts, the others...have their problems. Note that these aren't actual mini-games, Sarah just plays 'em out and you either win or lose.

(Ring toss) I'd like to try.

One ticket, if you please!

I have enough tickets!

All right, little miss! Give it a try!

Oh poo!

Sorry, darlin'! You win some, you lose some!

(Knock down) I'll knock 'em down!

One ticket per throw!

I have enough tickets!

Give it your best shot, little girl! Try not to hurt yourself!! Har har!!



Wheeee!!

Holy crap! What an arm! You busted up my pins!!

And he won't let Sarah play this game again. That leaves only pig shoot.

(Pig shoot) I'll take a shot!

One ticket, little missy!

I have enough tickets!

Keep your eyes on the pigs and your finger on the trigger!

Hm ...

Nice shootin', eagle eye!

With 10 tickets in my pocket, let's move on for now.



To the beach! The Freak Beach!

And we'll cut off this update right here, because the game is on in an hour, I have guests in a bit and still need to do my shopping. More freaky freak beachiness coming soon!

And the LP is magically resurrected. Somewhere, the baby Jesus smiles.

R-YAN would be proud. :single tear of joy:

At last, Chtul... er, I mean the Mindfuckery gods will be satisified... Continue it when you can, the game isn't long.

R-YAN is starting to lose hope (again).

To the beach! The Freak Beach!

So we left our hero-turned-girl as she was descending down to the Freak Beach. To be honest, I'm a bit confused as to what I'm actually supposed to do with Sarah and the Carnival types? Help them? Prevent Sarah's death? Find Sarah's dolly, Mr Clown? Place is certainly crawling with clowns. I bet they're planning something, the bastards.

To my everlasting horror, we meet YET ANOTHER CLOWN on the beach.

My name's Sarah. What's yours?



(Cards) Can you tell me my fortune?

Certainly. Hmmm ... let me consult the cards. Ah yes!! This is very interesting indeed!

Ooo! What do they say!

The sign of the scarab! This Egyptian symbol indicates a plague of horrifying insects, bent on devouring the planet!

Oh no! Really? That sounds scary!

Well ... it's either that or an eight of clubs, I'm not sure.

Hah. That was somewhat amusing. Now what about the dude guarding the entrance to Freak Beach?





My name's Sarah. What's yours?



Freaks running the freakshow.

(Freaks) Where do the freaks come from?

Does it really matter, child? They have been assembled here for your entertainment, kept safely behind iron bars so you can observe at your leisure.

(Tickets) How many tickets to get in?

A mere five tickets. Half of ten, and one less than half a dozen! A small price to pay to see what few will encounter in the space of a lifetime!





And using the tickets on Stuart...

Thank you! Now step lively, little girl, for the gallery of the grotesque awaits!!

There's only two occupied cages/homes, since the third (I assume the ones with the broken bars) held the squid beast who took a runner. There's a fourth, but it is on its side.



Or a furry!

My name's Sarah. What's yours?

Grrr ... Timberrr! Go away, kid, before I eat you!!

What a terrible thing to say! I was just being friendly!

If you want to be friendly ... rrrrrrelease me from this damn cage!

(Cage) If I let you out, you'll eat me! You said so yourself!

Sarah seems a lot sharper than her big brother.

Grrrromise ... I promise not to ... if you let me out!

How can I trust you? You look like you'd eat the first thing that you get your hands on!



(Bones) You can smell bones? Where are they? I haven't seen any on this entire island!

Burrried! Deep ... rrunderground! I can smell them, I can! I'll dig 'em up!

Gee ... I don't know ...

Please, kid, I'm dying in this wrrretched cage!! I need out!!

(Out) Why doesn't Stuart just open your cage? Doesn't he have a key?

Key lost. Grrr. Damned Stuart lost it! Need to pick it open now.

Yet another person (or "person") to help. As mentioned last update, this place certainly has plenty of leads. We'll have to figure out who can/needs to be helped.
The second freak is not so much a freak as just an extreme yoga expert.

He's all bendy!

My name's Sarah. What's yours?

I am Pret-zool, the master of elasticity!

Really, game? Pret-zool? That's what we're going with here?

Ooo! Can you light up a light bulb?!

What? No no! Not electricity ... elasticity!!

...Yah...

What does that word mean, mister?

That means I can twist and stretch myself into many different shapes.

(Freak) How long have you been a freak in the circus?



Not really what I asked, but ok.

The Merry-Go-Round to the west is busted. Sarah plays a few more games to win some extra tickets, just in case, before heading back to the Big Tent. To talk FIRE!

(Fuel) I got a bottle of rubbing alcohol! Will this work?



Okay!!

Okay, now you try it!



Bad screenshot is bad.

You did it! You're a natural!!

I can breathe fire now!

Wandering around for more stuff to do, I find that asshole clown Like I was blocking the way to a nice little Irish refugee camp.
Wait what?

My name's Sarah. What's yours?

My name is Collin O'Leary, and my wife here is Martha.

(Town) What happened to the town?

A flood. The old Prospect Damn, just beyond Grandview point, finally burst after years of neglect.

How did that happen?



Notice the bottles are all bottles of spirits, like vodka. True Irishmen indeed.

(Townsfolk) What happened to the rest of the townsfolk?

Most of them were killed in the flood. The few survivors, like me family, came up here to find shelter.

Where are they? I don't see anyone but your family.

We're all that remain. That squid thing has bene picking us off one by one.

Jeeses. I think we're going to need some help. And only type of help will cut it here.



Mega Shark help.

(Squid) But how can it? We're high up from the water!



Can't you do anything?

That's right, Sarah, Shepard the fuck out of these pussies. Force them to give up any and all mega sharks they're hiding!

I'm afraid not. We're all doomed.

Oh boooo!

My name's Sarah. What's yours?

Where'd you come from, you little imp? I haven't seen you around here before.

Fee fi fo fum, I smell the menstrual fluids of a bitchy bitch bitch.

I just arrived here ... I don't quite remember how, though.



Whoa. Tune it down on the crazy there, lady.

(Freaks) I'm not a freak! I'm just a little girl!

Hmph! You don't fool me, you little devil! I know the ways of Beelzebub! You can alter your appearance at will! Why, you're probably in league with the watery abomination that's killing us off one by one!!

(Abomination) Uh - bomb - ina, what?

Oh, stop pretending as if you don't know, you wicked little specter! I'll not fall into your web of lies! Your kind brought about the damnation of our town with your vulgar display of profanity!!

(Collin) Your husband is a very nice man.

Husband? You mean this doppelganger? Bah! He's not my husband!

Then why are you standing here with him?

Don't smart off with me, you poisonous serpent! You know as well as I that if I were to turn my back on him he'd eat my brain like a grapefruit!!

Huh...You know, with the way this game keeps going, I wouldn't be surprised if Martha turns out to be right, and the sanest of the bunch.

That just leaves their kid to talk to.

My name's Sarah. What's yours?

Wow!! Another kid! That's swell, even if you are just a girl! My name's Sean.

Are we the only kids here?

Yeah. It sucks! I get real lonely all by myself ... I don't have anyone to play with.

(Lonely) If you're so lonely, why don't you go to the circus? There's lots to do there!

Mamma says I can't. She says the circus is fulla evil folks, and they brought the flood down on us with their sinning ways.

That's silly! How could they have?

I dunno ... Mamma knows best.

(Mamma) Do you always obey your mamma?

Most of the time.

What do you mean most of the time?



Ahahaha! Blackmail material!

(Home) Is this section of the island your home now?

Yeah ... if you can call this a home. It's just a bunch of cruddy shacks.

Where's all the other families?

Me and my folks are all that's left! There used to be a lot more, but they kept disappearin'.

What's happening?

No one knows for sure, but we think it's that monster!

Monster?!

Oh FFS, Sarah, this isn't news. Roofles FFs.

Yeah, the squid thing! My dad says it's just a matter of time before it gets us all! I don't wanna be eaten!!

Heading back to the tent, I actually talked to Meano Geno first and then to Inferno. The game doesn't adapt the dialogue to that order and it makes a lot less sense, so I'll flip the sequence for the readers.

(Poems) I know who's been sending you love poems!

What?! How did you find out I was getting them? I haven't told a soul!

I can't tell you how I found out. But I know that Geno the Strongman is sending them!

Oh no! That big oaf! Ahhgh! My goodness! He was dating half the girls from the high wire act before the flood! How can I take that man seriously?

What if he tattoos your name on his arm?



What? Are you serious, game? That's stupid. Really stupid.





(Afraid) Afraid? A big guy like you?

Duh, yeah! I could bend a steel bar around my neck, but I'm scared of tellin' her how I feel!

But why?

She won't take me seriously! She thinks I'm just a big dummy! I don't know how to really prove my love!!

How about a big tattoo of her name on your arm?

Oh Frith. Please, Geno, don't take the love advice of this 9-year old girl seriously.

Hey! Dat's not such a bad idea! If dat don't prove how serious I am, den I dunno what is!

I think you're confused, Geno. If you look up "bad idea" in the encyclopedia, you'll find "tattooing a girl's name on your arm to prove your love" to be amongst the definitions.

Anyway, upon accepting the advice, Geno walks off and...promptly vanishes in thin air.



More to come soon! And by soon I mean not soon at all!

Yes.

Also, Sarah's chapters are the last good parts of the game. The game quickly turns into shit after them.

Sanity (and patience) is for the weak!!! MOAR plz!!!!

What lightbane said!

"And by soon I mean not soon at all."

What if I update Prisoner of Ice? Will that persuade you to update faster? >=(

Damn, I didn't know that Mega Shark movie existed. Now I've got to see it. You see what you did, you sneaky bastard ?

Will there be updates?

When the Prisoners freeze over again, most likely.

Yes.

But I don't know when.

Awh. Well, at least that's something. Rather curious about that giant squid and other stuff. And wondering when the really freaky stuff that people said would kick in starts.

massah brutha none, won'tcha be doing no moar updatey-stuffies for us folks here at dese circus tent-acles? wotcha doin' to my head, massah? come on massah, don't be holdin' out on us.

also, this game reminds me of shutter island. fuck.

I just completed it. The game indeed turns into incoherent shit after the circus. It's like the writers wanted to make a game inspired by Jacob's Ladder, but without any of the skills to go with it. On the Gamasutra post-mortem they basically admitted that everyone had an idea for a game and they decided to cobble them all together.

fair enough, but i am still intrigued but how it'll all turn out.

or in the words of confucius, "He who sits atop the lavatory knows what he does, and yet cannot help but wonder what color it will be"

Man, I first played my friend's copy when the game was released, nearly 12 years ago. Said friend paid, believe or not, more than 90$ CDN for the game with the taxes!

I had only played up to the third act. I returned him the copy as the summer vacations came and never saw the rest.

In those 12 years I imagined countless different endings for the game... and in the end all I got was some B-Movie crap with annoying puzzles that doesn't even make sense.

Do complete the game, but prepare to be severely disappointed.

Heh I couldn't finish the circus part, the game always hang when I check out the freaks cages. Patch didn't help either, probably some CD was corrupted. Keep it up, Brother None.

Since this thread appears to be abandoned, I'll just note that there's an LP over at lparchive.