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In Stars and Time: Thoughts so far

12/24/2025

Okay so, first of all, merrry Christmas Eve to those who celebrate it! I got so caught up in rambling about video games I almost forgot the date... whoops. I'll be having brunch with friends tomorrow and going to the family Christmas on the 28th. It's crazy how fast this year has gone by, it only feels like I just moved into this apartment a few weeks ago still. But I am glad that my life's finally moving forward a bit, after 2 or 3 years in like, limbo. Hopefully next year brings good things! And now, with that actually addressed, onto the meat of the post.
Warning, it's a whole lot of word vomit:

So I recently, finally decided to pick ISAT back up after... I don't know how long. I'd played a bit until the beginning of Act 2, when I decided to take a break for the day and come back to it... and then never did. And boy, am I kind of regretting not getting back into it sooner. I've been playing it almost nonstop for the past week or so now, and I think I'm nearing the end of Act 4. I've had... a couple things spoiled for me, since I just couldn't stay patient and had to go search the tags on Tumblr for fanart and such, but to be honest, spoilers never really ruin my experience with a story. In some cases, they add to it. (Spoilers for up to Act 4, by the way)

Case in point: Bonnie's almost-death. I'd seen something about it, so I knew it was coming at some point, but I didn't expect that point to be right after I made a post on my Tumblr about them. When I got to the point of "talking the King down," I was genuinely almost hopeful that things would turn out well. A real Undertale moment, even. The tiny little reference in Mirabelle's dialogue was pretty funny too.

And then he attacked. And then grabbed Bonnie. And I think my heart may have stopped for a second. There have been quite a few moments in this game so far, where the little foreknowledge I have has just added to the dread, these harrowing moments still pulling the rug out from under me as I hope, despite knowing better, that things will turn out well. Much like a certain rogue I know...

So I guess that brings me onto the topic of Siffrin themself. First of all, I loved the little detail of his party and battle portraits changing as Act 3 began, and the little changes like him no longer chirping back at the birds in Dormont. Just tiny little changes to make it clear that their mental state is, uh... deteriorating, to say the least, as the play wears on. Their internal monologue getting more nihilistic and unhinged in Acts 3 and 4 also work really well at putting you in their shoes. It gets less and less subtle as the loops continue, and from what I've heard, things start to really hit a head in Act 5. Frankly, I can't wait.

Another thing I like, the addition of the (Just attack.) option in the Craft menu in Act 4, too. No puns like the rest of Siffrin's moves, it doesn't add Jacpot points, it decimates pretty much every normal Sadness regardless of type. It's a really interesting way of showing just how tired and jaded Siffrin's become: no more interest in jokes, no more interest in teamwork, no more cares about looking suspicious. He's just so blinding tired of all this, and it's a pretty neat way to illustrate that in a game mechanic, especially since by now, the player's probably tired of fighting all the same enemies and walking the same corridors over and over, too.

I could probably keep talking about all the little changes in Siffrin's behavior becoming less and less subtle over the course of the game, to the point his friends are starting to notice, and how he gets more and more confused and frustrated that they're noticing and worrying about him. But I'd probably end up in my own kind of loop doing that, so I'm gonna move onto another detail I really like: the play.

Siffrin's a huge theater buff, so of course it makes sense that they'd conceptualize what they're going through as a play. Everyone starting and ending in the same place, saying the same lines, as if they're in an endless rehearsal. And Sif seems to both love and hate this play equally. Much of their internal monologue is full of extreme self-loathing and disgust with the way they're treating their friends like characters: how dare they manipulate everyone into loving them, they're terrible, they're a monster, etc., but parts of it are also elated that they know how to achieve such a "happy" ending, that they can do and say all the right things to make everyone give them the love they desperately need... and then right back to hating themself again. I just recently got the "...you are loved" achievement, meaning I've done the friend quests and reached the end for the third time. I don't know if this specific scene was because of that achievement or because I did it in Act 4, but the way Siffrin smiles when his friends, his family, look so terrified for him, how he's so ecstatic that they love him now, believing they didn't before... it's both very unsettling and very, very sad. And the "That was fun!" after waking up back in the field following that... I can't really say I blame Siffrin for starting to lose it, I think anyone would in that kind of situation, but damn are they getting severely fucked up.

Okay, so I think I've rambled enough. I know none of this makes any sense, it's just my insane ravings about my current obsession. But! One more thing before I go:
I just left off after my most recent conversation with Loop, where they bring up the theory that Siffrin's own emotions are what's keeping him trapped in the loops. And I think I agree. Every time they do something that might worry or upset their friends, they almost instantly rewind, because they're terrified of losing them. And when Loop asks Sif if there's anything about talking to the head housemaiden that makes him feel like he can't go on, well... every time he's spoken to her lately, the inner dialogue is "(IT'S ALL OVER IF YOU TALK TO HER)," so I think that's a solid yes. At the end, everyone's talking about how they're going to go their separate ways, and Siffrin, being completely unable to remember any other family or home they've ever had, is absolutely devastated at the idea. They think everyone's gonna leave them behind and they'll be alone again! And if they talk to Euphraise, that means it's all over and everyones going to leave! How on earth could they go on after that!? So thanks to his absolutely debilitating separation anxiety... he takes them all back. Unintentionally, I'm sure, but clearly the idea that if they're all stuck in this loop, they'll never leave him, brings him some kind of comfort. ...I've also been going and watching Jello's livestream VODs, and one line I think Jello said pretty much sums up my thoughts: "You have a condition, Siffrin." Like that's it, that's the game.

Anyway, I could probably think of even more to say, but I think I'll leave things here for now, I've talked... well past long enough. Probably expect some kind of equally unhinged post after I finally beat the game. Bye!


P.S. Odile is fucking hot.