Frictional Games Forum (read-only)

1) You are Justine from the beginning. The one hanging is one of Justine's prisoner I guess.
2) It's optional. As the thing at the beginning said, it will be a "trial of character".
3) See 1)

3. Don't kidnap and torture people. Especially not your best friends.

IMO, the point of stories is not to propagate some clear-cut moral message. It works for certain types of literature; children's books, religious texts, propaganda, Aesop's Fables, etc. But the idea that all stories must make some kind of moral impression on the audience is absurd. I think it's better to consider the actual story itself, how it makes you feel and what you gained from it. It doesn't need to be a cliched adage, or even anything useful.

From my too many frequent completions of the expansion pack...

1. Justine is indeed the character played as during the entire four levels. She had used the basement as a test, keeping and torturing the suitors and holding the prisoners. She had more than likely overdosed on Lithium just prior to the events of the start of the game (Hinted in a loading screen) in order to test herself to make it through and make decisions as based on what she feels is better, for survival for herself, or survival for others. Justine comments on herself noting "Such light was never meant for me". Light is a source of goodness and shines down on her during those last moments, and in fact, is the only time light does shine down on her when she awakes.
The identity of the prisoner has remained a mystery, but one thing that always gets me is the grave of her father. The grave had been dug up, with the shovel next to it, which could actually mean that her father is the one dangling from the chains, possibly a reminder to Justine that she had been experimented on in the past, and is as such doing it to herself for her father; which could explain some of the messages in the tunnel beforehand, like "It pleases me". It is never fully speculated whether it is the father or not, could just be something that looks human, all I know is that there is a Phonograph taped to where the head is located and Justine's recording comes through.

2. The Cabinet Of Perturbation is a test of Justine's capabilities as a human and reactions to certain situations. There is a way to save each person, and whether or not Justine chooses to save them just affects the outcome of the door in the end. It is indeed optional to save everyone, and the question of "Why" you saved the characters is mostly just by saying something like: "Because I knew how to" or "because I have a heart". Justine as a character would probably question her actions, but even herself, her saving the people could be perceived as a fresh start if accomplished fully.

3. The moral of the story can be perceived in many ways. In the end, it is just an expansion pack which tests your ability to be able to save all prisoners, or let them all die. There is also a note in the sewer area which is a letter from Daniel, the main story character, stating that Justine had once had some contact with Herbert, and to talk to him. There are a bunch of notes scattered around which give a background into the stories of how the prisoners and suitors are connected to Justine, but serve probably little to no purpose to the current situation except for their aggresion.

The moral of the story from my perspective is to think wisely about your decisons; but take the occasional risk if you have to. It can sort of give you a feel for thinking about others, or determining for yourself what the best cause of action is.

Hiya! Justine is, indeed, an interesting expansion. If you are interested, you can also read other theories answering questions in this topic.

I may not be able to add much to the contribution of the awesome members above, but here we go anyway!

(04-28-2013, 05:23 AM)darkely Wrote: [ -> ]Warning: spoilers ahead (in case you failed to read the threads title)

1. At the end when you saw the body hanging from the ceiling I thought that was Justine, but then my character talked and said something like "I was never meant for such light". Then when I went through the door and walked the game took over and forced me to walk and I heard some servant (Calrice I think?). So was I Justine the whole time? if so who was the person hanging from the ceiling... I am confused on that.

2. Towards the end of the game where she asks you "who you saved and why" I thought about it and I had not saved any of them. Mainly because I was just trying to survive or couldn't figure out how to. Was I supposed to save them or was it just optional?

3. What exactly is the moral of the story here? was I Justine or [like in my first question] was it the person who was hanging upside down in the last area (where the walls close in)?

Note: I am not to sure what to think... hopefully someone can help me out to understand the story .

1. Nice. Although I was having mild suspicion I might be Justine from the start, I was thinking the same thing seeing that body the first time I played the game. However, when she got back up to her feet, saying "this was the best one yet", I realized it really was her. Finally, unless I am mistaken, in one of the endings, Clarice calls for Justine name, and then you reply to her. The body in the ceiling is likely the body of another prisoner. Perhaps it is her father - who knows?

2. Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a game where you are in control from start to finish, and this includes the outcome of it all. Amnesia: Justine expands on this by allowing you to decide and even fight for the fate of more than a single prisoner. In this world, it is up to you whether you did what you were supposed to do.

One interesting fact you bring up here is that you merely wanted to survive, which as you know, will be easier if you simply do not want to help the prisoners or are tempted by evil or murderous actions. I believe this is part of the test, to see how much you are willing to go out of your way to save the lives of others, if you have a hint of humanity left within you.

3. I think the moral of the story is similar to the one in Amnesia: The Dark Descent, in which I would say it is about how different stressed and life-threatening situations can affect a human being. You know nothing about the game when you start, so "becoming the character" while being immersed is fairly easy. Even when you learn horrible things you did, you still might feel connected and even responsible, because under stressed and chaotic situations like that past has the potential of making you act very differently, bringing out sides we were not aware of in the first place. For all we know, Daniel was a sane person like most of us, only to become insane and affected by the situation at hand to the point where he did all these terrible things. Having forgotten almost everything about your life, you may feel like a totally different person, or at the very least upon reading or experiencing flashbacks of the situation, have grounds for looking at your actions from a very different point of view.

I feel the moral of Justine may be a little similar in core. Justine in no doubt carries an intensely crazy personality, but upon overdosing and having a temporary amnesia effect, her crazy side takes a break from kicking in. She not only wakes up with no recollection whatsoever about herself, but she also wakes up completely terrified, giving her the opportunity of a fresh personality until the very end of the game. She is scared, and so are the prisoners. She may easier connect with them, thinking they are all in this together.

Justine only seemed to do this, not out to change herself, but just to study the human psyche and if she was capable of temporarily changing, and I believe this is the core moral in both The Dark Descent and Justine. A person is capable of changing big time temporarily (if not permanently) under certain extreme conditions. This is also why I feel I (or anyone) can be the character in these games, if only for the duration of the amnesia effect.

(04-28-2013, 05:23 AM)darkely Wrote: [ -> ]Note: I am not to sure what to think... hopefully someone can help me out to understand the story .

These are the type of games where getting together with other members and sharing thoughts and theories is a very good thing. These games really make one think, and sharing thoughts about them is so much fun!

Thanks everyone there is one more thing I still don't understand though: if I am indeed playing as Justine then why is it the recordings that you hear are by Justine? she even says something like "don't bother looking for me, because this is a voice from the past" implying that she is dead. I am still very confused that I am actually Justine and not someone else. How or why would she make those recordings for herself?!

At first the story leads you into thinking you're just some random prisoner, but towards the end it implies that you are actually Justine. It is really confusing me. I'm going to do a second play through of it today.

Basically because she is crazy.

(04-28-2013, 10:10 PM)Bridge Wrote: [ -> ]Basically because she is crazy.

Then there is the age issue. Though the recordings make Justine sound older the story (like in the first area) leads the player to thinking she is actually younger. Like how her friends "play" together down there. Then in the last part where you're called for dinner by the maid/servant one would think that a child would be called to dinner...

(04-28-2013, 09:56 PM)darkely Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks everyone there is one more thing I still don't understand though: if I am indeed playing as Justine then why is it the recordings that you hear are by Justine? she even says something like "don't bother looking for me, because this is a voice from the past" implying that she is dead. I am still very confused that I am actually Justine and not someone else. How or why would she make those recordings for herself?!

The Cabinet, like I said before, is a test. The player and Justine herself are thrown into an unknown situation, in which they both don't know what is going on. Justine's past isn't too pretty, similar to Daniel's, which causes both of them to take matters into their own hands by forgetting about their former selves and attempt to change. Justine saying "For this is a voice from the past" implies that yes, she could be dead, or it is just someone that she used to know.

These recordings are part of the test, in order to make it through the Cabinet, Justine "talks" to herself in order to question her actions made just previously, or with that one other phonograph after dropping from the crawlspace near the rocks, an insight into Basile. It also allows the player to think about their actions, and be like "was there another way to do this?"

Justine is based on making decisions and such.

It's pretty much like how Daniel leaves notes for his future self to read, except that she uses recordings. Everything else is supposed to be a bit unlogical since Justine is crazy. Why else do you think she would torture the one who loved her and leave him to wander, blind and mutiliated, in the darkness of a cellar for years?