In Sound Mind - Underrated Psychological Horror 

Wow hi! Just wanted to say THANK YOU for making this video. There's such incredible attention to detail here and I've shared it with the entire team. We've just celebrated 2 years since releasing In Sound Mind and it's been such a journey, and this video honestly helps reflect. PS- We did consider making the inkblots mechanics shift and change per tape! It really does fit the overall narrative, but we had to make tough calls being a tiny team and couldn't fit everything in. Ended up focusing more on the unique weapons and boss fights. PPS- Indeed, we used Unity for In Sound Mind. I can't say much yet but we're having an * unreal * time making our next one.

The fact they made Agent Rainbow go from the expected “Spooky horror antagonist lurking around every corner” to the “I’m going to troll you so hard” is so fucking hilarious to me

The real Unity horror is the licensing fees we found along the way.

I like to think the Mannequins are partly manifesting the trauma of the store employees who can’t forget that woman who died on their shift. Endlessly wondering how they could’ve saved her and trying to find peace by helping Desmond help Virginia. May not line up with the necessary exposure to Agent Rainbow, but I think it’s fits the theme.

I really like that our main character's trauma that he didn't want to remember wasn't overly extreme. It was sadness about losing a partner and a beloved pet. It wasn't like, extreme violent murder or anything. Just... sadness. It's not that extreme trauma doesn't happen, but to see it be such a simple, mundane sadness, is so wonderful. I adore it.

Creepy, moving mannequins that just want to help you are actually an awesome idea and I am all for that.

Consider that the mannequins represent the employees at the supermarket and while they seem threatening, they actually are there to help. That's probably how Virginia thoughts of the actual employees.

I love how agent rainbow says at the start that "he killed the cat" knowing he's just a representation of Desmond it puts so much more meaning to that statement. (with him accidentally killing his cat and all.)

Small correction on Allen: He's not actually dead, he's "just" comatose and in a hospital. Many fans speculate that a possible continuation of ISM could be about Lucas and Desmond trying to save Allen, but yeah, he's still alive

I absolutely adore the mannequins. you take the most obvious, been there done that psychosocial horror trope, and then not only subvert expectations, but make the most charming and wholesome things I’ve ever seen in a horror game

Honestly the ending of "you were a good cat" I found way more emotional than it being a person, just as animals can love you unconditionally and rely on you so much to look after them, that anything that happens to them you feel so much more responsible for.

Agent Rainbow's character design HAS to be a Freddy Krueger homage, right? Not just the silhouette, but his voice, his quips, his straight-up silliness, I even see a vague facial resemblance. It's hard to imagine that wasn't their intent. I love it.

The ship in Allen's nightmare being called the Thanatos is really clever. Thanatos is the personification of death in Greek mythology and one of his symbols is an inverted torch, which is referenced by the lighthouse, the torch is supposed to guide the living but it can also lead the dead.

A big theme I noticed was exposure therapy. Each character, through their boss fight, had to be exposed to their fear to overcome it.

I really love the fact that the mannequins help you in the store. In so many horror franchises mannequins are vessels for evil and cheap jumpscares, but here they feel more like your friend who forgets to announce their presence while trying to help you, a really neat way to get the player emotionally more invested and fuel curioisty while subverting such an old trope

I'm really surprised you didn't even mention the 6 records/songs you can find in the game, sang by each character themselves. It meant they had to find voice actors who could not only act, but also sing. I've never seen that before, and I really liked that element. It didn't always make sense, there's was no way Lucas's voice actor was also 55 as the character in the game was meant to be with that voice, but it was really cool.

Okay, my PTSD has nothing to do with war, but little details like balloons popping triggering a war flashback? So good, it's clear so much thought has gone into this game

18:06 The manikins could represent Virginia’s warped view of other people, they look twisted and scary, but in reality they’re not all that bad. And the ink blok’s lights change between the patient’s colors

The “Here Comes The Saviour” is a genuinely beautiful piece of music, and absolutely marvellous for an Indy project. A lot of talent went into this game

I feel like Agent Rainbow could also be a reference to the Rainbow herbicides used in the Vietnam war, the most well known one being Agent Orange. They were not only very harmful for the Vietnamese, but the troops fighting as well

fun fact about lucas' level: if you use the radio shutdown on the flash too many times, he'll cover his radio nodes with wood that you have to shoot off

I haven't played the game but from the essay I can say I like that the people he was helping weren't villainized. It was a nice change of pace compared to most games that deal with mental health.

I aspire to be as wholesome and helpful as the mannequins, they're truly legends. Always a pleasure to hear your insight and in-depth analyses on gems like this game!

Goes to show you bad choices doesn’t mean bad people, sadness, fear and being overwhelmed equal some terrible places and spaces for so many. You never know what others are going through so be kind always.

You know, I have never felt something on this level. The ending really made me feel like someone understood. As someone who suffers from mental health issues, the games manifestation of self doubt, and the lines that the protagonist uses to overwrite the tapes, and then the ending….it touched me. I know you didn’t make this game, but if you didn’t cover it, I would have never seen or heard of it. And I really needed to hear the message. I’m not crying…you’re crying

The bit with Tonya at the end legitimately has me tearing up…

i love the mannequins, genuinely such a wholesome addition that put a smile on my face. the guy in the vents cheering you on as you leave is so good

I'm at the end of my master degree and my last internship was in a psychosomatic ward. I talked with my supervising therapists and doctors a lot, and each and every one of them had something they felt incredibly guilty over. Patients they wanted to help, but couldn't. Decisions they had no say in but that they still felt responsible for because they were made based on passages of their reports. And working there for just a few months I totally got it. I felt this overwhelming sense of wanting to protect my patients... cause I'd gotten to know them, their struggles and how fucking strong they are! There was not one patient I am not incredibly proud of. Not one that I couldn't stand. You're not working with mental illness, you're working with people. And you form connections. But if you aren't careful, those immense feelings of responsibility can break you. You quickly forget to be kind to yourself. You only see all mistakes you have made, those little words in between you can't take back. You're not lifting heavy objects or climbing around dangerous structures, but it's still a tough job. All the while you're working in a health care system that doesn't value you, your well being, your health. Or the health of your patients. I haven't played the game, but I appreciate the story it's telling. It's a story that I've not seen told in that way much.

Not sure if you caught it, but the balloons popping at 1:13:20 "triggered" a PTSD flashback which was the next dangerous part

A new 1 hour and 30 minute analysis video on a Horror game I've never heard of by PointlessTV? We're eating good tonight bois

all the horrific ends for his previous patients and the cat is what got me crying...

Coming from a small studio, this game has impressive detail and a unique quality to it. I appreciate the characterization of the people struggling with their illnesses, it makes them feel like real people and not just walking talking symptoms. I’ll definitely have to give this one a try. Will you be doing anything for the release of Alan Wake 2?

The fact The Living Tombstone did the soundtrack for this game is fucking amazing.

That last bit with Tonia, it set me to crying Man I love my cat

I love that Lucas's demon looks like something from "War of the Worlds" Really fitting and definetly made on purpose

I could not agree more, it's seriously one of the biggest underrated masterpieces I have ever have the pleasure of witnessing, Legitimately so shocking that it's barely known by anyone, I swear I shared this game with so many of my friends and they agreed it was awesome.

not often that horror treats people with mental health issues with this much compassion. really cool of it.

The second level seems like a direct homage to Allan Wake. The main subject is named Allan who has a fear of the dark, light is used as a safe haven and a ward against monsters, and the main objective is to cast away the dark with the use of light(The lighthouse in this game, and The Clicker in Allan Wake)

I'm sad you didn't go over each of the characters'special rooms, they might not add a lot to the story but they make the characters stories feel more alive

we love how much of a love letter this game is to survival horror in general, showing love for the genre while also poking fun at its quirks in a self-aware manner. we also really love how the game portrayed the patients; it feels like horror games so often dehumanize or vilify mentally ill and disabled folk, but In Sound Mind portrays complex people with complex problems and traumas, in a really sympathetic light that's not condescending either. it's really refreshing.

Dude so glad that you covered this, got it while it was on sale and was genuinely impressed by the story. Also I was surprised The Living Tombstones worked on the music when I launched the game, it was kinda wacky to see their work in a game. Just a quick thing after fully watching the video, every patient has their own vinyl that you can find in their room after completing their chapter using the gimmick the chapter introduced. They aren't crucial to the story but it shines some light on each individual character as they all sing about their own struggles. Also I'm pretty sure he said that Allen Shore is dead in the video but I think in his patient file it says that he is wounded and comatose, which I guess could be counted as almost dead. Worth playing for yourself pretty neat game.

‘You were almost a…. Jill sandwich’ is the ultimate RE dad joke. One of Barry’s finest moments. 💀

I lost my cat about 2 years now and it still hit deep, the ending really killed me when he was apologizing and saying how good the cat was,this video was amazing and now i really want to play it for myself!

The fact that TLT (The living tombstone) made the game OSTs never fail to impress me

BABE WAKE UP, TOTALLYPOINTLESS UPLOADED

I really love games that turn human struggle and mental illness into something creative. It'll always be such an interesting concept to me, to see how people decide to represent mental illness. Kinda like Psychonauts, showing someones mind through art is so cool.

in sound mind is something I love. it really hit me on a personal level due to the own mental struggles I had. I related to 3/4 patients in the game. the way everything was built let the game show and not tell you a lot of the details before they are revealed. and the way it often subverted expectations, like the mannequins. normally being evil in games, were actually helping you. the way the monsters were all just victims. even the main character. we see how he failed to help these people but how he still tried. he kept fighting for them. and the SONGS. those were amazing.

Ngl, the cat revelation hit home pretty hard for me 😌 I cried watching this. Thank u 💙

The bit about Alan who suffers from nightmares and fear of the dark reminds me of Alan Wake (seems like a homage). And it makes me want to suggest you play through the remastered Alan Wake in time for the sequel next month :)

God, I'm in tears by the end of this. I'm not as horror person, so it's something I won't play sadly. But man, this really hits home more than I thought it would.

I also wanna point out I like that the game does have humour in it,it doesn't wallow in the darness to be scary or make you depressed, it does have jokes and silly moments to lighten the mood. gives it a unique feel.

I can't believe you never mentioned the soundtrack of the game. Made by The Living Tombstone, and I literally put every song into my music playlist just because of how good it is.

Tonia is out here with Han Solo levels of chill, "yeah...I know." Damn cool cat.

Given how helpful the mannequins are, I want to see Markiplier play this game - not just because it would give a great game the spotlight it deserves, but also because he'll have a hard time completing a horror game where accepting help from mannequins is vital to progression. XD

10:03 "Giving us a chance to practice our aim" Yeh, you need the practice, lol.

“I felt like a disappointed dad, in myself.” Story of my life.

You’re one of those special RU-vid channels where I know I’m in for genuine, good content. You’re a diamond tier content creator.

As someone who struggles with anxiety & has autism, the fear of being watched resonates so well with me. For me, meds keep my brain from spiralling, but Virginia's show of her fear, the way it all comes crashing down at just that small change of having to go to a new store- it hits so true I could cry. It's nice to be represented, especially in such a honest and genuine good way? This game seems to handle these themes so well, it humanises all of them it's. . That's lovely. If I didn't have buckets of anxiety and jump at even my own shadow I'd definitely play it, alas, I shall do with this wonderful video essay. Thank you for covering it and giving me an insight to a niche horror game that hands me a bit of representation on my struggles in life.

Gotta say, I only found this video bc I've been obsessing over this game for way too long, but I did not expect this to be this funny. Well done, and I'm glad ISM gets the love and attention it deserves

Thanks so much for giving this game some representation in the horror scene! I knew it was something special as soon as you needed to use a shard of a mirror to look behind you and see the ghost. What an amazing, creative and terrifying mechanic!

I was really not expecting such an emotional impact. This is beautiful.

What a beautiful and charming game!! I cant believe I never heard of it before so thank you for covering it! I love how supportive and caring Desmond was to his patients to the bitter end. The mannequins being terrifying at first thanks to general horror game expectations but being helpful and genuinely funny throughout the game was the best part. Also Tonia best girl 10/10

It should also be mentioned that The Living Tombstone did the soundtrack for this game. Yes, the "man behind the slaughter" Living Tombstone. He wrote songs for each of the characters, and they are all amazing. From the depressive Bottom of the Pit, or the sad tale of an ex-soldier with Me and the Boys, they're beautifully composed and definitely worth a listen.

You've really made justice to this game, i remember seeing all the teasers from The Living Tombstone, and when it launched, i loved it. This game really is a diamond in the rough of asset flips of the Unity platform. Was hoping you shed some light on the banger OST of this game, the vinyls are really a break and a comiscal experience, and show all the love the creators had when making the game. Overall great video

Truly wonderful to see this game covered. It, flying under the radar, was truly sad. Its so unique its unbelievable

Funny enough I am actually friends with one of the developers of In Sound Mind. I'll be sure to let them know about this video, bet they'll be real happy to see it.

I love how i can count in videos like these to expose me to new games that i otherwise have no way of knowing existed. Its another thing that i will find it extremely difficult to find this to play for myself but the essay has given me what i really look for in a game. The deep story and how each part was connected to one another. All ending up to show us a very real kife problem we all face. Thanks for this

damn, how I love this channel. I've never thought about games in such metaphorical way and you highlight details and explain backstories I might have never thought of. I'm really grateful I discovered it and wish you the best on your youtube journey.

This game was a gem, that me and a close friend played - during a gaming burn-out and content draught. It was a delight, but oddly heavy on us, as we both have our "letters" (conditions my ptsd was pushed a bit during the 3rd and 4th chapter - military service). Certain things can be cathartic to experience, or go through... throughout someone elses journey. Thank you for letting us in on your experiences and analytic mind when it came to In Sound Mind.

After finishing this game recently i found myself just sitting there really thinking about what i had just experienced. Such a great game from top to bottom. The devs really put soul into it. Thanks for covering this one.

I came across In Sound Mind when it was free on Epic a while back. I've never been into horror games but this one provided an interesting, mysterious plot with some comedic elements that quickly drew me in. The puzzles are pretty fun with only a few giving me a little trouble. Nobody else I know has really heard of this game besides having The Living Tombstone attached so I'm super glad to see one of my favorite content creators covering this. Thank you!

That Watcher boss is a fantastic take on Medusa and I love it.

Teared up a bit at that high five, what a fantastic game I'm baffled I hadn't even heard of.

The ending made me shed a tear, cats are just really cool for me and im sad when the cat in the story left.

It’s incredible that how much work and effort they’ve put into making this horror game, especially using the Unity Engine. Best wishes for these devs in their future careers.

This was a PHENOMINAL essay about an absolute gem of a game. One thing I think should be mentioned is the Vinal records you can collect based on the different characters. Each song was tailored to perfectly fit the theme of each of their demons. TheLivingTombstone did the entirety of the game's soundtrack, and they did an ASTOUNDING job of capturing those feelings into 5 different personal songs for the characters. My personal favorite was "Bottom of the Pit." I highly encourage anyone to give this game's soundtrack a listen. I'm genuinely exited to see what the dev team comes up with for their next project.

You should cover Tormented Souls some time. It's extremely underrated and it does NOT deserve it. It's one of the best Survival Horror games in recent years, utilizing everything that made Resident Evil and Silent Hill good and giving it it's own unique touch. Especially with the sequel coming out next year it's about time this game gets some much needed attention.

This was an incredible experience enhanced by your immaculate voice over work and scripting. Kudos, friend. Edit: Doing editing for this in three days in SO crazy! Dude you're legendary in the crunch. Big ups.

"The next time you wanna talk to me make an appointment" is the probably the most badass thing a therapist could say

The best horror games are the ones that don't take themselves seriously all the time. Horror and humour go hand in hand because, in the end, they're both exaggerations of reality, taking on the absurd and unreal and pushing it to the forefront, simply done in different directions. And this game is a great example of knowing when to be silly, to give you a breather, and when to slam on the gas and go full on towards terror. Such a shame i can only enjoy these types of games vicariously through other people due to my own mental issues and self-inflicted paranoia, but oh well. It's better than missing these masterpieces entirely. Keep up the good work, man.

I was amazed that this ended up working out as well as it did, I played the demo a long time ago and I almost worried it would never came out-- when it did, it felt like a real breath of fresh air.

So glad you're covering this game. I picked it up when it came out and I absolutely loved it from start to finish. The story, the vibes, the music. It was all amazing.

This game is a hidden gem, I'm playing it right now and I love every second of it.

I love the mannequins that help you. For me, it's a REAL subversion of expectations, they actually help you and they're hilariously comedic in it too. Especially with the faces, they're literally just 😊👍

Glad you covered In Sound Mind! It’s one of my favorite games of all time! I love the characters, specially Max, his story hits close to home.

I am so glad you covered this game, it is a fantastic game that deserve more recognition and praise. BUT i am a bit sad that you didnt bring up the songs that you get after each tape for those who havent played it: You get a record/song sung by the person the tape is about that describes their feelings and such and they are absolutely phenomenal both a songs but also as just expression pieces, virginias song "A doll's house" Allans "bottom of the pit" Lucas "Me and the boys" are all fantastic song (yes im skipping max and some other but they are my 3 favs) but they also contain messages about their feelings and thoughts. would have loved it if you had talked about them but im glad you talked about this game overall! Amazing video as always totallyPointless

This game really reminds me of GYLT. The monsters/enemies are similar, the way it highlights and conveys the story through out the game is similar to this one, and not only that both GYLT and sound mind take place in a small town

Been on a binge of your videos. Impeccable commentary, unique and tasteful subject choices, comprehensive, brilliant editing. Great work.

This game seems amazing and definitely a great take on the horror genre. I wish more games could be interesting like this, and definitely done by indie devs.

feeling like your own disappointed dad in yourself is a whole-ass valid mood thanks for giving that feeling words, pioneer!

Man, I've just found about this game and have been wanting to play this game since but have no time. Now my fave channel covers it? I'm so happy. Thank you, man

I just want to ramble about a bunch of the small details, cause its so well done. As someone with a bunch of mental heath issues, the idea of people working at a supermarket being hollow and Mannequin like has happened to me at times, its hard to relate to them sometimes. But here, they are here to help, they are decent to you, and it just warms my heart in a way to make me happy. The Bull is a great Motif for Max. Besides the rampant and charging nature that was highlighted. Bulls are often seen as a sign of masculinity, manhood and virility. Its perfect to represent the insecurities of a single father, wondering if he can be the Man he wants his daughter to see. The Radio Angel wings are so cool to look at, and also represent what I think is the core theme of this game: Communication and reaching out. Where to other people, a therapist, children, decent communication is wonderful. Also the bit at the end with the cat had me all choked up.

just yesterday i was thinking wow id love a new totallypointlesstv video to watch

I love all that you do and thanks for what you do! Great content with quality work and edits ALSO HAVE TOU EVER CONSIDERED DOING A PLAYTHROUGH OF THE GAMES?!

That LIMMY reference was on fricking point! Brilliant video, man! Brilliant!!! I might grab this game when I can so I can experience all of this firsthand. Also, teared up with the revelation at the end. Such a relatable experience with multiple personal losses I've experienced recently. Mourning alone is a tough pill to swallow.

The moment you realize that Desmond’s voice actor is Mitchell from Hunt Down the Freeman

Wow, this game is incredible. Seeing people struggle in ways I'm all too familiar with hit really hard, and the story was incredible overall. Thank you for sharing such a amazing and underrated experience!

I really LOVED how they utilized the weeping angel gimmick to not JUST scare you but also HELP you. those mannequins are such bros! also Watcher r34 when?

Honestly this whole game and it’s ending makes me honestly crying from the bittersweet way things tie up and I love it so much that I absolutely can’t wait to buy it and play it myself because of how well you represented the game and your passion and love for it.

Only thing, is I wish you would’ve given a minute to shoutout The Living Tombstone for doing such a good job on the Soundtrack. One of their members even stepped in and Voice Acted Allen. The lyrics in each characters respective songs shed so much light on each of the characters and the backstories it’s almost a significant part of the game with how well the songs are done.