Unravel 2 – Following the Thread
PC, PS4, Xbox One
It is so easy to feel tethered to the expectations around us. We are creatures that are bound by milestones and interactions, and in those moments when we seek something beyond that definition we feel the realities of our inevitable restrictions. That’s what tethers are supposed to do. Tethers are meant to restrict, to bind, to reduce the freedom of movement that other animals crave and we do not understand. I could not begin to imagine any worse experience than to flex your neck in a direction that beckons to your senses and feel the hitch of something against your throat that not only automatically tells you no, but signals that your instincts are wrong.
I want to be more. I want to move despite that leash. I want to feel my own anxiety manifest in a lump in my throat that I can choose to swallow as I move forward. I want to feel that tether to myself, to my life, and to others, as delicately as a piece of thread. I want to see that thread glisten in the rain and glow in the moonlight. I want to be comforted by its presence instead of afraid.
That thread should be able to help us reach out to what we need – sometimes giving us a little extra reassurance, other times being the one singular thing that keeps our momentum and spirit high. And we should use it. We should never assume that we can throw it to the universe and wish hard enough for it to bind to that one thing that we want. We should know that it is as real as the ground under our feet, feeling it sag to the earth with beautiful gravity.
That thread should build all the bridges that you will ever require – to the next step in your life, or to the people that have to be there. Maybe it will be just the stepping stone, or maybe it will propel you to greater heights than you ever thought were possible. But in that expectation, we need to respect its fragility. It is not here to magically block us from the pain that resides below – we contribute our own balance and self-discipline to traverse a dangerous chasm.
And that thread should be connecting us, if we make that choice.
Sure, it would be fine to go it alone. Many do, and they get through to the best of their ability. But there is something surreal and magical about making that journey with others. In that choice, the thread should never be omphalic in its nature. It should never leave someone drag in the dust helplessly as you fill your every want and desire on your journey with the advantage of extra thread. It should be respected in your hands as you patiently help others to navigate a challenge that they face. As you hold it and brush your fingers over its fraying fibres, you will inherently know that it is as strong as your commitment to the people that you care about, and as flexible as your unconditional acceptance of their needs.
Does this mean that we should give up on the milestones? Do we give the middle finger to those expectations of who we will be as individuals, as couples, as parents? No, but we accept that they are part of the environment that we traverse – sometimes hazy in the periphery, but never the only truth that we are allowed to live. They will contribute when we need them to, and dissipate when there are more immediate existential puzzles in front of us. What is important is the feel of the ground under your toes with every step, and your own presence in this very moment.
Unravel Two will help you feel that fragile but precious thread once again. In its initial seven levels and numerous additional challenge stages, you will appreciate that delicate little piece of yarn. There will be moments when your instincts help you progress forward, and other times where you just need to feel the weight of that truss as it plummets onto the ground while you think of how to tackle that seemingly impossible challenge.
Remove the tether. Relinquish the expectation.
Feel that beautiful, fragile, thread.
