OUTLANDISH: Permalife is not difficult. If the player is always alive, there are no stakes and nothing to lose. The player's instincts to run if they are seen or fight back or hide are completely neutralized. This does not benefit the player in any way. There is nothing to deal with in the face of survival because survival is guaranteed.

Originally, I was not a fan of the subversion of my expectations, but in the past week since I have played it and discussed the game in class, the horror elements have grown on me. Over time, I have started to realize the purpose of subverting my expectations. The realization that Katie is too late to help her sister is cleverly implemented. Seeing satanic imagery leads the player to believe in supernatural elements, but it is just a red herring. The fear the player has allows them to relate to Sam and her experience of coming out. The lightning and creaking noises make the player anxious but not so anxious that they can’t keep playing and have to take a break. As this feeling grows, it transforms into internal fears and intensifies the feeling for the player.

As a player, you feel the strong sense of power described in agency previously through solving puzzles and thinking outside of the box. You start to feel that you have outsmarted the game or the circumstances. This accomplished feeling leads to greater engagement with the narrative and gameplay elements.