Connor Finishes I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream

Summary

Connor reflects on finishing I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream, praising its bleak, compelling story. The game’s famously contentious ending discussion—its author reportedly opposed adding a good ending, while the developers argued for one—was part of what drew him to play.

He found most of the characters’ individual stories engaging, though Ted felt awkwardly included in the game. Since Ted is the main character in the original short story, Connor says that may explain why the game uses his perspective. He found the first character’s point-and-click section the most confusing, but enjoyed how the separate stories were told.

Connor was especially struck by AM’s premise: a highly powerful, sentient computer that resents its inability to experience life as a human and turns that resentment into cruelty. He saw this as a thought-provoking reflection of human assumptions about AI.

Discussion of deleted scenes highlighted graphic material that was removed, including cannibalism and sexual content. Connor also found the game’s Holocaust-related material and Benny’s actions disturbing but powerful, particularly in light of Benny’s attempt to confront what he has done. Connor considers Benny irredeemable and approves of the character being killed. The discussion also mentions that censorship reportedly made the game unwinnable in Germany.

People and Sources Mentioned

• Connor — Player and commentator.
• Sources discussed:
  • I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream (the game)
  • The original short story
  • A wiki
  • A roughly 30-minute BBC play adaptation
  • A YouTube synopsis
  • The game’s deleted-scene footage