COLD CITY

The game "Cold City" begins with a warning about its serious themes. The player character receives a note slipped under their door, addressed to all Block 28 residents, urging immediate evacuation due to an emergency. The character's phone rings; it's Maddie, who asks if they are okay and if they know what's happening. Maddie insists the character shouldn't come over, claiming to be fine, but the character is persistent. Maddie then says the bridge to Block 29 might not be open. The character attempts to reach Block 29. They find an unwashed plate and a note from a neighbor to Maddie, saying "I'll protect you," which irritates the character who feels it's *their* job to protect Maddie. The Block 29 bridge is locked and requires a code. A small mirror with a note is found: "I know the code for the bridge. Let's help each other out." The note asks for help fixing a "special mirror" that broke when it fell. This mirror has a padlock with an eye symbol. The character starts searching for broken mirror pieces. They find one piece and note the setup seems designed for the player to know where the pieces are. They encounter a locked door, then one that opens unexpectedly, startling them. In a bathroom, something is stuck in the toilet, described as "poop." A notice pinned to a dusty mirror describes an "ugly spot" on the neck, "awful eyes," and skin problems, mentioning a screwdriver was used to remove the spot. Another padlock with an eyeball symbol is present. A full notebook is found with entries about fixing teeth, eyebrows, nails, and skin, and "eyes to be fixed." The character moves through the dense, city-like environment, noting the long distance for a piece of glass. They find rotating sockets and more broken mirrors with eye padlocks. A note mentions everything is broken and leaking, and promised repairs never happened. Pipes lead to a downstairs bathroom, where a holder in the middle is empty. Upon entering another room, the character discovers a pile of human skin, which is highly concerning. A note states, "From now on, I'll only look at the broken ones," referring to mirrors, making the character question why someone would want them to fix a mirror. The character finds a pipe valve and a note on the back of a closet, "I'll try again tomorrow. I've lost my saw." After a jump scare, the character finds a mirror shard in the toilet, which "fixed normally" when placed. They avoid turning around, fearing what might be behind them. They speculate the skin pile might relate to a person who developed superpowers after severe skin cancer, like in the movie *Sunshine*. The character finds a pair of human eyes and is instructed to "Take" them, despite their reluctance. They realize the eyes might be for the rotating sockets. The puzzle seems to involve looking only at broken mirrors. After completing the mirror, text is inscribed on the bottom: "I fixed all my imperfections. She'll love me now. Maddie will love me now." Act two, titled "Warmonger," begins. A note provides the bridge code: "2200." A small book of poems about Maddie, titled "My Heart in the Cold City," is found. The character has never shown Maddie these poems. A packet of cigarettes (Maddie smokes, the character doesn't) and a poster of Maddie's favorite movie about a brave one-legged hero are also found. Maddie calls again, reiterating that the character doesn't need to come over and should think of their own safety. The character insists on coming. Crossing the bridge, a pilot almost hits them. The pilot, who was ordered to defend Block 29, is angry, claiming hundreds, even thousands, are dead and demanding a reward for their service. The pilot complains about losing a leg for Maddie and directs the character to a bunker on the left for pain pills, promising safe passage to Block 29 in return. The character notes the "Pedestrians only" sign on the bridge. Inside the bunker, a note from the pilot expresses happiness at defending Block 29, stating, "Nobody will get between us. She's safe with me. She needs me. I'd do anything for her." Maddie calls again, telling the character not to come, explaining she only called because of the bomb and was worried. She then tells the character to "Leave me alone." The character finds a saw. The character gives the pills to the pilot, who then refuses to take them to Block 29, saying, "Stay away from Maddie. I've lost my leg for that girl. What have you lost?" The pilot becomes unresponsive. The character decides they don't need the pilot and has a saw. An elevator takes the character to Maddie's location. Maddie calls, telling the character to "Stay away," explaining she only called due to the bomb and war, not because she "thinks everything means something." She says, "I don't even know you. You scare me. Stay away." The character, Markiplier, breaks character to warn the player. The character reaches Maddie's apartment. The door to Maddie's bedroom is locked. Maddie slightly opens the door but isn't visible, telling the character to "Get out of my apartment. Please just leave me alone. What the hell do you want from me?" The character responds, "I'll protect you." Maddie replies, "Protect me from what? I'm already safe because of that pilot. He lost his leg to keep me safe. Isn't that brave? He lost his leg for me." The character realizes they have the saw from the bunker and considers being brave too. They then decide to be "even more brave" than the pilot who lost one leg, implying a more extreme act. Maddie screams, "What have you done to yourself? What is wrong with you? I'm brave. Stay the hell away from him. Get out of my apartment." The character hears crying and decides to be brave elsewhere. In front of a large mirror, with screwdrivers, the character sees their reflection: "tired but tender, determined." They wonder why Maddie can't love them, concluding it must be their "muddy and bloodshot and weak" eyes. The game suggests they can "fix these imperfections" to become "flawless" and make Maddie love them. The