Four games in eight months.
Just let that sink in a bit.
One game every two months.
That is insane for any franchise.
And yet, despite all the criticisms of rushed development, unpolished graphics
and broken gameplay, Garten of Banban is still standing strong filling
my sub box with youtuber reaction videos
to whatever new insanity presents itself and with it only being September
that means there's a chance for two more installments before the year is out.
However, in an unusual twist, one of these new installments, Chapter
five, is being hidden from us. In a series that seems so proud of its
constant output, it feels weird
for them to pretend like one of them just doesn't exist.
Is this some sort of a mistake or are The Euphoric Brothers
playing four dimensional chess that we don't even know?
That, my friends, is what I aim to figure out today.
Hello Internet, welcome to Game Theory
The show that's truly a glutton for punishment.
Cause I am once again talking about the gift
that just keeps on giving, Garten of Banban.
Just the slowest...
I saw every single one of those key frames.
Look at this guy
Oh, this game is so brilliant.
Thank you for everything you've given to us
Banban.
And that, my friends, is literally the first minute of gameplay.
Recently, Chapter four released and things continue to get more unhinged.
You have giant underground castles ruled by purple kangaroos, a toad sheriff,
a two faced jester that only wants people to laugh at his jokes.
You and me both Bittergiggles.
You and me both.
And from that very traditional set up, things go exactly how you'd expect
a baby bird falls into a vat of goo that transforms it into a mutant ostrich,
at which point they engage in a giant Kaiju battle against the T-Rex cat. Duh.
Oh, and the giant kangaroo queen laughs, at which point it causes a tremendous evil
to erupt out of her pouch.
You know, it's just tale as old as time stuff.
Oh, and all of this is without me mentioning the surprise cameos.
I'm so excited for you to see this mess. Just keep looking forward.
What like here? Roughly about there.
What!?
Are you kidding me?
Real talk, this is probably the biggest surprise a game's given me in the last
five years. Now,
while I could easily go on and on about the insanity of this franchise
I want to get to the heart of today's mystery,
because despite the game's impossibly large facilities, psychic jellyfish
and weird crossovers, the craziest thing wasn't what happened in the game,
it was what happened around the game. Right at the end of Garten four
as usual,
there's a promotion for the next installment,
except you'll notice that something isn't quite right here.
We just finished playing through Banban four, but the next game advertised is
Banban six?
What's even stranger, though, is that Chapter five exists.
If you take a look over on Steam, you can search for Banban five.
And there it is.
Clear as day official Banban five.
What? Why? What's going on here?
Well, what if I told you that this wasn't a mistake,
but rather a cunning and pretty sensible plan by The Euphoric Brothers
and that the answers to both what Chapter five is and why it's been skipped lie
deep in the dark, dark abyss that we call Banban lore.
So grab your nearest party hat theorists, because Banban has earned itself
another theory, clearly making this the darkest of all possible timelines.
So let's start with what little evidence we do have about Chapter Five's existence,
The Steam page, taking one look at this thing, the vibes immediately feel off.
So far, every games Steam page has used a character that we've met before,
or at least someone that we've been teased in a prior installment.
Nope, not with chapter five. Here we get this thing.
Big ole green teal monster that we've never seen before.
Now, you might just expect this to be the kind of chaos that we get
from the series at this point.
But I suspect that we've actually known what this thing is
for a while now, as long as we've been paying attention.
As the main story
goes, scientists have been experimenting with a substance called Givanium,
mixing it with human DNA in the hopes of bringing kindergarten mascots to life.
But these experiments went far further than that.
In our previous theory,
I focused heavily on a secret note that you can find in Chapter three,
which tells us that the whole project may have started dabbling
in other intentions.
"I started doing my own research on the side regarding our decision.
We really should have thought this through better.
He was never going to be normal.
What else would he fit in? What school would accept him?
Sometimes life denies you beautiful gifts.
We should have accepted
that." It's clear that the gift
the nameless scientist is talking about here is a child.
Either they were unable to have one of their own,
or they had one that tragically passed away.
Whatever the case, they decided to take advantage of the experiments
that were happening down in the kindergarten basement
to try and create their own.
Clearly, Canada's adoption system is much more complicated than I thought.
Now, in that previous episode,
I made the case that Jumbo Josh was the newly created child.
The note refers to him being large and grotesque
and speaks
about how he would get angry and throw the other monsters around like toys.
It is exactly the sort of behavior that we see Jumbo Josh showing
throughout the series, especially in Chapter three,
where he literally wants to play with us like dolls.
However, I now believe that this was a red, or I suppose, a green herring.
The Euphoric Brothers got Jumbo Josh to do those things, to bait theorists
into believing that we had solved everything.
But the true reveal was just around the corner.
Take a look at this new monster for Chapter five.
A large, grotesque
looking head that, if you brighten the image, is attached to a small and spindly body.
Not only do the arms and legs feel much more human
than the gorilla like Jumbo Josh, but also the face is unique
compared to anything that we've seen in the series thus far.
It's almost human.
Two eye holes, a nose, a mouth. Feels like a child drew what
they thought a human face was supposed to look like.
If these scientists are trying to make a kid, they'd be at least trying to make it
look human, which Jumbo Josh clearly is not.
Plus, we learn from the anonymous notes in Chapter two that these experiments
were hidden down in the abyss and not approved by corporate.
"I do feel we can turn it back around if the six we proceed with turn out well.
In fact, we have to turn it back around
if we want our little secret down in the basement to stay a secret."
And as we see in the secret room found in the offices of Chapter two,
Jumbo Josh is indeed one of the core six.
He is part of Banban's original gang.
The higher-ups know about Jumbo Josh And so it would be weird
for him to be the secret that they're talking about down in the basement.
Whereas this new creature, we haven't seen this guy advertised anywhere.
This is the first time we're catching a glimpse of him.
Even the misfit experiments like the unfunny Bittergiggle or the derpy
half turtle/half chameleon Tamataki that aren't part of Banban's core crew,
they have themselves little wall murals.
This thing, though,
this thing has no drawing, it has no name, it has no catchphrases, nothing.
It is a complete enigma, which is exactly what the scientists wanted.
This is our misfit experiment.
This is the mutant kid that they created down in the basement using Givanium,
not Jumbo Josh like I initially assumed.
Speaking of misfit experiments, I do think this little guy
might be the missing link to understanding the origins
of another mysterious character who continues to pop in from time to time.
Zolphius, the giant teal-faced worm man who keeps showing up in the background
of pretty much every chapter at this point.
In chapter three, when we got that note from those unnamed parents,
we also received a tape that, when played, summoned Zolphius from the depths.
And that's not all.
This encounter led Zolphius to say the only lines that we've ever received from them.
At first, I wondered
if this was one of those unnamed parents apologizing for their actions that caused
all this trouble for our character, a fellow parent looking for their lost child.
However, that doesn't seem to be the case.
One of two notes in Chapter two secret rooms specifically mention Zolphius by name.
"Zolphius can only stay asleep if nobody goes to investigate."
In that line
the parents demonstrate that they're aware of Zolphius and are talking about him.
Therefore, they themselves cannot be Zolphius.
What then, or who then is he?
Well, there's clearly a connection between Zolphius and our mutant kid.
I mean, take a look at Zolphius' face, flat, round with large, ragged
and misshapen features, eye sockets, mouth and even a nose cavity.
Now check out mutant kid, eye sockets, mouth and the nose with fully formed nostrils.
It's the next stage in evolution of the human face
design that they were trying to achieve.
The coloring of these two characters is even the same.
Both are roughly the same greenish-teal of the Givanium of that they keep using
to try and bring things to life.
In short, I suspect that Zolphius was the first and earlier version
of the experiment with more basic skull like features, flat with no material
used to give shape to the face, only for Zolphius to then pave the way
for the creation of our mutant kid here in these new photos. There's a reason
Zolphius is only kind of able to speak.
Words show up on screen, sure, but we don't actually hear
any of those sounds.
Zolphius was a proof of concept, something to prove that their idea
of bringing a child to life could be possible.
And when it didn't work out quite as they expected,
they covered it all up by giving it
a mascot design, making their failure into a purposeful design decision.
That's why it had its own cutesy wall design.
Zolphius is a known entity, whereas this big-headed kid is still
and will forever be a secret down in the basement.
Okay, but then why is this super secret child experiment
now wandering the hallways of the kindergarten
in the screenshots for Chapter five, did this child figure out a way to escape?
Not so sure about that.
These screenshots might seem like they're just repeats of Chapter one
with a red filter applied, but the closer you look, the more details you find.
In the final screenshot.
There's actually a picture of the classroom
just like you have in Chapter one.
But there's one glaring difference here, the whiteboard during Chapter one,
the whiteboard reads, The end is here.
But in the screenshot for Chapter five, it says, Meet a Friend Day.
Meet a Friend Day
was the day that everything fell apart in the kindergarten
where all the mascots were supposed to be introduced
to the children, their parents and their friends.
Obviously, though, based on the clues we have, things did not go as planned.
Opila Bird and Banban went full rage mode and attacked the kindergarten,
which led to the ball pit collapsing and all the children and staff going missing.
As our child tells us here, "I alone.
I want to play with the hole bird, but everyone left me.
Everyone have party without me.
I am scared because hole is loud and my friends scream."
The fact that the whiteboard has Meet A Friend Day
written on it tells us that this game is going to take place on that day,
meaning Garten of Banban five five isn't a continuation,
it's a prequel.
That is why this child monster is up on the surface.
The main concern of the unnamed parents is that their new child
won't be accepted by the outside world.
That is, unless they're present at a prestigious kindergarten
thats willing to host an event to introduce life-sized mascots.
If the children are surrounded by large,
colorful, slightly misshapen creatures, the child doesn't stand out as odd.
That's what Meet A Friend was for.
It wasn't about bringing friends of the students.
It was about finding a way to integrate this child experiment or mutant
head kid into the regular school environment without people questioning it.
It was for him to meet a friend, but as I just mentioned, things
didn't work out as intended, and I actually wonder
whether this child creation might be the one to blame.
It's parents
do make a point of how it "plays with the other mascots, with their toys",
throwing and commanding them around and everything.
This creature likes to mess with the other mascots, riling them up, making them
angry, which might explain why Banban went beast mode during Meet a Friend Day.
Up until now, Banban's needed something to trigger that beast
mode state, a small child monster bossing him around, manipulating him for fun.
You can understand why that might make him a little angry.
In fact, that's my last big swing of the video.
I actually suspect that we'll play as Banban as a part of this prequel.
All the screenshots are from a first person perspective,
just like the regular game, but they're covered in a red filter.
Red is obviously Banban's signature color.
If I'm right and this child is toying with him,
you can say that he got so angry that he saw red, so blinded by rage
that he transformed into a monster, thereby causing the destruction
that led everyone to hide in the ball pit and that place collapsing under their
collective weight.
So there you have it.
Garten of Banban five is a prequel taking place on Meet a Friend Day
from the perspective of BanBan
as we're finally introduced to the child
that the scientists planned to create all along.
With all of that in mind, it actually makes a lot of sense
why BanBan four doesn't directly promote Banban five
Chapter five isn't directly affecting the story
that we've been playing through in the previous chapters.
It's going to be setting the scene for us
hardcore lore hunters. The Teasers for Chapter six show Bouncelia
lying on the ground after her pouch
released The Naughty Ones, meaning that Chapter six is a direct continuation
of the main story, that this is the chapter that will follow our parent
character as they try to stop Bittergiggle and The Naughty Ones. Promoting
that chapter actually makes more sense, especially to the casual fans.
So The Euphoric Brothers are helping those fans navigate
through their complicated story, telling them that the next installment
that they need to follow that will directly impact
the story is Chapter six, leaving us lore lovers to dig
deep and find Chapter five hidden on steam,
trying to figure out what it all means,
getting us to talk about the mystery and promote the game in the process.
You know what Garten of Banban... you might just be smarter than you look.
But hey, while
I continue to sniff around this game for clues to figure out what school
of sharks they're jumping next.
You can be sniffing on something that's far kinder to your nose.
Today's sponsor AirUp.
Did you know that smell is one of your most powerful senses? It's True.
In fact, your sense of smell
is actually responsible for 80 to 90% of your sense of taste.
Which makes me kind of feel bad for Zolphius down there in the kindergarten a bit.
He's the only one there with a nose, kind of.
So if he did ever want to drink some plain old water,
it's likely going to taste of moldy castle dungeon and weird Toad Sherrif,
not exactly what I'd call a refreshing experience.
Fortunately, AirUp is here to provide that refreshing experience.
They've mastered the art of smell for good. Using science
they developed these special scent pods that add flavor to your water
with no artificial flavors, colors, sugars, or preservatives.
You're just drinking clean, healthy H2O but the scent
pods are tricking your senses into thinking
that you're actually drinking some awesome flavored water.
It's crazy, but it's also genius.
It's also not a bunch of science buzzwords either.
This is actual practical science that you can do in your own home.
You guys probably know at this point that I have myself
a slight addiction to Diet Coke, but what you might not know is that I once
tried to kick that addiction by swapping it out for iced tea, and it was great.
I was drinking
more water, I was staying more hydrated, I was consuming less caffeine.
And then, boom, the tannins in the tea destroyed my insides
because of the amount that I was drinking.
And so I fell back into the arms of my sweet, beloved diet soda.
But AirUp has once again come to my rescue
because they've just introduced the brand new iced tea peach pod.
All the same great taste of the tea that I was enjoying so much.
But none of the negative tannins
that will rip apart my stomach, no bad vibes, just good hydration.
So if you're like me and you're trying to kick a habit of a lifetime,
or you just want a fun way to stay healthy and hydrated,
check out the link in the description below and grab yourself an AirUp bottle
to start your journey today.
Plus, if you use the code, GAMETHEORIST
theorist Airwrap is offering you a Sitewide special 10% discount.
Whether you're eyeing up their new silver 28 ounce bottle.
Those brand new iced tea peach pods I mentioned earlier, or any of the awesome
customizable accessories you are guaranteed to get 10% off.
So once again, head on down to the description,
click the link and then use the code:
G A M E T H E O R I S T at check out for 10% off.
That's GAMETHEORIST for 10% off.
See how crazy and awesome this product really is?
As always, my friends, it's just a theory, a Game Theory.
Thanks for watching.