thank you so much for such a thorough comment <33
YES hylics was a big touchstone for me in this project. I love how that game presents a bizarre little world and asks you to move through it, even when it doesn't make logical sense. And I think the tactility of that game is what helps ground it and keep it from flying too far off into the unknown.
i will try to deliver more when my army of small dolls return from the clay mines 🫡