"Doctor Bart’s final thought was of that unforgettable moment, and you now know where he left his map and flashlight." ― Message from REJECTION
REJECTION is one of four places the player will visit while trying to piece together what happened at the Mental Assistance Department. It consists of a grey and dreary landscape, which is blurry and has specks of color floating occasionally around it. There are houses, trees, paintings which emit cries of a baby, and stone pillars which the player must eventually climb up to progress.
Overview[]
An official part of the Mental Assistance Department myth, REJECTION showcases what the mind of one affected by the Mind Walkers is like, with Bart_Montgomery having his happy memories stolen from him (Cure #49, the Stoneman potion), his mindspace becoming grey and dreary. After his death, his spirit would remain, longing to remember his most important memory, the birth of his son. The player, having consumed the sample of Bart’s Cure #49 to end up within this space, will be able to return this memory to him. After collecting six paintings scattered around the map (by clicking on them) and climbing up stone pillars, they will retrieve the one memory Bart holds so dear.
Walkthrough[]
The player spawns in a dreary, monochrome world containing trees, pillars, and a few houses as well as 6 paintings scattered throughout the map. It is highly recommended that the player has their sound on to easier locate the triggers for progress (these being the paintings) which emit the sound of a crying baby. Possible locations of these include: Atop trees, inside/on top of houses, on the floor near the stone pillars, and on top of a lone stone pillar. The locations will be different for each player, though one picture frame will remain in the same place constantly: starting from the fountain and facing the area of pillars, the player will continue straight. After arriving in this area, the picture frame can be seen to the left near the shortest pillar.
Clicking a painting will make the painting disappear and the player will hear a noise indicating that a painting has been picked up. It should be kept in mind that progress is local, another player will not only have paintings in different locations, but the paintings they click will have no bearing on anyone else’s progress.
Each time a painting is picked up, a pillar will be expanded with a walkway. When all six paintings are found, a mysterious sound effect will play and the player will be able to reach the top of the stone pillars. Continuing north from the fountain, the entrance is to the left on the smallest pillar. Climbing up to the second pillar, the player will find a message in red stating “THE EYES ARE NOT THE ANSWER.” While ascending the walkways, the player will see a large Mind Walker needle protruding from the ceiling of the area. When the player reaches the top pillar, a photograph of Bart holding his newborn child can be found. Stepping on it teleports the player to a lone room with the spirit of Bart Montgomery in the corner, crying as he tries to remember his own son. When holding the photo in first-person, the date “August 8th, 1998” can be seen at the bottom right corner. After giving the photo to Bart, a dark hallway will open. Continuing straight through this hallway, the player will arrive at the end in which three red dots glow on the ceiling, the needle of a Mind Walker is punctured into the ground, and a yellow cube sits in the corner. Touching it will give the player a badge and pop up the following dialogue:
You have found a Memory Cube:
Collect all 4 cubes to understand everything, and to put an end to this madness.
“Doctor Bart’s final thought was of that unforgettable moment, and you now know where he left his map and flashlight.”
The player will then teleport back to Mental Assistance Department, and if they return to the maze underneath the Department, they will have gained a flashlight and an accurate map of the maze.
History[]
REJECTION was created on July 11th, 2018, about two weeks after Mental Assistance Department was created. Before the remaster, REJECTION looked only slightly different. The way a player accessed REJECTION was also changed, instead of it being in the maze, the player would have to click on a photo of Bart Montgomery behind the reception desk inside the Department.
The latest update of REJECTION took place on June 18th, 2021.
Trivia[]
- If the player interacts with Bart’s ghost first then hands him the painting, the dialogue response will be different.
- After finding all the paintings, one may search for a secret that is hidden inside of REJECTION, a secret which is commonly shared with some of the other M.A.D. related games.
- After picking up the sixth painting, a Mind Walker needle will shoot out from the sky and aim towards the top of the stone pillars. It will not show up before the final painting is obtained.
Theories[]
- Drinking someone’s Cure #49 does not necessarily affect a person the way it affected true_faces in You Look Happy.
- The way that You Look Happy showcased the effects of someone consuming another’s Cure #49 was true_faces being inexplicably happy and living in his own mental paradise one day, but then having extreme withdrawal symptoms the day after the Cure wore out, the complete opposite of the initial effect, or perhaps it was an even stronger downside.
- However, when the player drinks Bart Montgomery’s sample of Cure #49, they are transported to the dreary world that is REJECTION. And thus, each sample of Cure #49 may have a different effect on a consumer.
Gallery[]
References[]
Stalzie's Video Investigating REJECTION