[4][5] The main character, Paul, has found or received a copy of the titular unreleased game Petscop supposedly developed by the fictional company Garalina, uploading recordings of its early levels.

Later, Paul acknowledges that his recordings have found an audience on YouTube, though he still narrates directly to the unseen character, and occasionally speaks to them on the telephone.

"[4] In the darker sections of the game, there are many references to child abuse,[19][2] childhood trauma, and irreparable corruption, making those recurring motifs throughout the series.

In addition to these themes, Domenico has cited the Marble Hornets and Ben Drowned web series as influences, involving the audience by hiding things in each video.

He also named the 2006 David Lynch experimental film Inland Empire as the strongest influence for the series and noted that "too much is lost in that translation into words".

[12][19][23] Throughout the series, the word "Newmaker" appears several times; the name of the central location, and as a title given to Rainer, the Guardian character, and/or Paul himself.

[2][24] Other references include a quote from the book Daisy-Head Mayzie by Dr. Seuss ("Good grief and alas"), and the imagery of the character Care crying underneath a large flower, which at first appears to be growing from her head.