I find it interesting how so many games begin with the character emerging from some kind of cave. When you take control of a character you have to square your own continuous life experience with this new, limited one. Because you're embodying this character and living in that character's universe there are metaphysical questions that arise: what is, and why is it here? what happened before our presence, and what will happen afterwards? what happens to our character after we stop playing? And of course these are mapped onto question of life after death in our own lives, etc etc.

So, I find it really interesting that this game explores that a bit. That you get to spend time in this ambivalent but somewhat paradisaical mario paint pre/afterlife, punctuated by a brutish, hyperspeed, pokomon killing DooM life.

I always felt the FPS part of Mario Paint was under appreciated too.