Honestly, loved this game.
I sought to get the completionist ending without the guide and managed after a couple of hours and the contrast between them was lovely to say the least. I also realized (and I don't know if this was intentional or not) that the title of the game "Take Care of It" refers to how (in two of the endings) Riley constantly reassures that he'll do whatever he can for Austin as long as it'll help him. He'll [Take Care of It]. But it also could refer to how Austin is no longer himself and essentially becomes a puppet, and the "it" being taken care of is Austin himself.
This game kind of reminded me of Cold Front by RachelDrawsThis. And I mean it in a good way since I like that game as well. Two best friends with a somewhat strained relationship forced to rely on one another. Similar in concept, different in execution. That game has two endings: a "good" that isn't necessarily good and "bad" ending that isn't necessarily bad in relation to the characters (I love these types of endings) and this game is similar in that regard as well.
SPOILERS FOR ALL ENDINGS:
The first ending I got was the Mercy Ending. Riley chooses himself over Austin, choosing to not be guilted or manipulated by him. This is the only ending where he draws the line. I won't lie; I was terrified of Austin actually harming Riley during the chase sequence just after Riley rejects the idea of bringing the cat, and kept running around the 5F. While this ending is what one would consider the "good" ending, Riley is clearly devastated at having to be the one to end Austin (he, like I mentioned before, took care of "it" by killing rather than caring), as seen in his expression in the title screen after that ending. While he put a stop to Austin, Riley will unfortunately have to mourn him and feel guilty about him and not being able to help him for the rest of his life.
After the first ending, I was kind of able to predict how the other two endings would go. The second ending I got was the Self Sacrifice Ending. Riley prioritizes Austin over everything else, including his own health despite the injuries he also sustained from the bear. And Austin uses Riley's "want" to be needed to manipulate him even as Austin's demands become more and more unhinged. But when Riley is unable to meet his demands (more particularly the retrieval of the cat), Austin snaps at him. This ending, in my opinion, is the neutral ending. Yes, Riley dies, but during that scene he laments that this is helping Austin. That he's willing to do this because he's been bad to Austin and that he deserves it. This ending is neither good nor bad because it ends with uncertainty unlike the other two. We don't know what will come of Austin once he becomes lucid again after eating Riley.
The last ending was the Compliance Ending. The hardest ending for me to acquire since I kept getting the Mercy Ending when I tried to do it. It was pretty self-explanatory, combining elements from both endings to achieve it. Riley decides to comply with everything. He doesn't go against anything Austin asks, does things even after hesitation, and conditions himself to be okay with it because of Austin's positive reactions. Excuses it because Austin "needs" him. Austin doesn't even need to manipulate him after a certain point, Riley just starts doing it. I was surprised to have switched to the cat's perspective during the chase, and I ended up avoiding Riley until I was tired and he took me anyway. Riley isn't even as shaken with the scene of Austin eating the cat and even behaves as normal afterwards. I also noticed the little detail of how in the other two endings, Austin hesitates before mentioning wanting to try human flesh, but in this ending, he knows that Riley is so willing to do anything for him, that he admits it outright and Riley, already conditioned, already knows his target. This ending, again to me, is the "bad" ending. Not only is Austin alive and craving more, but he has someone willing to get their hands dirty on his behalf. Neither of them dies in this ending, but Riley has chosen to compromise on his morals for Austin and turn the other cheek.
Also, the themes!
Austin watching Animal Planet and hearing about deception and mimicry (things that the New Austin does to manipulate Riley). Then the two of them finding the green-banded broodsac snail. Austin calls the snail a "puppet" and crushes it to put it out of the misery caused by the parasite. Riley does the same thing to Austin in the Mercy Ending. But in the Sacrifice Ending, Riley gives himself up to the parasite, and in the Compliance Ending, he chooses to become its protector.
All in all, I found their codependency interesting. I clocked it during the ride to The Hill, during Austin's POV when he mentioned how Riley had a fascination with the supernatural and that he was the only one who showed interest and that he liked being leaned on like that.
Thank you for making this game. I hope to see more of your works. ^v^