"At the beginning, when picking up the lightbulb, we're shown that Niko can't hear us and therefore doesn't know about our existence.
But later in the game, he describes things as if he's not just talking to himself — even asks us if he can sleep, without knowing about us (he only learns after sleeping)."


P.s. Also, not sending a child into a collapsing mine has become a "terrible thing to do to him." I have nothing against this being that from the point of view of the world machine. Just would like to be able to express everything to her in the future.