Feminina O'Ladybrain posted: " Spoilers for some story stuff in Horizon: Forbidden West Backtracked some to mop up quests. I remembered something about someone with a shield system. I thought "Might want something like that the next time I fight a stormbird," so I w"
Spoilers for some story stuff in Horizon: Forbidden West
Butch:
Backtracked some to mop up quests. I remembered something about someone with a shield system. I thought "Might want something like that the next time I fight a stormbird," so I went back that way. Did the quest with the blind Tenakh and the "Veteran." You do that?
Then I started the whole thing for the Carja scholars with the "plate" which will, hopefully, get me a shield.
Not much. You do that one quest?
Feminina:
I did that! I was glad we were able to make it work out for them, in some way. It was also an interesting reminder that fierce warrior culture doesn't work out that well for everyone...
And I did the thing with the shield system, which I got but have never remembered to use. Should probably get it out sometime and see if it's good for anything.
Butch:
How the hell are you so far ahead of me? I'm PLAYING here!
I, too, was happy to help, but it brought to light something I find interesting about this game:
We, as players, never get to put our two cents in as to what people should do. There isn't a "Tell them to go back to face the trial, Send him to Plainsong, tell them to stay in the wilds" choice. I'm not sure I dig that. I don't expect every single one of these things to matter, for there always to be Weighty Choices (though I do like me some Weighty Choice), but part of games is asking yourself (or your blogmate) "Why did I do that? Why did I say that?"
Now, true, we often respect games for reminding us that we aren't the center of the universe, people have lives and goals and dreams and fears of their own. We do, and we should respect games for doing that. However, in this quest, ALOY was the one that came up with the idea, the plan, and told everyone what to do. Aloy. Not me, not you, Aloy.
I think that, if a game is going to say "OK, in this quest, the hero is going to make the decision about how this story ends," then that decision should be in the hands of the player, even if it doesn't really matter. It would've been interesting to compare notes on what we picked (and then laughed because of course we'd pick the same thing). That's what makes games so damn interesting. I'm not sure why this game keeps taking that from us.
Feminina:
It's kind of all part of what we've commented on before, though, isn't it, how Aloy can't choose whether or not to accept a quest. We don't decide if we're going to agree to do a thing, we don't decide how we're going to do the thing, we just play it the way it's written or we don't play it. Which is kind of about the game being structured in a certain way, as a story that we go through -- as you say, there really are not a lot of instances where we actually make decisions, and even when we do it's a dialogue choice that's about how we want the mood to be, more than what we want to happen.
It's just not that kind of game, I think, and we have to just take it on those terms.
Butch:
We do take it on those terms, but it's so damn odd because it IS that kind of game! Fuck, even AC has gotten to the point where you can pick....something, sometimes.
I mean, I know, metagame wise, that doing or not doing the side quests won't matter a damn in terms of the larger story. I do not expect some sort of "everything matters" thing. But man, if you can't even make the smallest choice, then what are side quests except more jumping and whacking?
Feminina:
Additional interesting stories, with jumping and whacking?
Butch:
I suppose.
Lots of jumping and whacking though.
Still, you're right. Game is what game is.
I really should go drop off posiden. Been waiting until I have enough time for all the talking.
Feminina:
It is what it is, indeed. We must accept and enjoy it for what it does.
While possibly also noting what it doesn't. That's fair criticism.
Butch:
It's how we do. We only hurt the games we love.
Except DE. Nothing bad to say there.
How much time should I set aside when I next return to base? Is it a talk fest?
Feminina:
We loved the first one to pieces and it didn't have any more role play or choice than this one. We loved the story and the ROBOT DINOSAURS. And I guess that's probably what they decided to focus on in this one as well.
We did complain a bit about not being able to romance people, I think (an ongoing lament), but overall we were cool with it.
And yes, there's a lot of talking. Set aside plenty of conversation time. Maybe have a drink handy! Catch up with the crew over some tequila!
Butch:
We did. We loved it.
And, don't get me wrong, I'm loving this. My only concern was that there was a decided lack of themes for that first part. Like, I liked being a pirate, but nothing but raids gets old, and I love ROBOT DINOSAURS, but nothing but raids gets old. There was...a chance of that in this one. Happily, that concern has gone away, as themes abound. Better late than never.
Certainly needs more romance, though.
A lot of talking, huh? Well....one expected that. Perhaps tomorrow, as I still have a shield to get.
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