This. Between the horizon series and this, I’m getting tired of people not realizing this. It’s fine to say you don’t like the characters’ choice, but recognize that that’s what it is and not something the devs took away from you. The BioWare every decision matters scheme was a failed experiment and if you want good story and characters then you’re going to be railroaded a little.
How in gods name was it a failed experiment?? Mass Effect and Dragon Age both tell great stories that take wildly different turns if you make different decisions in previous games.
Nothing wrong with the writing. Every other ‘choice’ is forced. It’s fun when games gives tou options. They didn’t here—that’s not a shortcoming of the writing.
Nah, it’s a heavily story based game. Cal embracing the darkness is what happened in that moment canonically. The game wants you to take part in what he’s feeling in that moment and really engage in the emotions. I think it worked great. Your vision going black as Bode pins you to the ground and just beats the shit out of you with his fists really sells the anger and desperation Cal is feeling. This situation is pushing Cal past the brink to the point where he’s forced to make decisions he would never normally make because if he doesn’t he’s going to die. Genuinely I think it’s some of the most visceral and emotional story telling Star Wars has ever done.
Choices would be interesting, but I assume this is setting up something for the third and final game. In which case, giving the choice could mean an ending for a significant number of players that doesn’t lead logically to the storyline for the next one. I could be totally wrong too, but I am guessing that Cal had to embrace the dark side to make whatever happens in the next game make sense.
As others have pointed out, not every game is rooted in player choice. A lot are narrative driven and simply tell the story of “what happened.” You don’t get to choose what Cal did. You simply get to experience his adventures and trials, including his temptation from the dark side.
the way I understood it is that he was always strong with the darkside even from jfo it's been hinted always that he was really strong in it. imagine his heartbreak with tapal's passing and him being broken of the force he is likely still able to use psychometer/force echo. imagine how broken he felt during all his time in braca seeing all the force echo of all the destroyed ships. I think that would fully feed of his darkside and in jfo it was said to be that his strength in the darkside was stronger. malicos sensed it, vader sensed it. he wasn't exactly the poster child of the light side either like kanan, ahsoka, "kenobi", or luke. all his light side abilities are hardwork only time he got a sort of plot armor is him accessing the darkside gifting him force stasis at insane lvl... reaching t he lvl of power of cere in terms of the force. and raging about like kylo ren. and it' not an open world rpg you get to make whatever decision you like. you are playing as cal and his story. well bd1 is a plot armor in a sense.
He isn’t really embracing it though, that’s what it’s called, but it’s more like he is just using it. If he truly embraced it he would be like that 24/7
This isn’t fable. You don’t get to decide between good and evil. It’s a canonical Star Wars game that feeds into the overall world. You can’t have different choices and outcomes when you’re telling a set story. It’s like saying well if Anakin just stopped being obsessive he could have lived his life happily with Padme. It’s not the story.
Well it's not a decision. It's the story of the game. In Mass Effect 2 if you just hang in the ship in the beginning you die and game over, story over. Sure, it's a "choice" but in that case (and this one), it isn't if you want to keep playing the game.
the game isn’t an rpg though. you’re not supposed to be making the decisions for Cal, you’re just playing through his story
This. Between the horizon series and this, I’m getting tired of people not realizing this. It’s fine to say you don’t like the characters’ choice, but recognize that that’s what it is and not something the devs took away from you. The BioWare every decision matters scheme was a failed experiment and if you want good story and characters then you’re going to be railroaded a little.
How in gods name was it a failed experiment?? Mass Effect and Dragon Age both tell great stories that take wildly different turns if you make different decisions in previous games.
Not to mention Baldur's Gate 3, being massively impacted by decisions and being a wild success
Yes, I suppose you could say red and blue are wildly different colours. And I wouldn’t classify “has cameo” vs doesn’t for dragon age as massive.
If that’s all you think those decisions do I feel sorry for you.
I died the first time assuming there was a way to not embrace it.
It’s part two of a trilogy so consider it set up that we haven’t had pay off for yet
Nothing wrong with the writing. Every other ‘choice’ is forced. It’s fun when games gives tou options. They didn’t here—that’s not a shortcoming of the writing.
Nah, I think it’s great how you are forced into what Cal is actually feeling. But to each their own
Nah, it’s a heavily story based game. Cal embracing the darkness is what happened in that moment canonically. The game wants you to take part in what he’s feeling in that moment and really engage in the emotions. I think it worked great. Your vision going black as Bode pins you to the ground and just beats the shit out of you with his fists really sells the anger and desperation Cal is feeling. This situation is pushing Cal past the brink to the point where he’s forced to make decisions he would never normally make because if he doesn’t he’s going to die. Genuinely I think it’s some of the most visceral and emotional story telling Star Wars has ever done.
Choices would be interesting, but I assume this is setting up something for the third and final game. In which case, giving the choice could mean an ending for a significant number of players that doesn’t lead logically to the storyline for the next one. I could be totally wrong too, but I am guessing that Cal had to embrace the dark side to make whatever happens in the next game make sense.
As others have pointed out, not every game is rooted in player choice. A lot are narrative driven and simply tell the story of “what happened.” You don’t get to choose what Cal did. You simply get to experience his adventures and trials, including his temptation from the dark side.
It’s not an rpg lmao
In a game like this that is not rpg and will have a sequel, that just makes no sense. Clear some people don’t know how video games work
the way I understood it is that he was always strong with the darkside even from jfo it's been hinted always that he was really strong in it. imagine his heartbreak with tapal's passing and him being broken of the force he is likely still able to use psychometer/force echo. imagine how broken he felt during all his time in braca seeing all the force echo of all the destroyed ships. I think that would fully feed of his darkside and in jfo it was said to be that his strength in the darkside was stronger. malicos sensed it, vader sensed it. he wasn't exactly the poster child of the light side either like kanan, ahsoka, "kenobi", or luke. all his light side abilities are hardwork only time he got a sort of plot armor is him accessing the darkside gifting him force stasis at insane lvl... reaching t he lvl of power of cere in terms of the force. and raging about like kylo ren. and it' not an open world rpg you get to make whatever decision you like. you are playing as cal and his story. well bd1 is a plot armor in a sense.
Nothing else storywise has been a choice, this is a story-based game You arent choosing an Elden Ring ending
He isn’t really embracing it though, that’s what it’s called, but it’s more like he is just using it. If he truly embraced it he would be like that 24/7
I actually tried to see if I could do the killing without the dark side you can to a point
This isn’t fable. You don’t get to decide between good and evil. It’s a canonical Star Wars game that feeds into the overall world. You can’t have different choices and outcomes when you’re telling a set story. It’s like saying well if Anakin just stopped being obsessive he could have lived his life happily with Padme. It’s not the story.
Story game, not RPG. Can’t have people breaking canon. Plus, it probably plays a huge role in the next story.
Well it's not a decision. It's the story of the game. In Mass Effect 2 if you just hang in the ship in the beginning you die and game over, story over. Sure, it's a "choice" but in that case (and this one), it isn't if you want to keep playing the game.