Great potential, but quests/choices are huge disappointment

Gameplay
#1

I absolutely loved the feeling I got from this game in the beginning - even the limited saves made it feel more immersive for me, which I am sure the developers intended. Yes there were some glitches, but all in all this game was addictive like no other game has gotten even close for several years.

The balancing and especially the economy need many improvements - it’s just too easy to get rich and mighty with no effort whatsoever. But that is something that could reasonably get fixed by the developers or with mods, not too big a problem.

However, I am totally bummed out with the quests and the lack of real choices in so many situations. In general, it is difficult to roleplay a more evil/jaded/rogue like character as henrys demeanor is just way too friendly and naive. Accusing others of scavenging from the dead, while doing it himself is so ridiculous. The lack of real meaningful romance options sucks also.

SPOILERS BELOW

But worst of all is how several quests completely railroad my character. I make one choice, and suddenly I drink without end with the priest, fight with the bailif, sleep with some random girl, and I get no say in it whatsoever after that initial choice? Bollocks.

Even worse, the “playing with the devil” quest is impossible to solve nicely, even though there are so many opportunities (in theory anyway). One of the women even tells me to bring gertrude to the meeting, but there is no conversation option to ask her to join. Not to mention the stupidity of the attackers clearly being bandits during/immediately after the attack, but when I report what happened they were suddenly innocent woodcutters. Yeah right.

this is NOT fun. This really sucks and makes me not want to play anymore. I can deal with bugs and glitches, and a broken economy. But these quests are utterly crap, this is not excusable in any way :confused:

#2

Huh. It’s almost like you’re role playing as someone who’s under the influence of a hallucinogen and who is also makes poor choices while inebriated.

#3

You would have a point, except that:

  • Even with high drinking skill, the quest still does not allow me to make any further choices (at least based on what I have read)
  • Even when not interfering with the three witches (no oitnment on me) I still see the attackers as creepy bandits, not as simple woodcutters
  • One of the three women outright told me to fetch gertrude, but I don’t even have the option of talking to her about it.

.

Let’s face it, the developers wrote those quests with exactly one outcome in mind, and no amount of clever thinking allows the player to deviate from the script. For a game that otherwise praises itself on providing different approaches, this is really shameful.

#4

It’s a story driven narrative. So the amount of leeway will be somewhat limited.

Sometimes, in spite of ability and choices that you make, things just don’t work out as planned.

#5

Thats it. :blush: Rule Number 5 of Buddhism:

…to abstain from intoxicants as tending to cloud the mind

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