The Last of Us II - 60 fps PS5 patch out now
- Rapidly-Greying
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- Joined in 2008
- Location: Kelty, scotland
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- Fade
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- Joined in 2011
- Location: San Junipero
- Samuel_1
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- Joined in 2008
Donations welcome, please PM me to prevent unwarranted mule kicking.
- Choclet-Milk
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- Joined in 2015
That seems like an arbitrary distinction to me. If I'm supposed to empathise with the main character, a woman who's seeking revenge for the murder of a loved one, then why should I feel guilty for wanting her to succeed? Plenty of protagonists make immoral choices in service of their goal. That's what makes the characters interesting, and their stories engaging. Should I feel guilty for every cowboy Clint Eastwood shot? Everyone John Wick killed over his pet dog?
I don't buy that the intention isn't to make you feel guilty for doing things, either. Giving every NPC a name solely for others to cry out when they're killed. The writhing and gurgling of mortally wounded enemies. The pained whimpers from killed dogs. All of it is designed to evoke an emotional response from the player. But killing bad guys for this reason or that has been the raison d'etre of video games for 40+ years. People have been conditioned to think killing enemies is fun. And it is, even here! The combat is really enjoyable! So trying to make the player feel bad about it just falls completely flat, and feels really forced.
What's worse, though, is when you're not even given the choice. I've just tracked down Nora and been presented with a cutscene in which Ellie corners and interrogates her, and then picks up a length of pipe. You know full well she's going to kill her, but the cutscene stops dead just before it and prompts you to press square. And again. And again. It purposely makes you commit the deed, and won't progress until you do. And then Ellie goes home looking completely broken. They deliberately frame it as being your fault. Ellie does a bad thing, and they go "Look what you've done. That's awful. How could you."
we have to lose that sax solo