I watched that video a while back - I found no mysterious "truth" there. All I can imagine is that young people in their prime might take risks and chances that their older selves would not.
That's an understatement. Let's make an inventory:
(1) PS:T had a brilliant narrative premise that hooks the player immediately. T:ToN has a shitty premise that tries to imitate the original one.
(2) The narrative premise in PS:T was tied to every single element of the game, from the art, and the itemization, to the NPCs and the exploration of the game world, which is a journey of self-discovery. The narrative premise of T:ToN is dissociated from the art, the itemization, the NPCs, and the exploration of the game world, which feels like a weird theme park with nothing interesting to do.
(3) PS:T’s premise works because it makes the player suspicious of the game world and uncertain about himself. It’s based on a sense of self-doubt and mystery. T:ToN’s premise is handed on a platter from day one, and promoted like a hot dog in terrible kickstarter trailers. The premise is ham-fisted from the beginning, because the developers were afraid that the console audience wouldn’t understand the narrative.
(4) In PS:T, the catchphrase “What can change the nature of a man?” has its significance evidenced in your inevitable journey of self-discovery. In T:ToN, the catchphrase “What does one life matter?” is dissociated from your main character [this criticism was suggested by
vivec].
(5) The main character in PS:T has a clear motivation that is tied to the whole game, including NPCs motivations. In T:ToN, both the protagonists and companions have shallow motivations. Despite what the intro want us to believe, you are not actually running from the sorrow, and this motivation theme is not tied to the game world, or the companions for the most part [this criticism was suggested by
vivec].
(6) PS:T feels so well defined because it was written by one talented individual, which also happens to had one year to write all the content. He also provided an ultra-detailed visual document of the game before development. The PnP and the setting chosen were solid. T:ToN concept was made in a hurry to cash in on the kickstarter fad. They choose a shallow PnP system with an awful setting without knowing in what they were getting into. Key feautures of the game were thrown around on kickstarter to increase the pledges. A bunch of writers of dubious quality wanted to implement their visions, etc.
(7) PS:T was developed by a team of passionate gamers working together. T:ToN was developed by a team of veterans of the industry meeting on skype, who also happens to have other priorities in their lives, and a bunch of pretentious writers that know nothing about game design, writing or PS:T.
(8) The setting, the NPCs, the quests, the art and even the soundtrack of PS:T are memorable and lively. The setting, the NPCs, the quests, the art and the soundtrack of T:ToN are either bland, or annoying. In T:ToN, the background lore is more interesting than the actual quests, and the NPCs are more interesting than your companions. [this criticism was suggested by
DeepOcean].
(9) PS:T gives you freedom to role-play. T:ToN arbitrarily restricts your choices due to political correctness.
(10) PS:T is a strong game with strong themes. T:ToN is a mediocre game that treats strong themes in a mediocre manner [this criticism was suggested by
Lacrymas].
(11) PS:T is consistent. T:ToN has inconsistent themes. e.g. slavery in a city ruled by the people who rebelled against it [This criticism was suggested by
vivec].
(12) PS:T had bad combat that ends fast. T:ToN has even worse combat that takes forever.
(13) PS:T's writing is long-winded, but coesive and suggestive. T:ToN's writing is uneven, over-descriptive and patronising.
I could increase this list all day long. If you look at these differences impartially, there is nothing surprising about the difference in quality between the two games.
