So I've just started playing PoE and I'm currently in Gilded Vale. I have some initial impressions.
It all feels a little bland, to be brutally honest. That particular observation, though, is like beating a deader-than-dead horse. The production values or whatever you call it feels... underwhelming. It really does feel like I'm playing Lords of Xulima. Now, I have nothing against Lords of Xulima at all but it looks and feels like a game that's not exactly top-tier in terms of presentation. That's perfectly understandable. Whereas Baldur's Gate always felt rich in its overall design, PoE comes across as somewhat flat. Maybe that'll all change as I progress in the game but I've seen nothing so far which would indicate that. I realise that this can be interpreted as sheer nitpicking.
My next point - which is far more specific and alarming - is the dialogue. I guess I didn't really think much of it as I played through the opening bit. There were some nice touches there. My problem derives from the conversation you have with Aloth outside the inn. Perhaps this kind of thing is actually just a one-off but I doubt it. The entire situation involving Aloth and the angry townsfolk made me really angry. It showcased pretty much everything I detest about Obsidian's writing. The dialogue choices fucking suck. I'll recap in case anyone's forgotten how the Aloth encounter plays out. First, you walk by a minority who's being harassed by some bigots. Gee, I would never have expected to see that in an Obsidian game.
Second, you're inevitably dragged into the affair. At first I could play it cool and just indifferently watch as the peasants bullied the elf. Why? Because that's what my character would do. He's a jaded son-of-a-bitch and doesn't give a shit about local drama. That's it. Can I do that? Can I choose not to get involved? Nope, of course I can't. I even implied directly to the pissed off townsfolk that I couldn't give a shit less about what was happening. What did they do? They attacked ME. Then, when the peasants are all gibbed, I'm sucked into a conversation with the fruity elf. Now, I have no wish whatsoever to talk to the motherfucker, but Obsidian clearly knows better than me and gives me a string of dialogue options that all mean the same thing. I have to indulge him and I have to indulge Obsidian.
Am I wrong here? Having played a majority of their games, it really seems like it always has to be about them. This is one thing I cannot stomach in RPGs. I fully realise that you can't always get the dialogue choice that you want - or the one that corresponds to your character's personality - but when you're given FOUR dialogue choices that all say the same fucking thing - then fuck it. I just have to bond with Aloth, don't I? Make sure he's okay and be all nice. Because he's a joinable companion, which means he's special. I can tolerate a lot of things but when I see shit like this - and I've seen it too many times in Obsidian games - I can't let it slide. I just can't anymore. Just give me an option to terminate the conversation, if I'm not interested. A fifth choice. Why is that so taboo? If it's a critical conversation central to the main story I can forgive certain things but not when I'm just walking outside an inn.
Sooooooo... off to a great start, aren't I?
I'm curious, though, is it just my Aspie self that gets angry at stuff like this? What can I expect going forward?
(pay attention, they're not bashing him because he's an elf, one of them is an elf)
