okay since
Kyl Von Kull gave me the keys for his preview copy, it would be a waste to not do anything. i will write something in his stead. sorry for the low quality screenshots because i am using work computer. it's saturday and i literally am here just because i have to show up. previewing this promising game is more productive than whatever i will do today.
first thing first, there is 3 modes of playing:
1. RPG UI: all the stats, percentage, information about a scene, character, your chance of doing something are shown. it is really detailed, packed of information ad have everything you'd expect in an RPG
2. Adventure UI: most of the statistics are hidden, it is a more relaxed play, but the calculations, et cetera still happens in a background
3. Visual Novel: pretty much what it's said. the choices doesn't consider your stats, skills, and all RPG aspects are ignored. it turns the game into CYOA visual novel.
first of all you make a character. the character can be male or female, there is also a differences between male and female character. i will just post the screenshot of character creation:
male character:
female:
as you can see, there are few minor differences between base stats of female and male character, but i feel with putting your character points and future levelling up, there will be minimal gap between genders. Didn't know how the actual in game content will differ itself.
there are also quite alot of information in those screenshot. see the left part, that is your main stats. your stats determine your performance (the left table). body stats are your physical body's performance, like most of RPGs out there. Mind determine how formidable your brain is in alot of different aspect. both body and mind gets stronger the higher your stats are. now, blocks are the most interesting one. blocks are your mind's limitation. if you notice in the screenshot, the +/- are switched. the lower your blocks, the better your character will be. it cost a skill point to lower your blocks. there are also 3 main "pool" of resources at your disposal: Your vitality, motivation and renown. vitality is basically your HP. Motivation is how strong your will is to push forward breaking your limits. renown is your reputation.
all of these stats affect your performance in alot of ways, some overlapping, some give your performance a boost, some decrease it. your resist performance determine how resistance you are to mental debilitation. Lead is your leadership skill, and how well you manipulate the mind of people around you. Act is simply how well your body reacts under alot of pressure and stress.
body stats :
Strength: so far it affect skill check that require raw muscle power, your damage, it also affect your mental resistances. with higher str, you are more fearless, but become prone to anger outburst. it also affect your force percentage (skillchecks done when jumping, lifting stuff, attacking with melee, etc)
Agility: affect your precision and speed, it also make you less fearful. it affect your speed (skillcheck when running or dodging) and precision (shooting arrows, climbing and your general attack accuracy)
endurance: determine your health. with higher endurance, it makes you able to endure more pain and your force, like strength.
Perception: increase your speed and accuracy, but your sensitive sensory made you less resistance to pain.
mind stat
empathy: mostly affect your leadership skills, how well you can relate to someone. it also reduce your risk to burst into rage.
Intellect: incrase your provoke and intimidation, also reduce your rage and makes you handle your blocks better
Ideals: how strong is your beliefs in people. it affect your ability to encourange and calming down other people.
Favor: how strong is your faith towards the gods. it affect the same thing as ideals.
blocks:
Trauma: are a recollection of bad memories you have had, affect your fear resistances, also decrease your leadership skills
Rage: the higher the value, the more prone you are to anger. it increase your provoking skill and intimidation, but decrease your ability to calm and persuade people
guilt: makes you more resistant to pain, but decrease alot of your leadership skills and your motivation.
addiction: it is actually more addicted to the rush and adrenaline of battle, instead of substance addiction. increase your rage, but reduce your empathy related skills.
that is basically the gist of it, how the stats and resistance interconnected are alot more complex than i bothered to write, but it is easy to understand and there are alot of explanations for it in the game.
these are your intrinsic status of your character. there are other aspect of your character that is extrinsic. the game calls it Influence. most of it are pretty self explanatory so i will just post a screenshot:
the last aspect are your clothes/outfit customization. there are visual aspect that don't affect any stats or reputation like your hair, your tattoo, and there are outfits customization which affect your reputation and influences. the outfit custumization though, so far don't affect the visual appearance of your character. it is described as these:
1. beauty or menace: basically whether you look more approachable or menacing. if you choose beauty, you will be easy to approach to. it incrase your sympathy, also your persuasion skills. if you pick to be more menacing, it increase your respect and your intimidation skill
2. comfort or prestige: if you pick comfort, it reduce your anger level and tolerance of pain, if you choose prestige your renown and reputation will increase
3.damage/armor: pretty much self explanatory and affect combat.
now we move on to the gameplay itself. at first, it is mostly navigating dialogue and inner CYOA to decide what you do. for example, if you light a torch of not. lighting a torch will make you less fearful but if there are enemies there risk that you are detected etc. it also for example affect your dialogue, whether you can persuade people to bring up painful memories, or how well you muster the courage to bring up your own painful memories. almost all dialogue and actions are a skill check. each successful check gave you experience and increase your beneficial mental stats such as respect or trust, or decrease your mental trauma such as fear or anger. a failure in check do the opposite.
this is for example, after i failed a check to bring up your late mother's memories when talking with your brother
by using your resources, you can also increase your chance of doing something with more success. for example, by using your point in motivation , you can increase the chance of you digging up the courage to persuade your brother to reminisce about your father, once good man turned abusive after your mother's death and drowning in alcohol. you can either dwell on his violence towards you or your sibling and felt anger towards him, or remind yourself that he is once a great man who taught you about combat, hunting, leadership. doing the latter is harder, but will affect you and you become calmer, more rational, less traumatized and less angry.
your decision affect the other characters you are speaking with too. for example, if you convince your brother that it wasn't his fault he cannot protect you during your father's violent episode, it made your brother feel better and less guilty. the left notifications in the screenshot is your stats increasing or decreasing, and the left is the other character you are talking to.
there are also a mechanics called risk chain, which is a high risk, high return scenario that can determine the outcome of alot of events. it is basically a chain of skillchecks, that if you are succeed in the checks, you get a bonus of percentage for the next coming risk chain. for example when you run away from roman's patrol.
overall, it is a really damn interesting game, there are weight to your decisions, minor or major and i think the replayabilty is off the scale. the writing is generally good and the characters, scenarios and others are really interesting. it seems codex hype isn't too high, but i hope this game get into people's radar more.
