Since so many people have been asking, I’ll share my reasoning behind
that particular scene and why I didn’t lock it behind a specific choice, unlike some others. I hadn’t planned on commenting here again after the game was leaked so early (even though, honestly, waiting just one week after release doesn’t seem excessive in this context), and this will probably be my last message on this forum. If anyone wants to reach out to me (constructively), feel free to join my Discord server — I’d be happy to chat there.
Now, about the scene in question: at first, I
did lock it behind a high Ruthlessness level (50, if I remember correctly — just like Manon’s scene). However, I realized that some players might want to play a compassionate MC, while still having the option to take revenge on her for what he went through for nearly a month — partly because of her. That kind of personal vendetta can’t really be justified either way, but let’s be honest: even the "good guy" can snap after going through serious trauma.
I knew there was no “perfect” option here — either some would complain about being forced to hear her out when they didn’t want to, or others (like now) would say that the revenge choice shouldn’t even be available. I chose this solution because I trust players to make logical choices based on their own intentions, especially since the choice was clearly labeled as a torture scene (also, the r*pe scene is optional, even if you choose the torture).
Since
AlwaysFan, I’ve always wanted to offer players a wide range of possibilities — a kind of menu where they can pick what they like and skip the rest. The problem is that many players feel “forced” to try every possible path and then complain about clicking something they didn’t enjoy.
Also, I’d appreciate it if people stopped saying I don’t listen to feedback. Yes, I liked comments from people who shared my reasoning — and last time I checked, that’s what the like button is for, isn’t it? I’ll be making a few adjustments to that specific choice in the next episode, but for now, I’d kindly ask that you refrain from clicking on a choice you already know won’t appeal to you.
That’s it from me — take care, everyone, and I hope you’ll continue to enjoy
Inanna Revenge.
While I appreciate the answer and you addressing the issue folks are having directly, I hope you can also understand the one main issue people have with the scene - the fact that the
only option for punishing/having vengeance is through extreme physical torture regardless of the chosen playthrough route. The rape is even worse but I'll refrain from mentioning it here now because it is true that there is an option to stop after the torture.
The text, the dialog and everything in the scene even without the rape is still sadistic AF. And that doesn't blend well with a good MC.
MAYBE with a neutral MC (but the current karma system heavily discourages any neutrality due to the presence of options being locked out at times) it'd make sense, but not with a good one.
Some folks have mentioned how other suggestions were also fucked up and I don't disagree, but from the PoV of the one taking revenge, he could feel morally justified in a "this is much less than she deserves" kind of way, and still feel conflicted over inflicting torment on her. One of the main critiques over the suggestions was the sleep deprivation one, so I'll use it to make some points. The sleep deprivation followed by her eventual exhaustion and then suffering through the seal due to her (eventual) "disobedience" caused by exhaustion when she collapses is indeed quite harsh, but all that can be adjusted through a slight change in the order the MC gives.
Or could be left in place so the MC sees the torment he's causing and feels remorse. As a narrative tool, there are many levers to adjust the punishment. The MC himself might not even realize
how harsh it actually is due to it being a different kind of torment than the one that was inflicted upon him, and could genuinely think that "it's not that harsh".
But when the punishment is physical torture the dimension and perception on all involved, including the readers (at least for some of them) gain much more weight - especially if we take the rape into account
and the way both the torture and the rape happen - with the flavor of a psychotic episode
Sleep deprivation can be "stopped" midway through by letting her sleep (assuming not too much time passes for permanent damage). Physical torture and rape are like grenade blasts - the damage is instantaneous and irreversible in all layers, from the physical, to the psychological and even in meta for us the players (the damage to the perception of the game in this case). I don't want to make it seem like an exaggeration and speak for others, but I can say that for me it absolutely damaged my perception and expectations as a whole for IR. I don't mean to offend and I apologize for saying it, but it's true.
Maybe we just have a very different way of viewing things, but for me, a good MC in that situation would want his revenge and would want to punish her, but he'd also want to feel like his actions are justified (even if in a "morally self-serving" way). He would likely do something bad (not as bad as what's ingame atm), feel morally justified over doing it, perhaps talk/convince himself that "that's what she deserves"/"it's for the best"/"it might even help her reform", and would likely feel remorse over the actions he did.
Then through his own contrition maybe seek to try and trigger the princess' contrition and remorse over her actions (rather than making her feel sorry
because of the punishment instead of the evil she caused/allowed to happen) and attempt to redeem her. That'd be more or less my expectations for a "good person arc" in that particular situation in which he's blinded/consumed by a desire for vengeance.
The way it is now, it feels like he goes way too far beyond the pale.
Now, I apologize if I'm overstepping, it's not my intention to point fingers and go full "this is how you should develop your game, you should do it how
I'd do!!". It's your story after all, I shared my vision there to try and illustrate what I'd broadly expect from a good MC being presented with that situation. I hope that the points and concerns being brought up regarding this whole business are clear, along with their causes.
Once again, thank you for addressing this matter directly. It's much appreciated, even if we have disagreements regarding what's being discussed.
