Again, not trying to start an argument here, but how many female (or male) business owners have been forced out of business, through whatever reason, then said "hey, I'll sell my body to keep the business"? Not many. If the business fails, it fails. There are bankruptcy laws, creditors take the hit, etc. After Felicia, Veronica is the weakest one to claim that she was "forced" into it. Maybe this is why I find her character less compelling than others. Your point about Rosalind is spot on, which is why I said we need to find out more info about her backstory. Good commentary on this game, even if I disagree on some points
I definitely see your point and I'm not trying to start an argument either. But I think you're missing the key point in your phrasing: most people wouldn't sell their body to fund their business for the obvious reason that selling their body would be effectively become their new business. I'd prefer not think about how many people decided to sell their bodies when they lost a better source of income, and I definitely wouldn't classify that situation as "voluntary."
Is Veronica in that dire a straight? Unclear. We're explicitly told that the gym is all Veronica has, so even if she walked away from her dream she might still desperately need money. I guess you could say it was foolish of Veronica to invest so much of her money in her dream, but that's an indictment on her business acumen or her idealism (though again, we know she was actually sabotaged). If she's at the point where she's worried about making ends meet once she files for bankruptcy, however she got there doesn't change the fact that she's still be offering her body under duress (at least in my book).
Also, just for the record, Veronica isn't the one claiming she was forced into it. I am. She'd say this was indeed her choice (just a really distasteful one). But I'm saying we know she made that choice because the people offering it had invalidated every other option available to her. To me, it's like claiming someone 'choose' the card the magician made pick because they didn't walk off the stage entirely.
I guess you could say that makes this a case of fraud rather than extortion, but either way it's well below the standard I would use to judge proper consent.
I can guarantee the game won't turn into some 100% miserably bleak, soul-crushing affair. Especially in the endings where you successfully direct the player character away from the club.
It's important to both GIL and I that the game strikes a palatable balance between light and dark moments. The scales may tip in the latter's direction at certain points, but we really do place an emphasis on keeping an equilibrium. If you're fine with how things have been up to this point in the story, I would ***guess*** that future plot developments won't leave you shell-shocked.
Full asshole, fuck-my-conscience mode might hit differently though.
I'm happy to hear that. I find the idea that relentless darkness maximizes tension exasperating.
I wouldn't say I'm
fine with how things are up to this point; I'm a big softy at heart. But I see the possibility that, as Jacob might say, the MC could make something, in some way, better than it would have been had he not been there. That's ultimately the bar the game needs to clear for me. So here's hoping!
If the MC also has the option to make things much, much worse... well, the choice will be that much more meaningful.
