hi. this game looks intriguing but i have to ask, do i need to download episode 1 as well or just episode 2?
Yes you do need to download episode 1 as well. The save will carry over into episode 2 at the end of it.
While I am a massive fan of the theme of this game, I am also somewhat disappointed in the dialogue. It just seems so...bland? We hardly have anything to say and the few things we do say just irritate me as they're simple one liners or shit that could have went unsaid to begin with. While the lore is deep and I love every bit of it as well as the action; the dialogue does leave me wanting for more.
I somewhat agree, a few more choice for the character would be nice, the back end of episode 2 has been about Sharon's investiture so it's kind of understandable, that being said I feel like we could have had a few choice options, especially when Astrid asked us about the missing Greagor even if it was just something like "That's odd, no idea what you're talking about." or something.
You have to think though that as the story progresses and the battle lines are drawn we'll have some options to make, be it whether to side with Calisto and her group or Sharon for example. You have to think that considering you have the option to gain the claws power, invisibility power and the mind power that they'll have a potential use later on otherwise what's the point.
For example based on how the story is currently written, it's clear that the MC is at least for now loyal to Sharon, yet some people here talk like it's already written in stone that he'll side with Calisto. If it's a player given choice then there will be an option for better or worse as far as the MC is concerned with who he sides with. While the seeds are there for him to betray Sharon in the future, like for example not telling her about his vision of her sitting on the throne with Calisto behind her, ready to devour her. The current reasoning for this is that 1: She doesn't believe you actually have visions. 2: She was to focused on her investiture and 3: He didn't have any evidence beyond his vision, which we already know she wouldn't have believed. That sets up for him either not telling her, which could lead to his eventual betrayal. Telling her so that she/they can prepare for whatever Calisto prepares for or something else.
Also you also have the option early in the game when Sharon askes you what would the MC do if he ever met Calisto be it ask her questions about why she turned you or you can say you'd rip her throat out for making you a vampire. In which case that could mean that on the backend of things your character could have loyalty points that determine the outcome later in the story, like we all know the LaurieLoveStat or whatever it's called, there could be something like that for say Sharon Loyalty and Calisto loyalty that increase and decrease based on the choices you make, in which case that's fine.
From a VN/Player perspective however I feel like any big choices like who the MC sides with and whatever else may come up should be player based purely on the fact that we have player choices to begin with. For example, like I mentioned above you have the conversation option with Sharon about what you would do if you were to meet your sire. Would you either A: Ask her why she did it or B: Rip her throat out, now granted realistically if he tired he'd suffer Final Death in the blink of an eye but you're given the option, same as what powers you have. If you make the right choices you can get the claws, the mind power and the invisibility, much like you can have the option to not use any of them when prompted and lose access to them perminantly.
If at the end of the day, at least when it comes to story, you have multiple choices but both of those choices lead to the exact same end result then that means one of those choices is a false choice and that the players decisions have no impact and are meaningless to the point they might as well not be there in the first place.
It's also a receipe for losing some of your audience. For example let's say there are two sides. Side A:Is Team Calisto and Side B is Team Sharon.
Siding with Calisto brings you into her fold, you develop your powers, kill Sharon/usurp her/enthrall her to be your puppet or whatever the outcome is, it ends in betraying Sharon one way or the other and either willingly or unwillingly forced into watching her death. That's great for those people. The people who are on Team Sharon however, well they're not going to be happy with the fact they were forced to betray her/kill her/watch her die whatever the outcome is, without at least having an option to prevent that and possibly succeding in doing so. That alienates them.
Same for Side B. Let's say the MC sides with Sharon, becomes an ultimate badass Vampire because of his blood, co-rules Scottsdale with Sharon and takes the fight to Calisto and her side. Saves Sharon, they enthrall each other and become a Vampire power couple, that's great for Team Sharon not so great for Team Calisto because they've been forced into this situation that they didn't want either.
Either way both sides could be unhappy with the result, especially in a VN that has already given them choices to make that can affect the story (Albeit at this point pretty minor ones for now)
Player choice for those types of decisions and outcomes in the story should be the way they go. That way not only does it add replayability in the future but means you're catering too all your target audience and not just some of them.
