I'm getting old. However one thing has remained true. After 25 years of having had gaming as a hobby, Aerith's death in FF7 is still the biggest gutpunching train-to-the-face feeling of real loss in a fictional character I've ever felt. The geniuses that made that game back in 1997 had the balls to break all tropes before GRRM had even punched in the first letter of the red wedding in A Song of Ice and Fire.
25 years and thousands of games later, nothing came close.
I'm truly hoping that it will be possible in CP2077 to not only fall in love, but the possibility of actually losing them. In FF7 you didn't have agency to stop it, and it was still brilliant. However I don't expect something like an unavoidable tragic fate to be the case in CP2077. It would detract too much of the game as an RPG and player agency. Still, I'm really hoping it will be possible. In a sort of tragic ending.
Real hard choices, emotionally, is a rare thing but still happens from time to time in some mastercrafted RPGs. And there is nothing more at stake when the life of a love interest is on the line. CDPR knows what they are doing and I don't ask for much because I trust them, but if I was to ask for one thing it's this. What made it so impactful in FF7 was that it didn't happen in the ending. It happened in the middle of the game. So you carried that loss with you.
So. Hoping something similar might be possible in CP2077. The possibility of losing your love interest has extreme potential for emotional impact for the players if done right. Not suggesting an "unavoidable fate" that removes player agency. But some hard tough to swallow choices that may lead down this road depending on how we play.
What are your thoughts on this? I'd love to hear your opinions.
25 years and thousands of games later, nothing came close.
I'm truly hoping that it will be possible in CP2077 to not only fall in love, but the possibility of actually losing them. In FF7 you didn't have agency to stop it, and it was still brilliant. However I don't expect something like an unavoidable tragic fate to be the case in CP2077. It would detract too much of the game as an RPG and player agency. Still, I'm really hoping it will be possible. In a sort of tragic ending.
Real hard choices, emotionally, is a rare thing but still happens from time to time in some mastercrafted RPGs. And there is nothing more at stake when the life of a love interest is on the line. CDPR knows what they are doing and I don't ask for much because I trust them, but if I was to ask for one thing it's this. What made it so impactful in FF7 was that it didn't happen in the ending. It happened in the middle of the game. So you carried that loss with you.
So. Hoping something similar might be possible in CP2077. The possibility of losing your love interest has extreme potential for emotional impact for the players if done right. Not suggesting an "unavoidable fate" that removes player agency. But some hard tough to swallow choices that may lead down this road depending on how we play.
What are your thoughts on this? I'd love to hear your opinions.