Like a lot of fellow gamers during this seemingly apocalyptic year, I’m attempting to dive into some form of escapism at every waking opportunity. I am constantly scratching around for any games I might’ve missed or forgotten about back when times were less… ‘corona virus-y’. Alongside this I am forever attempting to fill a deep and cavernous RPG void that The Witcher 3 has apparently left me scarred with.
The combination of these events has catapulted me, screaming and flailing towards the cold, awkward embrace of GreedFall.
I’ve always been intrigued about the title since its reveal in 2017. The initial narrative concepts were interesting and unique, whilst existing in a medieval fantasy world that I had been craving for quite a while – something that extremely sporadic Dungeons & Dragons sessions were unfortunately unable to satisfy.
I’ve sunk just over 30 hours into the game now, and I’m starting to get worried. I’m really struggling to get invested in anything the charmingly named protagonist ‘De Sardet’ wants or desires. I don’t enjoy the character I’m playing, and enjoy the almost incestuous relationship with their cousin even less.
The main narrative drive concerning the Black Plague-like ‘Malichor’ has failed to give me any motivation – largely due to the fact that I’ve seen a grand total of two people affected with the ’terrifying’ disease. So please excuse me if I do not feel threatened by its growth or existence. At the same time I also need to try and keep all the different factions that are currently occupying a tiny island happy, a seemingly mammoth task. Yet so far the faintest favour for a nation sees them beam from ear to ear at me.
All I know for certain is that I hate the overzealous religious nation known as Thélème. I do not care what happens to them. They burned a pretty island creature in front of me, so as far as I’m concerned they can all suffer the same fate.
GreedFall’s initial comparisons to series such as DragonAge and The Witcher were what attracted me to the title. However, it feels like a video game from a previous generation, very reminiscent of late 2000’s Bioware titles. Don’t get me wrong, as someone that has played every possible iteration of Skyrim’s various ports, I love to experience that sweet, sweet nostalgia. But it feels kind of weird when that familiar feeling is attached to something brand new.
All that’s keeping me going right now are the extremely charming companion quests. Building relationships with a varied roster of characters has always been a big draw for me in video games, and it’s something that this title does quite well. It makes me almost forgive said companions for using the same one line of dialogue in every. single. f&#*ing. fight. The words “things are about to get dicey,” spouted by the gravelly-toned Kurt, are now eternally and painfully etched into my brain.
The combat itself is actually very entertaining, and probably tops my list of enjoyable things to do on the mystical island of Teer Fradee. I will actively seek out skirmishes instead of avoiding them, just to watch the protagonist dodge and dart around – leaving traps in her path before blasting baddies with a big blunderbuss.
I also think it’s very aesthetically pleasing in a lot of areas. The character and clothing art styles both fit in with the environment whilst simultaneously standing out, keeping customisation fresh. The environmentally inspired, and sometimes Lovecraftian, creatures are as fascinating as they are dangerous. The cityscapes are well thought out in their organisation whilst remaining stunning backdrops along the horizon. In many ways it does overcome many ‘AA’ expectations that were initially set, which must be what made it stand out at launch.
To contrast this however, the visually pleasing world doesn’t feel lived in. The NPCs really do feel like moving mannequins, placed around you in an attempt to build some sort of illusion. The sneaking mechanics are primitive. The voice acting, whilst good on most occasions, is awful in others. It’s usually easy to overlook, but when the game seemingly consists of 80% talking – the inconsistencies are going to start to grate. I’m repeatedly taken out of the moment by all these minor issues and that goes against exactly what I’m looking for at the moment. I need to get lost within something and be completely absorbed by the experience.
I am TRYING to enjoy it, and that’s not really something I want to do. I think the only reason I’m persisting is the combination of furlough-induced free time plus the tirade of positive reviews the game received upon launch. I keep telling myself in desperation: “Maybe I haven’t got to the best part yet?”. Maybe I haven’t. I’ve repeated a very typical trope of mine which is to hoover up every single possible side quest before progressing with the main – so, finding that Malichor cure has taken a bit of a backseat. Maybe this is why I haven’t felt any weight from the decisions I’ve made so far, but I’m not too hopeful about that changing any time soon.
For me, it’s a bit too much in ‘the middle’. Let me explain that a bit less terribly: It’s not quite an indie game, but also doesn’t slip into the category of a typical ‘AAA’ title. Personally, that took away the charm usually generated by either of these two extremes. I think maybe I’ve been spoiled a little with the quality of some of the RPGs that have graced my consoles in the last decade, or maybe there are just very specific elements that draw me into these types of games. It is in no way a bad game – I suppose it’s just not the game I’m looking for right now.
Oh, and the capes are really cool. Turns out that is very important to me.
NostalgiaCore 
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