RPGs: Characters

[Nintendosbooger]

I'm currently 11 hours into Radiant Historia, and I'm having a good time with the game. Interesting time-travel concept and intuitive combat mechanics. No random battles, which is a plus.

One thing I can't give it points for is the lame characters. Fortunately for Radiant Historia, it's an age-old problem not specifically isolated to or exemplified by this game, so I'm not singling it out; it just so happens to be the game to inspire my rant here.

The problem I'm noticing with these RPGs is the lack of balance or variety in character mood. The characters are either nauseatingly bubbly, hopelessly aloof, or militaristically stoic. What happened to charisma? There is a disturbing lack of charisma and charismatic characters in RPGs today. I'm talking genuinely charismatic characters, and not some cynical twit that hides his or her personality deficiency with a heavy dose of sarcastic remarks.

I'm definitely going to finish Radiant Historia, but I was hoping it would bring something fresh in the character development department.

[Himu]

Play DevSur.

[Nintendosbooger]

Devil Survivor? Beat that a few months ago.

[Himu]

What did you think?

[The Sceneman]

shit game, Strange Journey takes a big stinking dump on Devil Survivor

[Himu]

DevSur is fine. But yes, it does. I only brought it up because he mentioned characters and one of the main features of Devil Survivor are its story and characters. But thanks for being incapable of putting two and two together darlin'.

[Great Rumbler]

The answer is Resonance of Fate. It's always Resonance of Fate, regardless of what the question even is.

[Nintendosbooger]

What did you think?

Great game, but I never found myself attached to any of the characters.

I think I recall a thread somewhere, either here or on GAF, where a member lamented at the fact that publishers did not hire professional storytellers or writers for video games. Basically, game designers are responsible for the story lines, in games where such a thing is even applicable or prioritized, which ultimately results in poor stories because game designers don't know shit about constitutes a good story or character.

[Himu]

I dunno. Atlus games are pretty good at story and characters. They're one of the few companies I think who get game writing.

[Nintendosbooger]

I dunno. Atlus games are pretty good at story and characters. They're one of the few companies I think who get game writing.

What is your contextualized opinion of the old school Bioware games, namely BG, BG2, Planescape Torment, and the Icewind Dale games, if you've played them.

[Himu]

Great game writing. 

I think Silent Hill 2 is the best game story though.

[MrAngryFace]

Alicia in VP2 ends up being pretty fucking hardcore