Tyranny
Time to Beat: 30 Hours with the Dishonored
In 2018, Awkward Mixture's
runner up for game of the year was Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity.
After enjoying it so much, I didn't purchased their sequel (that's
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire), but their immediate follow up,
Tyranny.
Tyranny, developed by Obsidian
and published by Paradox (just like Pillars) is a year later,
similar, and yet distinctly different.
Both games are isometric RPGS set in a
fantasy world. Both play in real time, though it can be paused.
Pillars of Eternity and Tyranny include companions,
area maps, levels, bases, combat, magic, stealth, traps, and choices.
But in Pillars the hero fights to defeat evil, the
protagonist of Tyranny experiences a more complicated relationship
with wickedness.
Tyranny begins at the conclusion
of a massive, centuries long campaign to bring the entire continent
of Terratus under the rule of a nebulous, god-like being named Kyros.
How much does the player ever know about this tyrant? Almost
nothing. The most basic details are shrouded in mystery, including
the Overlord's gender and age. Different characters refer to Kyros
in the feminine or masculine. Kyros also claims an age of over four
centuries, and while this may seem preposterous, a few of his Archons
also assert a multiple century life for themselves. While enemies of
the Overlord deride his claim, and assume that multiple men (or
women) have worn the crown, presumably some of Kyros' deputies,
Archons, have met their master. Since most Archons serve the
Overlord, the title doesn't define a person as a lieutenant of Kyros,
but as one whose power transcends humanity (though none compare to
the majesty of Kyros herself). The protagonist never meets Kyros,
who never even appears in a cut-scene, painting, or depiction. For
all the protagonist knows, Kyros might be a myth or a cabal of
wizards, but the existence of otherworldly Archons and the power of
Edicts makes his existence more likely than not. Written on pieces
of paper, and read by messengers, Kyros' Edicts unleash devastating
magical effects on entire regions. This is Kyros' greatest, and
possibly, only power, but it compels the allegiance of every living
creature. Imagine resisting a being capable of decimating cities
with an endless sandstorm, a raging inferno, or a massive earthquake,
as easy as reading the words off the page of a book.
As a Fatebinder, the protagonist
directly serves the Archon of Justice who interprets Kyros' will and
translates it into law. Sent by the Archon of Justice, Tunon, to be
his eyes during the campaign to conquer the Tiers, the protagonist
aids in the subjugation of the last remnants of resistance on the
western edge of Terratus. After designing a character (picking a
personal history, a primary and secondary expertise, cosmetics,
abilities, attributes, and skills) the player engages in a unique
introduction to the recent events of Tyranny.
The initial conquest of the Tiers
occurs done through a collection of campaign events, where the player
must pick and choose from a series of options. The Conquest sequence
includes three campaigns, with the first in 428 against the Bastard
Tier, the second in 429 at either the Apex or Lethian's Crossing, and
the final a year in Stalwart, Azure, or the Vellum Citadel. At each
of the three locations (the player can only access one per year),
three choices must be made. The choice almost always requires
selecting which of Kyros' armies to favor (sometimes there is a third
option). The Overlord deployed not one army, but two, the Dishonored
and the Scarlet Chorus, to overwhelm the Tiers. The Dishonored are
men of the north, an elite army dedicated to duty, and led by the
unbreakable Archon of War, Graven Ashe. Rallied by the venomous
Archon of Secrets, Voices of Nerat, a blood thirsty mob comprises the
Scarlet Chorus.
The choices the player selects during
three years of Conquest influence the remainder of the game.
Characters continually refer to the Fatebinder's deeds. The
protagonist's actions shape how others view him, so each situation
deserves their full consideration. While Conquest introduces the
setting, it also adds a serious tension that proceeds through the
rest of Tyranny. Kyros' will, and by extension his army, is
described as unstoppable, unbreakable, supreme. And yet, the three
year campaign implies their insufficiency to defeating a collection
of bickering backwater city states. Of course, the obvious
comparison is Greece vs Persia, and maybe that topic will be
discussed later.
While the Conquest introduction impacts
the future, it doesn't determine it. Tyranny includes four
possible allies. After the initial three years, the Dishonored and
Scarlet Chorus become bogged down in a massive peacekeeping effort,
while also trying to eliminate the remaining resistance in the Tiers.
With failure assailing their sense of superiority, Graven Ashe and
the Voices of Nerat accuse each other of sabotaging the mission.
Hoping to adjudicate, Tunon sends the Fatebinder to heal the rift.
Initial success leads to deeper divisions. Eventually the player
must chose to support one faction or the other. After this initial
decision the player can choose to betray their ally, and align with
the rebels defending the Tiers, or strike out alone without guidance.
Aiding the rebels is the most difficult choice to locate. Earning
the trust of the rebels is tricky, and even a slight deviation
(killing them) will make this path inaccessible for the rest of the
game. On the other hand, one can embark on a solo path many times.
Switching from the Dishonored to the Scarlet Chorus or back seems
unlikely, though choices near the end of Tyranny allow last
minute duplicity.
These four paths offer significant
variety, but while they don't allow a completely different game, they
alter many interactions. The options throughout diverge in branching
paths and increase the replay value. Unfortunately options seem
haphazardly distributed. The best situations are those which include
multiple solutions. The best conversations are those which allow the
player to be truthful, deceitful, or a mixture of both. Tyranny
often offers choice, so withholding it increases the frustration.
For example, the region of Stalwart offers a difficult choice
relating to the the enemy's royal linage, Ashe's family, and Kyros'
orders. The protagonist must weigh the death of innocents against
his obedience (and fear) of Kyros. In a later part of Tyranny,
with a distant region in rebellion, the Dishonored want to unleash a
magical bomb devastating it for a millennium. For some reason, this
area offers no options, only genocide.
A similar situation occurs with
dialogue. It would take too long to list all the times the player
can choose to lie, or at least, dissemble. But in the Burning
Library, the protagonist may choose what to do with the material he
finds within. What the player doesn't have, is the opportunity to
lie to Ashe about his actions. This omission is disturbing, because
the protagonist can lie to other Fatebinders in his messages. What
is the point of lying to someone, if you've already been forced to
concede the truth of your misdeeds to another?
Messages, or missives, offer another
opportunity for choice. Received by the player, these short letters
from main actors request a reply, and the player can normally chose
from two or three options. Unfortunately, this mechanic is grossly
underused. At best there are nine different conversations, and most
are only one missive long. Missives are also to miss, because
Tyranny fails to properly notify the player. It would also help if
each missive included a picture of the character's face next to it,
because some letters are from obscure persons.
Recent:
Relevant:
Comments
Post a Comment