r/gaming • u/Asianboiforwhitedad • 10h ago

Kingdom Come Deliverance studio co-founder says a lot of RPGs are 'still games for teenagers,' and that he's 'tired of all the RPGs where you are this chosen one'

https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/kingdom-come-deliverance-studio-co-founder-says-a-lot-of-rpgs-are-still-games-for-teenagers-and-that-hes-tired-of-all-the-rpgs-where-you-are-this-chosen-one/
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u/Raffle-Taffle 9h ago

I have no issue with chosen one stories. What I do have issues with are when the stakes are too high and or too personal from the get go. This is more-so an issue in open world rpgs. I find it impedes on my ability to engage in the world itself if I know that it is ending and I am the only one who can stop it.

I prefer when the intro and stakes are way less intrinsically tied to some world ending event or a deeply personal matter and just lets me explore and improve for a bit.

1

u/feage7 8h ago

Agreed. I much prefer the stories where you kind of end up in a world ending scenario after a certain chain of events.

Like in ff7. You're a mercenary doing a job, get caught up in a frame job and escape the city, you're being followed and chasing a character from your past. Just keeps adding bits to a crazy meteor showdown.

I love the humble beginnings stories that just kind of spiral. Squall "cadette", cloud ""ex military", Zidane "a child thief", tidus "star athlete" .

1

u/Phantom-_-Wizard 7h ago

Or like titanfall2 your legit just there to be a soldier but you soon find the stakes increasing and you get better

1

u/Responsible-Twist205 3h ago

what was that old dreamcast game where you spent hours working in a warehouse?

1

u/fishyronin 2h ago

I usually love the humble beginning type games.

It gives players time to immerse and understand the world and by the time you reach the end where the urgency in game to end the calamity matches the players want to finish the game and move on.

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u/amicaze 5h ago

Problem with that is developpers that follow the theory typically aim for a valley shape when plotting time played with how much stuff they throw at you.

It's important to retain players at the beginin lest they put down the game and forget it or refund it, and the end is important so people remember it. The middle is less important

1

u/Eg_3600 4h ago

Hogwarts Legacy had this problem. it should've been a personal story of a student. Heck Sebastian's story should've been the main story and expanded on.

1

u/yonderTheGreat 1h ago

I'm kinda curious what your definition of "chosen one" is where it doesn't usually directly overlap with "who will save the world"

1

u/themassquerade 29m ago

Pro tip, the world only ends when you stop playing. Take your time!

1

u/Sir_I_Exist 9h ago

This is exactly what prevented me from liking FF15 and I got dragged for it

1

u/fishyronin 2h ago

"Your throne, kingdom and the world is threatened while your father just got murdered? No stress, let's fish, put up a campfire and chat with buddies. Meanwhile let's also go kill some pests that's been troubling the locals so you'll understand what plights the common folk"

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u/TheCoordinate 6h ago

That's not unique to RPGs. What's the complaint with chosen one stories?

Literally the oldest story in Western culture is about the chosen one Jesus. From Jesus to Skywalker to Superman. We're all chosen one coded.

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u/L0LFREAK1337 5h ago

Bro doesn’t know the Epic of Gilgamesh

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u/yonderTheGreat 1h ago

That's not REMOTELY the oldest one. Jesus literally told stories that were ancient in his time.

Dafuq

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u/Jmdmagic 6h ago

My immediate thought is the beginning of Fallout 4. Why would you explore and do side quests and engage with settlements when your SON is the goal!?

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u/Archer_Savings 4h ago

Blood of Dawnwalker does a good job doubling down on this script. "Yes, your actions imminently need to be focused on helping your family. You're powerless to, and you're on a timer. Here's a world. Meet who you can, get what you can." It's neat. 

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u/bongophrog 8h ago

That’s how the Mass Effect trilogy is. Like I know I’m the most important person in the galaxy and the only one that can stop the reapers, but let’s nearly die on a dozen unrelated, high risk low reward side adventures in the mean time