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/slip_and_fall_school 10h ago

In a way, he's not wrong.

However, even in games like KCD 1&2 where it is explicitly and repeatedly made clear that you're a nothing and nobody you still get to a point where Henry is a terminator.

Not really sure how to balance the "just a regular guy" ethos and the wish fulfillment and player agency that most gamers desire, or at least I haven't found a game that hits the sweet spot.

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u/Shiriru00 9h ago

The problem with the "chosen one" trope is not really the power creep, it's that the whole world revolves around you.

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u/Lawlcopt0r 8h ago

You get to a point where it's weird that the world doesn't revolve around you when you're a one man army

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u/Dartz_Reverse 7h ago

RPG idea: Generic zero to hero story, but after you defeated the BBEG, the entire world will gradually start fearing you because you're even more dangerous.

Tbf I read that kinda plot in a bunch of trashy mangas.

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u/Fargoth_took_my_ring 6h ago

Fable always aimed for stuff like that

I am interested to see what they do with the new one

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u/Dartz_Reverse 6h ago

Never saw people fear me in Fable for doing good, only if I went evil.

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u/Fargoth_took_my_ring 6h ago

Muggers and low-level bandits will run scared of you though, in at least one of the titles I'm sure

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u/Dartz_Reverse 6h ago

Oh... right...

I... may have just overlooked that muggers and bandits are "people".

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u/Natedogg5693 1h ago

This feels racist, but I don’t know why…

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u/Not_FinancialAdvice 1h ago

Tbf I read that kinda plot in a bunch of trashy mangas.

2026 manga title like "I'm the chosen hero but now I'm 55 and my knees ache and I want to retire but people still have unreasonable expectations"

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u/Dartz_Reverse 1h ago

Nah it was more like "Im the hero and defeated the demon king, but the kingdom became afraid of my power and executed me, then I reincarnated to live a slow life/take revenge on the kingdom" or something like that.

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u/devicer2 6h ago

I was thinking along these lines, but more like you start as a zero, but then after not too long then more and more people notice you; because you just won the arena, saved a village, rode a dragon, did spell-school in 2 days and caught the legend fish etc. etc. Then more powerful characters in the world start either trying to curry your favour to get you on their side or become worried about your increasing power and try to stop you in various ways. I don't know if anything has done that before.

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u/eric23456 7h ago

Yea, the Elder Scrolls games are full of this problem. Once I'm wandering around in full enchanted daedric armor, the correct response from most mobs would be to run in fear, not to assault or threaten me.

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u/Ricochet64 7h ago

all Skyrim should know about the horrific massacre at Goldenglow Estate

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u/3MetricTonsOfSass 21m ago

How would they know if nobody was left alive?

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u/SilveryDeath Xbox 4h ago

And if they implemented that people would complain about how when you get to a certain point in the game there are no human enemies to fight.

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u/eric23456 3h ago

Yea, probably. I'd be fine with that for the ones where I can just punch them to death.

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u/Doomgiver420 2h ago

I mean skyrim and oblivion are both games where it mechanically feels "good" to kill enemies. Oblivion moreso because idk, they just ragdoll more fun

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u/Magnusg 2h ago

Pov:

Some mediocre wizard decided to cast a series of spells to protect a special mediocre ring in a graveyard buried 1000 years ago. Well you did your job and now the graveyard isn't visible and convered in 1000 years of volcanic ash, storm run off and new vegetation.

Along trapses this a hole in clearly mythic tier equipment with energy brimming from his orifaces speaking words of power the world forgot an aeon before your summoner was alive.

First a hole you've seen in 1000 years. Now unfortunately you're just a dumb spirit imbued with a mediocre level of power enough to scare a small hamlet, you don't really have a choice in how this all goes down. It's over quick and it is what it is.

But now your eternal soul is free to roam and you see jerks on the internet criticizing your after life choices. And all you can do is think oh yeah? Big guy? What would you do? Do you have the words of command that would set me free? What exactly is the choice you would make? Maybe just maybe it's been 1000 years of guarding this stupid piece of metal and you're just about ready to go anyways!!

nobodyaskedtobeamobinthefirstplace

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u/Doomgiver420 2h ago

I mean everything scales up to you so they've usually got some daedric or ebony pieces too

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u/Polantaris 6h ago

But the distinction is in the story versus the gameplay.

In KCD, you're never beyond getting murdered by the story for being a regular shmuck that says the wrong thing or does the wrong thing. If you die, the story could theoretically go on without you (even if it doesn't in the game).

In games like Skyrim, you're the chosen one. The other characters might not like it, but you can't really do much wrong. You have special powers that no one else has and those inherently give you a special title and position that others aren't able ignore. Your death means the end of all things.

This distinction is more towards what they're saying than the eventual power creep of playing too long.

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u/GandalfTheGay_69 6h ago

Even just playing the game, if some regular ass bandits get the drop on you and they get 2-3 lucky hits in, you're pretty much dead.

Henry also just doesn't win anything by himself. Yes he contributes a lot (the game would be boring if he didn't), but so far he has never been the most important person in the room.

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u/DeltaJesus 5h ago

but so far he has never been the most important person in the room.

I'm not sure that's quite true, he has more status than most non nobility by the end of 2, and he's absolutely key in several major battles.

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u/PiccoloAwkward465 5h ago

One man army is kinda annoying but I don't think many games have done teams very well either.