Shadows of New York rent [spoilers-ish]
Aaaaaaaaaand i’m done with SONY (haha). I am... conflicted. I mean, don’t get me wrong, i loved that game. Again, the incredible art. Now they even added some subtle change into the emotions of some of the characters. The darker ambiance... The first time playing a Lasombra for me. But i could already tell it matches the clan very well. And the freaking soundtrack. Even better and better. Espacialy the embrace, Dakota x Julia and Julia’s them.
At first, i was quite a bit shocked/surprise u couldn’t choose your race/clan. But again, playing a Lasombra was a nice surprise. I loved Julia.
Now, as gameplay wise, i was a bit surprise (again) when i saw you had fewer choices to makes compared to CONY. In total, only 5 big choices maters for the endings. I was also relived to see we didn’t have to go throught : “new baby fledgeling must learn the rules and to feed” phase again. I was also very excited to see and hear more of Qadir again. I was truly happy to see some old familiar faces again. But at what cost ? Look at them... They all seem tired, destroyed, done. AGATHON MAGICALY DISAPPEAR, off screen ofc huh. What’s with these games and killing off/writting off characters off screen for fuck sake ? In the end, i didn’t even know if ma boi died. I’m watching you high regent. I’ll be watching.
And the spirit guiding/helping Julia... if our fledgeling from the first game truly died, could it be them ? Talking about the fledgeling disappearance, i love how it impacted some characters. No matter how strong the friendship/bond was.
Qadir for example. He told Julia he hated Arthuro’s guts. He probably had multiple reasons. But imagine him knowing or having the strong feeling that fucker he’s heavily implied with the fledgeling disapperance ? And the fact that he didn’t tell Julia... perhaps he didn’t have the courage too. Perhaps he's “mad” at himself for not being present enough for them. Perhaps he didn’t want to make the same mistake with Julia.
Hope probably and surely knowing why these four names are on that god damn paper. I mean, what a coincidence huh ? Her remembering the fledgeling but not trusting Julia enough to talk about it. The fledgeling might have been killed, thanks to those camarilla fucks.
Now Tamika. Look at her...
I love how fierced she looked there. These few monts have been shit and like hell for all of them. Her loosing her brothers and sisters, probably consedering the fledgeling like such depending on the friendship/bond. Her being hunted down and to have constantly to fight against the SI. Seeing the man she loved turn into a corporate arse. I hope she’ll be okay.
Poor D’Angelo. Him and Agathon rescued my fledgeling near the end of the first game. Seeing him like that hurts me. And it also kinda hurt Qadir. Seeing how concerned he became with him.
Being slightly suspicious when Julia talked about the paper and the names, remembering the fledgeling again. Ididn’t remember if he talked cleary about them, even if it was for just a frame. But thanks to him and KASIER, the investigation has taken an interesting turn.
For last, the one that hurt me and had me worring the most. Agathon.
With Hope, Tamika and D’Angelo,i completed at least two meetings. With Agathon, i managed to accomplish all of his side quests. When the High Regent told me he disappear too, i was like : Oh no, not again. U bet your ass i paid extreme attention to his journal. First, you learn his poor grandma died :(( She was such a sweetie. Now, when i read these lines : “It’s all vague mentions of a person who made him fly to close to sun.” / Whatever happened, it had the same effect as his grandma’s death. New York stopped feeling like a home to him”.... OOOOOOOOOF. Like, i could i now shipped them when he writes stuff like this about the fledgeling. omfg. And when i was Julia’s visions about his most recent actions... i do hope ma boi didn’t go on a personal blood hunt and try to confront that old racist fuck and Arthuro on his own.... That would hurt even more. I took great satisfaction in seeing the High Regent reaction when Julia was telling all the secrets she find about his disappearance to everybody. Shake. Tremble in fear scum. You don’t touch ma baby tremere.
About the endings, i have mixed feelings. Again. What a surprise. I’m the kind of person who always goes for the best and good/nice endings in games. And since i know Julia’s character was kinda special, i wanted to look at a guide. Like i said before, only 5 big choices matters in order to trigger your endings. I started reading some stuff, and i was quite.... unhappy. I mean, i know vampires are monsters. Espacaliy the Lasombra. And others. Anyway. I don’t like evil endings. Let just say that you have to be a dick, nasty, negative, mean etc during those five big choices. As long as you get like 4/5 “evil choices” you’ll get the “good” ending. Thank god (blow a kiss to Benoit) you don’t have to be “mean” 24/7 all the time. I was like : “Gee okay. If it’s what it takes to get the good ending...why not ?” The more choices i was doing, the more “uncomfortable” i was getting i suppose ? I’m still very confused.
Oh boy, this is it huh ? Let’s see how the good ending is then. When Julia finally talked, i was like : “YEAH BOY EXPOSED THOSE FUCKERS ! Avenge my fledgeling’s death ! Haha look at them being threaten/fearing Julia’s.” and then.... she asks for power. I suppose it was a logical “ending” is you’re a “good” Lasombra and if you actually made those importants choices. Give her a primogen seat or else, story published etc. That moment was great but at the same time, i didn’t like it. I felt unconfortable. I’ve done “camarilla” roads before in VtmB. But this one.... oooof. And for that, you have to do something that would extremly pissed off Qadir. You know, your mentor, your protector, almost some kind of watchful father figure. You basically have to destroy that relationship. Since i liked their dynamic and Qadir a lot, it kinda made me sad. Their relation became just professional then. And that was it.
Yeah, you can thank him. Truly saved your ass. Again, i don’t mind getting my characters into power and so on. But in a good “human” way. I guess i’m too sensitive to be a Lasombra x) Or a vampire even. But anyway. Lasombra are cool tho. I was kinda agreed and okay that we let Dakota go even if i was shipping them at the beginning. But killing her off as a part of the deal... c’mon. A bit too extreme no ? But that just my opinion. Wish could have the opportunity to killed off Adelaide tho. U know, the bitch that beheaded Sophie. If there’s another game, i hope we’ll be able to find Agathon and to take down the prince, Arthuro and Adelaide. And i’m not even talking about doing it has a choosing “Camarilla/Anarchs” type. Just because i want too. Just because we could. So i went around on youtube and take a look at the “bad ending”. It... was nice. But that wasn’t even better. I mean, we still get to learn that our dearest and enigmatic Katherine is .... the childe of Christof, the protagonist of VtM Redemption. That was cool. Once again conflicted about the endings :’) Nice.
#stophurtingqadirchallenge
