For all of my issues with the plot and the writing for various members of the supporting cast, I want to create a thread saying that this game absolutely shines when the focus is on Shadowheart, Lae'zel, Gale, Wyll, Astarion, and Karlach. These characters have more personality, reactivity, and genuine care put into them in their left pinky than most characters in this genre get over multiple games. My current main party is Shadowheart, Astarion, and Karlach. I thought I would hate Astarion, but he really comes into his own, due in no small part to the excellent performance from Neil Newbon. Though, as I believe either Mark Darrah or Josh Sawyer noted, this game does not follow the graphical fidelity death cult, the animations in this game, especially concerning body language and facial animations, are so on point that they bring an element of characterization to these characters that you simply do not get elsewhere: Lae'zel rolls her eyes or makes her body tall and rigid in prideful defiance; Astarion throws his arms loosely and keels over in angry or sarcastic fits, clearly clenching his teeth; Shadowheart overtly displays subtle changes between fear and disgust in her face.
The dialogue trees reveal completely new information about your characters' personalities based on how you talk to them. This feature comes to light especially during the romances, where the PC can almost cultivate and steer the kind of relationship they are trying to build.
The personalities themselves are also just a blast. Each character has moments to be unbridled fun, an exemplar of sadness, and deep in thought. I've said it before and I'll say it again: This game's narrative is at its best when it is a character study of our companions.
If I could ask for one thing to make it into the Definitive Edition, or as an expansion, based on what this game did RIGHT, it would be to give us more companion moments and interactions, including banter. On the subreddit, there has been talk of a requests for a "romance DLC," but while this would be nice, I would prefer a broader "Character DLC" that fleshes out ALL relationships in the game, as I think that is where this game shines.
To All: Please let me know what you thought of our companions. Did anyone surprise you? What about the character developments and performances?
This would be my main hope too! More companions and companion interactions.
As companions they are cool, fantastic really, but I am still baffled by origin as a thing. I don't understand what it is or why it's desirable to play any of these characters as the protagonist. I just spent the last hour trying it and the feeling was a bit weird. The impression I had was more subtractive than anything else and a character that feels totally fleshed out and full of life as a companion becomes this strange drone when I play them as the lead. Sorta the opposite of what I thought it'd be like. I don't know what I expected actually. I suppose I figured that more of the dialogue would be acted out in vignettes or something. Meanwhile I'm losing those flavor interjections or approval type interactions that would come with having them around as a companion rather than actually stepping into their role.
I just finished the prologue and initial beach sequence as Shadowheart. But haven't really encountered a dialogue option that was not available to a Tav, except some options to pray to Shar when I first touched down on the beach. What we did get was a little mini movie that foregrounds the artifact, so I guess that's all I get for now. But's been a hot minute already I feel like hehe.
I'd guess this would be one of the more challenging Origins for the very first zones, since you don't have a third companion on the Nautiloid and start off at the beach alone. Before the crash all the interactions with Lae'zel are played flat, no Shadowheart style response about who's in charge there for example.
The pod where Shadowheart is found isn't occupied by a different character, and nobody is around when we first land to help us get oriented about what we should do. I started on Tactician, so the wounded intellect devourers are pretty tough solo with their ranged psionic attacks. I used stealth and climbed around which leads first to Gale.
In this interaction things again felt like they were played pretty flat, as if I was a Tav. I'll get the same stuff about checking Goblins for supplies banter, but sorta dry there. Astarion comes next. Then Lae'zel. Somehow Lae'zel seems the most trustworthy of the 3 despite our obvious suspicions. I'm guessing this is sorta the default party with Shadowheart in the staring role, but so far I don't feel that. It's still seems more like the other 3 companions are upstaging me somehow heheh, even though I figured the whole point of the Origin thing was to dial up the wow factor there. I don't know like for every dialogue option there'd be one called "Shadowheart 1 and Shadowheart 2" after all the rest. You know basically playing to type or breaking with type. But it doesn't seem to work that way.
I'm curious how the Origin content is actually delivered. Is it just cutscene vignettes? Like how far along do I have to get before it starts to feel substantially different from a Tav? I thought there would be a little prelude/preamble backstory type thing, but not the way it works.
Anyway, that said I love all 6 of these Characters in their role as companions. They're all great that way!
