So, I'm back in Act II with my second character. I move into the region, follow some Absolute cultists who were hanging around the entrance until they are ambushed and help to kill them, because that's how we roll. I find a moon lantern, investigate it, and learn that its power comes from a fairy. I set her free, and I get complete immunity to the shadow curse.

At this point in the story, I haven't seen anything of the dangers of the shadow curse. It hasn't been a problem at all yet, and yet I already have the solution in my hands, without going out of my way to get it. I don't think that works from a gameplay or narrative perspective. Gameplay wise, I'd much rather have to find the solution to a problem, than to get the solution in step 1 for a "problem" I'll encounter in step 3 or 4. And narratively it doesn't make any sense for the main character to overcome adversity before encountering adversity.

If you come into the shadowlands the other way, you won't encounter these cultists as fast and getting the lantern is a deliberate step. This flows much better, storywise and gameplay wise.

I don't know how it goes if you follow the cultists to Moonrise (and can't find a video about it), so I can't judge there. In any case, my path here was a little too convenient which is less than satisfying. If anything can still be done to improve this, I think it would make the game even better.

EDIT: Perhaps I should note as well that the immunity you get so easily is without limits: you have it forever and you don't need to stay close together like with the lantern, nor do you have any need to use light sources. It really limits player agency in holding the curse at bay.

Last edited by Aulis Vaara; 09/09/23 01:15 PM. Reason: Extra insight