(AfroGamers.com) Last year, we went into five games that warrant a sequel with Obsidian’s Alpha Protocol being one of the titles. Published by Sega, AP was very much an Obsidian RPG in execution featuring a social aspect that is largely missing from many RPGs.
You have a series like Persona where talking and hanging out with teammates is a matter of bonding. However, it’s in western RPGs where you see the social game having some actual importance.
Fallout
In Fallout, being a charismatic character varied by the game. At its core, being a better talker usually resorts in better reactions from NPCs. The player is able to loosen some lips or avoid conflict at times. That’s in a game like Fallout 2 or the third title. When factions came into play in New Vegas, you got an extra layer to that part of the gameplay.
Also, your alignment or how the main character is perceived hinged on your actions in the game. This also included how you talked with NPCs but not as much. I always felt that the Fallout games could’ve done more with Charisma and the Speech skill to make it more important to your character overall.
The skill definitely sees use in the Fallout titles but you could get just as far much more quickly with a plasma rifle or a good ol’ Power Fist and some VATs. If you’re looking for a post-apocalyptic series where Charisma and Speech have a little more use in gameplay, check out Wasteland from inXile entertainment.
Mass Effect
In the original Mass Effect trilogy, your conversational choices could tilt your perceived alignment towards either being a Paragon or being a Renegade. ME, like Dragon Age and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, lean heavily towards story. How your character moves through the galaxy and deals with the different characters you encounter on missions and adventures is influenced by how your Spectre is perceived.
That perception is influenced by how iron-fisted or velvet-gloved you are in different social situations. I won’t say it’s peak “Your actions have consequences and can shape the world”, something developers love to tout when including this element of gameplay. However, BioWare (gone but not forgotten) did heavy lifting on building a world and characters where it was worth actually putting some consideration into how you interact with NPCs.
I’m sure we’ve all played games where it was done much better but the Mass Effect was an introduction to how social mechanics in a game world work for gamers who didn’t get to experience Star Wars: KOTOR.
Shadowrun Returns and Cyberpunk 2077
I love Shadowrun Returns, it’s pretty much a better version of the SNES/Sega Genesis version of Shdadowrun complete with expected improved mechanics and graphics. One thing it also improved upon is the use of social interaction and charisma. In the default game you have some interactions which rely on your charisma and etiquette (their background or culture).
It’s similar to Cyberpunk 2077 where being nomad or corpo can get you far in certain interactions. Given the setting of both games being a messed up, dystopian future being familiar with certain groups and cultures in the city and knowing how to talk to them makes perfect sense and is implemented well.
Some games that are more fantasy-heavy (Shadowrun Returns mixes fantasy and cyberpunk) you did get something similar where characters might need to learn or know the tongue of different races or cultures. It’s something I’d love to see in more fantasy RPGs. Like yeah, taking an artifact to a scribe to translate an ancient language is fine but it’s stock.
Speaking of learning or knowing a tongue.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
KCD is an RPG series based in the 15th century Czech Republic. You don’t play a nobleman, princeling, or chosen one but the mostly illiterate son of a town blacksmith. A quest for vengeance basically makes a man out of young Henry as picks up swordsmanship, archery, and horseback riding.
The combat can be daunting if you’re used to more responsive combat that is mostly block-attack-and-dodge in nature. While Kingdom Come: Deliverance’s combat is very much this, there’s also attack direction and types tied to your weapon and shield combination.
It’s a whole thing that is extremely rewarding when you get it down and use a little a strategy in combat. But this isn’t about the combat in KCD, social interactions in the game are tied to your character’s natural charisma, the cleanliness, condition and style of their clothes and whether your character is drunk or sober. Also, if your character is just clean in general and smell nice can factor in to how well interactions go and what you can get out of people.
I’m big on trade in games with good mercantile mechanics and being able to haggle or pay more goes a long way in the game. That’s in addition to how well-received you are in a town. I like that becoming more literate and learning to read helps as well in the game.
Staff Writer; M. Swift
This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.