Ciiran

For me, hampering of the Watcher isn't really necessary. I just wanted the point driven home more that the Watcher was suffering in some way. As a motivation. I know the game lets us choose our motivation in some conversations, but the only things that really felt important to me was the Hollowborn and later stopping Woedicas ascent. Perhaps more narrated cut scenes where the suffering of the Watcher is explained in more detail. Like the narration between acts. This would be especially useful in the beginning to hammer the point home, and then less frequent as the game progressed.

Edér first, then Durance. Both very well written and acted. I also liked that they were completely different from each other.

So what types of negative effects would have been acceptable for you guys to get us to care about being a fragmenting Watcher? Horrible nightmares in a more visual way? Side quests / tasks concerning this throughout the game? Perhaps searching for items or healers that might help? Like in the beginning?

Yeah, I agree. I never really felt the pressure of being the Watcher. As you said, it seemed mostly to be told to us. A pillar of writing is the "show, don't tell" thing and that was what was missing from the game. I think the Hollowborn thread was handled very well in this regard.

I found that I had a hard time to become invested in the story initially. I found the motivations to pursue Thaos and find out more about what was happening to me to be weak at best. For me the main story became about the Hollowborn. To solve that mystery was first and foremost on my mind. And the story progressed everything fell more in to place though, especially since the two things melded together, and I really loved the story up to and including the ending. Certainly there are things that didn't work as well as others so I'll do a short list of what I found less good: Iovara and the entire Old Soul thing of the Watcher was introduced too late and/or not given enough screen time for me to really become invested. Same thing for Thaos, his motivations should perhaps have been introduced a bit earlier to give us time to think more about it. There was a great opportunity to have us conflicted at the end about some choices. Same thing for the Gods and the choice of what to do with the souls. I felt that they should have tried to convince us harder. Perhaps through companions loyal to their respective deities. The entire thing with Waidwen and the invasion from Readceras felt unfinished at the end. I really hope this is where one of the expansions will focus. Edér, Durance and the Gods involved demand it! Things I liked: The aspects of the Gods. I especially liked the ones who were philosophically right wing / traditionalist (in a way), since this is seldom done in RPGs/fantasy. I'm thinking of Galawain (Struggle), Magran (Transformation/Trial) and to some extent Berath (Cycles) and Woedica (Order / Hierarchy). They also handled this without the usual heavy handedness and explored these themes from more than one angle. Very well done and I would have enjoyed seeing more of this. Companions. Edér and Durance followed by Hiravias were favourites. I especially liked the voice acting of both E and D as well as how they were written The idea of the gods being constructs. Especially since we right now are closing in on creating AI:s. Looking forward to expansions / sequels exploring in more depth what constitutes a god. When playing, the classic quote from Arthur C. Clarke: "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." came to mind. Is it not so that gods in a fantasy setting is the absolute peak of magic in a way? If not, and if their origin must be other than that of a lower creator, how would we define divinity? Must they have had a part in creating the universe? I think not, considering that we have several examples in actual polytheistic religions where this is not the case. Must they in that case have descended from even higher beings/being? Perhaps. Or is the mystery of them part of their essence? Wael would love that at least. Oh well. Loved the game, these were just thoughts and not really huge criticisms.

Galawain. Because it was the right thing to do. The horrors of the Legacy could not be undone either way, what was done was done and nothing could change that. The only moral and rational thing to do was to strengthen those who lived. If you look backwards, you will act accordingly and thus move backwards as well. Best thing to do was to make the best of a horrible situation and look forward.