Are the new companions in Deadfire "shallow"?

[Fluffle]

Greetz everyone,

I read a German review saying that some of the new companions in Deadfire are rather shallow, with the notable exception of Xoti.

But Tekehu was called "annoying", for example.

I cannot play the game myself at the moment due to strict time constraints. But I would like to know this.

In your opinion, are some of the new companions in Deadfire shallow and if so which ones? I hope you can diminish my worries!

If you want to go into detail about a companion for explaining your opinion: Mild spoilers are okay. Please put heavier spoilers into spoiler tags though.

Thanks, Fluffle.

PS: Generally I'm interested in all new companions about this topic. But I'm especially interested in Tekehu.

Also everything is relative of course. So comparisons to Baldur's Gate 2 or Dragon Age and Mass Effect games (minus Andromeda) would be appreciated.

[Aramintai]

Well, basically all companions follow the same formula:

You recruit them and they give you their quest, along the way you gain reputation with them by saying things they like/don't like, after a few rather fast occurring talks (they seem to trigger on completing quests, gaining rep and sleeping/travelling between locations) all eligible companions try to get in your pants because everybody wants the Watcher. So yeah, it's formulaic and kinda shallow.

 

However, they're definitely more interesting to have around than in POE1, because the relationship system also works between them - they like and dislike each other, which can lead to extra dialogues or spats. Also, they are a constant presence during quests - they comment on things and interject in dialogues. Also, they're all voiced so this all makes them more alive, so to speak.

[molotov.]

From what I have seen - I've watched a plethora of streams - they seen really meh..., no one makes interesting interdictions like Durance, they don't view the world too differently, like Durance did, so their comments are rather... expected.

BUT they all have incredible voice acting. Maia, Serafen and Aloth are my favourites.

[Fiaryn]

I think they've got a reasonable amount of depth. Pallegina and Xoti in particular are interesting because they're both fundamentally "good" people, but still have a lot of ill will because of specific beliefs instead of "well I guess you're chaotic good and I'm lawful evil so we have to hate each other" or some such D&D nonsense.

[Mikeymoonshine]

Haven't experienced enough of them to say but there is no Durance or Grieving mother type character in the party. I think Tekehu is supposed to be annoying (he's special and not shy about expressing how special and tallented he is), Aloth pretty much suggested I didn't recruit him because he found him so annoying. I guess you could say they seem written to be more appealing, like Xoti is obviously written to be endeering. Aloth and Eder are basically the same as they were in the last game and they were the most fan servicy companions by far. Serafen is pretty simmilar to hiravias although friendlier, less agressive and a tad less crude. I have not spent much time with MIaia so I won't comment.

 

This party seems more Bioware-ish than the party in the last game so maybe not as deep as the last game I guess but I wouldn't say they are particularly shallow either, it's also hard to really judge without completing their quests.

[Voss]

Tekehu IS shallow. Not as a companion, but rather it's one of his defining character traits... He's the pampered golden boy, gifted and blessed, and it's all (so far) come easily to him. Now the Watcher is taking him out into the world for the first time. It should play well.

 

It should also be a nice contrast to Pallegina, who has a different take on her status and 'gift.' I look forward to their interactions.

 

 

Personally I'm exceeding glad there isn't a durance or grieving mother in this one. No circling the same misunderstood Philosophy 101 trivia over and over again like a turd flushed down a broken toilet. For some reason, I prefer characters to be people, not one note attempts at 'archetypes'

Edited May 10, 2018 by Voss

[Balbanes]

I liked GM fine, but couldn't stand Durance. Role-playing-wise, I had trouble coming up with a good reason why my Watcher would put up with him...

[KentDA]

Durance was a character I could never like. There is nothing wrong with properly and sparsely used "vulgar language".

 

The key words there are "properly" and "sparsely". A well timed F Bomb can do wonders for a conversation. But when every other sentence is loaded with vulgar speech of some sort, it quickly loses any potency it would have otherwise had.

 

That was Durance in a nutshell. He was excessive in his use of language.

 

I'm not saying you have to be a Knight in Shining Armor. I'm just saying that the idea of "all things in moderation" is king when it comes to writing.

 

I'm early into PoE2 (haven't decided on what class combo to play yet) and Eder's comment about his "friend" was well used. One of your responses of course was "you could have stopped a few sentences ago." Which made it all the more amusing of course.

 

It was also funny because he didn't stop to consider Xoti's gender and whisper it in your ear or something.

[KentDA]

Voss, the "shallow" pampered boy being thrust into the real world is a common trope used in writing. They tend not to handle it well for awhile. Eventually they either adapt, learn to harden up, or they quite simply fall apart.

 

All three, from a story standpoint can be quite interesting, if written well.

[Tamyn]

Voss, the "shallow" pampered boy being thrust into the real world is a common trope used in writing. They tend not to handle it well for awhile. Eventually they either adapt, learn to harden up, or they quite simply fall apart.

 

All three, from a story standpoint can be quite interesting, if written well.

 

I found it interesting to take Tekehu into the Gullet and do quests with him there.

[Ackwell]

I cannot stand Xoti. She is so damn annoying and can't do anything else than whine all the time about something...

[Crucis]

I cannot stand Xoti. She is so damn annoying and can't do anything else than whine all the time about something...

 

I don't mind Xoti.  She sounds like a rather rural farmer's daughter type.  I do wonder if some people who dislike her (not necessarily saying you, Ackwell) don't like her because she seems like too much of a hick or redneck because of her accent, while they're are much more urban and look down on such people in real life.

[Crucis]

I liked GM fine, but couldn't stand Durance. Role-playing-wise, I had trouble coming up with a good reason why my Watcher would put up with him...

 

I think that Durance was written to be a character that most players probably wouldn't like. 

 

 

 

Personally I'm exceeding glad there isn't a durance or grieving mother in this one. No circling the same misunderstood Philosophy 101 trivia over and over again like a turd flushed down a broken toilet. For some reason, I prefer characters to be people, not one note attempts at 'archetypes'

 

I haven't gotten all that far into the game and I could be wrong.  It just seemed like Durance and GM were "broken" people, so to speak.  I hope that none of the other characters have this sense of brokenness about them.  Thus far, Xoti doesn't feel "broken" in this way to me.  Perhaps a bit naive and backwoodsey.  But she seems to have a good heart and wants to do the right thing.

[Guest Ontarah]

I liked GM fine, but couldn't stand Durance. Role-playing-wise, I had trouble coming up with a good reason why my Watcher would put up with him...

 

I liked him being around around because he's about the closest thing you get to actually having evil companions in an RPG anymore.  That's just not done.

 

He's unapologetically morally reprehensible.  He is not a character a big triple A game company would ever make anymore for fear of the backlash. 

[soraela]

The companions are not shallow imo

 

Tekehu maybe 'annoying' to them but his dialogue when he's brought to the less fortunate parts of the city show the other shades of his character (which I think will determine how he uses his prestige to affect the city in the end)

 

The characters don't have grandiose backstories and sometimes do come off as one note, but when they respond to the other companions or talk about their beliefs is what makes it for me. For instance: Xoti is the most annoying imo, but that's because she's a devout follower of an aspect of Eothas and she's young. However I realize she does mean well but it's just grating for me how someone can put so much stock into the gods after seeing how often they do more harm (with first-hand evidence) than good and have this attitude of: The god hurting people is not my god, my god is an aspect of him, so I take no responsibility for the harm they cause because I disassociate the two.

 

However again, for as immature and mature she can be, it's still refreshing because it makes me feel a certain way BECAUSE of those parts of her character. Not because she's annoying in general. 

[KentDA]

Xoti has some interesting commentary about what is going on with Eothas. I had a talk with her on the ship. Talked about her faith in Gaun. And one of her comments really struck home.

 

"Everything comes back changed, even a God."

 

And I think she's struggling with that fact. Mind you, I'm not too far into the game. I just reached the big city.

[Voss]

Xoti has some interesting commentary about what is going on with Eothas. I had a talk with her on the ship. Talked about her faith in Gaun. And one of her comments really struck home.

 

"Everything comes back changed, even a God."

 

And I think she's struggling with that fact. Mind you, I'm not too far into the game. I just reached the big city.

I want to know how she knows this. Or at least why she thinks she does.

[Strange_Trees]

 

Xoti has some interesting commentary about what is going on with Eothas. I had a talk with her on the ship. Talked about her faith in Gaun. And one of her comments really struck home.

 

"Everything comes back changed, even a God."

 

And I think she's struggling with that fact. Mind you, I'm not too far into the game. I just reached the big city.

I want to know how she knows this. Or at least why she thinks she does.

 

 

I got the impression that philosophy mostly came from how souls were cycled in the reincarnation wheel. Someone dies, their soul goes back into the spin cycle, washed clean, and eventually put into someone completely different. Which is how Aloth and Iselmyr are completely different personalities even though they came from the same soul. I think she's just applying that same concept to Eothas.

[Balbanes]

 

I liked GM fine, but couldn't stand Durance. Role-playing-wise, I had trouble coming up with a good reason why my Watcher would put up with him...

 

I liked him being around around because he's about the closest thing you get to actually having evil companions in an RPG anymore.  That's just not done.

 

He's unapologetically morally reprehensible.  He is not a character a big triple A game company would ever make anymore for fear of the backlash. 

 

 

Let me clarify.  I didn't dislike Durance because he was evil or morally reprehensible.  I disliked him because he was consistently a jerk to everyone in the party.  I can see why a player might keep Durance around (gotta finish those companion quests!), but I couldn't see any reason why the player character would.

 

For other evil party members, I can usually come up with a reason.  Korgan respects the Bhaalspawn and is hilarious.  The Nameless One messed up Vhalior's and Ignus's lives and feels honor-bound to help them.  Morrigan is exotic and polite, and the Warden wants to get in her pants.  But I just couldn't formulate why the Watcher would put up with Durance's $%^$.  He's not funny, or loyal, or your responsibility, or even attractive.  Durance is just an anti-social jerk with no friends.  So why does the Watcher befriend him?

 

[Aside: if it wasn't clear, RPing is a big deal for me.  When it comes to game mechanics, Durance is in the party simply because he's the only Priest and Priests are really useful in PoE1.    ]

[Aridea]

Lol funny you say that, because to me Xoti is the only one that feels meh right now. But that's personal opinion. I might not like her personality, but as a character, I feel she has interesting story, and very much worth dragging around with you.

 

As others said, first, there are no Durance and Grieving Mother (both of which I loved to bits). And second it would depend on what you mean by shallow. If in terms of personality, then Tekehu is written as vain and shallow, but he is a great character imho, with a lot of redeeming qualities. He is still a good guy, if naive, and undergoes quite a few eye-opening moments when you take him into certain places and quests. 

If you mean in terms of interesting - I think they are all interesting, if you get to talk to them, and hear their banter, interjections and responses. There are no philosophical debates as you had with GM and Durance, but I don't think this game, heavy as it is with its themes, suffers from it.

Edited May 13, 2018 by Aridea

[Whitewolfsp]

 

I liked GM fine, but couldn't stand Durance. Role-playing-wise, I had trouble coming up with a good reason why my Watcher would put up with him...

 

I liked him being around around because he's about the closest thing you get to actually having evil companions in an RPG anymore.  That's just not done.

 

He's unapologetically morally reprehensible.  He is not a character a big triple A game company would ever make anymore for fear of the backlash. 

 

 

I miss companions like HK-47 , Edwin , Viconia , etc ...

[Hazmy]

I like the companions, but I hate the fact that everyone is a princess. None of them AGAIN like if the main character does Evil things.

Also, I haven't finished the game but I completed quests for Xoti, Serafen, Aloth, Maia.....are the companion quests....this short? Or there will be some continuation.


Like Aloth's quests was...a disappointment.

[Yenkaz]

I'm in the early to mid game having just arrived at the capital and already my answer is 'no'. Already, Xoti is creating incredible drama with Pallegina after I picked her up and I was able to calm the waters and later got Xoti to apologise for being an ass. Meanwhile, my main bro Edér relates to me why he's rejecting Xoti despite good relations: She's too young and naively overzealous and he's too matured to relate and she reminds him too much of his younger self.

 

This game has as deep connections as I've seen in other games and it's far more open to exploring real, actual conflict between the characters.

Edited May 13, 2018 by Yenkaz

[Tamyn]

I'm in the early to mid game having just arrived at the capital and already my answer is 'no'. Already, Xoti is creating incredible drama with Pallegina after I picked her up and I was able to calm the waters and later got Xoti to apologise for being an ass. Meanwhile, my main bro Edér relates to me why he's rejecting Xoti despite good relations: She's too young and naively overzealous and he's too matured to relate and she reminds him too much of his younger self.

 

This game has as deep connections as I've seen in other games and it's far more open to exploring real, actual conflict between the characters.

 

I got Eder to ask me about how he can diplomatically tell Xoti to never talk to him again. I told him to be honest and if she can't deal with it, tough. It was amusing when he told her not to talk to him anymore... until he started another banter with her ten minutes later like none of that had happened.

[BloodMage1229]

I'm in the early to mid game having just arrived at the capital and already my answer is 'no'. Already, Xoti is creating incredible drama with Pallegina after I picked her up and I was able to calm the waters and later got Xoti to apologise for being an ass. Meanwhile, my main bro Edér relates to me why he's rejecting Xoti despite good relations: She's too young and naively overzealous and he's too matured to relate and she reminds him too much of his younger self.

 

This game has as deep connections as I've seen in other games and it's far more open to exploring real, actual conflict between the characters.

Maybe it's because I just finished another Dragon Age playthrough, but I find the banter lackluster.  I mean, I also have Xoti and Pallegina, and while there have been some pointed words and side-eyeing in a few very brief banters, I would hardly call it incredible drama.  Honestly, I feel like mostly everything has been improved in Deadfire, except companions.  They still feel bland to me.  I wish they were integrated into the main plot more (even if the game forced you to take certain companions for certain quests) and less exposition-based.  The resources for ship combat should have been devoted to this, in my opinion...