Your Light-side Playthrough of Tyranny is Doomed

PCGamesN has published an editorial that argues that the mechanics and setting of Tyranny make role-playing a “good guy” very difficult. While I think the article exaggerates its points a little, it’s not far from the truth:

The peer pressure is only compounded by a reputation system which, on first glance, seems backwards. These are binary morality thermometers like those employed by Knights of the Old Republic and Fable in the ‘00s. In those games, they encouraged you to game the system: why engage with the complicated quandaries of the scenario in front of you, when it’s pretty clear which option is going to award you some light-side points and push you further towards those late-game Jedi abilities?

RPGs got more savvy – pushing the numbers beneath the surface and leaving you to worry about your standing with factions and companions. But Tyranny reverts. Here’s a bar that measures your relationship with the Disfavored – their approval and their growing anger. Here’s another that tracks how much Verse likes you, and how much she fears you.

So you start to play the systems – picking outcomes not because they’re the right thing to do, but because they’ll impress some powerful weirdo bathed in green flames named The Voices of Nerat. They become tactical decisions: put all of your eggs in the Disfavored basket, and you can count on them to stick by you if things ever kick off with the Chorus.

One thing I would add is that ultimately, even the best possible character in Tyranny is morally compromised. In that sense, it’s incorrect to argue that it’s hard to role-play a good character. Rather, it’s impossible, though it’s at least possible to play characters doing their best to make up for that.