This is something that's been on my mind for awhile since Ryn was introduced to the game all those year's ago. She defiantly fall's into the heavy Main cast, given how much importance she has Winter City. Being royalty also does that. (Cait being the exception)
So, with the final leg of one the 3 main character's completed (Cait, Brint, and Etheryn respectively) I think it's fair to say it's enough of a milestone to warrant some discussion. Because there's alot on my mind post-caged Ryn. Both Sexually and not, as I'm sure many have voiced an opinion on.
To clarify, I am hoping to make this a Discussion thread. I don't know this community well enough (and I've been in quite a few), but I always take a stance to assume people are civil enough to voice they're thought's in a reasonable manner. I know when it comes to certain topics that have to be brought up, things can get complicated to discuss for some people. I understand that, and I just want to state that if I'm wrong and this thread goes down a very wrong path, I won't fault it being locked or deleted out right. I hope it doesn't, I'm just stating all this now.
With all that out the way, let's talk about one of the Coolest Elf's. (hehe, I am funny man)
For starter's, I've always liked the concept of Ryn as a character. Sure it's a cliched story of a trapped princess (even the ending of the quest pokes fun at that) but it's one that's written so well that it really makes you feel for the character's situation. Taking the concept of a long-lived species and causing them tremendous pain is always one that tugs at the heartstrings for me. People already suffer enough, so I don't wanna imagine what 80 year's of suffering would do to anyone. Which naturally made me care for Ryn more, and hate her sister with an undying passion that made me hope that at the end of her journey, I'd get to stuff pineapples up her ass to see how she liked being on the receiving end. (She's caged now for my character, so I'm half-way there)
The overall story experience was really a fun one. I like how you can really help her confidence get boosted by being a generally nice person, and make her come around to become a reasonable ruler given enough time. Sure there's still alot to do, what with the alliance forming on the cliff's against the elf's, and the city needing to repopulate after everything. But that just makes for either good after credit sequences, or more content down the line.
I have to say one of my favorite moment's was the Festivus Ball. A long but well written side quest that involved multiple character's that you recruited up to that point. I always liked situation's that involve you and your team having a big get-together. Gave me real Mass Effect Citadel vibes. (god I wish that series ended better)
But my favorite quest overall was defiantly the ending of Demon of the Ice. Obvious reason's aside, I always love when a universe is built so well that you get genuinely invested in the lore of it. The writer's have really taken they're time to flesh out so many character's, that I have such a hard time pin-pointing which story-line thread I enjoy the most in the end. Kiyoko's is defiantly my favorite for Many reason's, but I genuinely like how each character and story-line is written so well, I'd struggle to make a list that properly explains how good they all are.
Do I like every character? No, of course not. But were not talking about them, as they have nothing to do with Ryn. (thankfully)
As you can tell I could write a review of this series so far and have no shortage of positive thing's to say. Which may make you think I'm leading up to something Big and Bad to say. Thankfully, that is not the case. I'd give the game a 8/10 so far based on what I've experienced, and I can only hope it stay's in that territory of rating until the end. (and here's hoping there's an end before the heat death of the universe)
Now let's talk about the, possibly controversial bit but I'm not 100% sure because I don't know how everyone feels about it yet. (title just rolls off the tongue)
So, Ryn, for lack of a better in game term I can think of is by all means Transgender. I'll state now that I have Zero problem with that, and think her sexual scene's are well written, and I enjoy them no matter which character I'm playing. And I'm sure I'll enjoy them more now that her cage is off, but sadly not being tossed into an active volcano. (that better be an option in the future)
However, scrolling through the public release comment's, a certain question keeps on being brought up. A question I believe is justified given the circumstances, and has been answered to a certain degree. Though I feel does come off as, feeling more questionable (for lack of a better word) than it should.
Simply put, Ryn has been written as someone who has identified as Female, despite possessing a penis. Being Trans isn't generally a strange thing in this universe, as we've seen several people as such. However, what I feel mostly separate's those character's is that they're either one off enemy encounter's, or one's who generally have reason's for being what they are. It's what make's this universe interesting, because for the most part people (or creatures) can shift they're body's into what they like with various forms of method's. Sometimes magic, sometimes alchemy, sometimes naturally. Ryn even tried to get rid of cage through alchemical means but failed.
So naturally alot of people asked the question weather it was possible to turn Ryn into a full fledged female, or even a Herm. The answer was No, as that was never the writer's intent. I'm okay with that decision personally, but it struck me as an odd decision to not have an in universe reason as to Why? Because like I said, if it was a random NPC, it wouldn't be a bother. But Ryn is your companion, and in an RPG where you feel the need to address certain question's (especially one's your closet's too) You feel you would in the given situation. The game has done a good job so far covering those bases. I think the only time I thought was odd was when Evergreen told me that only a God would have a power to remove Ryn's Cage. And I'm standing there as a Kitsune being all "oh I know one already, lemme just call him up" in my head as a response.
A fair enough statement was brought up that asking a Trickster god to help you out might not be the best idea out there, but I still found it odd that was never even brought up as a possibility.
So yeah, I think you can see why this might strike other's as an odd decision. It's not that it's just not an option, it's that there's no in game explanation for why it is. If Ryn just come's out and say's "No" after asking here, I think people would be more okay with the situation. If not, well it is what is at the end of the day. It's not my job to tell the writer's how to do they're job, and I just appreciate all the hard work they've done up to this point. This is all just a suggestion on my part.
Anyway, hope this was a good read. I only really write this much when I Really feel like I have something to say, and as you can tell I felt like I had to say Alot. So, what's everyone else's opinion at the end of the day? Remember, ya don't have to agree with everything, just remember to keep it civil.
So, with the final leg of one the 3 main character's completed (Cait, Brint, and Etheryn respectively) I think it's fair to say it's enough of a milestone to warrant some discussion. Because there's alot on my mind post-caged Ryn. Both Sexually and not, as I'm sure many have voiced an opinion on.
To clarify, I am hoping to make this a Discussion thread. I don't know this community well enough (and I've been in quite a few), but I always take a stance to assume people are civil enough to voice they're thought's in a reasonable manner. I know when it comes to certain topics that have to be brought up, things can get complicated to discuss for some people. I understand that, and I just want to state that if I'm wrong and this thread goes down a very wrong path, I won't fault it being locked or deleted out right. I hope it doesn't, I'm just stating all this now.
With all that out the way, let's talk about one of the Coolest Elf's. (hehe, I am funny man)
For starter's, I've always liked the concept of Ryn as a character. Sure it's a cliched story of a trapped princess (even the ending of the quest pokes fun at that) but it's one that's written so well that it really makes you feel for the character's situation. Taking the concept of a long-lived species and causing them tremendous pain is always one that tugs at the heartstrings for me. People already suffer enough, so I don't wanna imagine what 80 year's of suffering would do to anyone. Which naturally made me care for Ryn more, and hate her sister with an undying passion that made me hope that at the end of her journey, I'd get to stuff pineapples up her ass to see how she liked being on the receiving end. (She's caged now for my character, so I'm half-way there)
The overall story experience was really a fun one. I like how you can really help her confidence get boosted by being a generally nice person, and make her come around to become a reasonable ruler given enough time. Sure there's still alot to do, what with the alliance forming on the cliff's against the elf's, and the city needing to repopulate after everything. But that just makes for either good after credit sequences, or more content down the line.
I have to say one of my favorite moment's was the Festivus Ball. A long but well written side quest that involved multiple character's that you recruited up to that point. I always liked situation's that involve you and your team having a big get-together. Gave me real Mass Effect Citadel vibes. (god I wish that series ended better)
But my favorite quest overall was defiantly the ending of Demon of the Ice. Obvious reason's aside, I always love when a universe is built so well that you get genuinely invested in the lore of it. The writer's have really taken they're time to flesh out so many character's, that I have such a hard time pin-pointing which story-line thread I enjoy the most in the end. Kiyoko's is defiantly my favorite for Many reason's, but I genuinely like how each character and story-line is written so well, I'd struggle to make a list that properly explains how good they all are.
Do I like every character? No, of course not. But were not talking about them, as they have nothing to do with Ryn. (thankfully)
As you can tell I could write a review of this series so far and have no shortage of positive thing's to say. Which may make you think I'm leading up to something Big and Bad to say. Thankfully, that is not the case. I'd give the game a 8/10 so far based on what I've experienced, and I can only hope it stay's in that territory of rating until the end. (and here's hoping there's an end before the heat death of the universe)
Now let's talk about the, possibly controversial bit but I'm not 100% sure because I don't know how everyone feels about it yet. (title just rolls off the tongue)
So, Ryn, for lack of a better in game term I can think of is by all means Transgender. I'll state now that I have Zero problem with that, and think her sexual scene's are well written, and I enjoy them no matter which character I'm playing. And I'm sure I'll enjoy them more now that her cage is off, but sadly not being tossed into an active volcano. (that better be an option in the future)
However, scrolling through the public release comment's, a certain question keeps on being brought up. A question I believe is justified given the circumstances, and has been answered to a certain degree. Though I feel does come off as, feeling more questionable (for lack of a better word) than it should.
Simply put, Ryn has been written as someone who has identified as Female, despite possessing a penis. Being Trans isn't generally a strange thing in this universe, as we've seen several people as such. However, what I feel mostly separate's those character's is that they're either one off enemy encounter's, or one's who generally have reason's for being what they are. It's what make's this universe interesting, because for the most part people (or creatures) can shift they're body's into what they like with various forms of method's. Sometimes magic, sometimes alchemy, sometimes naturally. Ryn even tried to get rid of cage through alchemical means but failed.
So naturally alot of people asked the question weather it was possible to turn Ryn into a full fledged female, or even a Herm. The answer was No, as that was never the writer's intent. I'm okay with that decision personally, but it struck me as an odd decision to not have an in universe reason as to Why? Because like I said, if it was a random NPC, it wouldn't be a bother. But Ryn is your companion, and in an RPG where you feel the need to address certain question's (especially one's your closet's too) You feel you would in the given situation. The game has done a good job so far covering those bases. I think the only time I thought was odd was when Evergreen told me that only a God would have a power to remove Ryn's Cage. And I'm standing there as a Kitsune being all "oh I know one already, lemme just call him up" in my head as a response.
A fair enough statement was brought up that asking a Trickster god to help you out might not be the best idea out there, but I still found it odd that was never even brought up as a possibility.
So yeah, I think you can see why this might strike other's as an odd decision. It's not that it's just not an option, it's that there's no in game explanation for why it is. If Ryn just come's out and say's "No" after asking here, I think people would be more okay with the situation. If not, well it is what is at the end of the day. It's not my job to tell the writer's how to do they're job, and I just appreciate all the hard work they've done up to this point. This is all just a suggestion on my part.
Anyway, hope this was a good read. I only really write this much when I Really feel like I have something to say, and as you can tell I felt like I had to say Alot. So, what's everyone else's opinion at the end of the day? Remember, ya don't have to agree with everything, just remember to keep it civil.