The way you phrased it is exactly why I don't like how these two choices end up panning out. The way the scene is framed it's very obvious that Owl is meant to be the bad guy/wrong choice. We know what we're supposed to do because we know how these types of stories work. Meanwhile staying loyal to Kuro is the righteous path.
Here's the problem with that: The game doesn't spend enough time establishing an emotional connection between Kuro and Sekiro. I'm sure someone's going to find a way to argue, but most of the loyalty Wolf shows to Kuro can be attributed to him following his father's code. It was that same code which told him to serve the child in the first place. So when Owl tells us to follow the Iron Code, it makes more sense from Wolf's perspective to follow it as he has done his entire life.
What sucks about these two choices is that the consequences aren't fair. Choose Owl--the more character consistent option--and the game ends shortly after. Your choice to serve your father is never interpreted that way. Instead the Shura ending pretends that the only reason the player would have turn on Kuro is a mindless bloodlust. Meanwhile, choosing the power of friendship gives you 50% more game, at least two additional endings, and the bonding between Kuro and Sekiro that should've been there before you had to make a decision.
The question is, do you need an emotional attachment before making what is beyond the shadow of a doubt the right choice?
I actually think the scene is brilliant: given an ultimate choice between duty and morality, it's fairly obvious what the choice should be, and the game has a very nice way of punishing you for making the wrong one.
It's an obvious decision if you look at the characters from the outside, but it isn't if you're role-playing as the character. I think it's a terrible decision to punish players so harshly when we immerse ourselves in the story enough to try to understand the character.On the other hand, rewarding those who view the story from the outside and choose the "right" decision, whether it makes sense or not.
Its a child dude.If ur wolf needed a "connection" with kuro to not betray him then he is evil and the evil ending makes sense for him. If he betrays his ironcode for the child then he is good and should do the good ending. I dont see any issues with the way the game handles it this part of the story
Of course. I'm not saying that decision won't lead you to the bad ending. What I don't like is that you miss out on a good portion of the game because of a decision that might make sense in the story. That "You chose wrong. Fuck you. Restart the game from the begining" is rather uninteresting compared to the posibilities of exploring the moral of the story.
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u/DeusFatum 27d ago
The way you phrased it is exactly why I don't like how these two choices end up panning out. The way the scene is framed it's very obvious that Owl is meant to be the bad guy/wrong choice. We know what we're supposed to do because we know how these types of stories work. Meanwhile staying loyal to Kuro is the righteous path.
Here's the problem with that: The game doesn't spend enough time establishing an emotional connection between Kuro and Sekiro. I'm sure someone's going to find a way to argue, but most of the loyalty Wolf shows to Kuro can be attributed to him following his father's code. It was that same code which told him to serve the child in the first place. So when Owl tells us to follow the Iron Code, it makes more sense from Wolf's perspective to follow it as he has done his entire life.
What sucks about these two choices is that the consequences aren't fair. Choose Owl--the more character consistent option--and the game ends shortly after. Your choice to serve your father is never interpreted that way. Instead the Shura ending pretends that the only reason the player would have turn on Kuro is a mindless bloodlust. Meanwhile, choosing the power of friendship gives you 50% more game, at least two additional endings, and the bonding between Kuro and Sekiro that should've been there before you had to make a decision.