Many modern RPGs are, more than anything else, defined by the relationships players can form with the surrounding characters. This might mean sparking acompelling, in-depth romance, but it could also mean exploring the dynamic between a leader and teammate, a master and apprentice, or a captain and their crew.
Whilecompanion approval metersare nothing new for the genre, some games have a narrative that frames the approval of NPCs in a different way. Namely, some games treat companions as either loyal or disloyal to the player. How loyal they are to the central cause, team, or organization that the player spearheads can be the cause of some incredibly interesting story beats as the narrative unfolds.
Taking the Arizona Rangers to frigid Colorado, currently suffering a nuclear winter, players need to do more than simply survive in this place – they need to build an army. Of the six characters in aWasteland 3party, four of them are player-created and essentially work together as a hivemind, but the last two aremore traditional companionswith their own thoughts and agendas.
Between these companions and the burgeoning Arizona Rangers army, players must focus on the loyalty of many groups. Taking in displaced refugees and letting them live at Ranger HQ might make them happier, but the Rangers themselves won’t be as loyal to a captain who compromises on their space.
WithVeilguardreinforcing a loveof theDragon Agesetting, many players are returning to the first installment of the series, which itself was a tour de force from BioWare that showcased its writers' exceptional talent. Few RPGs hold up to the scale, choices, and companions showcased byDragon Age: Origins, and despite its age, it’s a game that holds up extraordinarily well.
WhileDAOhas a standard companion approval system, this metric also measures companions' loyalty to the player and their goals. Certain characters may choose to betray the player if they’re not swayed first, or certain actions can be so objectionable to companions they immediately turn on you.
One of the most interesting features inDivinity: Original Sin 2, a title created by the same people who’d go on tocreateBaldur’s Gate 3,is how companion loyalty is measured through their approval. Disapproving companions can, surprisingly, turn on the player despite their common goal, and try to seize the power of Divinity, or at least try to stop the player from progressing further.
While the game’s loyalty system is not especially deep and largely comes down to choices that companions will agree or disagree with, it adds an extra element to the campaign, forcing players to think carefully about not only the choices they make but the characters they recruit.
The story ofTyrannyis set in such a way that players will be making as many enemies as they are allies. Many choices in the game will please one of the game’s three major factions but upset the other two. Alongside this, many companions have their loyalties towards the two major armies or the rebellion, and the player’s actions can either strengthen companion loyalty, strengthen a companion’s loyalty to their faction, or simply wither the relationship between party members.
Perhaps the best example of this is one ofTyranny’s best companions, Barik. Barik is a knight sealed away in his armor after one of Tyros' edicts, and he is fiercely loyal to the elite army of soldiers known as the Disfavored. Barik will need an incredible amount of convincing if he is to turn away from the Disfavored during a playthrough.
Through the game’s many updates and DLC,Crusader Kings 3has become an incredibly versatile andin-depth exploration of charactersand procedural narratives. Especially once players have a monarch or emperor overseeing a huge swathe of land, vassal loyalty becomes one of the most important aspects of the entire game.
A king or queen might be able to secure vassal loyalty through high amounts of Dread, ruling through fear and the threat of executions, but if their heir can’t command the same level of terror, they’ll be turned on be vassals resentful of their predecessor. Securing vassal loyalty through marriages, contracts, and diplomacy might last through generations, but it’s a more insular approach that leads to fewer alliances between other kingdoms.
Policy is a major part ofSuzerain, one of the most compelling and interestingtext-heavy RPGsof all time. The direction that players will take their political party in will determine who their allies and enemies are, while also ensuring they have an easier time passing the historic constitution of Sordland into power.
Players who aren’t able to please their constituents will find that there are attempts to overthrow them, or that many politicians will begin siding with parties that want to maintain the status quo. Players need to play the game of politics to keep the loyalty of their party, but also maintain their principles. It’s a dangerous, delicate balancing act.
