I don't normally write reviews but I love this franchise and I think this is the first time they have missed the mark. A lot of what happens in this DLC confused me. I don't really get invested in relationships in media, whoever the writers and creators want the main character to end up with is fine with me but this storyline between Aloy and Seyka just felt forced and rushed, I'm not sure why they decided to condense their whole relationship into a DLC.
I feel their storyline would have been better if it played out over an entire full game or even multiple games like Forbidden West and the eventual third game. I feel like Aloy and Seyka being together at the end of the third game would be more believable. I get that Aloy doesn't have the best social/people skills and feeling that way is new to her and being nervous all the time and fumbling with her words is what the writers were going for but I just couldn't help but roll my eyes through all of Aloy's dialogue about Seyka. It sounded weird and cringe. Again everything about their relationship felt forced.
Another big thing that confuses me is the choice to leave Aloy's decision up to the players. I felt like the whole time they were trying to get the player to lean one way over the other. If that's what they were doing why leave it up to the player? Why not just make it official? What does this mean going into the third game? Is Seyka going to be a side quest character and you make decisions based on what you chose at the end of the Burning Shores? Will some people have a storyline where Aloy has a girlfriend while some don't? It seems clear to me the creative team wants Seyka to be a big character moving forward, so again, why leave it up to choice? What about the people who don't end up playing the DLC? If Seyka is heavily featured in the third game those players are going to be lost when she shows up based on how the main game ends.
I only write this because I am a big fan of the franchise and the decisions the creatives made just really confused me. It felt like a lot to try and squeeze into a DLC. I feel the story would have been better if it was just Far Zenith and the Horus. I don't know maybe it's just me but most of the DLC just felt off.
I feel their storyline would have been better if it played out over an entire full game or even multiple games like Forbidden West and the eventual third game. I feel like Aloy and Seyka being together at the end of the third game would be more believable. I get that Aloy doesn't have the best social/people skills and feeling that way is new to her and being nervous all the time and fumbling with her words is what the writers were going for but I just couldn't help but roll my eyes through all of Aloy's dialogue about Seyka. It sounded weird and cringe. Again everything about their relationship felt forced.
Another big thing that confuses me is the choice to leave Aloy's decision up to the players. I felt like the whole time they were trying to get the player to lean one way over the other. If that's what they were doing why leave it up to the player? Why not just make it official? What does this mean going into the third game? Is Seyka going to be a side quest character and you make decisions based on what you chose at the end of the Burning Shores? Will some people have a storyline where Aloy has a girlfriend while some don't? It seems clear to me the creative team wants Seyka to be a big character moving forward, so again, why leave it up to choice? What about the people who don't end up playing the DLC? If Seyka is heavily featured in the third game those players are going to be lost when she shows up based on how the main game ends.
I only write this because I am a big fan of the franchise and the decisions the creatives made just really confused me. It felt like a lot to try and squeeze into a DLC. I feel the story would have been better if it was just Far Zenith and the Horus. I don't know maybe it's just me but most of the DLC just felt off.