This idea is pretty much entirely inspired by @Parrhesia 's thread’s Effortposts Around Units We Like and the sister threads associated with it. Reading those essays is one of my favorite things to do on here, so I figured I’d throw my hat in the ring for a different sort of essay.
In almost every hack, it’s not the heroes that drive the plot, but the villians. The evil cultists in the shadows, the mad kings wishing for world domination, even just the simple bandit leader can kickstart an entire campaign into action. In this thread, it’s these character’s that I want to focus on. Whether that’s analyzing their roles in the chapters they take part in, looking into their character and how it works as a foil for the protagonists, or just analyzing their evil plans and how they’re executed.
I think there’s a lot too love when it comes to villians, and often (at least for me) they can really make or break a story. So please, I’d love to see what you all think. What villians left an impact on you? Was the lead antagonist just that enthralling? Or did you just really like how the chapter 2 brigand boss was handled? Every villian is up for grabs here. Of course, I do ask that if you are delving deep into the story to spoiler tag your post, and I myself will make sure to add all relevant essays into the table of contents.
Happy Writing~
Table of Contents
1. Duke Alcaeus (Storge) by Knabepicer*
Duke Alcaeus (Storge)
To me, Duke Alcaeus is perfectly emblematic of the game he comes from. Storge is a perfect example of the philosophy “less is more”. The game is very short, a simple five chapter jaunt. You play as Becker, a merchant on his way to the city of Fussel. As soon as you load up the game, you’re warned that you’ll need to hire mercenaries, bandits have been pillaging trade routes as of late. It’s a simple premise spurred on by an equally simple villian.
Duke Alcaeus is a jealous and paranoid man, who desperately wants to take the Dukedom of Eglas. Alcaeus has employed bandits to rob the neighboring areas and cause unrest in Eglas. This plan is revealed to be orchestrated by the clever mind of the evil cultist: Jortur. All of this really isn’t a spoiler, it’s laid out for you at the end of the prologue. And while in a larger story, this could be a red flag; giving the game away too early on. The reveal here works perfectly for what Storge is going for.
For all intents and purposes Alcaeus and those that follow him are a cliché. As villians they serve more as comic relief to underpin the serious familial drama occurring with our protagonists. Alcaeus doesn’t have to have complex motivations, and if he did, it’d probably overload and spoil what the game is trying to focus on.
To me, from a gameplay sense that ending cutscene revealing the villians that’ll appear in the story also makes the game that much more satisfying. Each map you clear, there’s a sense that you’re slowly (accidently mind you) clearing out the rot from this land. Plus, having the knowledge of who you’re facing adds to the comedic effect. It makes it that much funnier when the Duke is inevitably baffled that some random merchant killed everyone in his operation. My only real criticism would be that the chapter 3 bosses aren’t featured in that same opening, but that’s really just a matter of preference. Some might argue that having some randos especially those as goofy as the “D Men” adds to an otherwise formulaic story. Personally, I would have liked a scene with the D Men and the Duke. Maybe show how the Duke is now desperate enough to employ monsters, but again, it’s really just a nitpick.
Overall, Duke Alcaeus is a rather simple villian, but for what he is, he’s very effective. He strikes the perfect balance of absurd and funny as well as genuinely threatening. His presence in the endgame, and the actions he takes at the beginning of the chapter make for a adrenaline pumping final chapter that’s only made better by the based ass inclusion of “Live and Learn” as the maps song.. I really hope to see more short hacks like this in the future. They really are such a treat. And if any of you are designing one, I’d highly recommend taking some notes from Storge.