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Poll: Which protagonist do you prefer?
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Mandus
42.11%
56 42.11%
Daniel
57.89%
77 57.89%
Total 133 vote(s) 100%
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Daniel vs Mandus
PathOS Offline
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#31
RE: Daniel vs Mandus

I just watched "There Will Be Blood" and can so imagine Daniel Day Lewis playing Mandus so perfectly. Big Grin

Of course he already played "The Butcher" so...
(This post was last modified: 09-14-2013, 06:48 AM by PathOS.)
09-14-2013, 06:45 AM
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TwiK999 Offline
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#32
RE: Daniel vs Mandus

I would choose Daniel. Though Mandus was a good character aswell.

Steam ID: Yazite

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09-14-2013, 10:05 AM
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Lightice Offline
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#33
RE: Daniel vs Mandus

Mandus. Daniel is just too simplistic a character to my taste. He's entirely motivated by fear of death throughout his entire story, with only a small spicing of revenge mixed in, until he wipes even that out with his amnesia potion. Mandus, on the other hand, has a complex identity, an insane mix of misguided empathy and pathological misanthropy. It was a new and refreshing experience to play as a character who fears himself more than any monster or torment he comes across.
09-15-2013, 08:42 PM
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7heDubz Offline
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#34
RE: Daniel vs Mandus

Mandus all the way! i just prefered MFP to TDD in general, i feel that mandus was a bit more, fleshed out mabye? its hard for me to put my thought to words, they dont translate well.

09-15-2013, 08:54 PM
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kita Offline
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#35
RE: Daniel vs Mandus

I'm actually going to say Daniel; I felt like I connected with him more? (Connect isn't exactly the word I wanted to use but anyway)

I felt like Mandus felt more distanced in a way, because we don't really know who's talking at times or if he's two personalities or the machine as well- he was at disconnect with himself and that felt translated back to the player, at least to me.

I always found Daniel pretty interesting to discuss in the sense of what makes a "good or bad" person, but Mandus brings up plenty of interesting questions to think on as well.

Daniel's story connected more emotionally to me, Mandus feels like someone you want to puzzle out. Both are excellent in their own rights, but I do have to go with Daniel by a slight margin.
09-15-2013, 09:53 PM
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Jim Offline
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#36
RE: Daniel vs Mandus

Do I need to mark spoilers here? Oh well, just to be safe...

*SPOILERS*

For my money, it's Daniel, hands down. But, I don't think there is an objective answer because the two different characters are designed for two different narratives, and each is well suited for their own story.


Daniel:
Yes, Daniel was a selfish coward, but that's exactly what makes him so perfect. He did a lot of horrible things, but he doesn't know that when you start the game (and, by proxy, neither do you). Daniel was, initially, an empty vessel that you could pour yourself into. You can see this further illustrated by the fact that Daniel's family is mostly absent from the story, and his background it isn't fleshed out very much. He's not underdeveloped, he's meant to be easily identifiable. (At least I think that was their intent.)

I liked the experience of TDD much more. I identified with Daniel a lot because there was just enough of him to latch onto, but he wasn't developed enough to clearly separate you from his first-person self. I WAS Daniel. I did all of the horrible things because I was desperate, and it made me sick to my stomach when I found out. A very powerful, effective story for me. Some people like to say "Well, I wouldn't act so selfishly out of self preservation," but there's no way you could know that. Not for sure. According to TDD, you did. And our initial unwillingness to accept the possibility that we would do the same in Daniel's spot only makes the realization more potent. For me, anyway.

Another thing to consider is that, as with Mandus, there are two Daniels. The former Daniel died with the Amnesia potion, giving birth to a new Daniel. He even talks to you as if you're a separate entity in the letter at the beginning of the game. This new Daniel is a very complicated character, even though he isn't "fleshed out". The creation of this new man offers Daniel (you) hope of a possible redemption. (Or at least revenge. The choice is left to you.) However, even if you are a new man, there's an inescapable weight of inherited guilt that makes the situation beautifully convoluted. Even if you see Daniel as despicable, he's a great character.

Mandus:
Mandus, on the other hand, still suffers from an amnesia (or possibly more accurately, schizophrenia?) that allows a sense of mystery in the story, but is a more fleshed out character. We see evidence of Mandus's life all around us. Waking to the call of his children, occasionally hearing conversations between him and characters the player doesn't know first-hand, walking around this huge estate that's owned by him the whole game, and other elements acknowledge that Mandus has an existence outside of the game. This fleshes out the character more, making it harder to BE Mandus, but also giving Mandus's observer (you) more to chew on. (While in TDD, I'd say you were really being forced to chew on parts of yourself.)

This is also reflected in the game design. The large hubs and "true" exploration that were common in the first game have been stripped to a bare minimum, creating a guided, "on-rails" experience. It's tighter, it's shinier, and it's more lush, but it's also impenetrable. I didn't feel like I was IN the situations at all, I felt very strongly like I was being told about them secondhand. And combined with that fact, the general vagueness of the storytelling was absolutely grating. Having a more defined protagonist, but a less defined story felt very dissonant to me.

I'm still processing AMFP, so I have less to say about Mandus. I'm not saying I dislike the game, it just doesn't use the same kind of storytelling TDD did, and that was my favorite part of TDD. I'm about to start my second playthrough, so I may have more to say in a day or two.

(Who knows, maybe there IS a solid story in there somewhere and noone has worked it out yet.)

If anyone actually reads this, I'd love to hear any comments or refutations you may have. I love hearing other people's explanations of these games.

(09-12-2013, 11:41 PM)Gunslingerjh Wrote: Philip Lafresque, hands down.

Yes, I liked Philip as a character a lot. I don't have the energy to think about why. Another day, another thread.

Edit: Thanks for the feedback, and for the rep, Diz!

(This post was last modified: 09-15-2013, 11:04 PM by Jim.)
09-15-2013, 10:25 PM
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VaeVictis Offline
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#37
RE: Daniel vs Mandus

I'd definitely have to go with Daniel. I just felt a better connection with him and found him easier to sympathize with. I didn't find him to be a coward, either. He still plunged head-on into his most basic fears and the unknown to find redemption. I also felt he was more deeply repentant than Mandus, and even seemed to struggle a little more with his decisions.
And I agree about Mandus being partially an archetype. 'I have to kill them or else they'll die!'
So, yeah. Daniel ftw.
09-16-2013, 03:12 AM
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PathOS Offline
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#38
RE: Daniel vs Mandus

Mandus is the precursor of Walter White.

"I did it all for my family!!!!" Big Grin

Even with the split-persona

Walter White and Heisenberg. Oswald and "I" Smile
(This post was last modified: 09-16-2013, 06:02 AM by PathOS.)
09-16-2013, 05:58 AM
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orion23 Offline
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#39
RE: Daniel vs Mandus

Daniel...

Mandus not afraid of anything, people talk about phobia of Daniel but...

if you were in a castle with monsters scattered, and knowing that you have to face ...

Who would not fear the dark?


Mandus does shows no fear in almost any place in the game...

Who would not fear the mutant pigs???
knowing that his life would be at risk!


Daniel is more realistic, and it was very brave, facing a castle full of monsters, knowing it has a phobia, not to mention the story with him was much deeper (to me)

Daniel ftw
09-20-2013, 04:27 AM
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Alardem Offline
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#40
RE: Daniel vs Mandus

Mandus is clearly manlier than Daniel. :p
09-20-2013, 05:38 AM
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