Daniel vs Mandus

[LuckyBlackCatXIII]

@Mecha: Yeah, Daniel was definitely the fragile protagonist between the tree. Even Philip had a hardier personality (but then again, Philip was educated and that helps).

People seem to forget Daniel was educated as well, he was an archaeologist and all. But he REALLY lacked a lot of common sense and was pretty damn naïve.

[Mechavomit]

So it's like this, basically.

Justine is the craziest (also the female-est)
Mandus is the creepiest (also the richest)
Daniel is the fragilest (also the hilariously unluckiest)
And Philip is the badassiest

[LuckyBlackCatXIII]

I'm just imagining that common evolution chart for man but with the protagonists. Timeline wise, it took years until finally a (somewhat)stable-and snarky badass rose amongst them.

[Mechavomit]

I guess that following that logic, SOMA's protagonist should be a beefcake with a manly jawline, a tragic past that had 0 effect on his mental well-being.. and a black belt in martial arts.

[Cuyir]

@Mecha: Yeah, Daniel was definitely the fragile protagonist between the tree. Even Philip had a hardier personality (but then again, Philip was educated and that helps).

People seem to forget Daniel was educated as well, he was an archaeologist and all. But he REALLY lacked a lot of common sense and was pretty damn naïve.

And Philip was a physic professor.

Physicist > Archaeologist

And Philip wasn't the badassiest...per se. Just the more mentally stronger and intelligent (even if he went to Greenland after receiving a letter from his DEAD father) character.

Soma's protag might probably be very unbalanced.

[LuckyBlackCatXIII]

And Philip was a physic professor.

Physicist > Archaeologist

And Philip wasn't the badassiest...per se. Just the more mentally stronger and intelligent (even if he went to Greenland after receiving a letter from his DEAD father) character.

Soma's protag might probably be very unbalanced.

I'm not arguing which is better/the more intelligent field (that's a given), just saying Daniel was educated too is all!

And about SOMA, from the voice we heard in the trailer? The new character sounds like a weenie...and I love it. I'm really excited to see where the new protagonist goes!

[Cuyir]

Gameplay teaser character is not the protag, they've said so in the blog. That teaser was meant to function as a sort of test demo with some storytelling in it.

[LuckyBlackCatXIII]

Gameplay teaser character is not the protag, they've said so in the blog. That teaser was meant to function as a sort of test demo with some storytelling in it.

Oh damn it, really? I always forget to read their blog. Well now I'm bummed, way to play with my heart, FG! :,(

[Alardem]

Just wanted to ask for elaboration on this part: "more fragile than the likes of men?"

Read carefully: I wrote "THE men". It's a simple observation of the fact that she is less physically resilient than Daniel/Phillip/Mandus (she dies in one hit as far as I know), and that death for her is technically permanent. I never said she was 'frail' mentally. Besides, I'm sure some of you folks already know my position on female protagonists/villains! Alma Wade from F.E.A.R. is, for instance, one of my favorite game characters because of her twisted psychology and evil deeds.

I like Justine's unrepentant sadism and the ambiguity of her background. She openly mocks the idea of salvation by turning it into a game, and she's a counterpoint to the deluded 'philanthropy' of Mandus - one can see her as the exemplification of the immoral aristocracy that Oswald so despised. One can also infer from her being named after one of the Marquis de Sade's most famous works that her sadomasochism may be derived from an inhumane father; that would account for her sociopathic treatment of men as an adult. Finally, the relatively small scale of her evil deeds (a handful of boyfriends and nosy men as opposed to an entire castle or city) serves to make her the most plausible villain in the series - I can buy the story of a twisted libertine much better than an alien sorcerer or a mad-scientist/industrialist.

I'm hoping that the protagonist of SOMA will be a complex woman. Not necessarily an evil one, but perhaps one that will connect with me better than Daniel did. On the blog post for the gameplay trailer, a reply from Thomas Grip to a comment asking about female protagonists does indicate that women will indeed have a role to play in the story of SOMA. That's more than can be said for AMFP where the sole woman is long dead, voiceless, and doesn't even have the courtesy to be a creepy gray lady. :p

Speaking of 'badassery', Phillip IS the only protagonist in the Frictional canon that used weapons and killed monsters. Mandus is a close second with his foolhardy 'heroism', his ability to not faint when looking upon his creations, and that part where he electrifies a piggy with the help of his lantern. :p

[LuckyBlackCatXIII]

Ahhh, I see! Thanks for elaborating on that then, I had a feeling there was miscommunication (on my part ha ha)! I agree with everything you said about her, especially the aristocracy point you made. Also wow, how did I not make that connection to her name and the Marquis de Sade's book after 2 years... Doh!

Seeing the woman in the teasers before (and now knowing Mr. Weenie is just a side character) it would be nice to see that maybe she, or another woman, will be the new protagonist too.