GGGB vs ORS: Cast

This is the final post I had planned in the series of articles about GGGB vs ORS. I've talked about many elements of what constitutes both games and my process on creating them, and last one is the cast of characters.

GGGB has a very large cast, so much so some of the characters had to fade on the background because I had no time or resources to keep them relevant in an ever more complex narrative. ORS isn’t exactly short on characters, but a lot more planning went into designing them and plotting their relationships and interactions between them.

GGGB’s characters are closer to the archetypes we easily recognize in contemporary media, and their main goal is to serve as a plot device for the player to play and explore. However, that’s only half the fun, and I always like to give some depth and entity to my characters. That’s especially interesting when said characters can be influenced by the player, transforming them in unexpected ways. So I couldn’t resist writing Jack to have a soft spot you could end up relating with, or giving Jessica a redemption arc through a wholesome lesbian relationship with Ashley.

ORS tries to make character’s personalities integral to the plot devices they represent. I want all of them to have their reasons, feelings and motivations to do what they do and be how they are, so you can understand them even if you don’t like them at all. They relate to each other without the player having to always be catalyst, and some dislike each other, or will form relationships with one another if left to their own devices (like Alison and Jeremy, for example). Those relationships between NPCs also affect the plot in an impactful way, like Louise’s and Jeremy’s relationship, that you can make or break as Lena, and depending on your choice more than a few things will change in the story... I’ve also tried to link those characters more clearly with the themes I wanted to explore, that way I feel all of them will be interesting, even if it’s for the wrong reasons...

Who were your favourite cast members from GGGB? Do you find any similarities between the casts of both games? And who do you relate to more, find more interesting or enjoyed interacting with more?

And did you find this series of articles interesting? Is anything else you'd like me to write about regarding game development? Let mew know in the comments!

Other posts on GGGB vs ORS series:

Gameplay

Main Characters

Themes

Structure

Themes (2)

Art