Does anyone remember The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past? I'm sure you do.
Do you remember exploring Hyrule one day and finding a little grove near Kakariko Village where there was a boy playing a tune on his flute? Little animals were gathered around a tree stump in the center of the grove. The boy sat on the stump playing away on his flute, but when you tried to approach him, all of the animals scattered and the boy disappeared into the ether.
At first my reaction was "What the hell? Where did he go?" Later in the game, after I had completed all of the dungeons in the Light World, I was wandering through the dark world and happened to recognize where I was. I was at the same grove that was in the Light world, except, there was no music, there were no animals, there was only a lonely monster upon a stump in the center of the grove.
"Hello, I wandered into a portal and was quickly transformed into this state. When I was Human, I used to play my flute all the time here. Before I came to this world, I buried my flute with some flower seeds. would you mind finding it for me?" the boy hands me a shovel.
"Okay, so that explains the disappearing act."
I honor the boy's request and return to the light world. I find the flute and return the boy.
"Is that my flute? Ugh....My mind is feeling a bit hazy... I don't think I have much time left. Would you please let me hear the sound of my flute one last time before I lose my mind completely?"
I play the flute for him. And what happens next is what really got to me. The boy died by transforming into a tree.
The fact that the game tied the flute to the boy's death made the flute's song that much more sad.
See for yourself.
Why don't games make more moments like this? After all these years, this scene still stuck in my mind throughout my life. (Partly because I played this game religiously as a kid XD)
A character that is supposed to play an important role, such as giving you an important item or helping you move to the next area, should have more depth than a few lines of text and a little movement. If you make us form a small bond to these characters it makes the reward from them that much more enjoyable.
Does anyone agree with me?
Do you remember exploring Hyrule one day and finding a little grove near Kakariko Village where there was a boy playing a tune on his flute? Little animals were gathered around a tree stump in the center of the grove. The boy sat on the stump playing away on his flute, but when you tried to approach him, all of the animals scattered and the boy disappeared into the ether.
At first my reaction was "What the hell? Where did he go?" Later in the game, after I had completed all of the dungeons in the Light World, I was wandering through the dark world and happened to recognize where I was. I was at the same grove that was in the Light world, except, there was no music, there were no animals, there was only a lonely monster upon a stump in the center of the grove.
"Hello, I wandered into a portal and was quickly transformed into this state. When I was Human, I used to play my flute all the time here. Before I came to this world, I buried my flute with some flower seeds. would you mind finding it for me?" the boy hands me a shovel.
"Okay, so that explains the disappearing act."
I honor the boy's request and return to the light world. I find the flute and return the boy.
"Is that my flute? Ugh....My mind is feeling a bit hazy... I don't think I have much time left. Would you please let me hear the sound of my flute one last time before I lose my mind completely?"
I play the flute for him. And what happens next is what really got to me. The boy died by transforming into a tree.
The fact that the game tied the flute to the boy's death made the flute's song that much more sad.
See for yourself.
Why don't games make more moments like this? After all these years, this scene still stuck in my mind throughout my life. (Partly because I played this game religiously as a kid XD)
A character that is supposed to play an important role, such as giving you an important item or helping you move to the next area, should have more depth than a few lines of text and a little movement. If you make us form a small bond to these characters it makes the reward from them that much more enjoyable.
Does anyone agree with me?