I know that the main story is like the main course of a restaurant, but there are those good stories that can be savored in a slightly more restrained way, yet still remain tasty. Therefore, as a developer, I chose 5 sidequests that caught my attention and evoked different emotions when I wrote them. It's good to remember that there may be spoilers at some points, nothing that compromises the main story, but I reveal some details about the sidequests.
1 - Gertrudes (Judy)
I know many people complain because they lose a battle to a poor chicken... or should I say rooster? Well, the battle isn't really as difficult as it seems; just explore the city, and at level 2, the fight becomes easy. It's important to note that it's not possible to finish this sidequest after the Boss Duong battle at the lake. But why is this sidequest about a chicken important? Well, in Order from Caos (2020), there was a chicken near the protagonist's house, and it was the first time I tested how to program a Steam Achievement as a developer. That's why I carry this love for poultry in the series.
2 - Maria
Maria was a sidequest that exhausted me during its creation. There were characters in different places that needed to deal with variables that changed according to the progress of the main plot. It was one of the sidequests that flirted with the darker side since it made sense to have a kind of haunting being exorcised in the churchyard. I also felt that it's important to highlight this sidequest because, upon closer inspection, there's a hint of discussion about each person's role in society. Despite the good relationship between the two involved, they were still reflections of Bratania's society.
3 - All the Viridis are gone
Well... This sidequest is special because it's very complex to complete. The player needs to find almost 30 viridis to achieve this achievement and unlock Alicia's full power. To accomplish this feat, the player must have initially defeated all the viridis. Each defeated viridi releases its completely green counterpart. These are the viridis that cling to our world and refuse to depart. At that moment, the player needs to find it on the map and defeat it, releasing its power for Alicia to use. This sidequest touches my soul because we're talking about Alicia, a girl who discovers her strength by borrowing the powers of beings that are her enemies. Besides, it's a way for her to show how special she is.
4 - Personal Tunnel
I see this sidequest as a tribute to one of my favorite manga authors, Junji Ito. In the game, a man talks about the existence of a personal tunnel that would take the individual's soul to the other world. Indeed, he is a sad and hopeless man. In the end, when you are already in Hell, in the other world, you meet the man again. Indeed, he had a tunnel for himself. It's a more visual reference to Ito's work, but here is the homage.
5 - State of the Art
Oscar is a name signaled several times in some sculptures throughout the game. These monuments can be seen in some cities, usually seen as gifts to the cities. When the player actually finds Oscar, he is debilitated and feels very unappreciated by society, life, and people who can see the value in art and what it represents for human beings. He basically dies without knowing that his art was appreciated. I find this sidequest especially important because it discusses the value we give to the artist who creates the art we consume. He devoted his life to this purpose and left the cities with important symbols for each one. In the end, tragedy was his reward.
Bonus - Strange Symbols
I know I said I would talk about 5 sidequests, but I think it's necessary to talk about this one too. When I created the 5 Primordials, I thought about making a DLC with them, but I decided to delay the game's release by three months to polish it better and deliver as much content as possible. There are five special dungeons along the journey with unique puzzles and the possibility of fighting remnants of the most powerful beings in the Order from Caos 2 universe, at least those presented in the game. It's an optional sidequest, but I strongly suggest doing it because there are subtexts in some sidequests that, when combined, make the player understand the story a little better as a whole. But don't worry. It's possible to understand the main story by playing from start to finish.
I've talked a lot already. I want to thank everyone who was able to play. It's always great to see people playing. Some send me messages here or by email, and I'm happy with all the feedback. I hope you continue to follow me in the next stories. I have some to share with you, my friends.
Until next time.
Renan Barreto
Game Dev
whitevortex.com.br