Diplomacy is an art. It is a delicate balancing act, likened to a dance where two or more opposing sides seek something from another. But in the end, diplomacy is all about compromise. This was something I learned as I played through Greedfall as De Sardet, Legate of the Congregation of Merchants, charming my way through the various factions in order to maintain a semblance of order in the new world of Teer Fradee. 

Releasing in September 2019, it was not a title that had been on my immediate radar. In fact, had I not spied a trailer on YouTube and heard Jane from Outside Xbox mention it on one of the weekly videos, I might have let it fall to the wayside. Fate had other plans and I managed to purchase the game. Intrigued by the setting and the premise behind it, I was eager to see where Spiders would take the game. Thus, it sat on my shelf until the year of COVID-19 rolled around before I finally booted it up to play.

Thrust into the role of De Sardet, cousin of Constantin D’Orsay, the new Governor of New Serene located on the island of Teer Fradee, players are tasked with maintaining relations between the Merchant Congregation and its allies as they set their eyes on a new land. As soon as the game started, I was enamoured by the fashion of the setting. I mean, who doesn’t love a good tricorne hat (previously referred to as ‘cocked hats’)? 

The only issue I had with the game was the jankiness involved with movement and combat. De Sardet seemed to startle forwards and when I released the analog stick, jerked to a stop. Consequently, it felt jarring. Particularly during the early segments as I was trying to adjust to the controls. Then there were the occasions when De Sardet seemed to get stuck on basic geometry, such as a stair. Over time, however, I managed to see past these initial problems and began to thoroughly enjoy shooting my foes and stabbing at them with my rapier. Perfection, it might not have been, but it was certainly serviceable during my battles with the nadaig guardians.

Not being a triple-A studio game, however, meant there was a dip in the lip-syncing and textures that were used in the game. It was nothing that disrupted my enjoyment of the game, but during one of the later cutscenes, I found it somewhat annoying when the camera was out of focus as it bounced from De Sardet and Mev. Then there was the matter of my cloak/ body armour threatening to glitch itself out of existence. Thankfully, this was easily remedied.

Still, despite all my gripes with the technical nature of the game, I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and the characters. While the ending felt a little bit rushed, I liked seeing the different sides of each faction and trying to resolve what I thought were the bad elements with the good. This was particularly evident during my interactions with Theleme – the believers of Saint Matheus. Just like Christianity, many of its followers fell into two camps: the missionaries (seeking to convert the wayward natives) and the Ordo Luminis (a callback to the Spanish Inquisition). What I thoroughly liked about Greedfall was that despite my first impression of Theleme being quite poor as someone who considers themselves an atheist, the Mother Cardinal Cornelia won me over.

On the other hand, the Bridge Alliance enticed me with its focus on science. However, their unethical behaviour and betrayals quickly had me disillusioned. I was thoroughly delighted that at game’s end, they finally saw the wisdom to install an ethics board. Also, Aphra essentially becoming one of the first people in the world to embrace social science was a nice change.

The underlying message in Greedfall also seemed to ring true to someone living in 2020. Through the lens of colonialism, though most of it was dressed up as finding a cure for the malichor (and no sudden declaration of terra nullius), there was still a sense that the Merchant Congregation, Theleme and the Bridge Alliance were superior to the natives of Teer Fradee. Often, they were decried as savages and uncultured. Of course, given the setting of the game, it should come as no surprise.

What was refreshing was how I, the player, could choose to interact with such individuals. And very often, I found myself siding with the natives when it came to disputes.

Greedfall was also very good at highlighting the fact that abuse of the land (and in general climate change) can also be a leading factor in its deterioration. By game’s end, the God of Teer Fradee, En on mil Frichtiman was quick to point out that the malichor came from the people’s abuse of the land’s resources. Only by healing the land could the people be free of the blood plague that dogged their very footsteps. A singular message that rings very true in our current pandemic.

The ending, however, felt a little rushed. But after trying so hard to stop my dear beloved cousin, perhaps it was better that the camera panned upwards after I had stabbed him. After all, what was De Sardet to do after killing the one person she has protected for most of her life. They were basically siblings.

And if anyone knows any good Constantin D’Orsay and De Sardet fanfiction, send me a link!

As for my allies – I found each and one of them unique and useful. Their stories also tied into the greater narrative. In fact, leave Kurt’s personal missions alone and it is possible that he betrays your party during a coup of the Coin Guard. And while Aphra intrigued me, sadly, she was less than useful in my party as I, being the technical genius, already had access to bombs, traps and a slew of guns. Siora, on the other hand, was a main staple in my party. Her ability to provide vigor and her healing prowess was greatly appreciated as I traversed the many maps of Teer Fradee (and for that, I was grateful. The change to big open world maps has made certain games tedious. Although, I did find the loading screens annoying when I had to go from one place to another). Petrus and Vasco were also indispensable, depending on the situation.

But, I would be remiss in forgetting one of the most memorable things about the game. “Things are about to get dicey!” Kurt’s combat line is as memorable as Ignis and his: “I’ve come up with a new recipe.” Or, when playing Kingdom Hearts 3: “This might be a good spot to find some ingredients.”

Let’s not forget how often De Sardet often introduces themselves. It’s on par with: “Sora, Donald and Goofy.” At least, the game only lasted only forty or so hours. If it had been any longer, I might have skipped through most of the conversations.

Greedfall turned out to be a surprising game that I wasn’t sure if I would have liked. In fact, I knew little about the general plot when I bought it except that the setting was in an interesting era when compared to most fantasy role playing titles. And while the combat took a little getting used to, I became thoroughly engrossed in what the game had to offer. With my natural paragon virtues, it was second nature for me to help everyone and elevate myself to the role of highly skilled diplomat of the new world. And if a conversation did not go my way, I was always able to reload my previous save and try again.