Part 88: Bonus Update
One of the great unsolved mysteries of the universe is exactly how much of Virtue's Last Reward's dialogue is dynamically altered by the order in which you play paths. As I'm sure we're all realizing, this is a story experience shaped as much by the order of events as the events themselves, where the way you progress through the flowchart and what you know colours what you see. We're discovering a meta-narrative, with meta-twists, of which the first is our gradual realization that jumping around in the flowchart is not just a videogame contrivance; it's a plot point.
This is what Uchikoshi does. But I digress.
As I was saying, there are bits in this game that are static, and bits that change depending on order, and at times it is most unclear which is which. This is mostly because of the combined effect of two things: First, there is as of yet no way to obtain text dumps from 3DS/Vita games. Perhaps this will change in time, but not yet. Second, actually experimenting with playthroughs of this game is extremely arduous. It just takes too long once you pass a certain depth on the flowchart and depending on the distance betweeen points you want to compare. And you can't use fastforward because testing for first-time-through exclusive states by definition requires a fresh save.
Fortunately, the particular part of the game we've just seen is relatively early on, and it turns out helpful forums poster Admiral H. Curtiss had a stereo-out cable and some time on his hands, so here we are; some alternate dialogue! I took the liberty of pasting in my usual talking heads and guessing at who had what expression on when. And all the voice clips are included because a) Siggyyyyyyyyy! and b) Tara Platt actually gets a bit angry here.
Cool as this is, don't expect this to become a habit; it gets increasingly more of a pain the further we play. But for now, enjoy.
---
First off, betraying Alice the first time through:
Listen in: [English]
I... did the right thing, right?
What do you mean?
You know what I mean. You were right there. You watched me choose "betray".
Oh... Well, what choice did you have? That's the kind of game this is.
...
Yo! Wasssuuuuuuuup?
Siggyyyyyyyyy!
Phidooooo!
Hey!
What're you kids doing over there!
We're about to announce the results!
Let's go.
We'll find out if you made the right choice.
All right.
[results]
Listen in (really recommended): [English]
*slap*
*slap*
Ouch...
Huh... That was quite a smack.
What the hell is wrong with you?!
Don't you realize what you've done?!
Of course.
We chose "betray".
Hence the slaps.
Right?
*slap*
*slap*
Come on now, I think once was enough.
A thousand times wouldn't be enough!
I don't think you understand just how bad this is!
I'm sorry...
This isn't the kind of thing you can just apologize for!
Then...what am I supposed to do?
The fact that you're even asking that question is insane!
How stupid are you...?
...
Alice, why did you choose "ally"?
Can you even hear yourself? It's almost like you're saying I'm the idiot for choosing "ally"!
We didn't say that...
Haven't you ever heard of the prisoner's dilemma?!
...
...
We have.
Then why, for fuck's sake, did you choose "betray"?!
We all get out of here the quickest if everyone chooses "ally".
Any idiot can see that!
So... why did you...?
...
...
I'm sorry...
Really, I feel terrible. So--
Forget it.
I'm never going to trust you or Phi again. You'll pay for this.
Okay then, let's go back and ally with her!
[boo-eee-oop!]
Listen in: [English]
What the hell were you thinking?
Did you hear anything I said?
Yeah, I was, and yeah, I did. That's why I chose "ally".
You told me that unless we were sure Alice would choose "ally" we had to vote "betray".
That means that if we do know Alice is going to pick "ally". we can too.
So you're sure you know what she voted?
Yeah. I guarantee Alice chose "ally."
How do you know that...?
...
...
I guess you could say I just know.
You making fun of me?
Maybe.
...
Yo! Wasssuuuuuuuup?
Siggyyyyyyyyy!
Phidooooo!
Hey!
What're you kids doing over there!
We're about to announce the results!
Let's go.
We'll find out if you made the right choice.
All right.
[results]
Listen in: [English]
Hey! Alice! What the hell is this?!
Excuse me?
I just made the most rational choice.
The best way to minimize risk and maximize reward in this situation is to choose "betray".
Anyone who thinks otherwise is... well... An idiot.
But last time you chose "ally" for this round!
So...I was sure you'd... That's why I...
No... Why...
W-Wait a minute...
Last time?
What on Earth are you talking about?
...
I thought you said you were sure.
...
Thanks to you, now our BP is down to 1.
...
I take it Sigma was the one who made the decision?
Yeah.
Is that so. Well, he must be awfully naive.
Who bets on a complete stranger like that?
I agree.
...
Goddammit...