So I know Decked Out 3 isn’t even out yet, but comparing what little we do know to Decked out 2? Specifically from a lore perspective??? It’s Fascinating.
All of DO2’s lore and gameplay revolves around the idea of an isolation that does not want to be disturbed. The players are trespassers in places that are actively falling apart in an attempt to kill them, and if you make too much noise, the Dungeon will release ghosts that eat your face off. The halls are guarded by creatures that attack anything from outside, the main mechanics are “be sneaky so you don’t get caught” and “this place is hostile and dangerous and you really shouldn’t be here”, literally everything wants the players gone by yesterday.
The Deepfrost Citadel did NOT want visitors lol, it wanted to be left alone so bad, and the lore reflects that perfectly! The Hermits played the role of foolish thieves trying to steal treasures from a cursed dungeon, and it worked! It worked so well!!!
But Graywick? Graywick is possessive.
“You’re cordially invited to your own demise” Says the Lord, “Please come, we’d love to have you.” The scariest part is the fact he isn’t lying. The town wants you. The town wants you so badly it will slam its gates shut and lock you in if you stay too long — if you let it get too powerful. The monsters here are twisted echos of citizens and animals and memories that it wouldn’t — couldn’t — let go of, remains of the possessions it refused to release, even after death. It’s open, unhidden, and it loves you like a glutton loves their favorite meal. You’re invited to dinner, says the Vampire, licking his lips, Don’t worry about what’s on the menu.
And, once again, the gameplay seems to reflect this! There’s not as much to work with, but the fact that Clank isn’t a thing anymore really does change the vibe a ton. It implies that the player doesn’t technically have to be sneaky (although given the monsters it’s probably still going to be a big part of the gameplay loop) because they don’t have any reason to sneak around! They’re supposed to be there! The dungeon already knows about them, so there’s no point.
Instead, the threat comes from the internal (Fear) and the Curse (Omen), which, like I already said, will try to trap the player inside instead of forcing them out like the Vex did. Even Fear seems to focus more on slowing the player down and increasing Omen than causing direct harm the way Clank did.
It’s a subtle shift, and a lot of the core is similar, but it gives the games very different vibes!! It really is a testament to Tango’s skill as a developer that he can weave lore and gameplay so seamlessly, even this early on. The games already feel so unique and distinct despite both being Decked Out, I’m really excited to see how things develop :D!
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