So I know Decked Out 3 isnāt even out yet, but comparing what little we do know to Decked out 2? Specifically from a lore perspective??? Itās Fascinating.
All of DO2ās 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 ābe sneaky so you donāt get caughtā and āthis place is hostile and dangerous and you really shouldnāt be hereā, 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.
āYouāre cordially invited to your own demiseā Says the Lord, āPlease come, weād love to have you.ā The scariest part is the fact he isnāt 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 ā if you let it get too powerful. The monsters here are twisted echos of citizens and animals and memories that it wouldnāt ā couldnāt ā let go of, remains of the possessions it refused to release, even after death. Itās open, unhidden, and it loves you like a glutton loves their favorite meal. Youāre invited to dinner, says the Vampire, licking his lips, Donāt worry about whatās on the menu.
And, once again, the gameplay seems to reflect this! Thereās not as much to work with, but the fact that Clank isnāt a thing anymore really does change the vibe a ton. It implies that the player doesnāt technically have to be sneaky (although given the monsters itās probably still going to be a big part of the gameplay loop) because they donāt have any reason to sneak around! Theyāre supposed to be there! The dungeon already knows about them, so thereās 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.
Itās 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 Tangoās 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, Iām really excited to see how things develop :D!
