Optional Content Isn't Really Optional | Semi-Ramblomatic
Added 2025-10-16 15:01:59 +0000 UTCThis week's episode of Semi-Ramblomatic is now available!
Comments
I'm fond of the Hollow Knight approach where among the rewards for hunting down all the extra content is a hidden extra harder version of the final boss. I'm inclined to be a completionist in general, so I tend to think that games like Hollow Knight and Arkham Knight that put content rewards like extra endings behind doing everything are just treating me well in the first place, but of those two examples, Hollow Knight's format has a more satisfying arc of difficulty curving up to the True Final Boss. (I'm not sure I like the Silksong structure quite as much, but the ratio of content in total versus the content just required to roll credits once is *impressively* large)
Anders Carlson
2025-10-17 00:28:54 +0000 UTCGreat vid! Definitely agree that the term "optional" is really dumb for gaming. I really think it depends a whole lot on the game. BioShock is pretty linear, and once you get to the end, you can be pretty certain that it's really the end and that you didn't skip anything appurtenant to the main story. A replay would've yielded relatively little variation, and the gameplay is great but didn't really feel worth jumping back in. Baldur's Gate 3, on the other hand, has so many bits and bobs that add to the story that I unintentionally missed a solid 50% on my first playthrough. I still got an ending, but I knew it was incomplete. Plus I didn't get to try all the classes, discover item synergies, and me with the game mechanics as much as I wanted to in that first run. Replaying it gave me a chance to discover more story alongside new gameplay mechanics. So I guess the differentiating factor for me is the variability of the core gameplay. If a game is gonna feel the same the second time (or through a series of side missions that exist solely to add narrative meat) and I'm just doing it for a different story, it's tough to justify that level of repetition.
Squizzie Squizzerton
2025-10-16 21:13:14 +0000 UTC
