T3K #2 - Triangle Strategy (2): Compelling Choice in Unsubtle Themes

Last time we talked about Triangle Strategy's combat, so let's talk about how it handles narrative!

Triangle Strategy is not a subtle about its themes and interviews with producers Tomoya Asano and Yasuaki Arai reveal a real desire to convey a complicated story as simply as possible. The three kingdoms map to a philosophy of how one should be a leader. On paper, the kingdoms play in par medieval fantasy tropes between a northern snowy territory, wide-field knight kingdom, and a hot desert kingdom.

Where Triangle Strategy elevates itself is in the choices it gives players. Constant small choices in every dialogue and exploration scene builds up to major choices at the Scales of Conviction with pretty wide narrative branching. Each decision helps a player sculpt their Serenoa and how he will respond to structural power. It's really bold!

So let's do a deep dive! (Read More away!)

'Convictions' as Character Motivation

Three 'Convictions' make up the themes at the core of the game: Morality, Liberty and Utility.

Morality centers on following duty to others and avoiding unneeded bloodshed in the height of war. It maps to Glenbrook, styled in a northern open field kingdom that Serenoa calls home. Glenbrook has a hero king that helped end the great war  a generation before and welcomed persecuted people into the kingdom. Surely the juggling act the king does to keep the peace will never go wrong.

Liberty ​is about chasing ambition and seeking the power to make it realized. It maps to Aesfrost, a snowy northern kingdom with extremely cool scarlet coats and dramatic iron projects. Aesfrost is, supposedly, heralded as a place where the citizenry are free. Also, the current leader appointed his family to positions of power, it's fine.

Utility follows thoughts on practicality, minimizing personal risk, and making necessary sacrifices to continue on. It is represented by Hyzante, a desert kingdom with the main monopoly holder on salt, the major resource everybody wars over. It provides generously for its citizens who believe in its central faith, led by 7 figures who are all pretty suave. Hyzante also ardently persecutes the Roselle and sends them to work and die at the salt mines.

All dialogue choices map to the convictions as best they can, basically how cynical you are about the world

All the writing center on how these conviction are interpreted by various characters. Of the playable cast, the three are represented by Frederica, Roland, and Benedict as they make proposals to deal with major decisions for Serenoa to make. 

A fun side note is that producer Arai note in an interview with Destructoid the lack of permadeath in combat was core to weaving character focused story in a tactics game. Death outside narrative would really hurt a curated story and I feel more campaign story games could do to get rid of permadeath to uncomplicate which characters might still be alive. ​

Issues with the Roselle & Hyzante

A very direct to the player opening about a central arc of the game.

Before we really dive into the narrative systems, we gotta talk about weird medieval fantasy tropes. Hyzante is the kingdom I find the most compelling as a force of tension but also grew critical of as time passed from finishing a playthrough of the game.

Hyzante as constructed as a middle eastern aesthetic country and serving as the home of most dark skinned character goes directly to exoticism.

​The faith of Hyzante begins to pull on real religious tradition through how its practiced. Followers methodically pray toward the direction of the Source each day.

All on its own I would say its fraught and leave it at that.

​But then the Roselle.

A very targeted choice in iconography of the Hyzante clothing

The 'you're born with original sin' sermon given by a clear villain really underscores its a moment of oppression

A major aspect of the convictions is that each sits in relation to the explicit religious persecution of the Roselle. On paper, I think it's fair to examine how oppression of the marginalized is tied to countries wielding military strength. In practice? I have critiques.

The Roselle are the underclass of Hyzante through a religious myth building that says they committed some original sin and deserve to rot in the salt mines forever. The Hyzante make constant calls that all Roselle should be forced back to Hyzante to atone. Very early on it's understood that this religious persecution is morally reprehensible and ironic off the supposed 'equality' of care of Hyzante citizens.

My primary issue with the Roselle framing is their visual theme. The Roselle have pink hair which seems to pull on the color of Himalayan rock salt, which.. feels very corny. It's a fantasy trope in an otherwise very restrained and grounded game. But I think the Hyzante leadership being dark skinned folk oppressing the fair-skinned, pink hair Roselle leaves a very bad taste. It uncritically plays into aspects of colorism in who (visually) is the oppressed and the oppressor.

Jerrom is both absurdly handsome but also eyebrow raising in light skinned-ness

The proposition I would do is honestly just shift Hyzante to be inspired by the Vatican instead and weave in the current Hyzante design as its own culture into the world. Hyzante leans pretty close to old testament original sin that could've been used as the 'Church is Evil' pull instead.

There's also just a glaring choice of paleness of the rest of the world against the contrast of Hyzante being where all dark skinned characters (friendly and foe) hail from.

The major defense I will give to Triangle Strategy is that the question of liberation of the Roselle is a major plot resolution. If the Roselle were left to the margins of the story it would be really hard to let the thematics sit as well as they have for me. Frederica is a constant voice speaking and advocating for herself and her people which is really strong.

Frederica's fire in calling out the neutrality of others in helping the marginalized is very appreciated

Serenoa will remember that.

Throughout Triangle Strategy several exploration segments will occur. These are moments where Serenoa can talk with NPCs, be an RPG hero and break into a house to grab some of their money, and find out strategically important information (more on this later with the Scales of Conviction). All of these actions reinforce the Conviction system!

An interesting twist to the Convictions is how much the system is actually obfuscated on first playthrough. In the opening chapters, you're told:

• 3 Convictions guide the world and Serenoa
• Dialogue choices may increase the value of a conviction
• Certain actions may increase the value of a conviction

The lone prompt about the Convictions for the first playthrough

Note the vagueness of it, intentional from the developers. The player is only made aware that the game is tracking actions across the game, but not told what increases each Conviction. In fact, any action that increases a Conviction is simply told to you with a vague popup that a conviction strengthened.

This is a really artful touch for encouraging a player to perform along to the thematics, but not telling if the role is being played right for a Morality-centered Serenoa or if you're leading him to be a cynical pragmatist. There's a real comedy to  the simple conviction increase prompt like moments where pestering all 6 guards in front of a gate returns a response.

On NG+ the game formally pulls the curtain back on its systems and allow the player to transparently manipulate the conviction values. Each dialogue marks which choice will increase which of the 3 convictions, and all the actions in exploration are itemized under one of the three. It really goes to show the careful consideration they considered for immersion on the first run through the game.

Numbers are made visible for the player in NG+

Theatre of the Scales of Conviction

Behold! Democracy! Except when there's ties then you just decide it.

Scales of Conviction! Use it to decide the toppings of your pizza! The Scales is easily one of my favorite systems to come out of Triangle Strategy. 

At multiple points throughout the story, Serenoa will have to make difficult decisions about how to move forward. Members of House Wolffort will present 2-3 options that align directly with one of the 3 convictions (which is not explicitly noted).

Should we claim this castle by cornering their forces and negotiating a truce? What if we sneak in and take out their commanding officers? What if we just flood the whole area and pay no mind to collateral?

There's a whole elaborate leadup to a decision that feels momentous as a case is made for each choice. The seven key allies of Serenoa make their vote between the options presented. This is where finding strategic information in explore segments comes to fruition! 

Serenoa can attempt to convince each of the 7 voters to change their vote to another option. This is done through a similar 3-choice dialogue done with NPCs in explore segments. The key difference is that the third option in these convince dialogues is always locked initially. If Serenoa talked to or interacted with key information before this third option is unlocked as a dialogue choice. 

In another good choice of obfuscation, the results of your attempt to persuade someone is also not made explicit until the voting process is over. You are told if the character is deep in thought or unmoved by your attempt to change their mind, but their portrait is moved to Undecided in the voting HUD.

The act of convincing a character is also not made too simple. The unlocked option is explicitly not always the correct option to move someone from their position and requires reading the context and who you're speaking to. You can't just pick the unlocked 'We Have A Cool Kill Machine' option when talking to Frederica when she's arguing for negotiation over continued war.

It's incredibly funny to try to convince all 7 voters and forget how well you did for each

Serenoa's convictions also play a major influence. Each choice at the Scales belongs to one of the 3 convictions, made explicit by the color coordination tied to the choice. When you attempt to convince someone from their default choice, it's made easier or harder depending on Serenoa's own values. If you're like me, you'll find yourself locked into certain choices due to defining a specific Serenoa up to a vote.

The results of the Scales of Conviction choices end with ambitious branching of content as well. The theatre of the Scales would shatter if the levels were identical with different choices but they went steps ahead and sculpted unique maps and new narrative spotlights that are responding to the different choice taken.

The scope of Triangle Strategy is truly refined in a way I'm impressed by and I'm very excited to see what Asano, Arai, ArtDink and Square Enix work on next!