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 What is this? quote:Blade Runner is a 1997 point-and-click adventure game developed by Westwood Studios. The game is not a direct adaptation of the 1982 Ridley Scott film Blade Runner, but is instead a "sidequel", telling an original story, which runs parallel to the film's plot, occasionally intersecting with it. We play the story as Ray McCoy, a rookie Blade Runner who shares his apartment with his pet dog, Maggie. The story starts off with an investigation into animal murder with strong leads to replicant involvement. The protagonist of the original film does not make an appearance but he is referenced several times. Apparently, Harrison Ford was contacted about making a cameo in the game but they never received a response. There's a lot that can be said about this game, which I'll reserve for other times as I don't want to bloat the OP. Let's Play Details (Edit: I forgot to mention that I'll be playing the GOG version which not only has subtitles, it also has an option to enable restored content that wasn't included in the original game. I've decided to enable this content for this Let's Play, hopefully we will get to see the game in a different light and hopefully, it won't break the game. I can't find a complete list of what has actually been restored but there is a list of notable changes on the ScummVM wiki. There is also a thread on the GOG forums where on of the ScummVM developers discusses the additions along with inputs from other forum members) This is going to be a video LP and I'll be doing commentary as I play through the game. There are five variables that are made as soon as a new game is started and can determine the final outcome of the game depending on which path that we follow. According to the strategy game, there are six endings that we can achieve. Some of these endings will change depending on the variables and the decisions that we make throughout the game I bought the strategy guide for this LP so I will refer to it from time to time and will upload shots\scans periodically. It contains comprehensive descriptions of the characters, game mechanics, a detailed walkthrough, a detailed endings list and some interesting facts of certain things that the developers incorporated into the game. I'm planning on doing two complete LP's of this game with partial LP's being planned for other endings. Right now I'm doing guesswork, things will mostly change along the line when I have a better idea about the scope of things. There are ways to end the game prematurely which I will try to record and put into a standalone video. I'll also try to put together any other interesting footage together that isn't included in the main playthrough if I'm able to. All I know at the moment is that I'm going to be playing a whole lot of Blade Runner. Let's Play: Blade Runner          Let's Play: Blade Runner (Sympathizer)          Let's Play: Blade Runner (Escaping The City)   Bonus Videos Act 1 - Additional Scenes & Dialogue Act 2 - Additional Scenes & Dialogue Act 3 - Additional Scenes & Dialogue Act 4 - Additional Scenes & Dialogue Act 5 - Additional Scenes & Dialogue Cut Content Endings Part 1 (Escaping The City) Endings Part 2 (Moonbus) McCoy Behind Bars McCoy's Death Scenes Sitcom & Shorty Mode Voight-Kampff - Bob Gorsky Voight-Kampff - Dektora (Human) Voight-Kampff - Dektora (Replicant) Voight-Kampff - Lucy (Human) Voight-Kampff - Lucy (Replicant) Voight-Kampff - Runciter Voight-Kampff - Spencer Gregorian Strategy Guide Scans Character Profiles Movie Buffs Questionable People Rocket Baby Dolls fucked around with this message at 13:25 on Jan 31, 2022 |
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Oct 15, 2021 19:22
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Looking forward to seeing this, I bounced off this game a couple of times when I was younger, didn't even know there were multiple endings possible. Also CSI has nothing on that zoom and enhance and pan and around corners
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Oct 15, 2021 21:01
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In fairness, that poo poo was in the original movie as well, and it made no sense there either.
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Oct 15, 2021 21:45
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According to the original film, this technology has been around for two years already. If I remember correctly, "Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?" was originally set in 1992.
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Oct 15, 2021 22:27
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I'm so happy you're trying out the Restored Content version and it looks like it's the latest revision of it (that comes with ScummVM 2.5.0), so that's even better! There's still lots of work to be done; things to be restored, and some logic to be reworked to fit them better. But these days I'm so overworked and to be honest a bit burned out with Blade Runner stuff, so I'm again taking some time until I feel better enough to continue. I've much enjoyed your previous LPs so I'll be definitely watching this one. I'm also interested on how it goes from a technical perspective, so I'll be noting any bugs with the game, the subtitles and restored content. So, let me know if I can help with such. Have a great playthrough(s)!
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Oct 16, 2021 10:04
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AbstractNapper posted:I'm so happy you're trying out the Restored Content version and it looks like it's the latest revision of it (that comes with ScummVM 2.5.0), so that's even better! I hope that you're taking good care of yourself and taking off as much time from things until you are feeling better. I've just been reading through the notes on things to be restored and I've noticed that there was another ending cut from the original game. I probably should have read these notes more extensively before I recorded the first video as I said that Dino disappears shortly into the game, the notes say that he now remains  Thank you for your kind words! You were extremely helpful in my Beneath A Steel Sky LP. Hopefully, I can put this game to the test for you. I'm still not sure how I'm going to approach this LP. The first run is going to be going fairly down the middle of the road and I'm thinking about doing two concurrent runs going down two different and extreme routes.
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Oct 16, 2021 12:04
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Always wanted to see this in action. Anxious to see how it turns out.
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Oct 16, 2021 19:25
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The random variables in this game are going to be the death of me. I've just done a test run for another recording and I ended up running around, back and forth, for several minutes in an effort to make a character appear so I could advance the plot. It was during this test run where I had to make several decisions of where I'm taking the first LP, I still need to work out how I'm going to handle the subsequent playthroughs.quote:The designers wanted the game to feature a great deal of random elements, with the idea being that no two playthroughs would be the same, and no walkthrough would be able to cover every possible eventuality or every possible combination of random events. deleted because of spoilers. Which redacted characters is a replicant is randomized every time the player plays the game, and their behavior is different each playthrough based upon whether or not they are human. Due to the random nature of the game, the script swelled to 500 pages, and the quality assurance people had to play through the game 2,500 times to experience every possible variation. Jobbo_Fett posted:Always wanted to see this in action. Anxious to see how it turns out. You're going to see how this turns out at least a dozen times my friend!
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Oct 16, 2021 23:49
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Rocket Baby Dolls posted:You're going to see how this turns out at least a dozen times my friend! Sweet!
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Oct 17, 2021 00:08
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I've always wondered just how varied this could be game over game. Guess this will give me some idea!
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Oct 17, 2021 19:58
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This looks interesting! I read the old LP on the archive years ago, but I remember very little, and certainly didn't remember how many variables there are. As a side note, your commentary seems noticeably quieter than the game audio.
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Oct 17, 2021 21:07
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azren posted:As a side note, your commentary seems noticeably quieter than the game audio. I'll do some tweaking before the next recording session. Thank you for the feedback.
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Oct 17, 2021 22:12
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I'm trying to record a second update but I've been having some graphical issues. I've already re-recorded the first couple of minutes because one of the characters glitched momentarily and it looks like I'm going to have to record another section as well. Either I'll have to put together a patched up video or re-record the whole thing completely as this also happened:
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Oct 18, 2021 14:27
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I like that the game goes into the cultural significance of animals in the setting, which the movie kind of alludes to but never mentions. In the novel (which I really need to reread, it's one hell of a trip) owning animals is a major status symbol what with them all being mostly exctinct, the larger and more exotic the animal, the better. The comment about no self respecting person owning an electric animal is funny, since in the book many (if not most) animals people keep are in fact artificial since real animals are extremely rare and expensive, but it is also considered extremely taboo to ask if someones animal is in fact fake , so everyone is kind of in on the charade. Hence the title "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?".
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Oct 18, 2021 15:15
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In this episode, we follow up the lead at Howie Lee's, speak to some interesting people and then head home to our favourite girl. We then wake up to another busy day in the life of a Blade Runner. I'm not entirely happy with my commentary in this video as I stutter several times but after a few false starts and having to abandon two complete recordings because of graphical glitches, I'm ready to call this as being good enough and wanting to move on to the next part. I've tweaked the volume and the ambient sounds down several notches, if it needs some more tweaking then please let me know.
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Oct 18, 2021 23:07
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Volume balance sounds good to me. So you mentioned that who is a replicant is random, is it the case that if Zuben attacks you then he's confirmed a replicant, or could you retire a human by accident here?
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Oct 19, 2021 11:47
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Frijin posted:Volume balance sounds good to me. iirc its self-defense, so you're in the clear.
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Oct 19, 2021 12:05
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Frijin posted:Volume balance sounds good to me. There are a few characters who are replicants regardless of the variables as these characters are linked directly to the main plot. Zuben is one of them, I'm not going to spoil exactly how many there are at this point in time. There are five particular characters who's fates are determined at the start of each game. At least one of them definitely will be a replicant and at least one of them who definitely won't be. If you take the route that I took, Zuben will always approach you with a cleaver. There are, I believe, a couple of different ways that you can handle that particular situation. If you get knocked over, stop to chat or don't pursue Zuben at all, he won't appear in the upstairs room if you take too long to reach it. Jobbo_Fett posted:iirc its self-defense, so you're in the clear. There is this, but we could also try to diffuse the situation too. Violence isn't always the answer.
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Oct 19, 2021 13:00
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It always boggled my mind how just 11 people, in the late 90s, could make a game engine that makes each playthrough as unique as it is. Even if I go read through the C++ code, it makes no loving sense - it's basically just magic. Speaking of that randomness, does the line "You be good, killer" only occur when you've retired your first replicant? I think I've had that whole conversation play without it, but it's been decades, so I don't remember for sure. Also, "Portrait Of The Sleep Deprived" has been living in my head, rent-free, since 1997 - and it regularly pops back into my consciousness.
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Oct 19, 2021 14:57
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Sorry to hear about the recording issues. It's always frustrating to re-record multiple times. I've never had that glitch occur for me, so I'll guess it's a recording software issue or maybe a combo of the recording app and ScummVM not cooperating that well. But the commentary seemed fine to me. One thing I'd note -- and I'm unsure if the strategy guide mentions it at all -- is about checkbox option in KIA for "Designers Cut". This option has nothing to do with Restored Content mode; it's been there from the original game. Checking it results in skipping a few of McCoy's thoughts, mainly through Act 1. I am not quite sure why the developers put that in. I think I've read somewhere that since one may do multiple playthroughs, the option (when checked) would enable the player to go through some of the dialog/narration faster. My own theory was that they wanted to have a version of the game similar the Director's Cut of the movie (1992), which removed all(?) of Deckard's voiceovers. In any case, this option was apparently never fully implemented. It mostly affects Act 1 and then very little from the rest of the game. I thought I'd mention this since there's some flavour text there, that you miss out if you have it checked, and so I personally prefer the option being disabled (unchecked state). It may be something for a future playthrough.
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Oct 19, 2021 14:58
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I'm planning on starting a concurrent playthrough next so I'll make sure to uncheck the Designers Cut option when I do. I was going to try and make it as different as I could from this run, so doing that will make it even more unique. I should have done the Voight-Kampff test on Runciter in the first recording but I was unsure of the direction that I was taking things at the time. I'll do it this time around as well as checking out the shooting range. There's not a whole lot that I will be able to do differently in the first video but I will do what I can.
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Oct 19, 2021 15:47
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Maggie is a good girl. 
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Oct 19, 2021 16:03
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This is the start of the "Sympathizer" run, the name will make more sense the more that it continues on. I've included the introduction and have explained game mechanics again, I probably didn't need too but I'm treating this as its own entity. If you want to skip the intro then start the video at around the 6:40 mark. There are two big differences in this video compared to the first run, I decided to use the Voight-Kampff test on Runciter and I had a go on the shooting range. I skipped out on some of the optional explorations as well as a couple of optional hotspots, other than that there's no difference between collecting the evidence and examining it back at the station. This video also ends at the same point as the first video from the original run. I've also just noticed that both videos are exactly the same length, which was completely unintentional. Fat Samurai posted:Maggie is a good girl.
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Oct 20, 2021 11:30
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I spent way too much time in that shooting range when I was younger.
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Oct 20, 2021 12:01
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Wow, I'd forgotten about this game. I remember spending so many afternoons between this, King's Quest VI, and Gabriel Knight 2 Beast Within. I'm torn between following the Let's Play and purchasing it myself for that nostalgia high.
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Oct 20, 2021 18:14
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TitusGroen posted:Wow, I'd forgotten about this game. I remember spending so many afternoons between this, King's Quest VI, and Gabriel Knight 2 Beast Within. I'm torn between following the Let's Play and purchasing it myself for that nostalgia high. If you're wanting that nostalgia high then it's available to buy here: https://www.gog.com/game/blade_runner Feel free to check out the LP either way though, I'll be playing through this game at least a dozen times for different scenarios and endings.
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Oct 20, 2021 23:16
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I know that I haven't made a schedule on updates, I'm making updates as and when I have free time to devote to them. I'm heading to Scotland tomorrow morning until Monday evening. It's also the school holidays here next week so my time will be limited for a while. I'll try to record another update early next week but there are no promises going to be made. The next update is going to be the second part of the Sympathizer run so it should be pretty straightforward. There's only going to be a few differences compared to the other playthrough, there's only going to be some small changes but it will be the first time that we see go down a different branch of the storyline.
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Oct 21, 2021 10:37
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Netflix has Blade Runner (the final cut) in its US service and I'm watching it again. The influence of the movie really shines in this LP. Also, Edward James Olmos was easy to pick out but it's crazy to see him significantly younger.
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Oct 22, 2021 06:38
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How delightful that you are doing parallel runs! This is a treat. Please take all the time you need.
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Oct 25, 2021 14:03
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This is the second part of the Sympathizer playthrough. I had a long trip down from Scotland today but thought that I would attempt a recording and even though I'm a little tired and my voice is a bit spotty, I decided to go ahead with this. I was initially worried that this was going to be almost identical to the other apart from a couple of key moments, but I was fortunate that I was able to trigger several alternate lines of dialogue in places. It's also at this point in the game where we start to hear McCoy's inner monologue come through. sb hermit posted:Netflix has Blade Runner (the final cut) in its US service and I'm watching it again. The influence of the movie really shines in this LP. I'm surprised how many of the original actors reprised their roles in the game. Ford apparently had a horrible time filming the original Blade Runner and didn't even respond to their request for a cameo. He seemed to have gotten over it by the time the sequel came about though. peachsynapse posted:How delightful that you are doing parallel runs! This is a treat. Please take all the time you need. I'm in no rush to get through them all, I just like to be transparent about things.
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Oct 25, 2021 22:41
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re: Password Strength, it could be as tough or as strict as Tyrell (or the IT dept.) want it to be. Otherwise, especially for a personal PC, a password that simple would still be fine.
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Oct 26, 2021 01:16
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I really ought to move that "Any idea it they were real dogs?" line elsewhere. It's a restored line, and I think he's supposed to say it to the photographer, but the photographer does not have a good matching response iirc. It could be banter talk --there are some generic lines there, and re-usable some lines from what I call the "information system" which is a mechanic that was almost completely cut from the game. I should check if it would sound better with one of those.
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Oct 27, 2021 20:05
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I'm going to attempt another recording over the weekend, the latest that I'll have something up is Monday. It's the school holidays here and I've not had a lot of free time to put something together. I'm going to try to take some scans of the strategy guide over the next few days too. One thing that the strategy guide mentions is that with some of the variables there is an early indicator of wether they are a replicant or human. The strategy guide also lists seven people as being 'Questionable', six of them affect the plot of the playthrough. I originally said five, which is what I read online while putting this LP together.
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Oct 29, 2021 15:29
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Not to speculate too much on what a sympathizer run might mean  but a blade runner would be hard to take seriously as one.
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Oct 30, 2021 22:30
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This is video three of, well, I don't really know if I should give this run a title. The strategy guide calls this route as "playing as a Blade Runner". This part of the game plays out mostly the same way through either of the three main routes, there's only one potential difference and that is down to a "questionable". In this video, McCoy returns to the Tyrell Pyramids and meets with one of his representatives who you may recognise from the film. He also pays a visit to Animoid Row to follow up on a couple of leads and ends up getting involved in a local dispute that goes a little unexpectedly. Kibayasu posted:Not to speculate too much on what a sympathizer run might mean If you're going to be a replicant sympathizer then it does make sense to pursue a career as a Blade Runner temporarily, especially while all of this is going down. You're in the best place to sabotage the ongoing investigations and be in a good position to provide them with law enforcement intel to aid their cause.
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Oct 30, 2021 22:56
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I'm going to attempt another recording tomorrow. For now, I thought that I'd upload pictures that I took of and inside the strategy guide. I'm not too worried about them being professional shots, as long as they can be read is good enough for me. I thought that I'd start out with the cover and with a few of the character profiles of a few people that we met in the first video:     
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Nov 1, 2021 15:33
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In this video, McCoy explores Animoid Row and then returns to the police station to speak to a couple of people in the hold. I decided to explore Hawker's Circle in the opposite direction and spoke to Izo first, which resulted in different dialogue as well as choosing to speak to him about a couple of different topics. The chatter with the other vendors remains the same apart from not returning to Bob to speak to him about Hasan's complaint. The last part of the video is of McCoy returning to the police station to speak to Grigorian as he has now turned into a person of interest, we also speak to his neighbour who has just moved in. I'm not sure whether the option to VK people is randomised as the option seems to differentiate not only with the different runs but also between the practice runs and the recordings. Izo is our first confirmed "Questionable", I'd advise reading this after the video as there is a spoiler: 
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Nov 2, 2021 12:55
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Both McCoy's so far are definitely not a "more flies with honey" kind of guy. Is Bob's reaction to Izo just controlled by the order of who you speak to? There's a pretty stark difference between both videos.
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Nov 3, 2021 06:13
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Kibayasu posted:Both McCoy's so far are definitely not a "more flies with honey" kind of guy. We can switch McCoy into different modes in the options menu, although their titles imply that they affect McCoy's mode instead of his methods. I will experiment with them at a later time in a third, condensed, playthrough to see if I can trigger any interesting dialogue. Here is the menu screen and a photo from the strategy guide which explains each one, this will also explain why I'm being careful about VK'ing people on the Sympathizer run.   Link to a much larger sized photo: https://i.imgur.com/L0HcvzV.jpg
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Nov 3, 2021 23:33
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Huh, I never heard about that option when this game was talked about. Even if its more limited than it seems, neat.
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Nov 4, 2021 02:42
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