TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

The Dark Queen of Mortholme

Go To

kawaiineko333 (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#1: Dec 25th 2024 at 6:30:51 AM

So I discovered a playthrough of this game in case you wanna see it/get spoilered rotten. The idea is you're the Final Boss of a Souls-like and the Hero learns your patterns with each time you kill him.

There's also multiple endings as well.

RedHunter543 Crimson Paladin Since: Jul, 2016 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Crimson Paladin
#2: Dec 25th 2024 at 6:36:09 AM

What's this game about?

"The Black Rage makes us strong, because we must resist its temptations every day of our lives or be forever damned!"
RedHunter543 Crimson Paladin Since: Jul, 2016 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Crimson Paladin
#3: Dec 25th 2024 at 7:52:30 AM

HA! I loved being a Dark Souls boss. What a fun little story.

Honestly, there is something delightful about a rivalry that is also a bizarre friendship that mutates through this deadly dance. I love being the villain, I love destroying that pathetic hero, I love being the boss, I love seeing his growth, and banter.

Only through conflict can we truly understand each other, the blood, the tears, the hate, the understanding and growth.

He was a worthy opponent, but evil is eternal.

"The Black Rage makes us strong, because we must resist its temptations every day of our lives or be forever damned!"
dragonfire5000 from Where gods fear to tread Since: Jan, 2001
#4: Dec 25th 2024 at 7:52:35 AM

It’s a short game where you play as the final boss of a Soulslike game where you have to fight the hero. And yes, the hero keeps coming back, and they only have to kill you once.

It can be a bit introspective about narrative roles. It’s even a bit melancholy at times; even if you do win, your victory ultimately means nothing. You’re just going to sit there doing nothing for eternity, because you were never anything else than a game boss playing a role.

Edited by dragonfire5000 on Dec 25th 2024 at 7:55:18 AM

"I squirm, I struggle, ergo I am. Faced with death, I am finally, truly alive."
RedHunter543 Crimson Paladin Since: Jul, 2016 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Crimson Paladin
#5: Dec 25th 2024 at 7:59:29 AM

Yeah I played it after looking it up. There's a lot to take from this IMO, it's def introspective about character roles in a story, you're the villain, utterly unchanging, and powerful, but you ultimately exist to be the cause of growth for the hero to triumph over and then presumably be killed. You have no capacity for change for all your power, while the hero can evolve.

I did manage to win on my first go and keep it at when I realized button 3 spam wins a lot.

But that ending was very interesting, because the player gave up, there's nothing more for the boss to do. What do you do as a villain when you win? What else is there? As someone so defined by conflict can you really be happy when you win? Your own existence is in service to someone else's narrative, it's a sad existence but I found it invigorating whenever I saw the hero grow strong, so I could say it was a meaningful one. The very nature of this game means the queen's happiest ending is being defeated by the hero.

I dunno, I could take a lot from this kind of narrative, the role of a villain in a story is ultimately in service to the hero, it's a stagnant existence, the role of conflict to better oneself, how even your enemies can sometimes be great friends in a bizarre way.

The dark queen's existence is to be hated, the villain, the cruel tyrant for a hero to slay. And the only change she is allowed is death in service for another, and victory for her is empty.

Edited by RedHunter543 on Dec 26th 2024 at 12:00:17 AM

"The Black Rage makes us strong, because we must resist its temptations every day of our lives or be forever damned!"
dragonfire5000 from Where gods fear to tread Since: Jan, 2001
#6: Dec 25th 2024 at 8:16:21 AM

[up]That sort of introspection about narrative roles is why I find the game to be interesting.

If you liked the game, there's another game with a similar concept that came out earlier called Reversary.

"I squirm, I struggle, ergo I am. Faced with death, I am finally, truly alive."
RedHunter543 Crimson Paladin Since: Jul, 2016 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Crimson Paladin
#7: Dec 25th 2024 at 8:28:10 AM

Also belated happy holidays. And thanks.

I'm reminded of a bit in Mother 3, where the main villain thanks the player for staying with the game that long to reach his boss fight. Like that line left an impact on me as a kid, how many bosses actually thank you, the player, for reaching them and letting them play their part?

Yeah, the dark queen's existence is quite sad despite all the power she possesses, she's ultimately there to be hated and a challenge for the player. There's nothing for her to enjoy, no other people to talk to, just sit on a throne for eternity if she wins. The only relationship she has is with someone trying to kill her, and her role is to be an obstacle and then get killed to show the player how powerful they have become.

The only change she can really have is dying, but victory leaves her hollow and empty. There's a certain melancholy when she points out the hero can leave and change for the better but she's trapped in this room for eternity until she dies. We the players take that freedom for granted, and so now we can experience what it's like as a boss.

"The Black Rage makes us strong, because we must resist its temptations every day of our lives or be forever damned!"
MatLShini Since: Jul, 2014
#8: Dec 25th 2024 at 1:44:02 PM

I added something about the game on the sandbox. Got the official cover art and description of the game there.

If anyone wants to continue working on it, there ya go.

RunningRat Since: May, 2024
#9: Dec 26th 2024 at 1:50:15 AM

I added a bunch of examples, but I wasn't sure how much should be behind spoiler tags. For now, there are no spoiler tags and there's an unmarked spoiler warning, but please feel free to change this!

kawaiineko333 (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#10: Dec 27th 2024 at 10:01:20 PM

Considering how short the game is, if you add a proper trope page, lay down a SPOILERS OFF warning.

WorstOtakuEver The One Guy No One Wants To Be Around Since: Nov, 2017 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
The One Guy No One Wants To Be Around
#11: Dec 28th 2024 at 1:28:33 AM

We have a page. Been doing my best to add to it.

RunningRat Since: May, 2024
#12: Dec 29th 2024 at 2:31:44 AM

We should probably move the examples in the sandbox to the game's page then.

Add Post

Total posts: 12
Top