I recently read the Let's play by Fleshwit on somethingawful (
https://forums.somethingawful.com/showt ... genumber=1) which got me to do another playthrough of the game series again. The game is still as good as I remembered it (it has been about 12 years), and though some of the writing seems a bit less great than I thought it was when I was in my late teens, the story is still great and I love the mystery surrounding the Way. Probably it's for the best that episode 7 was never made.
Some observations:
- I don't think The Girl is Serena. It seems more likely it's someone from Lun's personal live, with Lun being the Phantom. The part with the missing painting part and it being behind the broken heart-painting in The Girl's house seem to reinforce that.
- Serena probably isn't in the city at all, since it looks like the sword that was used by Jeruh was not Phantom Slasher (probably another shadow sword?)
- Slade's aura seems to be cut in half after the plunge with Rhue. The part that the sword absorbed, and is in Dream Estrana, doesn't talk, and is his resolve. His real life body no longer has this, which is why he is brooding on top of the cliff and eventually jumps down.
- The Reaches ending: probably the identity of Rhue dying. What interested me is in that in this ending, you see the riverside with only a spot of blood, and no body. In the Landorin Massacre, the bodies were missing as well. Might be some connection there, but I'm not sure what it is. I considered that maybe Gaius and Traziun died there as well and thus showing up at the shoals, but then you would expect more blood spots.
- Lexus ending: This is probably the best ending for Rhue, finally getting rest and the love life he pursued. It does seem that someone else took control of his body as a result, in the cutscene where he flew off. Maybe Venge is back in control? Doesn't seem to be a happy ending for the rest of the Way.
- Normal ending 1: Rhue and Kloe set of on the way together, trying to find out how to start a new life. Seems like the best ending to me.
- Normal ending 2: Rhue leaves Kloe behind and searches for meaning to his life by himself. Really sad ending for Kloe to be abandoned yet again
- Normal ending 3: With low enough Rhue points, he comes across Ghost Horror and moves to take it, probably coming under the control of a shadow sword again. Likely a terrible ending for everyone
Fun how this game still is on my mind after such a long time, even though we'll never get any closer to actual truths. (unless somebody manages to decode the PGP message maybe)