Posted November 26, 2020
Cutscenes leave me out as a player, relegating me to a spectating role. I feel that having some agency over the proceedings in a game is fundamentally preferable to not having any.
My favorite game for the world and characters is Fallout New Vegas. You know how many cutscenes you have to watch in that game? Just the intro, optionally the DLC intros, and the ending. I can't think of any other instance where you're forced to sit there and not control your character, even if it's just dialogue options. Even then, you usually have a "you know what, screw this, I'll shoot you in the face instead" option. You don't need to wrest control from the player to have a well-written, immersive world with memorable characters in it.
My favorite game for the world and characters is Fallout New Vegas. You know how many cutscenes you have to watch in that game? Just the intro, optionally the DLC intros, and the ending. I can't think of any other instance where you're forced to sit there and not control your character, even if it's just dialogue options. Even then, you usually have a "you know what, screw this, I'll shoot you in the face instead" option. You don't need to wrest control from the player to have a well-written, immersive world with memorable characters in it.