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Probably because I didn't do one of the numerous random things I was supposed to
The way it works is that the game has a scale that goes from -100 to 100. When you make a chaos decision then subtract points and when you make a law decision you add points.
So the game starts you out at 0 I think, and lets say that you make two chaos decisions that give you -10 each, your total alignment would be -20.
Now to get neutral you need to be at -8 to 8 alignment when the alignment lock happens. The final decision gives you either +10 alignment or -10 alignment, so if you alignment prior to the decision is too close to 0 then the final decision will lock you out of neutral. So to get neutral you need to have between -18 and +18 in alignment points, but if you are between -2 to +2 then you will be locked out.
And since you need to be "more than a bit Law/Chaos" for the Monochrome Forest to pull you into Neutral, then you also need to be the opposite alignment while doing the Alternate Tokyos, so that Pluto and Kenji put you where you want to be first. Augh.)
it doesn't actually let you make the choice you want if you didn't do it right all the up til then
Especially when you base your DIRECT SEQUEL off of it.Yeah the system really sucks, especially because what it means to do it right is so counterintuitive, since you're also not allowed to be Neutral if you planned your whole game around being perfectly Neutral.
There's ways to read this as an interesting design choice I guess (punishing anyone who is too perfectly wishy-washy), but I don't think the execution works at all.
Meanwhile I played naturally and got Chaos because everything Law was about was a big ol' bowl of YIKES!FTR, my first time, I played naturally and ended up Law, probably because I was too polite and shook too many hands and believed in collaboration and teamwork too much. Which, OK, I'll get the exclusive demons, get the... ending, and then start over. Then I hunted down a Neutral guide and followed it meticulously working back from the Alignment Lock so I'd keep tally of my choices.
Which, as said above, is counterintuitive and anti-humanistic, and I maintain that it reflects a wishy-washy hero rather than balanced one (Nocturne does this much better in its Demon vs Freedom "neutral" paths). But I would only ever do this for a second or third walkthrough, I'd never let it get in the way of my initial one.
was this necessary?maybe some folks need more than "features a female protagonist" to sell them on a title