[fov]

However I was really dissapointed by Grace here... She morphed into some kind of jealous-obsessed shrew with high pitched voice and manners of a bulldozer - just pathetic.

Agreed. I wish this had been more subtle. Bad acting.

[Fantasysci5]

I agree, also. I felt so bad for Gerde, just by the way Grace was treating her!

[Luna Sevithiainen]

Originally Posted by Fantasysci5

I agree, also. I felt so bad for Gerde, just by the way Grace was treating her!

spoiler for chapter 4:

Spoiler:

especially when we learn later on that she loved Wolfgang, not Gabriel

[Little Writer]

I've been busy so I haven't yet had the chance to play through chapter 2. Perhaps tonight.

One thing I always wondered about: we always switch characters for each next day, but what does the other character do meanwhile?

Gabe sents Grace a letter on day one. Yet in the opening movie for day 2, Grace already receives it. International mail doesn't work that fast (it often takes even two days for national mail to be delivered). The flight from the US to Europe takes another day as well, so shouldn't there be at least a week between chapters one and two?

[AndreaDraco83]

In fact they aren't 'day 1' and 'day 2', and several days occur between the two chapters.

[Little Writer]

You're right. I think I just subconsciously copied the way the different chapters (and thus time) works from "Sins of the Fathers" to this sequel. Only natural that things seem out of wack then.

[Intense Degree]

I never really know what to make of Chapter 2 in this game.

Lots of interesting information together with insight into the Schattenjegers of Rittersburg, Werewolves etc. is great at setting the tone for this game. However, the first chapter felt like a bit of a "setup" for the game and chapter two feels the same! Obviously we've got to get used to playing as Grace, who does annoy me a little in this chapter given the "personality transplant" compared to Grace in the first game, but it gives the feeling overall of the game taking a long time to get going.

I don't want to keep making comparisons with GK1, as this is a very different game in many respects, but I do kind of miss that sense of having lots to do and new things to explore most mornings in the first game, which is missing from this chapter (in my opinion). Really it's probably useful to put the characters of Gabriel and Grace from GK1 from your mind when playing this, or at least that's what I found at first because the areas this game shines in aren't exactly the same ones as those the first one did.

I don't want to give the impression that I don't like this game, as it's a long way from the truth, but I think it's fair to say that chapter 2 isn't one of my favourites! Lots of interesting background but surely it's time to pick up the pace a couple of hours into the game now isn't it?

[pointandcliklover]

so i've just finished chapter 1, better late than never eh lol and i will start chpter 2 in a min after this post but i just wanted to share my thoughts so far. Gabe doesnt seem old enough, though he is pleasing on the eye (know what i mean ladies ) but saying that i'm not sure i like it. I mean i played toonstruck and the realism is similar in the way it is when there is no videos but im still not sure i like it. The locations look well researched as they are spot on but gabes shop has suddenly increased in size. One thing tho the car, having to use the keys every time yes realistic but just annoying.

Anyway theres my 2 cents let you know what i think of chapter 2 later.

Lee

[AndreaDraco83]

I've read a lot of comments about Grace in Chapter Two, and most of them seem to agree that this chapter paints a very different Grace from what he saw of her in Sins of the Fathers.

I disagree.

In Sins of the Fathers, we saw Grace giving the cold shoulder to Gabriel's real and supposed affairs (Lolita, Malia, even the old Cazanoux lady elicits a snappy retort from her), and she was already depicted as having a rather sassy attitude. In The Beast Within, things are aggravated by the circumstances: Gabriel left for Germany after working at his novel, and he didn't even give her clear directions about the shop; she definitely left the school for him, and he didn't even bother telling her about his next case (and this is after consenting to her staying on board); when he finally contacts her, he's rather generic and, worst of all, tells her matter-of-factly that another woman is handling the research... Wait! Why the heck did he say yes to her then? She's stuck in New Orleans, basically being a bookseller while Gabriel has a new case and Gerde is doing the research. It's only logical that she's angry, that she feels betrayed and put aside, that she has a bitter attitude toward Gerde (who not only slept with Gabriel, from Grace's point of view, but also stole her job - worse than Malia did, no?), let alone Gabriel.

Now, the actress may have overdone this anger a little too much (especially in the library scene), but the character's writing is spot-on, in my opinion. I know I'd have been even more bitter and furious if I were in Grace's shoes, and that's for sure.

[Sughly]

Ah finally got around to finishing chapter 2! Such a busy time for games at the moment (Miles Edgeworth/ Heavy Rain).

I don't think I have much more to offer though, my opinions have been covered. Very interesting werewolf background, enjoying the casework. But seriously, sorry Andrea but Grace is a major disapointment. I thought her intro in the shop at the beginning was quite good, but she is WAY over the top at the castle.

The biggest gripe I have is that the mystery of her relationship with Gabriel was so slight and subtle in GK1. When Gabriel questioned her jealeousy she had a response that genuinely diverted attention and made me as the player second guess whether she was jealeous or protective of Gabriel's well being. I loved how the relationship was handled this way, such a new and interesting way to portray a relationship between two main characters.

I feel like all of this has just gone out the window. No subtlety, Grace may as well be screaming that she has a thing for Gabriel. It doesn't even seem like jealeousy, more like desperation. I couldn't help but laugh when I read that symptoms of Werewolf's included sudden bursts of aggression - the werewolf is Grace after all!

EDIT: I have a huge sense of respect for Gerde now. I think she offered a level of patience that is far beyond mine. That's her castle, woman! You can't poke around and treat her like that.

[CoyoteAG]

That's interesting, Sughly. I always felt like Grace was more jealous of Gerde because Gerde is "in the know" about Gabriel's case than the fact that she thinks she is sleeping with him. It's clear that she is jealous of both but I feel like the fact that she feels she is being shut out of the work hurts her the most given that she gave up school to work with Gabriel. She is already feeling bad about her words after Gerde gives in and lets Grace do the research.

And yes, Gerde has a great amount of restraint. I would have smacked Grace if I were in her shoes.

[KasiaD]

Originally Posted by AndreaDraco83

I know I'd have been even more bitter and furious if I were in Grace's shoes, and that's for sure.

If I were in Gabe's shoes, I would flee the continent as well rather than live with Grace

Originally Posted by Sughly

The biggest gripe I have is that the mystery of her relationship with Gabriel was so slight and subtle in GK1. When Gabriel questioned her jealeousy she had a response that genuinely diverted attention and made me as the player second guess whether she was jealeous or protective of Gabriel's well being.

That's really perfectly put

[fov]

It's not just her behavior with Gerde. She's very condescending to the Smiths when they come to the door, and she's overly nice (in a fake way) to the mayor and Herr Huber when she wants their help. I think the writing is fine; it's the actress's portrayal that's way overdone.

I wonder if the live actors play a part in this? If it were an illustration of the character, even with voice acting, it might be easier to forgive the over-the-top performances. But when you see actual people doing it, you realize how exaggerated the acting is...

I still love (cheesy) FMV, and I love this game. But I think every time I play it I'm less forgiving of Grace's attitude.

[pointandcliklover]

so just finished chapter 2, so i'm all caught up, well the grace gerda thing is a bit on the over acting side. The grace handled herself was not exactly true to chacter i felt but then that may be the actress playing her. At the end of GK1 we see them realising they care for each other more that they wanted to admit and true hes gone swanning off to his castle and left the princess with the wicked witch so to speak. I think she should of been much carmer but then again we don't know wheat happened between the games not exactly.

Now what about pearl and dwane sorry i mean wired penselvanians are they good or bad or just plain weirdos.

Though this i get the feeling i'm playing broken sword, i mean it is basically the building blocks for broken sword.

2 wiredos - check
handsom but kinda dorky guy - check
hot smart babe who9 gets jealous - check
historical/freaky case - check
pub - check
Hunting around the world - check

see what i mean

i think this may be why i like the game and i am even starting to get into the video sequences.

BTW how many points should we have now?

[Intense Degree]

Sorry Andrea, but I have to disagree on Grace too!

In the first one she was sassy and sarcastic to an extent but she was also fairly quiet, not really wanting to be the centre of attention. I just cannot imagine the Grace from GK1 storming into a castle in a foreign country and being so rude and nasty to someone, whether or not she felt jealous or left out. Her way would be the passive aggressive attack. In particular, the library scene when she is caught out at having done something wrong does not fit. I cannot imagine GK1 grace all out attacking someone whom she knew she had wronged in some way, she would likely have broken down and apologised or at the very least kept quiet and felt terrible.

I do take your points on the fact Grace would, and possibly should, be very frustrated at her position as "book clerk" or whatever when she felt she had signed up to help with the fighting but her actions and words are still out of character from GK1.

I also cannot attribute all of this to the acting rather than the writing. It pains me to say it because I think Jane is a brilliant writer, but what Grace is doing and the things she is saying are not consistent with GK1, forgetting about how she is saying them etc.

However, I am not damning the Grace in GK2 by any means. If actors are playing the parts then it is likely that parts of the actor will form parts of the character and I feel this is the case for both Gabriel and Grace. So I am not saying that they are bad, just that they are not the same. The fact of using FMV and real actors meant the characters had to change in some way, obviously looks-wise, but also personality-wise.

[AndreaDraco83]

I still can't see, sorry. I have clear in mind how Grace develops in Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned and her path seems to me coherent, consistent and logical. And since she's not a saint, it's only fair that once in a while (read: the library) she'd loose her temper.

[Intense Degree]

Well, ultimately I suppose it's a personal subjective thing so we can all agree to disagree for our own various good reasons!

The trouble is you are such an authority on all things GK Andrea that I would generally accept your word on anything GK related without question and now i'm worried I must be wrong!

[fov]

Andrea, are you playing with Italian voices? I wonder if the performance is different...

I agree it makes sense she'd lose her temper, and the reasons she gives in the library are good ones ("I left school for this," etc.) It's the way she's so nasty to Gerde, without any provocation, that rubs me the wrong way. From the minute she gets to the castle, it's like she has a huge axe to grind with Gerde and it's not really clear (at that point) why. More to do with the tone of voice and the delivery of the lines than anything else.

[AndreaDraco83]

Originally Posted by fov

Andrea, are you playing with Italian voices? I wonder if the performance is different...

Yes, right now I'm playing the Italian version, and the voice acting is top-notch. Really: professional actors and all. But I've played the American version, of course, and I can agree that Joanne Takahashi isn't a very talented actress

[Vel]

The chapters with Grace in GK2 should be MST3K-ed.