If you’ve seen your fair share of isekai anime, then you’re probably aware most try to differentiate between one another. Infinite Dendrogram is a perfect example of this with its in-game system that has NPCs dying if their quests aren’t completed in a timely manner. Having this system in play means characters like Reiji Mukudori—better known as Ray Starling in the world of Infinite Dendrogram—need to quickly assist NPCs before it’s too late. That made us here at Honey’s Anime wonder a pretty interesting thought. Does Infinite Dendrogram’s Quest/NPC System Work? Let’s analyze the good elements of this in-game system and also look at why it’s completely ridiculous!
Immersion Breaking? We Think Not!
Gamers out there will no doubt tell you that it is quite easy to quit a game after taking a quest. Sometimes the real world calls and you know you can just take that fetch quest or protection mission later when your free time opens again. In the world of Infinite Dendrogram, as we learn from episode one, missing a quest can result in some rather big consequences. Players who decide to not help out on a mission might find an NPC gone later and that affects them in truly dark ways. Ray’s brother—Shu—didn’t help Liliana Grandria’s father—the king—and by failing to lend aid allowed her parent to die. If you want to get immersed in a game’s world, Infinite Dendrogram’s world seems the best bet for you.
Newbies Are Screwed!!!
A fatal flaw of the quest system in Infinite Dendrogram is that it doesn’t cater to new players well. Imagine if you decided to play Infinite Dendrogram months after release. You’d enter the world and possibly find half of the easier quests completed and/or missing. New players would immediately find themselves wondering what they could do in this so-called “infinite possibility” world when half of the earlier missions are done forever.
A Bleak Future
After several episodes of Infinite Dendrogram we’ve noticed this world is far from peaceful. Not only are the lands littered with PKs—Player Killers for you non-gamers out there—but the NPCs themselves are at war with one another. Without spoiling anything, Infinite Dendrogram is one step away from having a country filled with strife and war! That makes us wonder if the NPCs all kill themselves in bloody conflict…what waits for future players/veterans? Logging out of Infinite Dendrogram means three days have passed in the real world so if you missed several real days then weeks have passed within the game world. Maybe the next time Ray logs in after a long busy week, the surroundings will be barren and lifeless.
Isekai Indeed
Unlike the first season of Sword Art Online or .hack//Sign, Infinite Dendrogram is an isekai but not in the concept of being transported into a new world. However, Infinite Dendrogram’s game mechanics make a player almost feel as if they really are in another world. Ray has stated several times the feeling of losing time in the real world because it seems as if he truly got invested in Infinite Dendrogram. Ironically, this series is more isekai than others as there is a thin line between reality and fiction. If a game could pull that off…in our minds, it means the systems ruling the game world are truly something else!
Final Thoughts
Infinite Dendrogram’s RPG mechanics might seem absurd but there’s a lot we could love about it. Not only would it reward early players with better chances at character growth/progression but it would make a world you want to live in versus one you only sometimes get lost in.
As gamers who love RPGs and MMORPGs, we have to say Infinite Dendrogram’s game mechanics have potential…but do have some fatal flaws too. What do you think? Would you play Infinite Dendrogram? Does Infinite Dendrogram’s NPC/Quest System Work? Comment below and remember to keep stuck to our hive for even more thought-provoking articles from us here at Honey’s Anime!
Author: Aaron
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