Summary
It’s easy to overlook the impact of character design on games, especially considering other eye-catching factors like flashy combat elements and detailed environmental design take center stage in the consuming public. That doesn’t mean sub-par character aesthetics or mannerisms can go under the radar, asStreet Fighter 5’s Abigail,Street Fighter X Tekken’s Mega Man, andForspoken’s Frey have so tragically discovered over the last few years. Paying extra attention to what a character looks and acts like can yield dividends for franchises, and themed character design is essential for improving a game’s overall visual experience.The Witcheris a veteran series in this regard, as its Curses have made for intriguing viewing in its iterations, andThe Witcher 4will have a tough time surpassing the bar set by one of its cursed personas.
While not exactly mainstream in The Continent, curses are not too uncommon inThe Witcher, and a few notable characters in the universe are afflicted with one hex or the other. For instance, Nivellen - perhaps in a slightly more gory rendition ofBeauty and the Beast- was transformed into a beast known to locals of Redania as Fanger, and tales of his monstrous nature scared growing children. Uma belongs to the group of cursed individuals in the fantasy world, and his distinctive appearance inThe Witcher 3: Wild Huntmay be a mountain too high for CD Projekt Red to replicate inThe Witcher 4.
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Optics and Player Expectation Could Be Too Much for another Cursed Character
Rarely do characters look like the stuff of wildly hallucinated fever dreams, but creativity knows no bounds, and Uma’s character design inThe Witcher 3turned heads, commanding attention in an almost pitiful yet intriguing manner. Uma, whose name is an acronym for Ugliest Man Alive, has a distinct appearance - a short and hideously bent body capped by a comically disproportionately sized head and a collection of angry red sores all over his skin. Even for a mythicalworld likeThe Witcher’s, Uma’s visual profile is a sight unlike any other, and the cursed humanoid grows on players quite quickly through his interactions with Geralt.
Uma can’t speak, relying on non-verbal cues to communicate, and he gets easily distracted with an almost childlike curiosity. Sold and gambled for by different masters, Uma plays the role of a court jester for Phillip Strenger at Crow’s Perch after the Baron won him in a wager from a merchant. His curse was eventually lifted after multiple efforts fromGeralt and Yennefer, and his true identity was unveiled as Avallac’h, Sage of the Aen Elle Elves. Uma gaveThe Witcher 3players a helping of comedic relief with his bumbling motions, and with his character being such a success, it would be expected forThe Witcher 4to try to top it.
However, this is where CD Projekt Red, like theNetflix series adaptation, will run into some issues. Uma’s character can easily be perceived as ableist in some circles since he has no purpose other than entertainment in the time before the curse’s lifting inThe Witcher 3- which is only due to his physical and mental challenges. Beyond that, Uma is so strange that it is hard to imagine anything weirder being created in the sequel, ensuring that he may always be the franchise’s most memorable character design.
SinceThe Witchershows society’s failings in all its wanton glory, it wouldn’t be remiss to expect more cursedcharacters inThe Witcher 4’s new storyline. However, Uma’s beloved status in the player base is not easily replaceable, and it’s tough to see how the developer plans to top his lopsided-limbed appearance without making the new character look subhuman.
The Witcher 4is in development.
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