*Spoilers

The original idea of Elex is that it stripped people of their emotions, which for some reason meant they also forgot any concept of compassion. The end of Elex illustrated this better than anything because it explained why merely lacking emotion caused the Albs to become so ruthless. It's because they knew something very powerful and deadly was coming from far off, and they were doing their best to prepare for it. That meant everyone not with them was in the way. Their no concept at all of compassion is why they became so ruthless about it.

But in Elex 2 here, the dialog choices that progress Jax towards what is supposed to be emotionless are full of passion and emotion, much stronger emotion than the choices that progress Jax towards the emotion and compassion direction. Some of the dialog choices that progress Jax into the emotional direction are actually very robotic, emotionless, and logical. Most of them seem to be centered around lightly compassionate and even downright stupidly compassionate, meaning if you choose the stupid gullible moron, but also compassionate, choices then Jax usually progresses to the emotion side. Good luck figuring out what makes the mother of his son happy though. That woman is all over the place with what she approves of and disapproves of. Maybe that was to make her more realistic.

First thing I did when I got CRONY was put Caja in Bastion and leave her there.

+1

This game uses a totally different paradigm from Elex 1.

Unfortunately, I feel like this system is actually closer to a basic moral binary system most of the time (not always) and most followers are purely one way or the other (usually).

You are not kidding, man. The only reason Jax is working so hard to win her approval is for the sake of Dex. Otherwise, he'd be running around with Falk, or maybe Vlad, though I haven't done his story yet, so I don't know. Via quicksave, I can see he will make a good first impression on Jax though, as did that entrance guard.

Jax wants to be generally honorable, wants to build his people into a more honorable lot, respects the Clerics, is annoyed by the Berserkers, fears the Morkons for what they will do if they have any kind of real strength, respects the rebel Morkons, respects the general philosophy of the Outlaws, likes to impose justice upon the scumbags, but he's just so sick and tired of Caja badgering him every time he wants to impose some justice on the garbage in the world.

Jax is primarily just traveling around with Caja to build his skills and relationship with her for the sake of Dex. When he's strong enough, and she likes him sufficiently, he plans to banish her to the Bastion to take care of their son. Then people like Blade's got it coming.

This is realistic though. I could definitely imagine that's how a man like Jax would behave in this situation, especially being so self motivated. The woman he fell in love with would see a very measured side, but when she's not around, he doesn't hold back.

Personally, I prefer that over the indefferent gray I am seeing since Dragon Age (1) in games. Because all this gray leads to exactly nothing and all at the same time. Eventually what you do and what you decide doesn't really matter, and leads overall to a soulless experience.

Very well thought out and I dig it. I went with Berserkers just because he was a member of the berserkers in Elex 1 when I played it, so I wanted it to be the same (it isn't).

Anyway good luck and have fun :)