Everstone Studio's Where Winds Meet does a lot of things right, but its AI chatbot NPCs are unironically one of its best features, leading to all sorts of hilarious interactions that players are fully embracing.
Many of the game's NPCs, with which players can build lasting relationships as part of the game's core mechanics, are actually powered by AI chatbots that reply to all sorts of inputs from the player. During the early access review period of the global version, I wasn't able to make them do anything other than repeat some set lines, but now that the game is finally live, these NPCs are fully functional, and players have been testing how much they can be pushed to provide some genuinely fun interactions.
The Most Vicious AI Break-Up: Child Support and Grief
One user on the game's official subreddit, MisterZan25, proved to be particularly cruel, subjecting the Zhao Dali NPC to a vicious narrative arc. The player made the NPC believe their character was pregnant with their child, demanded child support, and eventually informed them that the child had died.
The AI NPC believed the entire scenario and reacted dramatically to the news, providing a moment of dark comedy.
Life Advice and Martial Arts Moves
Not all interactions have to be so destructive in Where Winds Meet. Some kind-hearted players have tried to lift the spirits of some AI NPCs, often resulting in reactions that fit the Wuxia setting.
User lessobvious had a constructive exchange with an NPC, successfully lifting their spirits by highlighting the value of training, even after that training had failed to help the NPC find a wife.
User zheiro provided life advice to an AI NPC, who appreciated the guidance and thanked the user gracefully in a manner that felt perfectly in line with the game’s aesthetic.
User OtherwiseEnd944, on the other hand, decided to have a little bit of fun with another NPC, suggesting a rather "peculiar" martial arts move, which left the NPC baffled, proving the system reacts even to the most absurd of interactions.
Taunt NPCs and Pay the Price
The AI’s reactivity extends beyond mere conversation. Treating the NPCs rudely can lead to believable, and sometimes violent, reactions. User Sensitive_Touch_8190 taunted an AI NPC repeatedly, and after having had enough, the character retaliated.
Even if this sort of bizarre, player-driven feature isn't your alley, Where Winds Meet has a lot to offer for all sorts of players. You can learn more about one of the most impressive free-to-play open-world RPGs available for PC and PlayStation 5 by checking out my full review.
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