Hello! I recently re-explained the Psyche System in a FAQ I posted for our subscribers. I'll share that section of the post here so you can better understand what these things mean:
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#5: Lust, Purity, and Darkness (choices)
Another common concern:
"So I chose so-and-so, and I guess the game gave me some Dark points. Is that bad?"
So I want to explain how the choices in this game work very clearly: there is no "correct" way to play, there are no game overs, and none of the outcomes are designed to punish players. Instead, the variety offered by the choices you make in this game are narrative-focused. Forcing yourself to be adherent to one single path, while optional... is not actually optimal. Instead, the "best" way to play Radiant is to simply make the choices that you want to make.
This is why I've put such a large emphasis on not needing a walkthrough mod or some sort of guide to play Radiant. This is also why the status screen is reserved for the end of each chapter. It's more of a summary screen that says, "Hey look! This is the impact of the choices you made! Cool, right?" – I wanted the game to be an immersive experience and I wanted players to avoid manipulating their stats/trying to closely adhere to a single path.
All of that said, here's some important clarifications...
• Without restricting yourself from pursuing multiple girls and playing like a nun, it's pretty impossible to not accumulate some "dark" and/or "lust" points.
• Do not worry: the game will never punish you for having said "dark" points.
• Pure is very similar to Lust... however a "Pure" MC is more selfless and respectful of others, while a "Lust" MC is more selfish and degenerate, generally prioritizing his own desires over that of others. That being said, the Lust MC is still generally a pretty good guy. Dark MC... not so much. He's selfish, controlling, dominant, quick to anger, etc. Of course, this isn't a lecture on morality or anything: it's a game after all... and the path is designed to be enjoyed by sadists or people who enjoy dominance/corruption.
• The game checks to see which stats players have the most points in: prioritizing the highest two out of three. For example, a player with 40 Pure, 25 Lust, and 10 Dark will not suddenly find themselves going down the path of the "Dark MC." Rather, the game will acknowledge that you're a Pure/Lust focused player who generally avoids Dark.
• Only in very rare, specific circumstances will players be "locked out" of certain choices. For example, there's certain "Dark Path" choices that a Pure/Lust centric MC will not even know exist... as presenting them with this choice wouldn't make much sense. For the most "diversified" experience where you see everything... consider having a mixed Pure + Lust save-file... and a Dark save-file.
• Expanding on the above, wherever it's possible/makes sense... the game will always give players the option to choose what happens... rather than making the choice for you. As I said, sometimes giving players a choice just outright doesn't make sense... but this is fairly rare/doesn't happen too often. This allows players to dynamically control the flow of their playthrough in a way that few games offer.
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