So how did Defiance the show connect with Defiance the game?

Last night was the premiere of Syfy's new original series, Defiance. This show is a companion piece, or vice versa, to the game Defiance, taking place in the same universe, during the same timeline. Before the show aired, it was unclear exactly how the game would meld these two mediums together and how they'd interact, but the Pilot episode certainly hinted at how it all comes together.

First of all let's talk a little about the show and what players of the game will recognize. Defiance takes place in, what was formerly, St. Louis. Renamed Defiance due to the defiant few that stood their ground during the Pale Wars. Players who logged on prior to the premiere of the Pilot episode, and took part in the Episode Missions will immediately recognize Nolan and his alien daughter Irisa. The two are Ark Hunters, much like players in the game, and scavenge various Ark Falls for precious resources.

The show introduced a wide range of characters, possibly a little too much for its two hour premiere, however the spotlight was definitely on the main duo, who seemed to complement each other very well. The brash and loose cannon that is Nolan, coupled with a somewhat rebelious yet compassionate alien daughter makes for good combination, one that viewers will be able to connect with.

The dynamic duo as they appear in the game

There was a definite connection, a small one, albeit a very important one, between the show and the game. Prefacing the episode, players had the opportunity to team up with Nolan and Irisa through a series of quests, one of which procured them the crystal they then used in the show to scavenge a very important artifact. It was a neat connection, one that wasn't immediately apparent, but once it clicked, it was pretty awesome to think my character played part in their future success.

If this is a clear indicator of how the game and show will communicate, then we can expect missions preceding each episode to somehow impact, or at least interact with it. It isn't the groundbreaking cause and effect that I was hoping for, where events in the game directly impact the show, but so far it's living up to its premise by connecting these two mediums in a way that's never been done before.

The show airs on Mondays at 9PM on Syfy.