I took that to be a reference to a similar scene in "Rozencratz and Guildenstern are Dead", which is a play with some similar themes to the Bioshock games.  I think the notion is that your fate is already written -- you are going to do the things that are scripted for you.

I disagree.  It's a very good game but I think Donkey Kong is the best game ever.

If you're looking for more of a dark and involved plot as opposed to a dark setting, I'd recommend the first Knights of the Old Republic. It's a great RPG with an engrossing story. You don't have to be a Star Wars fan, but for me it's the best Star Wars game... maybe the best Star Wars thing, period.

Another interesting option that was mentioned above is Lost Odyssey. It's pretty much FFX in terms of gameplay and overall look, but a bit more adult in theme and story.

Right.  If it's just a gift but no stats or anything, your pawn wan't really hired by a flesh and blood human being.  (here's how I know): When first starting out, my pawn got "hired" this way, but there was no info on ranking.  It was only when I got the complete stats for its time away that starred rankings first showed up (and there's no way for a player to dismiss a pawn, and give it a gift, without also ranking it, right?)

Really?  Whenever I die, it kicks me to the last save (not necessarily the last checkpoint).  The auto-save is triggered by a lot of things, so you must have been wandering around for a couple of hours for it not to have saved.  It saves if I make any progress in a quest (including killing some poor bunny for the bunny killing quest) and whenever it loads a new location...  I've never yet lost a lot of time by dying.

Every chance I get to quiet down my main pawn, I do it.  I consider it a favor to anyone who uses her.  Do the talkitiveness traits for main pawns carry over when they are hired?  If so, then most people have a higher tolerance for chatter than I do, because I've never found a secondary pawn that is taciturn enough for me.