Your Dragon Age II Review *NO SPOILERS PLEASE*
#1251
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 06:53
Pros.
+ Strong lead character
+ Combat, feels dynamic and engaging.
+ Abillities, helps create a character that is really unique.
+ More amor and weapon variation.
+ Art style, simple and elegant.
+ Character models and the CC (best one yet)
,
Cons.
- Enviroments feels empty and somewhat dead
- Graphics, better than Origins but still not quite there.
- Exploding enemies, roundhouse kicking flasks, and no finishers, feels like a gimmick with out depth
- lacks the charme of Origins, i can't quite say what it is but the game can at times feel shallow and rushed
- Not enough customization in the CC! New tattoos, scars, and cooler hairstyles for men would fix this
- Not as epic as Origins.
- Stiff animations in conversations, this is something that have been present in ME, ME2, DAO and DA 2, i would love to see an improvement
Overall it's a better game than Origins in most aspects but still doesn't feel as epic or grand as Origins did, the voiced protaganist is a great asset and makes for a great lead, and it somewhat saddens me because i feel that if the game had been in development for another 1 or 2 years it would have been a greter game than the ME series, but it falls short, it needs more depth, but an improvement in most aspects
I gave Origins a 7, and DA 2 is an 8 in my book.
#1252
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 07:05
I feel so confused right now, I have so many questions, alas...
Too short, but intense. I liked it more than Origins, I think. Combat is funnier, love Marian's voice.
As Steffen mentioned above, it could've used so more developement time. The story has potential and I love the companions but lacks some depth. I felt a bit sad because I've been waiting so long for this and I finished the game in 3 days
I'm not sure if it's a 7/10 or an 8/10 :&
#1253
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 07:26
Before I launch into it, let me just say this: I'm not going to pretend to be some 'Almighty Entity' regarding the mechanics of 'real RPGs'. I play a variety of games - and I have fun. The End. With that said, you can call DA2 'dumbed down' if you want (I disagree) but considering the end result, I'm not at all mad at Bioware/EA for trying to grab a larger fan base. Some of the posters on here remind me of music elitists who only like bands no one has heard of, then get mad as soon as someone from a major label 'discovers' them.
Anyways...
Gameplay:
*I love that it's faster. I love that the characters do over-the-top moves to kill something during battle - maybe I've seen too many Jason Statham movies, but I couldn't stop smiling each time a companion did something insane. Fights are short and sweet, and do a great job of making you feel like a Fereldan bad***s. I also like, and this was present in DAO but to a lesser degree, the bloody enemy explosions upon a successful kill. Yes, please.
*I like when more people show up to fight... especially when they repel down the side of a building like some Special Ops team (LOLZ... wtf!). You mean more chances to flip around and nail people? Yes, and another.
*I'm on the PS3 and the load times are MUCH better. In DAO I used stay in one area and do as much as I could (instead of traveling to different areas until a single mission was complete) because I couldn't stand to sit there forever.
Graphics:
*I'm not a PC gamer, but everything on my console looks new and clean and sparkly. The default setting, however, was too dark for my taste. I bumped it up a few notches and was pleased.
Companions/Conversations/Banter:
*Meh, no complaints on my end. Each character (like in DAO) has their own personality; their own likes and dislikes; their own flavor. When you talk to them and hear the stuff they say to your other companions, it's hard not to pick up on. I like that they can disagree with you, but still stay in your party (whether it's because they respect you or because being associated with you is beneficial to them). Whatever. I can't stand my boss sometimes, but I'm not going to just quit my job. A) I have bills;
*Thank you Bioware for awesome banter. Isabela's is particularly amusing.
*I played DAO first THEN ME2 (you know, because there's no ME release for PS3 - not that I didn't spend hours reading the ME wiki to learn the history and details of the universe) so I can see why people might hate the ME conversation wheel, but it doesn't bother me. I like being able to explore ALL the questions before moving forward. It used to drive me nuts in DAO when I had to choose one question over the other, knowing the conversation would irreversibly move on once I made my decision.
* I'm fine with the companion conversations being spread out, but I'm also fine with all the options being available up front. In DAO I was totally one of those people who used up all my options early. *shrug* It didn't ruin the game for me, it just made me focus more on the business of killing the Archdemon - which was... still fun!
Armor/Runes/Miscellaneous:
*This is extremely unpopular, but: I LIKE not having to find armor for my peeps. I loved... LOVED DAO, but yeah... nothing is more annoying than: "OMG! I found some boots! Guess I better stop and spend 10 minutes figuring out who should wear them... Now if I caluculate the coefficient of Alistair's attack vs. physical damage - could HE wear these?" - I mean, really? Can I get on with my game? That drove me nuts, but yes, I DID spend the minutes figuring it out. I do the same thing with equipping weapons in this game, but at least it's JUST weapons I have to worry about.
*No, I don't want to make runes or whatever. Yes, I'll find resources and recipes and let SOMEONE ELSE make them for me.
Maps/Locations:
* I see a lot of complaining about re-using/copying/pasting.... blah blah blah. The game is centralized in Kirkwall... things are going to look the same. And what does it matter anyway? You get to kill some stuff, see it explode, and advance the storyline. But yes, we're all allowed to hate things.
Character designs:
*I wound up using the default female Hawke (the one with the super pale skin and blue eyes) because when I tried to customize my own character, I couldn't use her exact hair cut - which I love. I don't know what it is with Bioware and hairstyles, but they always suck. I thought they got it right with hers, but alas, it's only for HER. I don't know if this is a glitch or something (and haven't bothered searching because, in the end, it didn't matter that much to me), but whatever - she is hot.
*I'm female and I don't mind the big boobs on my female companions. Actually, they made me laugh. At least Aveline is in armor. Isabela... not so much, but given her character's personality, it totally suits her. Sex appeal over practicality!
Overall:
I'm having a blast playing through DA2. Maybe I'm weird, but I like the different side quests. I don't even mind the ones with no explanation that are clearly there for free XP. I like my companions and I especially like hearing them talk to one another. In DAO I used to put different groups together and take them to trigger points JUST to hear the different things they'd say.
It looks better; it's faster; voice acting (like in DAO) superb.
This is not a clone of Dragon Age: Origins and I can appreciate that. The devs retooled it, took the series in a slightly new direction... and I like it.
Thanks for a fun, enjoyable game. Looking forward to ME3 and DA3!!
#1254
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 07:28
#1255
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 07:49
Modifié par Therefore_I_Am, 11 mars 2011 - 07:50 .
#1256
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 07:53
This game is not beautiful. This game is often confusing.
It is quite drab and depressing. I don't want to be in Kirkwall anymore.
Everytime I think I am out ... I have to go back.
Many of the lower parts of the city have the charm of an empty warehouse.
I can barely remember which quest is the main one ... they are all blending together.
What is my characters motivation? What is my motivation?
Why are there so many repeated environments? Is this supposed to be like a nightmare?
Why can't any of my party members use the equipment I pick up? This is frustrating.
/Whining
That said ... good on you for making some good characters. The battle system has managed to survive alright despite the crazy flashiness of it all.
#1257
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 08:07
#1258
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 08:14
Likes:
Better combat animations
Streamlined Inventory and Abilities
Improved armor upgrading system
More companion character depth
Dialouge radial (sometimes)
Story spans several years
Character has a family and relationships that dont feel forced (imho)
Dislikes:
Repetitive Combat (probably more to do with the difficulty level)
Repetitive Environments (I've seen this brought up in alot of articles and it really is true)
Less side quest depth
Descisions in Origins made little or no difference in this game
Super easy difficulty (Played on normal expecting something similar to DAO not even close)
The game feels a little rushed ( just an overall feeling from, unfortunately, playing many rushed RPGs over the years)
In all fairness this seems like an expirimental game, I hope it succeeds simply because I like DA and Bioware games. The company has earned a good rep with me by consistenly realeasing good products and maybe I am naive but hopefully when the crap storm of negativity abates, they will do their best to make it right for the fans.
Just my two cents.
#1259
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 08:17
#1260
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 08:22
#1261
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 08:23
lord micha wrote...
6/10 is good enough for this excuse of a POS, at least on the PC.
This^, huge step backwards for the DA product line...average game at best...
#1262
Guest_xnoxiousx_*
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 08:25
Guest_xnoxiousx_*

#1263
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 08:31
#1264
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 08:40
Gameplay: The combat is TOO FAST and looks more like Dynasty Warriors as it's just boring and mindless hacking & slashing and there is no real weight in the weapons and combat. I like hack & slash gameplay and all but this did not feel like Dragon Age. Devil May Cry 3 may have been fast, but at least I felt the weight and force of the weapons that I was using. The slow-motion God of War style finishing moves are GONE, WHY!? Seeing my character make an epic 300 leap onto a large enemy and brutally finishing it off is NO WHERE TO BE FOUND. I no longer have the feeling of satisfaction that I get whenever I take down a giant monster because I'm not seeing the act of brutal accomplishment. AND WHY CAN'T THE WARRIOR DUEL WIELD LONG SWORDS LIKE BEFORE!? Also, you can't talk to your team mates on the fly whenever you want if they're in your party, which sucks because if I want to have a little chat with one of my team members, why must I go back to the other side of the "world" just to say hello? I will give the game props however for giving Hawke a voice but the dialogue wheel makes it seem TOO MUCH like Mass Effect.
Setting and enemies: Bloody Kirkwall, THAT'S ALL THERE IS?! You're stuck in the same place the WHOLE time with the SAME environments over and over again which DESTROYS variety You may have had to go back to the same areas in Origins but at least you had over a dozen places to go. And from what I've seen so far, enemy variety is low as well, the only good ones are the dragons and Qunari. The whole day and night separation for the quests however was actually a nice trick which gave a better sense of realism for the games' sense of time.
Graphical and Sound Design: The graphical designs for the armors are EXTREMELY POOR and they look more like hodge-podge plastic halloween costumes than the impressive suits of iron and metal in DA: Origins, even the Blood Dragon Armor looks painfully laughable in comparison to how it and the other armored suits looked in Origins. Male-Hawke's head is bigger than his own skinny body and his default appearance looks NOTHING like he did in the original trailer. And some of the design choices look cartoony, especially the elves which look more like twigs than actual people. Runes don't affect the appearances of weapons at all, no flaming swords or anything, and the feeling of looking like an epic and heroic badass is lost without that touch The ONLY things that look awesome are the dragons and the Qunari are badass, and the design of the human ladies are VASTLY improved and they are extremely BEAUTIFUL to look at. If there was a contender for RPG game with the hottest women ever, then DA2 wins, but that's it. The voice acting is amazing as ever for all the other characters and monsters(except the darkspawn) and the sounds of steel blades and iron shields slicing and bashing through flesh are appropriate.
Plot points and story decisions: My biggest complaint, shoe-horning in nonsensical plot points that are even MORE STUPID than the collector attack on the Normandy in ME2, which occur depending on whether or not a certain person is in your party and other nonsensical crap revolving around that. The game pulls said Collector on Normandy move in the deep roads with a stupid as hell plot point for either option of whether or not your brother/sister is in your party, depending also on whether or not you have a certain team mate in your party. All this accompanied by multiple unnecessary and stupid as hell plot points and outcomes that appear OUT OF LEFT FIELD and make NO SENSE. Speaking of which, why can't I CHOOSE which sibling to save in the beginning of the game REGARDLESS of what class I am!? Dragon Age is about CHOICE isn't it? Bethany is two times better a character regardless of what class I am for I would have chosen to save her in a heart beat rather than Carver for he is a whiny jealous little ****** throughout the game if you're a mage.
The Darkspawn: I take that back, THOSE WERE NOT DARKSPAWN! Those were WHITEspawn. Those THINGS did not feel, act, sound, or resemble the demonic monstrosities that I feared and loved in Origins. These CREATURES are Left 4 Dead zombies with swords. They did not in any way, shape or form, resemble the evil force that I thought rivaled the Lord of the Rings army of Sauron. I don't know who it was that made that design change, but his ass needs to get fired for this atrocity!
DLC: A quarter of the total game IS DLC. Most of the stuff that was offered could have EASILY been put in the MAIN game from the very get-go, or was already made for the main game in the first place but was taken out to be turned into DLC which is an utter shame. For example, the Staff of Parthalan, it was in the original DA2 trailer and is in the games' box art being used by Hawke so I got the impression that it would be IN the main game. But here's the problem, IT'S NOT. If the staff was meant to be DLC and not for the game itself like it seemed, then WHY WAS IT IN THE TRAILER AND BOX ART IN THE FIRST PLACE? WHY IS IT THAT WE WERE SHOWN A COOL WEAPON FOR THE GAME ITSELF, AND YET IT TURNS OUT THAT IT IS DLC THAT ANYONE COULD HAVE MISSED OUT ON? THAT IS FALSE ADVERTISING! And WHY all this release day DLC? Mass Effect 2 offered a lot but Dragon Age 2 pushed it TOO FAR. DLC IS NOT THE MEAT AND BONES OF A GAME! If HALF of the game is DLC, then WHAT'S THE POINT OF PLAYING A GAME THAT'S HALF FINISHED?
Verdict: This is NOT BioWares' best, this is pathetic LAZINESS and a HUGE step BACKWARDS at its finest! This is a cheap imitation of downgraded, boring and unsatisfying styles of gameplay with POOR steps backwards in graphical and repetitive levels and design choices. The armors look like plastic halloween costumes, there are STUPID plot-points and outcomes that come out of FREAKING NOWHERE and make NO sense, an even LAZIER choice to be stuck in the same place with the SAME environments, and the game is HALF finished with most of that missing half turning out to be lowly DLC. The game practically has NO identity and barrows too heavily from other games as well as boring and repetitive elements from others that don't fit with a series such as this and trashing what made the Dragon Age series special in the first place. And with DA2 in the picture, I feel that the Dragon Age franchise has lost its identity. The ONLY things I found that are improved is the protagonist having a voice, the day and night system, the Qunari having a larger role and looking good, as well as the nice upgrade in the design of the ladies, oh yeah.
Bottom line, Dragon Age 2 is a pitiful and sorry excuse of an RPG compared to what I expect out of BioWare and I'm beginning to doubt the partnership with EA if they are forcing BioWare to rush out games that are not finished with half of the ACTUAL game being turned into DLC. I have no hatred for the fine boys of BioWare, but this has to stop NOW before BioWare loses EVERYTHING that makes them great and what makes true gamers flock to them as the Lords of the Western RPG. BioWare, go back to being freelance developers and continuing the franchises you started on your OWN merits WITHOUT EA breathing down your necks, or at the very least waltz your way into EA's office and demand that you will make YOUR games how YOU want them and EA can DEAL with it and play by YOUR RULES. YOU are the DEVELOPERS, NOT them. And DON'T pay attention to the so called "professional" reviewers that rate Dragon Age 2 9's and 10's. Listen to us, the TRUE gamers, so that we can help you get back to what made you guys and your games great and special in the first place, not what EA tells you to do.
I rate Dragon Age 2 a 3 OUT OF 10, TERRIBLE. Or in the words of the dwarf announcers in Orzammar, "EPIC FAIL!". This game is not worthy of the title of Dragon Age and of what BioWare stands for. BioWare, by the will of the Maker please take the little things that I said were good in the game under consideration and bring back everything else I mentioned from the original game and mold that with the original formula from Origins in order to make Dragon Age 3. F' this game for it's a complete EMBARRASSMENT, or at the very least rent it if you want to continue the Dragon Age story, for what little of it there is. Dragon Age Origins: Awakening is TEN TIMES BETTER and much more of a WORTHY sequel than this abomination EVER will be.
<_<
Modifié par Alexander Kogan, 11 mars 2011 - 08:43 .
#1265
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 08:45
Two stars out of Five. This game doesn't feel finished.
Modifié par xombi242, 11 mars 2011 - 08:46 .
#1266
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 08:50
It's stripped to the bone of almost all rpg elements. Almost no customization, pointless loot drops most of which can't be used since only the pc can equip armor, the claustrophobic feel of Kirkwall. Why not set the game throughout the Free Marches? You never really develop any sort of connection with your companions, at least I haven't after 25 hrs. I'm not even sure what's happening. I feel like I'm playing tons of sidequests that don't relate. Having trouble with the story and the way it flows. Hawke feels like a character I'm watching, not playing. The combat is fun, but the story is very flat. I'm very surprised honestly. It feels like a corporate executive made this game in a boardroom filled with other suits, flow charts...and no writing team.
Cut and paste maps as far as the eye can see. That was the case as well with ME1, but that game had a very strong story with characters you cared about and there was a sense of exploration plus tons of customization.....what you'd expect in an rpg. Bioware is a company known for their great storytelling. This one isn't really grabbing me. I'm willing to allow it to grow on me, if that's possible. I think the reason a lot of people are hammering this game is because they expected so much more based on DAO and the Bioware track record. Hate to say it but I feel like you guys are really trying to force combat over story to a crowd that favors story mixed with combat. ME2 although stripped of so much that I enjoyed from ME1 still had a strong story and a pc I cared about. Hawke just feels very empty to me, so do his friends/rivals, and Kirkwall itself. Why not just contonue the the Warden story...isn't that what a sequel does...continue the story that connected with you in the first place? This game is NO SEQUEL! You hear a few things about Fereldan an it's hero, a few cameos here and there and that's basically it. Again, it should have been called anything but DA2.
I'll give it more time to see if I change my mind....which at this point is highly doubtful. I'm really wishing for a toolset to at least allow vreative types to breathe some life into Kirkwall, Hawke, and these boring companions I don't really know much about. We'll see. One thing though..... if you are trying to reinvent the rpg as streamlined which in this case means less attention to story, weak characters, paper thin customization, a narrative that's hard to follow, etc it isn't going to work. Above all else, if the story is weak, the game will be as well. It can't JUST be about combat, combat, combat...not in a game calling itself an rpg. Listen to the fans, not these "professional critics" who seem to be playing another game. Too bad we, the fans didn't get that same game.
Modifié par cljqnsnyc, 11 mars 2011 - 09:41 .
#1267
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 09:09
Anyways, like the game so far and will post my review when I am done.
#1268
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 09:10
-Faster Gameplay was awesome. Finally no more boring mage animations or constant slow swinging of swords.
-Loved how more enemies arrived
-Loved the story...that ending..oh my god THANK YOU! I loved it. My jaw dropped and I have to say I felt just like my character when the ending hit. Damn fine job.
Graphics:
-Better than Origins in my opinion. It took a while to get used to but the sheer amount of detail that went into personal and companion character models was amazing.
Companions/Conversations/Banter:
Banter was amazing. Isabela's inuendos were amusing. Isabela and Avaline were the couple that made me laugh constantly. I never thought of using either of them in my party but when thosetwo went at it the first time, I never let them leave my party again!
Armor/Runes/Miscellaneous:
I have to say I much prefer the DA2 armor system to the old one. It got unbelieveably annoying constantly checking my other member's armor to see if it was better or worse than what I just looted. I love the upgrade system that you added to them tho.
Runes were perfect this time around as well.
Maps/Locations:
At first it irked me about how some places were used over and over but I had to remind myself that the story is based in and around kirkwall not an entires country this time around. After I reminded myself of that I enjoyed it a lot more.
Character designs:
Liked the designs of DA2 over DAO
Overall:
I'm having a blast playing DA2. I just beat it last night and Im going to play it again just to have more fun and do what I missed the 1st time around.
I enjoyed teh changes that were made a lot more than most. Its a game I play to enjoy not nitpick! I was a little dissapointed about the import weakness but then I remembered that the character is in Kirkwall, not Ferelden. Who cares. Its nice to see something new and not be bombarded with the past game.
Overall score = 9/10
Ending score = 20/10...i loved it!
ps. dunno why that part wont become un-underlined...its annoying but i dont care anymore!
#1269
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 09:11
#1270
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 09:16
#1271
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 09:20
Pros
+ I LIKE the story. I like how it takes place over years. I like how your character isn't just focused on one event, and then the story ends. Instead, you get to see Kirkwall go through its different struggles, and the characters' relationships develop.
+ Love the amount of dialogue the party members have. Very much appreciated.
+ While I'm not too fond of how abilities have changed, I do like the abilities tree. Very clean looking.
+ The length of the game was good, and I was worried about that.
+ I like the cameos, especially the one for Awakening.
+ Main character being voiced, and voice acting in general.
Cons
- None of the party members really stood out; probably the weakest characters in any Bioware game. I did like Fenris, though.
- The constant spawning of enemies, popping out of the ground and coming from the roofs.
- The combat started becoming repetitive, which seems weird, because DA:O didn't feel that way. Maybe it was because of the spawning?
- I think I preferred the old look of the hurlocks, even though they were blatant rip-offs of LotR.
- Wasn't a big fan of the re-used maps, although if it meant more content, then okay.
Here's another con: Having to constantly check to see if I have to switch to new weapons for my characters. People **** and moan about things being "simplified"; I'm old-school, and I played Baldur's Gate and I still play tabletop D&D, but as I find myself getting older, I like "simplified." There is no good reason to have to constantly spend my time giving my characers whatever new weapon was found. I LIKE how armor was handled - it was like Mass Effect 2, which I liked. I wish the weapons were done like Jade Empire, or if weapon selection need remain, then a bit more variety in their abilities instead of "+4.5 addition to walking speed" or "+6.345 to melee attack." Come on now.
Overall, I enjoyed myself. Not one of Bioware's best, but not bad either. It's kind of like Jade Empire in that sense, I suppose. Right now, having just beaten the game, I want to give it a 8/10.
Modifié par Scelous, 11 mars 2011 - 09:22 .
#1272
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 09:43
Most important part: Lack of companions characters' depth
You can as much shoot them and never care about them again. I actually forgot the majority of their names after playing for 12+ hours! How sad it is.
#1273
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 09:47
#1274
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 09:54
xnoxiousx wrote...
damn, I have to get my $$$ glasses, maybe then I see the light ...
#1275
Posté 11 mars 2011 - 10:01
rolson00 wrote...
bioware r not to blame heres a quote & web site i got it from
http://www.oxm.co.uk...job-ea-bioware/
"EA really wanted to capitalize on the success of Origins, so the game was really being pushed hard to be released now. ."
ea have ruined a game that could have over shadowed the first
Thats bull.
Ray Muzyka, one of Bioware's founders, is, in addition to being CEO of Bioware, also Senior Vice President and Group General Manager of the BioWare RPG/MMO
Group of Electronic Arts. He probably has a little "pull" if he wanted to keep his company's reputation intact.





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