“Dragon Age: Origins” is one of the greatest role-playing games ever made, and its always hard to repeat a masterpiece. It is clear that “Dragon Age 2” was never in the running to do that.
While it improves on several areas, and has all of the things I typically love about BioWare games, its achievements simply cannot outweigh its faults.
The most flawed aspect of the game concerns the plot.
The story is centered around Hawke, a man (or, if the player chooses, woman) who journeys to the city of Kirkwall as a refugee from war and rises, in a classic rags-to-riches story, to become the most important character of the extraordinary “Dragon Age” fantasy world.
Responding to one of the few consistent complaints about “Origins”, BioWare made the protagonist a fully voiced character this time. The voice actors do good enough, and the writing for the dialogue for Hawke and most of the supporting faces is great.
What is not so great is the actual amount of conversational content compared to virtually any other BioWare game. In DA:O, the player had the ability to have a conversation with any of the supporting “party” members at any time, and they had a lot to say.
Not so here. Conversations occur only when certain conditions are met and only in certain places. Attempt it at any other time, and you'll usually get a one line response that is something incredibly stupid like “Oh crap my house isn't clean.”
By BioWare's standards, this is a major step backward. Even the romance subplot, another BioWare staple, involves only a handful exchanges over the course of the entire game. Drama nerds will weep.
Compared to “Origins”, DA2's plot is very linear. The framed narrative style is an innovative concept, and the watercolors which compose the animated transitions between the game's three acts are positively brilliant, but events proceed with a sense of inevitability and lack of control.
Only at the end can a decision be made that will significantly affect the entire fictional world; and then there's a cliffhanger that leaves me struggling to care enough to want to tune in next time. “Origins” was not like this at all. It wrapped up the story in a way that did not necessitate a sequel, and there were literally dozens of possible choices to create countless different endings. This is again, an extremely disappointing step backwards.
DA2 does a few things right. The new combat system is much more fluid. As promised, the player, depending on what difficulty they choose, can play the game as a hack-and-slash blood pumping action adventure or a slow-paced, tactical, almost chess-like challenge.
Players who do not care about the plot at all will like this game. This bright side of a cold stone aspect is somewhat plagued by technical hiccups, however, and some may miss “Origins” more strategic overall pace.
Some mention must be made of the save game import feature which BioWare talked a lot about prior to release. As far as I can tell, beyond the very occasional conversational reference, this feature is a gimmick, and a particularly dishonest one at that. Play Dragon Age: Origins, but do not play it just to get a save game for this title. You will be disappointed, just as I am with this entire package.
Your Dragon Age II Review *NO SPOILERS PLEASE*
Débuté par
javierabegazo
, mars 08 2011 04:02
Retour en haut
#1602
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 07:15
STiAT
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Lee337 wrote...
jmburne wrote...
Everyone seems to agree that DA:2 is a "good game" or "fun to play"
-My problem is that i bought DA:2 with the desire of playing a RPG, not an action/RRG.
in attempting to streamling certain parts of the game it lost much of the feel and customization from DA:O.
-RPGs are the type of games that I like to play the best. If I wanted an action game there are many out there to choose from.
-Before DA:2 I had never written a response about any of the games I've played. I was just dissapointed. I find myself getting bored, and am about 17 hours in and considering taking it back to the store and trading it in for some credit. I say credit b/c there isn't much out there I am interesting in playing at the moment.
-I prepaid months in advance and just felt letdown.
I don't agree that it was a good game or fun to play!
The graphics were better, I don't care that they weren't epic because I'd not have been able to runthe game, and leaving out combat since I don't like the DA combat in either games, I play for the story and companions and the like, of which I didn't find any of. I did however find lots of waves of magically appearing bad guys and random demons who turn up usually for no reason.
This depends on what you are searching for. As a Hack&Slay game, it is fun to play. Otherwhise - probably not. I had some fun in it, although, it was not what I hoped for after playing DA:O.
To the "randomly appearing" monsters: We had that in DA:O as well, if you consider that demons did never really need a reason to appear, they just want to bite you.
The waves coming .. well, they jump down houses (!? I can't even jump!) and so on, so not too unrealistic as well. I liked the straight-forward way better as well, as it helps a lot playing on nightmare to know the number of your opponents.
Modifié par STiAT, 13 mars 2011 - 07:23 .
#1603
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 07:18
Iorek
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So far, so good; it's my 1st foray into the DA universe... and i like it. Got no preconceived notions based on DA:O. DX11 runs like a champ; I've got every feature maxed. Some very stunning, very smooth detail being delivered by my 6950. Experiencing *nothing* eye-apparent in frame rates.
People are spot-on about combat. It's largely a test of will, not tactic, though certainly *who* you bring along seems to make a difference. I was never a fan of party combat--in TES, for example, your party members pretty much threw themselves blindly at the enemy, generally to *your* chagrin! Comparatively speaking, DA2 makes it fun! (Keep in mind I've never played DA:O.)
As a first-timer, there’s a lot of lore to absorb, but it seems a reasonably rich universe. I’m not disappointed and may, after I’m through, check out DA:O Ultimate. (Gotta have something to play before Skyrim comes out!
Nice work, BioWare! Thanks for reading.
People are spot-on about combat. It's largely a test of will, not tactic, though certainly *who* you bring along seems to make a difference. I was never a fan of party combat--in TES, for example, your party members pretty much threw themselves blindly at the enemy, generally to *your* chagrin! Comparatively speaking, DA2 makes it fun! (Keep in mind I've never played DA:O.)
As a first-timer, there’s a lot of lore to absorb, but it seems a reasonably rich universe. I’m not disappointed and may, after I’m through, check out DA:O Ultimate. (Gotta have something to play before Skyrim comes out!
Nice work, BioWare! Thanks for reading.
#1604
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 07:24
Divayth Curio
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Was just about to write my own review when I read this. You brought up pretty much everything I wanted to touch at, and I completely agree with you.MysteriousStranger wrote...
“Dragon Age: Origins” is one of the greatest role-playing games ever made, and its always hard to repeat a masterpiece. It is clear that “Dragon Age 2” was never in the running to do that.
While it improves on several areas, and has all of the things I typically love about BioWare games, its achievements simply cannot outweigh its faults.
The most flawed aspect of the game concerns the plot.
The story is centered around Hawke, a man (or, if the player chooses, woman) who journeys to the city of Kirkwall as a refugee from war and rises, in a classic rags-to-riches story, to become the most important character of the extraordinary “Dragon Age” fantasy world.
Responding to one of the few consistent complaints about “Origins”, BioWare made the protagonist a fully voiced character this time. The voice actors do good enough, and the writing for the dialogue for Hawke and most of the supporting faces is great.
What is not so great is the actual amount of conversational content compared to virtually any other BioWare game. In DA:O, the player had the ability to have a conversation with any of the supporting “party” members at any time, and they had a lot to say.
Not so here. Conversations occur only when certain conditions are met and only in certain places. Attempt it at any other time, and you'll usually get a one line response that is something incredibly stupid like “Oh crap my house isn't clean.”
By BioWare's standards, this is a major step backward. Even the romance subplot, another BioWare staple, involves only a handful exchanges over the course of the entire game. Drama nerds will weep.
Compared to “Origins”, DA2's plot is very linear. The framed narrative style is an innovative concept, and the watercolors which compose the animated transitions between the game's three acts are positively brilliant, but events proceed with a sense of inevitability and lack of control.
Only at the end can a decision be made that will significantly affect the entire fictional world; and then there's a cliffhanger that leaves me struggling to care enough to want to tune in next time. “Origins” was not like this at all. It wrapped up the story in a way that did not necessitate a sequel, and there were literally dozens of possible choices to create countless different endings. This is again, an extremely disappointing step backwards.
DA2 does a few things right. The new combat system is much more fluid. As promised, the player, depending on what difficulty they choose, can play the game as a hack-and-slash blood pumping action adventure or a slow-paced, tactical, almost chess-like challenge.
Players who do not care about the plot at all will like this game. This bright side of a cold stone aspect is somewhat plagued by technical hiccups, however, and some may miss “Origins” more strategic overall pace.
Some mention must be made of the save game import feature which BioWare talked a lot about prior to release. As far as I can tell, beyond the very occasional conversational reference, this feature is a gimmick, and a particularly dishonest one at that. Play Dragon Age: Origins, but do not play it just to get a save game for this title. You will be disappointed, just as I am with this entire package.
Would just like to add the lack of a properly structured storyline, which reaches a point were I as a player just stop caring about everything happening around me.
After about ten hours of gold-farming, I'm wishing that the boring and limited gameworld of Kirkwall should burn to the ground, with all it's shallow inhabitants going down with it. And that feeling of frustration, mounting the longer I force myself into the game, is about the only real emotion I experience during the playthrough.
Good parts are the voiceactors playing Flemeth and the Qunari Arishok. Too bad these characters weren't fleshed out. Oh, and the combat-system is actually getting bashed to much by some people. I think it's okay, not to mention that it is far from the games biggest problem.
But for a BioWare game (and I've been a big fan since BG2, adoring everything so far with the possible exceptions of the ME-games), I would say that this is hideously badly written. I'm sorry.
#1605
Guest_Fandango_*
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 07:25
Guest_Fandango_*
Guest_Fandango_*
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Perhaps I should preface my post by admitting that Dragon Age 2 was one of the titles I was most looking forward to this calendar year. I loved Origins, which was not a game without its own problems, and eagerly anticipated this latest incarnation of my new favourite IP. Like many, I followed its development with keen interest and (like some) tried to temper my horror with regards the new design choices by telling myself that DA2 was a Bioware game and would deliver plenty in the way of value and fun.
It had been my fervent hope that the DA2 development team would not attempt to reinvent the wheel and instead tweak, polish and build upon what was an outstanding reimagining of the old CRPG format. Take what was great about Origins, wrap it up in a compelling new story and give me another unforgettable experience to savour and sink hour upon hour into.
That I, some 12 or so hours in, have already had my worst fears confirmed in that DA2 was designed for a completely different demographic is obviously disappointing to me and, whilst I appreciate that there are a great many who are enjoying their own experiences with the game (and more power to them), I wanted to offer my thoughts as to why DA2 has largely failed to capture my interest.
So, I should probably start by saying I agree with those who wanted to see a more lucid, dynamic combat system for DA2 but don’t mind admitting that I’m really struggling to appreciate the nuances with regards this latest offering. I find the new combat system to be a contradictory affair; on one hand it’s entirely dull (no great credit from me for the button mashing siege that constitutes 90% of combat gameplay) and on the other it’s a hideously flamboyant, triple backflipping extravaganza. In short, neither the mechanics nor the aesthetics are my bag; I find the former to be unchallenging and the later to be way too garish for my fancy.
As for level design, DA2 takes one step forward and two steps back. The scale of Kirkwald is truly impressive but where’s the variety; where’s the life, detail and charm? I know Origins suffered similarly in many regards but at least it offered the bustling excellence of Ostegar, the bookish brilliance of the circle and the variety of Redcliffe, Lothering and the rest! As for the recycling of certain environments, well its borderline offensive and an indication that the development cycle for this game was way shorter than it needed to be.
The art style, with its clean lines and sharp edges looks decidedly low polly but character models are particularly well realised and the cutscene cinematics are certainly a step above Origins. General animations are vastly improved and I’m loving the Quinari redesign (the Dwarves really do look superb also).
Despite the unwelcome introduction of a dialogue wheel which, at its worst, is downright misleading, the game truly shines when one engages party members in conversation. Characterisation is strong and dialogue well written and delivered. Party banter too is brilliantly conceived and, despite early concerns, the voice acting thus far has proved to be top notch. It’s no doubt testament to the excellence of Origins and the good work done in DA2 that I’m left a little miffed at the distinct lack of opportunity to converse with ones party members.
One of my biggest grumbles has to do with what I perceive to be the needless limiting of player choice. Quite simply, not having the ability to equip ones party members is a massive downer for me. Managing inventory and optimising ones party composition does not a great RPG make but I’m one of those sad fellows that really enjoys doing so. Indeed, wandering around a world surrounded by vendors, picking up loot I dont need brings to mind the original Mass Effect (and not in a good way).
Anyhoo, this is dragging on so I’ll finish off by saying that, whilst the main story line appears to be decent fare, my gaming hours thus far have largely been spent doing fetch quests for people I barely know, fighting wave after wave of trash mobs, spamming the same move over and over and over again and it isn’t fun. As such, DA2 represents a huge disappointment for me
It had been my fervent hope that the DA2 development team would not attempt to reinvent the wheel and instead tweak, polish and build upon what was an outstanding reimagining of the old CRPG format. Take what was great about Origins, wrap it up in a compelling new story and give me another unforgettable experience to savour and sink hour upon hour into.
That I, some 12 or so hours in, have already had my worst fears confirmed in that DA2 was designed for a completely different demographic is obviously disappointing to me and, whilst I appreciate that there are a great many who are enjoying their own experiences with the game (and more power to them), I wanted to offer my thoughts as to why DA2 has largely failed to capture my interest.
So, I should probably start by saying I agree with those who wanted to see a more lucid, dynamic combat system for DA2 but don’t mind admitting that I’m really struggling to appreciate the nuances with regards this latest offering. I find the new combat system to be a contradictory affair; on one hand it’s entirely dull (no great credit from me for the button mashing siege that constitutes 90% of combat gameplay) and on the other it’s a hideously flamboyant, triple backflipping extravaganza. In short, neither the mechanics nor the aesthetics are my bag; I find the former to be unchallenging and the later to be way too garish for my fancy.
As for level design, DA2 takes one step forward and two steps back. The scale of Kirkwald is truly impressive but where’s the variety; where’s the life, detail and charm? I know Origins suffered similarly in many regards but at least it offered the bustling excellence of Ostegar, the bookish brilliance of the circle and the variety of Redcliffe, Lothering and the rest! As for the recycling of certain environments, well its borderline offensive and an indication that the development cycle for this game was way shorter than it needed to be.
The art style, with its clean lines and sharp edges looks decidedly low polly but character models are particularly well realised and the cutscene cinematics are certainly a step above Origins. General animations are vastly improved and I’m loving the Quinari redesign (the Dwarves really do look superb also).
Despite the unwelcome introduction of a dialogue wheel which, at its worst, is downright misleading, the game truly shines when one engages party members in conversation. Characterisation is strong and dialogue well written and delivered. Party banter too is brilliantly conceived and, despite early concerns, the voice acting thus far has proved to be top notch. It’s no doubt testament to the excellence of Origins and the good work done in DA2 that I’m left a little miffed at the distinct lack of opportunity to converse with ones party members.
One of my biggest grumbles has to do with what I perceive to be the needless limiting of player choice. Quite simply, not having the ability to equip ones party members is a massive downer for me. Managing inventory and optimising ones party composition does not a great RPG make but I’m one of those sad fellows that really enjoys doing so. Indeed, wandering around a world surrounded by vendors, picking up loot I dont need brings to mind the original Mass Effect (and not in a good way).
Anyhoo, this is dragging on so I’ll finish off by saying that, whilst the main story line appears to be decent fare, my gaming hours thus far have largely been spent doing fetch quests for people I barely know, fighting wave after wave of trash mobs, spamming the same move over and over and over again and it isn’t fun. As such, DA2 represents a huge disappointment for me
#1606
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 07:45
SexBomb
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- 101 messages
Thoroughly disappointed.
I was very excited for this game... DAO is on my list of top games, but this sequel was just a mess. I'll start with the things I liked.
Major improvement on gameplay. I know a lot of people think the sequel is too easy, but I find it difficult to get through DAO on normal, so this was a welcomed change. Great range of facial expressions, and I appreciate the talking Hawke. Good ability trees (though I don't mind the way this is formatted for DAO) and awesome battle sequences.
No real story, characters that appeared (and looked important) and never reappeared, repetitive area maps (I was in the same 10 places for the whole damn game), horrible dialogue wheel, and a story that is all over the place. There are literally three different stories in this game, and only two of them just *barely* tie together. I remember my friend saying, "Varric was such a cool character. After playing this game, all I can think about is what a bad storyteller he is." Another major complaint is the party members. As a character design artist, I expected great characters from Bioware. What I got was flat, one-dimensional or stereotypical characters who never grow or learn throughout the story. Only Varric stands out as interesting and exciting, the rest are bland, boring fanservices. As I stated above, the talking main character was a nice change, but it looks as if they sacrificed a lot of valuable dialogue just to give it to him. There is much less option for interacting with the characters. I liked being able to stop in the middle of Orzammar, just to have a chat with Zevran. I spent about three hours in DAO just chilling at my party camp talking it up with the various remarkable characters. DAII, it was a half hour, tops. Would have liked to stop and talk with them during the entire game, even if they had nothing new to say. Yes, the character quests are nice, but they seem rather pointless since as I mentioned before (with very few exceptions), the characters do not actually grow or learn from their experiences.
Final score: 6/10. I had high hopes, and most of this score comes from the improved gameplay and graphics. If i was rating the story and characters alone, 2/10.
I really hope Bioware learns from this mistake.
I was very excited for this game... DAO is on my list of top games, but this sequel was just a mess. I'll start with the things I liked.
Major improvement on gameplay. I know a lot of people think the sequel is too easy, but I find it difficult to get through DAO on normal, so this was a welcomed change. Great range of facial expressions, and I appreciate the talking Hawke. Good ability trees (though I don't mind the way this is formatted for DAO) and awesome battle sequences.
No real story, characters that appeared (and looked important) and never reappeared, repetitive area maps (I was in the same 10 places for the whole damn game), horrible dialogue wheel, and a story that is all over the place. There are literally three different stories in this game, and only two of them just *barely* tie together. I remember my friend saying, "Varric was such a cool character. After playing this game, all I can think about is what a bad storyteller he is." Another major complaint is the party members. As a character design artist, I expected great characters from Bioware. What I got was flat, one-dimensional or stereotypical characters who never grow or learn throughout the story. Only Varric stands out as interesting and exciting, the rest are bland, boring fanservices. As I stated above, the talking main character was a nice change, but it looks as if they sacrificed a lot of valuable dialogue just to give it to him. There is much less option for interacting with the characters. I liked being able to stop in the middle of Orzammar, just to have a chat with Zevran. I spent about three hours in DAO just chilling at my party camp talking it up with the various remarkable characters. DAII, it was a half hour, tops. Would have liked to stop and talk with them during the entire game, even if they had nothing new to say. Yes, the character quests are nice, but they seem rather pointless since as I mentioned before (with very few exceptions), the characters do not actually grow or learn from their experiences.
Final score: 6/10. I had high hopes, and most of this score comes from the improved gameplay and graphics. If i was rating the story and characters alone, 2/10.
I really hope Bioware learns from this mistake.
#1607
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 07:56
Twaddlefish
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- 219 messages
I really like this game. The dialogue is sublime and well written, the sidequests and main plot are both very interesting, and do a great job at keep the player immersed in what is a much lower key affair than the original. The combat is hectic, but the difficulty fluctuates wildly at times, and the only constant challenge for tactical players will be hard or nightmare.
Oh, the quest locations on the world map are a great idea, nice work.
My *big* criticism of the game is the cave and shore areas. Literally the same map, but you enter from a different angle/parts are blocked off. It really is very sloppy and is quite disappointing considering a developer of Bioware's caliber. I like Kirkwall as a city, and even though it's not teeming with people, there are enough bodies to make it feel alive for me.
There are some juddery frame rates in places, when I first met Isabela is a glaring example where it dropped to about 18fps. And that annoying bug that won't give you fullscreen mode on startup and it can't find the hard disk or something, annoyance.
Overall, good to very good game. It'll certainly warrant a replay. Nice Work.
Oh, the quest locations on the world map are a great idea, nice work.
My *big* criticism of the game is the cave and shore areas. Literally the same map, but you enter from a different angle/parts are blocked off. It really is very sloppy and is quite disappointing considering a developer of Bioware's caliber. I like Kirkwall as a city, and even though it's not teeming with people, there are enough bodies to make it feel alive for me.
There are some juddery frame rates in places, when I first met Isabela is a glaring example where it dropped to about 18fps. And that annoying bug that won't give you fullscreen mode on startup and it can't find the hard disk or something, annoyance.
Overall, good to very good game. It'll certainly warrant a replay. Nice Work.
#1608
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 07:57
fallingseraph
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It feels like your limited to doing the entire campaign in 6 different maps.
The lack of race choices hurts the game immensely.
The condensed classes make spells and skills limited and not impressive.
The lack of equipment for companions makes it less interesting.
The back and forth you had to do to change what rings and belts are on your companions is tedious.
The story is much smaller in scope than Origins.
The graphics are not all that much better.
The music is pretty much the same which isn't an improvement.
The control of party members is terrible, I can't seem to get them to not run off and fight.
It feels like it was made for a console NOT a PC and therefore dumb'd down control wise.
There are many bugs, you flash behind the enemy as a rogue and end up under the scenery, you can get stuck in many places and some skills don't work.
Dragon Age Origins
I liked finding armor for my companions
I liked outfitting my companions
I liked the ability/spell trees before
I liked the class selections
I liked the random battles
I liked the depth of each characters' story
I liked non conventional builds like a Strength Rogue/Warrior Archer/ Dual Wield Warrior/Melee mage
I liked the selection of non-ability skills.
I feel all that was taken away and its not Dragon Age Origins 2 we're playing but Dragon Age Awakenings 2, with a lot taken away from the game.
The lack of race choices hurts the game immensely.
The condensed classes make spells and skills limited and not impressive.
The lack of equipment for companions makes it less interesting.
The back and forth you had to do to change what rings and belts are on your companions is tedious.
The story is much smaller in scope than Origins.
The graphics are not all that much better.
The music is pretty much the same which isn't an improvement.
The control of party members is terrible, I can't seem to get them to not run off and fight.
It feels like it was made for a console NOT a PC and therefore dumb'd down control wise.
There are many bugs, you flash behind the enemy as a rogue and end up under the scenery, you can get stuck in many places and some skills don't work.
Dragon Age Origins
I liked finding armor for my companions
I liked outfitting my companions
I liked the ability/spell trees before
I liked the class selections
I liked the random battles
I liked the depth of each characters' story
I liked non conventional builds like a Strength Rogue/Warrior Archer/ Dual Wield Warrior/Melee mage
I liked the selection of non-ability skills.
I feel all that was taken away and its not Dragon Age Origins 2 we're playing but Dragon Age Awakenings 2, with a lot taken away from the game.
Modifié par fallingseraph, 13 mars 2011 - 09:13 .
#1609
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 07:58
apollo81b
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- 2 messages
Personally, I'm in love with DA II, not that it doesn't have its issues.
I'm a casual RPG gamer and a fairly new one at that, coming back after enjoying games like Zelda as a kid on Nintendo, but I have high expectations. I tend to prefer games with quality graphics and dialogue, as well as quests with flexibility that allow me to feel like I'm making a personal impact. DA II delievers in all these areas and, along with Mass Effect II, is probably the best RPG out there in my opinion. I've already started my second playthrough and I have the PC version.
Pros:
I'll just list a few, mostly in comparison with DA:O.
Graphics are spectatular and better than Origins.
A hero that talks.
A hero that not only talks but can be funny and sarcastic.
The Irony in the game was delightful, as were the references to Origins and Awakening.
I liked the new combat system myself and the updated character screens.
The dynamic between the different characters is interesting and I like their home bases in the town, but that makes logical sense since a camp wouldn't work in this game.
Cons:
While the pros far outweigh the cons in my opinion, they are still there, so I'll mention them. It does seem like perhaps the great team at BioWare could have spent another couple months perfecting and debugging the game before releasing it and the cons would have been greatly reduced.
The side questing system is hard to figure out. I missed a few during my inital playthrough. I've since learned that items that start side quests have the same icons as junk items, so sometimes I simply didn't loot them because of space, not knowing they started side quests.
The reuse of cave areas is kind of disappointing. They should have put some more time into designing the different out of town (and under town) areas.
As some have recently mentioned, the fact that enemies seemingly pop out of nowhere mid-fight is a bit of a pain. It makes it hard to time AOEs for peak effectiveness. Although, that way we're not overwhelmed by 30 mobs at once, which was possibly the idea behind it, but I can see that being extremely painful in the more difficult modes.
Starting my second playthrough as a mage, I find it a bit frivolous that despite casting spells in front of them, the templars seem blind to the fact that I'm a mage. Perhaps, this will change later, we shall see.
My final complaint is a bug, wherein I couldn't talk to Isabela (my LI) in Act 3, nor Anders at his base, although both had quest icons, they would just say their routine lines over and over.
Overall, I'm more than pleased and can't wait for more releases from BioWare. Hopefully they will take note of some of our cons and work them out in future releases.
I'm a casual RPG gamer and a fairly new one at that, coming back after enjoying games like Zelda as a kid on Nintendo, but I have high expectations. I tend to prefer games with quality graphics and dialogue, as well as quests with flexibility that allow me to feel like I'm making a personal impact. DA II delievers in all these areas and, along with Mass Effect II, is probably the best RPG out there in my opinion. I've already started my second playthrough and I have the PC version.
Pros:
I'll just list a few, mostly in comparison with DA:O.
Graphics are spectatular and better than Origins.
A hero that talks.
A hero that not only talks but can be funny and sarcastic.
The Irony in the game was delightful, as were the references to Origins and Awakening.
I liked the new combat system myself and the updated character screens.
The dynamic between the different characters is interesting and I like their home bases in the town, but that makes logical sense since a camp wouldn't work in this game.
Cons:
While the pros far outweigh the cons in my opinion, they are still there, so I'll mention them. It does seem like perhaps the great team at BioWare could have spent another couple months perfecting and debugging the game before releasing it and the cons would have been greatly reduced.
The side questing system is hard to figure out. I missed a few during my inital playthrough. I've since learned that items that start side quests have the same icons as junk items, so sometimes I simply didn't loot them because of space, not knowing they started side quests.
The reuse of cave areas is kind of disappointing. They should have put some more time into designing the different out of town (and under town) areas.
As some have recently mentioned, the fact that enemies seemingly pop out of nowhere mid-fight is a bit of a pain. It makes it hard to time AOEs for peak effectiveness. Although, that way we're not overwhelmed by 30 mobs at once, which was possibly the idea behind it, but I can see that being extremely painful in the more difficult modes.
Starting my second playthrough as a mage, I find it a bit frivolous that despite casting spells in front of them, the templars seem blind to the fact that I'm a mage. Perhaps, this will change later, we shall see.
My final complaint is a bug, wherein I couldn't talk to Isabela (my LI) in Act 3, nor Anders at his base, although both had quest icons, they would just say their routine lines over and over.
Overall, I'm more than pleased and can't wait for more releases from BioWare. Hopefully they will take note of some of our cons and work them out in future releases.
#1610
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 08:01
carolina-klp
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- 2 messages
I loved DA2. The story is awesome, the combat much more fun. The interactions with the caracters add a lot to the experience and the banter 's just great 
But the best part is how reactive the game is to your desicions. Although you cant's change a lot of the main story, it makes it a bit more realistic, npcs have their own opinions and you can't always make someone change their minds.
And it's awesome how quests that appear to have nothiing to do with the main story end up to be an essential part of it.
when Iplayed DAO I thought it was the best game ever. But now DA2 took its place
But the best part is how reactive the game is to your desicions. Although you cant's change a lot of the main story, it makes it a bit more realistic, npcs have their own opinions and you can't always make someone change their minds.
And it's awesome how quests that appear to have nothiing to do with the main story end up to be an essential part of it.
when Iplayed DAO I thought it was the best game ever. But now DA2 took its place
#1611
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 08:11
Malanek
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I only got DA2 on friday because of the release date here. I was very sceptical after playing the demo (which was rubbish) and learning about all these things I didn't like ie no tactical camera, ff only on nightmare and general lack of tactics, dialogue wheel, designed for consoles etc. However I ended up very pleasantly surprised.
The story is great. Much more sophisticated, mature and original that you usual save the world from an ancient evil. It digs into base human emotions and motivations and actually digs right into the large amount of lore the writers originally created. Similar to the witcher but executed better and without translational problems. The characters are great. Can't really say too much about them without giving away spoilers but collectively I think they are probably biowares best bunch yet. The dialogue is very good and some of it is extremely witty. I really enjoyed Kirkwall. Well designed, large, interesting city.
There were lots of things I didn't like. The controls were much clumsier than DAO which is somewhat disapointing. No tactical camera obviously but having the "snap to" creature feature when targetting, but then not even being able to target creatures with aoe effects. If you must lose the camera, the "snap to" must go as well. Removing ff from most levels was actually the right decision given all the other UI changes. It is a bit clumsy to work well in DA2.
I would be very curious to learn the design philosophy behind reusing the same same maps for different caves and areas. It wasn't a big issue in terms of gameplay but just looks cheap and lazy. Was it a technical limit? The dialogue wheel wasn't tto bad, I still don't like it but it was executed much better than ME. Why do all the enemies appear in waves? A bit of this is OK but it just seems contived after a while. There should be encounters where everything starts out on the table. Oh, and I think early character development is very limited, characters should have slightly more choice in the first few levels by getting rid of some level requirements.
In spite of all these issues I would still rate DA2 at a 9 out 10. Mainly for the story and characters but the combat was at least fun and satisfying even if I would have preferred something a bit more tactical. It really does feel like consoles got the focus but even if the game continues like that for DA3 I will happily get it. Could have quite easily been better, but still a great game nonetheless.
The story is great. Much more sophisticated, mature and original that you usual save the world from an ancient evil. It digs into base human emotions and motivations and actually digs right into the large amount of lore the writers originally created. Similar to the witcher but executed better and without translational problems. The characters are great. Can't really say too much about them without giving away spoilers but collectively I think they are probably biowares best bunch yet. The dialogue is very good and some of it is extremely witty. I really enjoyed Kirkwall. Well designed, large, interesting city.
There were lots of things I didn't like. The controls were much clumsier than DAO which is somewhat disapointing. No tactical camera obviously but having the "snap to" creature feature when targetting, but then not even being able to target creatures with aoe effects. If you must lose the camera, the "snap to" must go as well. Removing ff from most levels was actually the right decision given all the other UI changes. It is a bit clumsy to work well in DA2.
I would be very curious to learn the design philosophy behind reusing the same same maps for different caves and areas. It wasn't a big issue in terms of gameplay but just looks cheap and lazy. Was it a technical limit? The dialogue wheel wasn't tto bad, I still don't like it but it was executed much better than ME. Why do all the enemies appear in waves? A bit of this is OK but it just seems contived after a while. There should be encounters where everything starts out on the table. Oh, and I think early character development is very limited, characters should have slightly more choice in the first few levels by getting rid of some level requirements.
In spite of all these issues I would still rate DA2 at a 9 out 10. Mainly for the story and characters but the combat was at least fun and satisfying even if I would have preferred something a bit more tactical. It really does feel like consoles got the focus but even if the game continues like that for DA3 I will happily get it. Could have quite easily been better, but still a great game nonetheless.
Modifié par Malanek999, 13 mars 2011 - 08:13 .
#1612
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 08:11
Statulos
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Are you kidding us? In Origins I expected people like Sten to be inflexible about everything and he was pretty much that for the whole time, however, you could basicaly demonstrate him that you were worth of respect, though not necessarily agreement.carolina-klp wrote...
I But the best part is how reactive the game is to your desicions. Although you cant's change a lot of the main story, it makes it a bit more realistic, npcs have their own opinions and you can't always make someone change their minds.
In DA 2 too many characters are brutally monolithic. Yes, not everyone is supposed to be Alistair or Leliana (people you can deeply influence) but even Morrigan, Shale or Sten were far more "humane" than fanatics such as Sebastian or Fenris.
#1613
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 08:15
BearlyHere
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So far I like the game, though I agree it doesn't have the epic "save the world" feel of DA:O. I have to wonder if that's because DA:O was being worked on for years.
I like the combat system, but some of the kills with exploding bodies are cartoonish. I don't mind the gore, but sometimes it just looks silly.
I don't like the Avatar style elves. I can't imagine trying to romance Marrill with a male character because she looks like a child, though she's a delightful companion with her "fish out of water" comments on life. I like the companions and the banter between them.
And what's up with the fully-clothed love scenes? And no PDA's like with Alistair in DA:O? Please don't let the Puritans take over.
In the beginning I wasn't sure if this one would be replayable, but now that I'm in the middle of Act II, I'm already thinking of my next play through, though I can't see replaying it as many times as I have DA:O.
My biggest complaint is the plot doesn't seem realistic. I can see the Hawkes getting out of the oppressive atmosphere in Kirkwall as soon as they have the coin to hop a ship back to Ferelden, especially if Bethany is with the family or if Hawke is a mage.
I like the combat system, but some of the kills with exploding bodies are cartoonish. I don't mind the gore, but sometimes it just looks silly.
I don't like the Avatar style elves. I can't imagine trying to romance Marrill with a male character because she looks like a child, though she's a delightful companion with her "fish out of water" comments on life. I like the companions and the banter between them.
And what's up with the fully-clothed love scenes? And no PDA's like with Alistair in DA:O? Please don't let the Puritans take over.
In the beginning I wasn't sure if this one would be replayable, but now that I'm in the middle of Act II, I'm already thinking of my next play through, though I can't see replaying it as many times as I have DA:O.
My biggest complaint is the plot doesn't seem realistic. I can see the Hawkes getting out of the oppressive atmosphere in Kirkwall as soon as they have the coin to hop a ship back to Ferelden, especially if Bethany is with the family or if Hawke is a mage.
#1614
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 08:24
Kira w
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In my oppinion, The game was good but i would of liked more character customisation
also the plot is extreamly dull, The ending was annoying and oh my god.... the game is so short
i finished it in 2 days..........(2 hours each day)
I don't like the limitation on race and if there is a dragon age 3 i'd start working now to win back the fans
also the plot is extreamly dull, The ending was annoying and oh my god.... the game is so short
i finished it in 2 days..........(2 hours each day)
I don't like the limitation on race and if there is a dragon age 3 i'd start working now to win back the fans
#1615
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 08:26
Erunestaron
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In Short: I like DA2, maybe not as far as DAO, but i never believed that BW could make another game as awesome as DAO. But, tbh, DA2 were still really really Fun to play. I spent hours to play, and maybe ill do it again.
In Long:
I do like the Combat System. its feels smoother, its more fun to play. Also i like the function of difficulty changing (i changed it to hard later at game, maybe nightmare in the next act).
I like the new Companions, the only thing i dislike is the restriction of your Tanks to be 2h or 1h+ shield. If you do like Mages you have to be 1h+Shield, if you decide to dislike Mages you have a 2h tank, but no healer like Anders/Bethany. And Merril isn't possible to be a healer, too, so this sucks really hard.
Second one: i liked to change the optics of my Companions via Armor. I appreciate the Special Looking for each of your Companion, but i really would love it to have 4-5 Options for every Companion (i really dislike Anders robe, for example) so i can change them into another, but also special and epic looking, dress.
I like the "missing of the red line". You don't know what your champion did, why the seeker is asking Varric. Its really really interesting to see: hey, what will the story be. In DAO you knew: The story will be: Kill the Archdemon. Everything beside that, you knew: this is just a "sidestory" not your main-task. Now you try to connect piece for piece to solve the puzzle on your own, before the storyteller tells it to you. really really like it!
What i really really miss: You only have limited chances to talk with your mates. its not like in DAO you could talk with them really often at camp. now you can talk with them directly about... 3 times? it just feels like that.
The Decision maker is ok, even i like it that you do''nt know exactly what you are saying, this way you hear to your voice more carefully. But i really would like in EVERY decision to ask one of your companion. Now its: everytime you have the possibility to let your companion talk its mostly good for your reputation by him. If you have every Talk the decision and have to decide every Chat: who is responding, which one would respond better, me or my mate? - would be much more attractiv.But letting someone else talk for you is a good step.
And at last: it feels like you have to decide Pro or Contra mage. the problem is, if you decide contra-mage, you cant have any healer at your side who will be happy about this, so you cant build a proper Contra-Mage Party. We need a Mage of the Circle who LIKES the situation it is, so you can decide: Pro-Mage: "Tank: Aveline, Damage: One of the Rogues, Merril or Bethany, Healer: Anders/Bethany)" Contra-Mage: "Tank:Fenris, Damage: one of the rogues, Healer: Circlemage)
And my Last word here: I REALLY LIKE DA2, just for every troll who dumps every bit of the Game, its Worth playing it!
In Long:
I do like the Combat System. its feels smoother, its more fun to play. Also i like the function of difficulty changing (i changed it to hard later at game, maybe nightmare in the next act).
I like the new Companions, the only thing i dislike is the restriction of your Tanks to be 2h or 1h+ shield. If you do like Mages you have to be 1h+Shield, if you decide to dislike Mages you have a 2h tank, but no healer like Anders/Bethany. And Merril isn't possible to be a healer, too, so this sucks really hard.
Second one: i liked to change the optics of my Companions via Armor. I appreciate the Special Looking for each of your Companion, but i really would love it to have 4-5 Options for every Companion (i really dislike Anders robe, for example) so i can change them into another, but also special and epic looking, dress.
I like the "missing of the red line". You don't know what your champion did, why the seeker is asking Varric. Its really really interesting to see: hey, what will the story be. In DAO you knew: The story will be: Kill the Archdemon. Everything beside that, you knew: this is just a "sidestory" not your main-task. Now you try to connect piece for piece to solve the puzzle on your own, before the storyteller tells it to you. really really like it!
What i really really miss: You only have limited chances to talk with your mates. its not like in DAO you could talk with them really often at camp. now you can talk with them directly about... 3 times? it just feels like that.
The Decision maker is ok, even i like it that you do''nt know exactly what you are saying, this way you hear to your voice more carefully. But i really would like in EVERY decision to ask one of your companion. Now its: everytime you have the possibility to let your companion talk its mostly good for your reputation by him. If you have every Talk the decision and have to decide every Chat: who is responding, which one would respond better, me or my mate? - would be much more attractiv.But letting someone else talk for you is a good step.
And at last: it feels like you have to decide Pro or Contra mage. the problem is, if you decide contra-mage, you cant have any healer at your side who will be happy about this, so you cant build a proper Contra-Mage Party. We need a Mage of the Circle who LIKES the situation it is, so you can decide: Pro-Mage: "Tank: Aveline, Damage: One of the Rogues, Merril or Bethany, Healer: Anders/Bethany)" Contra-Mage: "Tank:Fenris, Damage: one of the rogues, Healer: Circlemage)
And my Last word here: I REALLY LIKE DA2, just for every troll who dumps every bit of the Game, its Worth playing it!
#1617
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 08:29
Erunestaron
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Kira w wrote...
In my oppinion, The game was good but i would of liked more character customisation
also the plot is extreamly dull, The ending was annoying and oh my god.... the game is so short
i finished it in 2 days..........(2 hours each day)
I don't like the limitation on race and if there is a dragon age 3 i'd start working now to win back the fans
You played the game in 4 Hours? Do you even got past Act1? Hard to imagine that you came through Act 1 in only 4 hours, but if you did, you certainly did NOT play act 2-3. My first walkthrough took about 10 Hours for the 1 Act, i did all sidequests. My second one took around 8 Hours, letting some sidequests go but did most of them and that only for act1
Modifié par Erunestaron, 13 mars 2011 - 08:29 .
#1618
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 08:36
triggerslol
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Pros:
* I like the new combat
* I liked the overall flow of the game
Cons:
* Even though it had a good story, it was lacking, no real satisfying conclusion.
* Character development was yet again good but lacking. They could develop a 7-year-long relationship. But they never came through.
* Short, very short.
* Exstensive reuse of environments.
Conclusion:
It was good, but it didn't live up to the usual BW standard.
Please, make the story more emotionally engaging.
Rate:
6/10
* I like the new combat
* I liked the overall flow of the game
Cons:
* Even though it had a good story, it was lacking, no real satisfying conclusion.
* Character development was yet again good but lacking. They could develop a 7-year-long relationship. But they never came through.
* Short, very short.
* Exstensive reuse of environments.
Conclusion:
It was good, but it didn't live up to the usual BW standard.
Please, make the story more emotionally engaging.
Rate:
6/10
#1619
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 08:36
Nostradumbazz
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Securom, Securom, Securom. The company EA has been sued before in 2008 for using this and now Bioware who said that they didn't use it, installed it on our computers in Dragon Age 2. Over 250 of my mates and I are getting lawyers together to sue both companies. Hackers love that program and since we were lied to about it being used...it's a form of piracy. Other than ruining a great franchise...they now are the badguys. I will go back to rockclimbing and leave my pc alone. So so so so let down about Dragon Age.
#1620
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 08:37
Pix
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I pre-ordered the game and got it yesterday. My first reaction to it was disappointment but it's starting to grow on me. I was just always a story/characters over battle action kind of player. and I so far think the characters are flat. Each character in DAO had a very distinct personality. With these, I don't even know their voices apart when they're talking sometimes. I also don't like the camera view and it took me a while to figure out how to control it. I'm still getting used to it though and I'm just now at the place where the year of indentured service is over.. too early to tell much.
#1621
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 08:42
Mastermadskills
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I'll give you all my review. I doubt any devs or people that matter will see it, but I like to write anyways so it's all good. Here we go:
I liked this game for the emotional attachments formed with the companions. A lot. BUT: There were some points in the game where I was like "Oh hey, isn't this the same cave again?" and "WOAH Bioware, you should have finished this better before releasing it!"
But then I figured that all your effort must be aimed at SWTOR. And I want SWTOR to be amazing. So I forgave you for the weakpoints in Dragon Age 2.
Also, I have the strange urge to go coddle with Merrill. And Tali.
. Bioware, how you manage to get me to have REAL feelings for FAKE people is beyond my ability to understand.
I liked this game for the emotional attachments formed with the companions. A lot. BUT: There were some points in the game where I was like "Oh hey, isn't this the same cave again?" and "WOAH Bioware, you should have finished this better before releasing it!"
But then I figured that all your effort must be aimed at SWTOR. And I want SWTOR to be amazing. So I forgave you for the weakpoints in Dragon Age 2.
Also, I have the strange urge to go coddle with Merrill. And Tali.
. Bioware, how you manage to get me to have REAL feelings for FAKE people is beyond my ability to understand.
#1622
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 08:43
Erunestaron
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Pix wrote...
I pre-ordered the game and got it yesterday. My first reaction to it was disappointment but it's starting to grow on me. I was just always a story/characters over battle action kind of player. and I so far think the characters are flat. Each character in DAO had a very distinct personality. With these, I don't even know their voices apart when they're talking sometimes. I also don't like the camera view and it took me a while to figure out how to control it. I'm still getting used to it though and I'm just now at the place where the year of indentured service is over.. too early to tell much.
I can hear the difference clearly, but i have to say: im playing in german.
#1623
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 08:48
Cel_
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Sorry, but by all means this was not a real rpg. At least not a pc rpg. I know the console gamers are not used to a background story which involves reading.
If milking the console cash cow is really so important to you, then please create a quality pc version first and strip it down to console niveau afterwards. Cutting out graphical quality, story dialogs and tactical depth should be simple enough.
The levels are pure recycling - always the same dungeon, but different doors opened.
The graphic engine itself does have potential, but the level design did not take advantage of it.
The interface was nice in DA:O, i have no idea why someone would exchange it for this interface.
It didnt suit a fantasy game at all.
The fights were striped of tatics as well (again my suspicion - was this done for the console version?).
Not to mention the horrible respawning. That reminded me of industrial manufacturing. Just push out as many mobs as possible.
I did not feel like the first part and its sequel did have much in common. Even the universe didnt really seem to be the same other than there were names which were familiar from the first part.
If you didnt notice, i am quite disapointed with the game.
If milking the console cash cow is really so important to you, then please create a quality pc version first and strip it down to console niveau afterwards. Cutting out graphical quality, story dialogs and tactical depth should be simple enough.
The levels are pure recycling - always the same dungeon, but different doors opened.
The graphic engine itself does have potential, but the level design did not take advantage of it.
The interface was nice in DA:O, i have no idea why someone would exchange it for this interface.
It didnt suit a fantasy game at all.
The fights were striped of tatics as well (again my suspicion - was this done for the console version?).
Not to mention the horrible respawning. That reminded me of industrial manufacturing. Just push out as many mobs as possible.
I did not feel like the first part and its sequel did have much in common. Even the universe didnt really seem to be the same other than there were names which were familiar from the first part.
If you didnt notice, i am quite disapointed with the game.
#1624
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 08:54
Thenomain
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- 3 messages
We would like your Dragon Age II reviews here. The good and the bad. What you liked and what you disliked. We want to hear from you.
I am currently about halfway through the game and my quick review is: Good, Not Awesome. I think it suffers from too much streamlining, but I'm still enjoying it.
In no particular order...
Overall: As a game, so far it compares better to Mass Effect 1 than Dragon Age: Origins. It's a slow build of events which I have mixed feelings about. I miss the frenetic pace of DA:O and ME2, the sharp focus of what you're doing. The good part of this is that I like the many smaller stories than having one overbearing (and sometimes tiring) everything.
Game Appearance: I'm disappointed in the interface. It feels like an odd thing to say, but I miss the consistent, end-to-end dark-fantasy mood that was in every corner of DA:O. I like the general idea behind the streamlined interface and love the color choice, but the vector art leaves a lot to be desired.
The rest is fine, but I wasn't wowed by it. DA:O's scenery was cramped and hectic and played in perfectly to the game, even if a lot of it was technical limitation. The openness feels almost meandering, which does fit into the game.
A footnote about the game maps: Playing the same map over and over is distracting. I don't buy that it's a different location, and having the map report a passage open while it's locked because I'm not "on that version of the map" is frustrating.
Combat: One of the places I was wowed was combat. As a casual gamer, I cannot stop enjoying combat. It's quick, entertaining, and visually fun. I'm challenged on "normal", but I don't have to get into the in-depth analysis.
Writing: I am slowly warming up to the writing, but very slowly. That the plot is happening in distinct arcs seems to have a more dramatic effect on the writing than in the other Bioware games of the same style (and I'm including KotOR in this), and it doesn't feel nearly as tight or focused.I didn't start warming up to the NPCs, either, until I started my second play-through.
I am impressed at the subtle changes informed by your own dialogue options, but I am confused and often frustrated how one option leads to a seemingly different response. (If I select "What's in it for me?", why do I sound like I'm supporting the thing I'm being paid to kill?)
Oh, and I need the word "DON'T" on a large board to hit the Talkative Man with. A little 4th Wall is fun, and a few lines have had me in stitches, but he tends toward the smug.
Overall: Overall, I'm impressed. Restarting Dragon Age like this could not have been easy, but I don't feel it was worth the pre-order. Maybe I'll change my mind by the end. It's worth playing, and it's worth playing several times, but unlike every other KotOR-style game Bioware's put out, I haven't been grabbed by the lapels by the game, and that's a damn shame.
#1625
Posté 13 mars 2011 - 08:56
neppakyo
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Cel_ wrote...
Sorry, but by all means this was not a real rpg. At least not a pc rpg. I know the console gamers are not used to a background story which involves reading.
If milking the console cash cow is really so important to you, then please create a quality pc version first and strip it down to console niveau afterwards. Cutting out graphical quality, story dialogs and tactical depth should be simple enough.
The levels are pure recycling - always the same dungeon, but different doors opened.
The graphic engine itself does have potential, but the level design did not take advantage of it.
The interface was nice in DA:O, i have no idea why someone would exchange it for this interface.
It didnt suit a fantasy game at all.
The fights were striped of tatics as well (again my suspicion - was this done for the console version?).
Not to mention the horrible respawning. That reminded me of industrial manufacturing. Just push out as many mobs as possible.
I did not feel like the first part and its sequel did have much in common. Even the universe didnt really seem to be the same other than there were names which were familiar from the first part.
If you didnt notice, i am quite disapointed with the game.
I agree with most of this, it was a decent *action* rpg, not on the scale of DA:O. Still fun to play besides the re-use of like 6 maps over and over and over again.. I do miss the tactics of DA:O, sadly missing here in DA2.
I'll be generous, and give it a 7/10.
