10 réponses à ce sujet

[UnderlAlDyingSun]

Not that it would interest anybody but I'll quickly summarize

- I loved the story. Period. I thought the delivery left a little to be desired by way of Act 2, and had hoped I could have taken a more ruthless stance against the Templars endgame like killing everyone on the way out( considering my tone towards them was merciless and unsympathetic throughout but non the less I had a vested interest in playing, particularly playing a mage, which is canon for me in any game.  

- Loved the combat mechanics, better paced and the pre patch level of violence I thought was completely appropriate for an offensive mage type. Movements were smooth and I appreciated how fluid, even the passive stave movement was cool, character movement was and that level of grace and aggression should be expected in all the combat scenarios the game renders. In fact in removing the effect it pretty much made combat finishes as lackluster as in origins which kind of pissed me off. I don't understand the community sometimes. 

-Aesthetics. Again VERY good in my opinion. Characters were distinctive and original and a lot of the environments had a charming multi toned quality, consider deep roads, that Origins unfortunately did not, aside from awakening some of those dungeons were great. I did not, like all others, appreciate the quantity and quality of most side quests good god that got old. Almost as bad as end game origins for me where I just wanted to rush via Morrigan's swarm and perma haste because it started getting way too samey. Actually if not for multiple origins and wanting a perfect transfer I never would have considered 2 + full playthroughs w dlc 

I'll finish by saying I didn't mind and in fact loved many of the changes implemented. My view and attitude towards this game aren't as negative as many, I don't tend to micro criticize and take game changes personally. Seriously, I can respect opinion, but some people really needed a couple of jabs to the mouth in that respect ( I suspect I'll get the opportunity at some venue lol ). It's late, I'm two days removed from decent sleep and have endured a persistent mind **** at school so I'm sorry if I didn't articulate very well. Just wanted BW to know I pretty much loved the game and wish I hadn't waited almost 2 years to play it!

[vandalDX]

I'm finally getting around to starting the game (which has been sitting on my shelf, in the cellophane, for two years now) this weekend. Thanks for the critical, spoiler free comments--looking forward to playing through it a few times this summer.

[UnderlAlDyingSun]

valhallaVANDAL wrote...

I'm finally getting around to starting the game (which has been sitting on my shelf, in the cellophane, for two years now) this weekend. Thanks for the critical, spoiler free comments--looking forward to playing through it a few times this summer.

No prob! It'll take atleast one playthrough to get used to it, but I recommend the DLC and playing as a mage (blood/force specs). But yea have fun and fyi if you're achievement hunting have an active guide for crafting items ( unless you buy black emporium and you should! The codex entries and gear you get in there are pretty good! ) and one for the enigma of Kirkwall codex locations!

But last recommendation, do all side/secondary/companion quests first generally. There is a point of no return in all three big segments!

Just for now, don't think negative thoughts unless the come to you k! First run is always the best!

[Mykel54]

I would never recommend playing as mage hawke, because of gameplay/story segregation.
The mage story should have been noticeably different, considering the setting and what is going on in DA2, but it ends up being the same as the other classes.

This makes little sense and in the end hawke mage is an special snowflake mage that can get away with things all other mages can´t. The game as a mage is just fine gameplay-wise, but i think the other classes make more sense storywise, if only because the game is largely the same for the 3 classes.

[vandalDX]

10 hours in, and so far I agree with the OP in just about every regard. Playing a FemHawke (can that name formula apply to all BioWare games?) S&S tank with Isabela, Anders, and Fenrir in my party.

The combo system makes for some devastating attacks. I spec'ed Isabela and arranged her custom tactics to complement Hawke, and with each level the enemies just die faster and faster. This should be fun when we get into the teens & 20's.

The city looks great, and the dialogue is right on par with BioWare's best. The debate about mages and Templars seems to be a huge factor (DA3 subtitle notwithstanding), and the story has me engaged.

thanks for the tip on crafting item guides--saw that was a very detail-oriented achievement to get. So far, so good.

Onward to Sundermount! Also: the first dragon fight was EXCELLENT.

[Face of Evil]

Act 1 is always a joy since all the areas are new. Later on, seeing the same six caves over and over gets wearying, as does the lack of variety in foes.

It's a good game but it could have been so much better.

[UnderlAlDyingSun]

valhallaVANDAL wrote...

10 hours in, and so far I agree with the OP in just about every regard. Playing a FemHawke (can that name formula apply to all BioWare games?) S&S tank with Isabela, Anders, and Fenrir in my party.

The combo system makes for some devastating attacks. I spec'ed Isabela and arranged her custom tactics to complement Hawke, and with each level the enemies just die faster and faster. This should be fun when we get into the teens & 20's.

The city looks great, and the dialogue is right on par with BioWare's best. The debate about mages and Templars seems to be a huge factor (DA3 subtitle notwithstanding), and the story has me engaged.

thanks for the tip on crafting item guides--saw that was a very detail-oriented achievement to get. So far, so good.

Onward to Sundermount! Also: the first dragon fight was EXCELLENT.

I'm relieved to know you're enjoying it! If or when it rears it's ugly side IGNORE it! Blame EA lol! Oh and make those Templar bastards suffer!

[vandalDX]

Oh, and what bastards they are. Seriously. That part of the story alone is miles ahead of Origins.

It would be interesting to collect the vast majority of the complaints against the game and see if it was the criticism of the vocal minority, as it seems to have been with Mass Effect 3, that got it so lampooned in the community, or if there was wider dissatisfaction with it than with ME3, which was relegated mostly to discussion of That Ending and of romance content. The reviews were varied, but none seemed to miss the fact that that BioWare writes a better story, and better characters, than any developer out there. And the combat is so much more fluid, and the visuals and sounds superior. I guess we're coming late to the party, but the game itself seems like an evolution, and not a lapse, in the Dragon Age product.

Anyway, off I go. Should finish Act I today.

[UnderlAlDyingSun]

A little late here, and don't know if you'll be back.

But ME3 is probably the reason EA got voted worst company in America. It would have been hilarious to witness these repricussions first hand!

And it's always a minority of people who get so butthurt and convey their hatred so passionately that they win some hearts and minds! It's funny, I think Gaider said fans have has this reaction to every game they've released and had they heeded criticisms we probably wouldn't have even seen Mass Effect...let alone Dragon Age

Still, WTF we're they thinking with that original ending! Hope you're still having fun, I'm back to Skyrim. E3 soon swwwoopp!

[vandalDX]

Your timing is perfect - I just finished Dragon Age II. As this is a spoiler free forum, I'll leave out specifics:

The setup for what we now know is Dragon Age III: Inquisition was particularly engaging. There's a lot of terrific discussion happening there, and the final scene and the contents of that discussion are portentious and promising.

The gameplay was the best I've seen from BioWare, including Mass Effect 3. The ability (I'd almost call it a mini-game) to constantly alter the approach of your party with the ability trees and tactics, the relatively low cost for a full respec, and the balance of the enemy parties seems hard to improve upon. I found myself enjoying Aveline's dialogue towards the beginning of Act III, so I respecced by S&S warrior for a 2H one, and only made the amount of damage my party put out more devastating. I was able to experience both warrior types in a single playthrough.

I loved all of the characters--each one brought something great to the party, and the friendship/rivalry systm had a more fine-tuned approach that just gifts, or paragon/renegade. I liked the situational customization, even with the loyalty talents. Merrill won my heart immediately, and the Anders/Fenris debates were suberbly written.  Romancing Isabel, was fun and light, lacking the considerable weight of a Leliana/Liara/Tali relationship, but having its place with the attitude of the Hawke I played (who favored wisecracks and any challenge to Templar authority).

The recycled environments were kind of lame, but not a huge issue for me. They didn't dealbreak Mass Effect 1 (which had more of them, I would argue), and they didn't dealbreak Dragon Age II. The life of the city, its development, and its role in what I assume is going to be the main conflict of Dragon Age III was treated uniquely here, and I apprecitaed the setting for what it was, narrowness of scope notwithstanding.

In the end, I can see why the more pragmatic respondents to the game simply say that you either liked it or you didn't. I think I had more fun with this one than Origins, thanks to the focus of the plot, and while the scope was smaller, the quality wasn't. BioWare made another game that I enjoyed more than any other developers, and perhaps that can be the end of it.

I'll play through as a 2W rogue for my unfinished achievements, and then probably do a third full playthough from scratch--maybe a mage Warden and an anti-Templar Hawke--once I've see what more the game can reveal in this second playthough. I'd like the chance to romance Merrill, too. As with the rest of BioWare's games, whenever I finish I feel like I just want to boot up afresh and go through the whole thing again. As long as I keep getting that feeling, I'll play anything they can put in front of me. Another winner.

E3 soon... but not soon enough. My interest is piqued.

Modifié par valhallaVANDAL, 20 mai 2013 - 12:39 .

[vandalDX]

Also I totally stole Face of Evil's forum sig - thanks, man!