While I would never dream of accusing anyone on these forums of maturity Bioware does seem to like throwing around the terms Dark and Mature when describing the Dragon Age series, so what do these terms mean in relationship to Dragon Age Inquisition and how does the Dragon Age series qualify?
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I think the terms "dark" and "mature" referring to DA themes just means that the game will cover subjects that might make a few people uncomfortable, such as torture, rape, mass slaughters, etc etc
DA has always had these things referenced if not shown and has always been advertised as dark and mature. Its just as much advertising as a warning, I think.
Mature is debatable in some instances in the game. Considering the fact you can only make your characters so human before you reach the limits in technology. So having a conversation in regaurds to mature topics seem to feel werid in their exicution. For instance in regaurds to relationships, say you romance Alsitair. Sure if seems organic on the surface but you can really get too invioled in his personal issues. Only a predetermined list of things to talk about and it just seems like you are being fed information about te game of which you have to option to deal with ealier. Justly so, becuase this is a video game. As stated you can only go so far with our current technology. So the propects of having a mature in depth mature conversation with your companions beyond their scripts is just not doable
As for the Dark part. I agree. This game can really have some dark bits in them. The one that sticks out to me is the Broodmother situation. And of course ther Serial Killer in DA2. There are plenty of dar parts of the game, but what DA dosen't do is drown you in it. They give you spots that are in a lighter tone which help prepare for the next dark scene to come down the road. Of course the scenes are varried in the scale of Darkness. But in the end are in fact dark scenes.
"Dark" means killing characters that have personalities.
"Mature" means boobs.
I believe the funny thing about Dragon Age is that if the writing is mature and, well, dark, the look of the games doesn't match that. Blood magic for example, you have all the talk about it's danger and stuff, which make sense and sometimes are explored in very interesting ways, yet when I see Merrill slicing her wrists to open that gate I can't help but laugh... it's like a children cartoon or something.
Well, dragon age is trying to be more mature and dark, that is a given. It's stories are touching at times and feel for it, but when I actually "look" at it, as is seeing the graphics for what they are, to light. But it could certainly go into a lot more places if it wanted to.
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A forum theory semi-confirmed.
I don't think so, after playing other games that really are dark, Dragon Age doesn't seem very dark. Sure it had its moments, like the broodmothers, the way its implied that they are created, the Brecillian Forest and that swamp in awakening were dark. DA2, didn't have much of that and its art style hampered that. I don't know, I certainly don't feel like DA:I will be "dark" even less "mature", especially if mature = romances.
There are other games that make a better display of dark and mature, not going to name them, because if I do someone is going to take offense.
Dragon Age certainly isn't high fantasy. You can have your main character of the story gut a prisoner in DA:O to steal his key to a chest full of low-level gear that is laughable within ten minutes. You can have the option in DA2 to sell your friend into slavery for an amount of money that is similarly laughable. And the entire premise of the story is that demons and darkspawn are real forces that actively try and enslave and murder everyone in the world they can get their hands on... and they often succeed.
Mature is also something I'd say is true. At least in the sense that the story elements given betray some of the darker natures of human emotion. This isn't Krull, where the hero is always good and works to save his one true love from the evil overlord. The hero must choose between weapons to combat an unspeakable evil, yet which also enslave souls in eternal servitude. It asks the player to accept or question established religion and its role in the world at large. It gives murder and assassination not just as plot points, but as considerations to be mulled over before taking actions.
Now... is it the darkest? Heavens to betsy, no. Is it the most mature? Certainly not. As Gaider said in a post, the writing done of both Anders and Fenris was on the verge of Twilight. So there are certainly works out there that deal with these topics more deeply and with more finese.
But that's part of the rub, isn't it? For a video game to even be compared to the level of a television show, movie or even a novel is a huge accomplishment. Mostly because the writing is only one component of video game development, when in the other formats, it is one of the largest factors. To accomplish writing and storytelling that elicits emotional reaciton while also operating in the realms of game design is not an easy task. And, despite how often it is bemoaned, it is an amazing feat that only contain a handful of developers, even after decades of game creation. One could say Doom was dark and mature. That doesn't mean the writing could advance its way out of a wet paper bag.
So it is a matter of perspective. Do you hold a series up to the highest possible standards, not taking into considerations the ramifications of gameplay and design factors, which allow for choices, variations and player freedom? Or do you look at what the writing accomplishes and judge it based on that, especially when comparing it the output of its peers in the industry?
Dragon Age certainly isn't high fantasy. You can have your main character of the story gut a prisoner in DA:O to steal his key to a chest full of low-level gear that is laughable within ten minutes. You can have the option in DA2 to sell your friend into slavery for an amount of money that is similarly laughable. And the entire premise of the story is that demons and darkspawn are real forces that actively try and enslave and murder everyone in the world they can get their hands on... and they often succeed.
The darkness of its content doesn't really separate it from high fantasy.
The darkness of its content doesn't really separate it from high fantasy.
It really does considering it would fall into Dark Fantasy because of that.
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Two separate Genre's.
It really does considering it would fall into Dark Fantasy because of that.
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Two separate Genre's.
Dark/Light and High/Low are two different spectrums of categorization. DA:O was dark fantasy, at the same time being conventionally high fantasy in its setting.
Dark/Light and High/Low are two different spectrums of categorization. DA:O was dark fantasy, at the same time being conventionally high fantasy in its setting.
Hence why the Developers stated they were trying to create a new style of fantasy with elements of both.
This isn't Tolkien and it isn't a song of ice and fire.
._. Its got elements from both but it is neither.
Just happens to resemble Dark Fantasy more then High Fantasy.
It even throws a few jokes at High Fantasy during the games like the mocking mention of the notion of elves traipsing through the forest, the dwarf/ elven rivalry etc..
Dragon Age certainly isn't high fantasy. You can have your main character of the story gut a prisoner in DA:O to steal his key to a chest full of low-level gear that is laughable within ten minutes. You can have the option in DA2 to sell your friend into slavery for an amount of money that is similarly laughable. And the entire premise of the story is that demons and darkspawn are real forces that actively try and enslave and murder everyone in the world they can get their hands on... and they often succeed.
But can such actions really be considered dark? I mean sure they are horrible things to do but considering nobody is forcing you to do these things and that there is no real reason to do these things other than for the lol factor I can't imagine anyone would take these courses of action seriously, I mean you might as well start calling Fable "dark and mature" because it lets you side with Bandits and do naughty things like breaking peoples stuff even though they asked you very politely not to.
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Mature is also something I'd say is true. At least in the sense that the story elements given betray some of the darker natures of human emotion. This isn't Krull, where the hero is always good and works to save his one true love from the evil overlord. The hero must choose between weapons to combat an unspeakable evil, yet which also enslave souls in eternal servitude. It asks the player to accept or question established religion and its role in the world at large. It gives murder and assassination not just as plot points, but as considerations to be mulled over before taking actions.
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How so? In the way that it shows that sometimes people can be dicks? Ok sure the game allows the hero to do some not so nice things, so does Fable, but that being said there is nothing that says your character has to do these things and in most cases (if not all) the game clearly emphasises the "white knight" option as the best option, I mean sure you can murder the kid or you can get the mages to perform an exorcism and save everyone, sure you can kill the prisoner for his key (to get a crappy reward that is hardly worth it) or you can get him a meal from the guard standing right next to the god damn cage, of course if you do kill him nobody really seems to care anyway.
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But that's part of the rub, isn't it? For a video game to even be compared to the level of a television show, movie or even a novel is a huge accomplishment.
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I never compared it to the level of a television show, movie or even novel and would say it doesn't even come close to the level of quality, unless of course we are talking daytime soaps.
So it is a matter of perspective. Do you hold a series up to the highest possible standards, not taking into considerations the ramifications of gameplay and design factors, which allow for choices, variations and player freedom? Or do you look at what the writing accomplishes and judge it based on that, especially when comparing it the output of its peers in the industry?
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I am comparing the Dragon Age team's output to the output of their competition and have found it wanting, there may have been a time when Bioware could have been considered the best at what they do but that was due largely in part to their lack of competition, those times are over.
Ok who designed these new forums?
Ok who designed these new forums?
Interns, tt's always interns.
Hence why the Developers stated they were trying to create a new style of fantasy with elements of both.
This isn't Tolkien and it isn't a song of ice and fire.
._. Its got elements from both but it is neither.
Just happens to resemble Dark Fantasy more then High Fantasy.
It even throws a few jokes at High Fantasy during the games like the mocking mention of the notion of elves traipsing through the forest, the dwarf/ elven rivalry etc..
Again, that would be assuming that dark fantasy and high fantasy are mutually exclusive. For example, your DM can go as dark as they please in DnD, but most of the settings are going to be high fantasy regardless.
da 2 proves that dark doesn't mean mature when being story for emo teens puting drama where they could for sake drama but i guess they forgot add dramatic female voice as the narrator who says "ahh life so horrible drama drama cut cut" 
so i hope dai won't go dragon age route...
@OP
It's all relative.
Themes are mature. Politics among Mulitple Races. Romance. Murder of humans. Relationships of various types.
Dark. Well, it's a bloody affair.
Most other games don't connect emotionally like Bioware games, so no one cares about mass killings of aliens, or even the anatgonists in the Assassins Creed series (just like aliens).
PS. I miss your Avy.
I think that they can definitely take inspiration from the Witcher series for an attempt to make the game a bit darker, but not necessarily more mature.
i have yet to see very many games I can really call "mature"
Why would they take inspiration from the Witcher Series for "Dark"?
Mages, Blood magic, darkspwan, the dirtiness of race relations_____I would put Witcher2 and DA series on same footing for Dark.
Just somewhat different in "dark".
Just not Game of Thrones dark (I'm thinking Jofferey or Theon's special caretaker)
Why would they take inspiration from the Witcher Series for "Dark"?
Mages, Blood magic, darkspwan, the dirtiness of race relations_____I would put Witcher2 and DA series on same footing for Dark.
Just somewhat different in "dark".
Just not Game of Thrones dark (I'm thinking Jofferey or Theon's special caretaker)
Well DA2 wasn't really dark, while it has threatening and dark elements in its lore the game itself was pretty light hearted in many ares, perhaps due to Sarcastic!Hawke's doing.
If we see Ramsay Boltons, Red Weddings, and other such things I'm not sure what I will think. On one hand I love ASoIaF, on the other, I also like DA and I don't want it to try and be something different
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