96 réponses à ce sujet

[Ieldra]

Short version:

Because for the first time in a video game, I got the impression of a real developing (non-romantic) relationship between my character and an NPC.

 

Long version:

My main Inquisitor is an unbeliever. And a mage. She didn't hide what she thought of this "Herald of Andraste" thing, she told Cassandra she didn't believe in the Maker. Still, in the end I'm finding Cassandra is the type of person my Inquisitor could sit down with and talk about things, both the big picture and personal stuff. They know where they stand, where they're in accord and where they aren't, and they've gone through the fire together, and thus they've come to trust each other. How did that come to be?

 

Sure, at the start I made some decisions and said some things Cassandra didn't like, and for a time she was noticeably cross in conversations. Then her quest came up, and in the aftermath, I found that she was an eminently reasonable and intelligent woman behind all that impulsiveness, that she cares about history ("The world needs the truth this time, no more legends lost to the ages") and struggles with her faith instead of depending on it for easy answers. I respect that. Not only did the game successfully convey that complexity, it also gave me options for mature replies: I didn't want to hide our differences but also didn't want to harp on about them. I could question her attachment to the Chantry once in order to find out where she stands, and then the matter was settled and I didn't need to bring it up again. I also found myself convinced by some of her arguments - and isn't *that* a novelty in a video game, where reasoning is usually so simplistic that I can't agree to anything said? So...I helped her with some other stuff and ended up supporting her as the Divine, all that without ever needing to compromise my own stance. We became friends aware of our differences - but we cared about many of the same things. The truth of faith can't be known, but we are alike in our dedication to truth in the things that can be known. We are both dedicated to change but aware that it needs to come at its own pace. In the end, that we believed different things and would enact somewhat different policies wasn't all that important.

 

The fact that the in-game conversations actually supported this comparably complex development (which is not so easy to write for an interactive medium) explicitly at various points in the story, that's what impresses me most. Many of DAI's characters feel surprisingly real, but with Cassandra there was a dynamic to the relationship I haven't found in any other game - or NPC - yet,    

[JasonPogo]

I agree. They did a great job with both the friendship and romance when it comes to Cassandra. If you don't agree with her you still come to an understanding based on respect. One of my fav parts of my female anti religios Dwarf was when Cassanrda called me a good friend.

[rda]

Even more amazing, Cassandra was written by Hepler, and then when Hepler left, by Gaider. Usually a character written by two people is an inconsistent abomination...but she isn't. She's one of the most realistic characters Bioware has ever written.

[AutumnWitch]

Cassandra was easily the best written character in DAI. I also think (in DAI) she was the most compelling and by far most interesting. I found myself feeling for her many times and she seemed "real" to me. All the  other's in the game seemed a little "stock" if that makes any sense.

 

Her lighter cute moments made the game for me. I always play as female and her reaction the first time you try to flirt with her is bloody brilliant. The whole thing with Varric's book in priceless which was made so endearing by how well the voice actress played her as well. Her pseudo-flirting with Bull was also great.

 

She comes across as smart, confident, strong and funny. But it was when she let her guard down and was vulnerable which really made my heart feel for her. I can't say enough good about her and how well she was done.

 

Would have loved to be able to have her as a LI.

 

Thanks for the post!

[Melyanna]

I agree. Cassandra was really well written.
There are so many sides of her, she is definitely not the usual flat character we see in most games.

I always bring her with me and her banter is just as great as her cut scenes.

[Brienne]

Short version:

Because for the first time in a video game, I got the impression of a real developing (non-romantic) relationship between my character and an NPC.

 

I agree completely and I perseive nearly like she was real, too. With my female Inquisitor she became close friends. Now I made a male Inquisitor because I was curious about the romance and I must say that it is one of the most beautiful love stories I ever saw.

[leaguer of one]

My qunari inquisitor feels the same way ...Word for word.

[Navasha]

Agreed.   I would have easily went after a deeper relationship with Cassandra first if I could have.   She was easily the best character in the game for me.    Unfortunately I will have to wait a few playthroughs before I do my one 'male' playthrough.    

[Linkenski]

Yes. I agree. I remember being, not necessarily disappointed, but surprised at her romance because I was really liking the turns it took with developing her friendship with my inquisitor and I had been hoping the romance would've arised more naturally than "Do you want to romance me!?"

 

I think it's a bit of a shame how she becomes more secondary when you reach Skyhold though. Her cutscenes are great and it's at Skyhold where they get interesting but I wish she hadn't been placed by the training dummies in the courtyard.

[KaiserShep]

Totally agreed. This is why Cassandra is my go-everywhere companion throughout the game.

[VelvetStraitjacket]

I agree as well.

I was expecting to dislike her and she to dislike my Inquisitor for being a "non-believer", but she ended up being one of my Inquisitor's best friends, as well as one of my favorite characters, despite disagreeing on many things. Her writing and voice acting are superb, and like others said, she feels like an actual person. 

[Luckyanna]

I was also very surprised how open she was to new ideas, namely that she agreed to cure the tranquil mages once it was proven safe. I totally expected her to reject the idea and keep the entire thing secret.

[MiyuEmi]

My daughter and I were just discussing character development the other day.  DAI generally did a very good job with character development this time around.  The secret with Solas was hidden very well and his character writing, personally, is my favourite.  That said, Solas was my favourite male character and Cassandra was my favourite female character.  Dorian was a great character as well.  I mean, when I saw the first notes on this games release when I heard that Cassandra was going to be a companion I thought, dammit, I hate her character.  Then I played the game and I love her character.  Hopefully this is something that Bioware continues as the companions are a large part of the reason I enjoy playing these games so much.  Building of relationships feels realistic and it is a welcome inclusion and step towards greater immersion for me.

[LadyJaneGrey]

Absolutely.  Cassandra's interactions and personality felt the most like a real person to me out of all the Bioware characters.  Most of the relationship dynamics have a couple "now wait a minute" moments that I have to ignore to make them work.  Not this one.

 

I kept trying to make myself leave her at home base to save more content for a future romance play-through...and couldn't do it.  I adore her.

[Bob Walker]

Not only she seems to be a real person, but also a lovely one. And, for a fictional character, she is more reasonable than many people in real life: she can not agree with your decisions but she moves along and doesn't make a fuss about. If all Bioware "fans" could be that way...

[MrSnoozer]

I put her on equal status with Morrigan on how her character is written.

 

While Solas story fits with the world more naturally , Cass story is more interesting.

 

Also she was the only Orlesian accent i liked

[KaiserShep]

Her accent is Nevarran, not Orlesian.

[RepHope]

She and Dorian stole the spotlight IMO. I think the strength of her character arc comes from how it ties in with the same subject matter examined in the main story: Faith and how it can change you.

[MrSnoozer]

Her accent is Nevarran, not Orlesian.

Its really close though , although it sounds slightly German.

[Apo]

My main Inquisitor is a dalish, unbeliever and rejecting the whole HoA thing from the start and romanced Cassandra.

By the end of the game, she told him that despite being a non believer she never thought that she could develop such a close and romantic relationship with him.

[Korva]

Full agreement as well. Cassandra is probably my favourite Bioware NPC ever now. If you play a believer, she also presents a great role model for an Inquisitor who is hopeful but troubled by the whole Herald-thing: her integrity, willingness to question and in fact insistence on examining herself and her faith instead of claiming to know the Maker's will are all but vital to keep the Herald herself and the Inquisition from falling into self-righteousness and corruption as so many other noble causes and organizations have.

 

Sure, she can have a short fuse, but she's fair. Give her time and she'll show her willingness to open her mind by listening to and building a good rapport with Solas and Cole, which can get her started on considering entirely new questions like how mortal wars affect the Fade.

 

Cassandra is awesome.

[Ranadiel Marius]

One of my favorite bits is her relationship with Varric. Despite how much **** they give each other, she does respect him as seen when she complains about how the Chantry has a gotten to the point where a good person like Varric would not step foot in one.

[Ashagar]

Its really close though , although it sounds slightly German.

 

It likely has to do with her spending decades in Orlais so her accent likely a blend of what ever part of Navarra she came from and Orlaisian.

[rda]

Its really close though , although it sounds slightly German.

Ask a hundred people, and you'll get a hundred different opinions on the accent, but I don't think it sounded French at all. Kind of Slavic, IMHO.

[rda]

It likely has to do with her spending decades in Orlais so her accent likely a blend of what ever part of Navarra she came from and Orlaisian.

If Cassandra was a real person, yes, that would make sense; however, keeping in mind Miranda Raison is a native English speaker, from England, who was told to make up an accent for a VA job, I don't think that explanation holds water.

Her accent sounds like it does because that's the way Raison made it sound, not because Cassandra spent a lot of time in Orlais.