*SPOILER ALERT*
Please, refrain from reading further if you didn't beat the game at least once. I doubt that DA:I plot can be spoiled as it's so much secondary, but, well, you were warned.
*OLDTIMER ALERT*
Please, refrain from reading further if you think that newer Bioware games are better than the older ones in their time.
I don't feel any sorry for my opinion as it's well-thought after 2 DA:I playthroughs, 6 DA:II playthroughs, 14 DA:O playthroughs and many, many ME 1-3 ones (plus older titles that won't ring a bell to you).
*WALL OF TEXT ALERT*
Please, refrain from reading further if you can't take in more than a short Times article. Matters I speak about are huge, so there's no chance to reduce it to something less. Thank you.
==========================================
Yeah, pretty much words are said about what is wrong over there in the final product we call Dragon Age: Inquisition. Pretty much points put about how Bioware could easily overcome those wrongs. And the Community looks pretty confident in the order the problems have to be fixed.
But there is something we can't truly build a consensus about - it's why all the crap is even happening.
Let's see an example on that to be sure everyone is getting the point.
How do we know we get sick? We feel either uncomfortable, or in pain, or we're incapable of doing our jobs.
How do we know that the Bioware game development went sick? Pretty the same way. We feel uncomfortable playing the game (minor issues), we are incapable of doing things that were promised to us (mediocre issues) or we are in literal neurotic pain (one I've suffered playing DA:I) because we understand the problem here.
Why is all the pain?
Well, it's the Standard Bioware Plot Design ™ that is realised in a bunch of ways we all love so much. It is being used in very vast range of universes Bioware games take place into, and each time it was a masterpiece. Each game was a little innovation in it's own way.
Easily put - Bioware games were unique.
Bioware didn't try to 'catch up with mainstream audience' ever before. Bioware made their own games even when they've declared otherwise. And that isn't just because 'the times were different', and 'there was no EA'. Bioware was able to lead the industry because of the amazing leaders BW had in the Mass Effect team (2007-2011 was a period of pure, unqestioned Bioware dominance on RPG market).
Core of everything is a plot.
Cut the plot from a love movie and you'll get porn.
Cut the plot from a war movie and you'll get war chronics at best.
Cut the plot from a detective movie and you'll get daily news.
Cut the genius writing from the Action RPG videogame and you'll get mindless hack'n'slash arena product. Arenas can be big, arenas can be small, arenas can be beatiful and ugly, but it's still mindless hack'n'slash. In arenas.
First time Bioware sacrificed plot to something I can't tell what (as I'm not a BW insider, I can only speculate) was Mass Effect 2 and the beginning sequence. It is aknowledged now that in early development we had another ME2 opening sequence with the acquiring Shep's body before Lazarus project starts. It was considered inappropriate for player to take control of a synthetic to kill organics, and the sequence was cut.
But there were giants - Casey Hudson and Drew Karpyshyn. They 'd repurposed everything to fit in with Dark Horse comics, picturing the deleted part of content. So we still had the whole story, just in another way. Mass Effect 2 was still a unique experience with that Mass Effect'ish feel.
DLCs were used to bind all story lines together, to feel the universe complete.
Some were focused on party members, Like Stolen Memory and Price of Revenge, Two touching stories about two unique characters with awesome insight into their motivation. Why Zaeed is that grumpy? Why does he has so much hatred inside him as he isn't evil at all? Who is that mysterious girl that is clearly cleptomaniac? How did she end up like that? Two small expansions gave actual answers.
Some of the DLC were giving more insight into Cerberus - very controversial organization that failed the initial purpose. There were ****** morals to watch in action and to take part in... Are you really a heartless bastard that can ruin people lifes in a second? Or are you the type of a guy that works ass out to save everyone? Play Overlord to learn it.
And there wasn't any 'real reward' for your choices like a gun or whatever else your character could use. It was the very experience, the feeling that you live in there.
Back at that time - hell, I'm speaking of 2010-11 (!) - Bioware listened carefully to the community. I still do remember those polls 'Who do you want to see in the DLC as a main focus character?'. Liara predictably wins the contest and we get the pearl in ME2 crown - 'The Lair of the Shadow Broker' DLC.
Once again it wasn't something you play for 'real reward', it was for the emotional immersion and lore experience. Dear Athame, I named my cat after Tela Vasir! Yes, it was THAT purfect. Both the DLC story and the cat ofc.
Then there was ME3. Second time something pushed developers out of the way to make the game they were initially intended to do.
Do you even know why Mass Effect was named Mass Effect and not, let's say, SFX (Science Fiction X)? Because it was a reference to the central part of the plot - dark matter and it's influence on the universe. And instead of the dark matter related ending we got a nonsensical Star Kid AI, which was so out of place that, well, developers tried to fix it with Extended Cut DLC.
First time in my life I've got a DLC that wasn't adding something to the universe. It was fixing the wrongs and undoings of the original release. Btw back @ 2012 it was called a 'patch DLC' for a reason.
There were sweet things in ME3 ofc, ones that sweeted the bitter rage about failed endings.
There was SCALE. And SCALE was astounding - it was like coming out of your city to travel around the world. We, Bioware fans, got that opportunity to feel how actually BIG and DIVERSE the universe is. While the main plot was kinda rushed, it was good enough to complete the experiences we got from ME1 and ME2.
There were characters we know and love so much. More to it - we got Citadel DLC as a final 'goodbye' from the old Mass Effect developer team, which had everything - from a funny story with sarcastic humour to franchise-wide references and so on. Some story plots were used in a secondary way, which was sad, but the way it was done ... it was purrfect.
Did you notice that i use Past Simple too much? Even when I shouldn't?
Because it looks like we won't see anything of that again.
Main downside of the Dragon Age: Inquisition is the fact it's SECONDARY in every way.
Dragon Age: Inquisition made it's way out of the Bioware context. Bioware I'm used to know ALWAYS LEADS, and NEVER FOLLOWS.
Niccolo Machiavelli said right about the way you win fights - you choose who you want to fight, you consider the terms in which you can't fail and then you go and ****** win the thing. But this pathetic excuse we got as a next installment in Dragon Age game?..
Dragon Age: Inquisition isn't a Dragon Age, it's something that wants to be many games and fails everywhere. It isn't Mass Effect, it isn't Skyrim, it isn't even a MMO that it tries to be so hard.
Game universe.
Mass Effect evolutioned from Inner Council Space (ME1) to Terminus Systems (ME2) and to the whole Milky Way Galaxy in the end (ME3). Each time story defined WHY we are operating in such closed 'theaters' rather than going everywhere:
- In ME1 we were working for Citadel Council as a newly established Spectre, that didn't have the experience to operate outside the Council Space (where Shep has all authority).
- In ME2 we were working for Cerberus, which is considered to be terrorist organization. We fly Cerberus ship so we can't just come everywhere we want - it'll be constant hunt after us as terrorists.
- In ME3 there's no authority to contain our actions. It's US who make decisions now. It's humans who unite the galaxy to fight Reapers. It's Shepard to kick all types of asses available to make things done. So we travel everywhere. If we can't go somewhere it's mainly because Reaper invasion forces restrict us from doing so.
Dragon Age: Inquisition wants to be Mass Effect 3 here.
- Dragon Age: Origins takes place in Ferelden only because we're Fereldan Grey Wardens and we have a Blight and upcoming civil war that is right here, in Ferelden. Bioware logic: check.
- Dragon Age II takes us to Free Marches, Kirkwall because we're a Kirkwall-origined family that is going to reclaim it's titles, wealth and honour. We don't leave Kirkwall because it isn't needed to do what we want - become a noble Kirkwall family. Bioware logic: check.
- Dragon Age: Inquisition wants to pretend that we're building an organization that is somewhat Thedas-wide. That's why we... er... can't go anywhere but a few places in Ferelden and Orlais.
Orlais was meant to be main focus and theme in the game due to the poll we had before the production on BSN. That's why we... er... have the capital of Orlais as a ****** trade hub while the simple village of Crestwood in Ferelden is present as a region.
Putting frenchie-accent speaking NPCs everywhere (even in alogical places) is a little bit cheap for an AAA title to fullfill the Orlais promise, don't you think? Bioware logic: left unchecked.
Game mechanics
Mass Effect was meant to be something like DAII in early development. They say that there was a tactical camera aswell, but it was denied due to action focus of the game. But Mass Effect saved the classic inventory system with its limits and even the upgrades that were attachable/replaceable.
Mass Effect 2 was meant to solve the lack of the gear content, which was complained a lot about since ME1. Well, haha, we got NO inventory at all. Was it a simple design choice or intentional trolling I'm not sure... But it hell of felt like that. 
However this change was explaned - space optimization up to Cerberus high standards. Combat efficiency over everything. Same goes for replacing heating with ammo spare - there was even a separate title in Codex on it.
Mass Effect 3 saved the ME2 design over basic game mechanics, and the different design choices in Normandy interiors were explained in the most awesome way possible - with a hot lesbian secretary coming up to your cabin for a interactive presentation.
Dragon Age: Origins was a pure party-based RPG that was played as it should be. Hell, I've gone through it doing all quests available like 5 or 6 times ... and I've never switched to action camera. Not even once. Inventory is still there, rudimentary crafting attached. Btw, we had to invest points into crafting skills to get decent gear - and it was our party members who were up to producing potions and such.
I can't say for everyone, but it felt a lot comforting to use Leliana's crafted acid blade coatings... Like, well, a part of emotional immersion. Party members care about the Hero of Ferelden even in such trivial things... Sweet.
Bioware logic: check.
Dragon Age II swapped party-based gameplay for more action focus. Like it was in ME1.
But it still was a party-based RPG with cross-class combos, which was played in action camera mode. Mostly.
Tactical screen was debated and brought back with a few issues (like inability to scroll out as much as you need to use ranged skills),
Inventory was cut to the point it was 'loot everything, mark it as trash, sell it to the vendor'. Upgrades for the gear were obtainable throughout the story in different ways, which was pretty fine for me. Oh, and the sweet Merrill romance outfit.. Oh, sweet, sweet Merrill *giggles*
Anyway every flaw in DAII is understandable because it's all in the lessened scale. it's a homey story like you tell kids @ Christmas, that doesn't need that RPG depth. Bioware logic: check.
Dragon Age: Inquisition tries to be MMORPG here with Action focus like it is ME2-3. But, well, it's like cooking fish with milk - it may work for some, but overall experience is going to be heading to WC.
Action MMO games are simple as **** in means of customization... there's not much room for crafting or gathering resources or anything else apart from teamplay in multiplayer.
Be sure that Action MMO games don't have autoaim on chosen targets like Dragon Age: Inquisition does. Action MMO games usually have free aiming with zone damage (like headshots in simple). Action MMO games are about reflexes and repeating the same behaviour patterns over and over again... But they don't endorse players to think tactically.
If you want an example of an Action MMO game with some story and lore - go check Warhammer 40k: Space Marine.
MMORPG games, on the other hand, are all about customization. It's like you create your own experience in the world with unique class, gear, cosmetics, raiding party strategies and tactics. To forge a sword you want you may need to go to the end of the world... or to donation shop. That's how MMORPGs work (in short).
Speaking of visuals and classes, btw... There's a MMO that is clearly a source for DA:I - Lord of the Rings: Online. I've played it a lot in the past years so, well, some pieces are just cut out of there.
Funny fact - DA:I Multiplayer is far more successive in means of following classic MMORPG instance raiding. Yeah it's simplified to the action game point, but the rest of the mechanics is pretty well copied from top MMO projects.
So, basically, Bioware took best parts of best projects (Mass Effect 3 and Lord of the Rings: Online) that just don't work together. It isn't the ideas used in developing that are broken. It's project management that sucks.
Isn't Bioware I'm used to know, so Bioware logics here is left unchecked.
Main story plot
Most players define the plot being the best part of Bioware games, and I tend to agree. Genius writing made the Standard Bioware Plot Design ™ work each new franchise over and over again.
Let's see what does Inquisition offer us?
Part I
SBPD™:
Main antagonist we actually face is a supercreature that has numerous powers with clear focus on corruption and mind domination. Main antagonist personality is not as hostile as it clearly could be.
Main antagonist doesn't perceive Player Character as a real threat, considering it insignificent.
Later main antagonist can show some destructive emotions towards Player Character.
Main antagonist has the purpose that is somewhat channeled from a higher-tier evil master.
Mass Effect:
Main antagonists we actually face are Reapers, supercreatures that have numerous powers with clear focus on mind domination.
Souvereign is not as hostile as it clearly could be.
Souvereign doesn't perceive Shepard as a real threat until death, considering him/her insignificent.
Harbinger as a replacement for Souvereign shows anger in closing scene of Mass Effect 2 DLC Arrival.
Reapers are controlled by the Catalyst, AI, and are serving the purpose it was built to fulfill.
Dragon Age: Inquisition:
Main antagonist we face is Corypheus, supercreature that has numerous powers with clear focus on mind domination.
Cory isn't as hostile as he clearly could be.
Cory doesn't perceive Inquisitor as a threat until the very Boss Battle, considering it insignificent. Which is surprizing - such dumb personalities usually don't rise as high.
Cory shows anger towards inquisitor when it comes to final battle. At that point I felt sorry, because beating losers isn't my thing. I'm more of overcoming the impossible, thank you.
Cory is surely doing an errand for Fen'Harel (ending sequence with Solas/Fen'Harel picking up the orb and saying 'it wasn't intended to be this'), who is one of the Elvish Gods fighting for dominance.
I'm fine with Bioware using the SBPD ™. But the Bioware I know always made the same plot feel different with different writing.
In DA:I Bioware was lazy enough to leave copy/paste trails everywhere:
Part II
Cory looks are those of half-living half-metal abomination (like Saren - main puppet for Souvereign in ME1), with the face highly resembling Arishok. But if Arishok was an idealistic warmachine with world dominance psycho, ... oh wait. Cory is an idealistic magemachine with world dominance psycho.
Cory lines in Haven are almost the same as the ones in ME2 Arrival DLC ending Harbinger speech. But.
In Mass Effect 2 DLC (!!!) we close the opportunity for Reapers to come in (and instantly win) with billions of lifes lost, with emotionally hard choices and last minute action getaway.
In DA:I main plot (!!!) we close the opportunity for Cory to come to the Black City (and instantly win) ... with almost everyone getting away, without any hard choices (because saving people in Haven doesn't have any strong emotional impact on later game) and last minute cheap action getaway. Like in those 90s trash movies.
How far we've fallen, are we?
Part III
Gathering mages or templars to the inquision's aid is a retextured geth/quarian conflict in Mass Effect 3.
In Mass Effect 3 main story mission we go to seek help of Migrant Fleet to fight the Reapers.
Geth are opressed party because they're barely understood and they have so much power to use.
Geth were intended to use their powers to serve quarians and nothing more.
Geth were residing peacefully next to their masters in the past, but eventually they've rebelled against harsh Quarian treatment.
Geth accepted emissar from Reapers (and Reaper dominance) to save themselves from inevitable Quarian attack.
After the Geth rebellion there was a Geth-Quarian war, which led to forming of two parties within the Geth: Geth of the Perseus Veil (heretics) and the Geth (ones that quitted anti-organic inacceptance plus helped Shepard instantly).
We can choose whether to save both factions if we act in the most paragon/renegade way (it's called roleplay, babe!), or one of them (if we don't), and we can see a party member to suicide.
In DA:I we have to choose what faction we want to save BEFORE we go either way. Unnesessary limit.
Mages are opressed party because they're barely understood and they have so much power to use.
Mages of the Circle were intended to use their powers to serve humanity and nothing more.
Mages were residing peacefully with their templar masters in the past, but eventually they've rebelled against harsh Templar treatment.
Mages accepted emissar from Cory (and his dominance) to save themselves from inevitable Templar attack.
After the Mage Rebellion there was a Templar-Mage war, which led to forming up two parties withing the mages: Covenant or however rebel mages called themselves and mages loyal to the Chantry, which joined Inquisition instantly,
We can't ****** choose to save both factions due to unclear reasons (time can't be the issue because we can grind resources for months before taking ANY action). We can't lose a party member, because before the Haven part starts Dorian/Cole tuck-tock the doors. Unnesessary limit.
Again a copy. Pale copy with fake choices, poorly filmed. Can it get worse?
Part IV
Striking down Adamant fortress to deal with Grey Wardens is just the same as Invading Cronus Station of Cerberus plus a few moments of Thessia. Well, it's an overstatement, as far as DA: I fails at depicting scale of events.
Grey Wardens are a supersecret party that uses Enemy methods to fight the Enemy. In this case it's darkspawn corruption, which has to be implemented into Warden recruits via a special routine (Joining).
Grey Wardens recruit player in their ranks to fight the common enemy (even if player origin doesn't have to do anything with helping dirty shemlens).
Grey Wardens in DA:I posess a lot of facilities throughout the Orlais, but their local HQ is hidden away. Hidden and armoured, so you can't just destroy it from a distance.
Grey Wardens in DA:I were tricked into opposing the ones they swore to protect by antagonist.
Clarel is controlled by Cory's Emissar with periods of remission.
At Adamant you secure victory, but you can't see it because your particular ass is being kicked by antagonist minion - dragon.
Even if you chose to save Wardens and don't expel them from Orlais, you won't see them again. Just wartable missions.
Cerberus is a supersecret party that uses Enemy methods to fight the Enemy. In this case it's Reaper implants, which have to be installed into Cerberus recruits via a special routine.
Cerberus recruit players in their ranks to fight the common enemy (player doesn't have to do anything with helping terrorists. In fact, player is both Spectre and Alliance Military, so he has to actually FIGHT Cerberus).
Cerberus posess a lot of facilities throughout galaxy, but their HQ is hidden away. Hidden and armoured, so you can't just destroy it from a distance.
Cerberus was tricked into opposing Alliance (which is human organization) by Souvereign (through Illusive Man).
Illusive Man is controlled by the Reapers with periods of remission.
At Thessia you secure victory, but you can't see it because your particular ass is being kicked by Kai Leng.
You can't choose to save remaining Cerberus people, but in multiplayer you still can play Cerberus classes.
Okay maybe there was something nice afterall? Temple, maybe?
Part V
Temple part is just an offense.
Mission concept is the same as the Ilos mission from ME1. Other stuffs are copied from DA:O and main plot of ME1.
Basically:
There is a temple, that contains something we believe a weapon.
Enemy is looking for that temple, too.
Enemy gets to the temple before us and we have to, well, find our ****** way in.
In the end we find a knowledge that it isn't really a weapon, but more of the experience of the ancients.
Immediately after that we have to rush to the express way out.
In ME1:
There was a Prothean bunker, that contains something we believe a weapon - The Conduit.
Saren (Souvereign pawn) is looking for it, too.
Saren gets into the bunker first and seals the door, so we have to find our way in.
In the end we find Prothean VI that breaks to us that the Conduit isn't a weapon, it's a secret way into the Citadel. [Cypher is aquired earlier in the race for Conduit]
Immediately after that we rush after the Conduit (before it closes).
In DA:I :
There was a Mythal temple, that contains something we believe a secret way to the Fade - the Eluvian.
Samson or Calpernia (Cory pawn) gets into Temple before us and we have to, well, find your way in.
In the end we find a charming ancient elf that breaks to us that it isn't the Eluvian everyone is after. It's that Well of Sorrows, which is basically the cumulated elven experience (same as Cypher, sigh).
Immediately after that we rush into the Eluvian (because loser Cory arrives. I find it weird, because I could gut him as a cherry pie at that point already).
Puzzle part to get into the temple is ...er... sorry, DA:O... copied from the Temple of the Ashes. Aye, the Gauntlet - puzzles to get into the temple concept (sorry again, DA:O) - are even named in the same way (like, the way of the Petitioner or something).
Other parts of the game are just poor copies, too - from one source or another. And each exact time a lot is lost in transition. We can discuss visuals, models and whatever else in a different topic if you like.
Like the final Cory battle is written around the Human Reaper Larva in ME2 and Haven->Skyhold change is ripped from ME2 Normandy SR-1 -> Normandy SR-2 one and on, and on...
I mean, Bioware, what happened?
Did your balls drop off?
Retour en haut
