272 réponses à ce sujet

[Pallando]

They were right there on the ground when you came walking out, they all came back to Skyhold with you. They were there, this is pretty obvious. As for "discarding" the final battle. I am not. Cory had nothing left, it was just him. 8 guys fighting 1 enemy would be really dumb, that is why they get stuck down there. 

 

Well, since I didn't know where we landed, I assumed it was not far from Skyhold and that the noise of the falling debris awoke them...

 

Still, you recruit 9 persons who swear they'll help you defeat Corypheus, and when the moment of truth comes, well... "We can't fight him 8 vs 1, poor guy will get butchered (even more)"  is not an epic conclusion for a party of adventurers. Or it means the enemy is not actually a real threat.

 

 

What did DAI do better than DAO?

[Darastryx]

Change is probably the only universal constant there is when it comes to life and especially games.   While I respectfully disagree with a number of points, I do get the gist of what you're driving at with the exploration of darker aspects of human nature, moral ambiguity, and just adult themes in general.   However, I highly doubt you will ever find much that is dark or seedy from Bioware, which is one of the most sterile and politically correct developers I can think of off hand.   One look at their employee roster and you get the sense that the darkest aspect of human nature most of them ever came across in suburbs of Pleasantville was a rude barista at Starbucks.

 

While I certainly enjoy the stories and lore of the entire series, it does lack an edge that some other offerings out there have.  I do not see a huge difference between DAO and DAI, but I do see that slow continued trend towards politically correct, please everyone, offend no one, sell to as wide an audience as possible.  Sadly, it is the world we now live in.

 

Goddamn, this is most apt thing I've read about Bioware in a long time, bravo sir. It's a dark reflection on it's fanbase(many, not all, of course). People get offended by one thing or another ingame. They have to put certain characters with certain lifestyles and opinions to placate people who believe those groups are being prejudiced against or outright ignored because they are not represented in game. It is thinking like that which will lead to games that take no risks out of trying not to offend anyone and please everyone.

 

Is that a overdramatic thought? Possibly, but I could see that it could go that way very fast.

[htisscrimbliv]

One thing i really did miss was the blood magic. It's such a cool and fascinating concept that i wish they would've delved more into. U could make the argument that the inquisitor was too noble or important to use blood magic, but i wouldve liked a follower or something to have it. Another thing inquisition was really missing was a reason to really care, specifically at the beginning. You're thrown into a jail cell elder scrolls style with a green light flashing on your hand, but all u know about your character up to that point is the small backstory that you read beforehand. This is another place where origins excelled, the backstory. Numerous origins that made your character your own and gave u an idea of what kind of person u were. Also each backround tied into the main story one way or another. If u played through as a dwarf noble dont tell me you had no interest in going back to orzammar. Heck even the city elf backstory was somewhat interesting. But in inquisition we're just thrown into the game with no real prior knowledge to what is going on. There's a few scenes with companions where you talk about your past and family, but these scenes unsurprisingly fall short because you're just making it up as you go. u never actually got to meet your parents, or witness your own brother and friends betray you at the start. You dont see your friends get slaughtered while trying to avoid an abusive soon to be husband. Your character in inqusition has no character. The options for dialogue are as follows; pushover, sometimes a bit funny, and bordering the line of a meanie head. I wanted to be ruthless. When i heard cass say to me,"wherever you lead us" i assumed that meant i got to lead wherever i wanted. I didnt want fiona by Dorian, so why couldn't i move her away or execute her? Why was there no option to kick people out of skyhold besides the dumb scenes with followers. I wanted blackwall to get furious that i banished the wardens and challenge me to a duel, not be a sap and ask if he could stay. I wanted varric to shout at me to open another rift so he could go in and save hawke, not get a crappy repeated where's hawke line. Why couldnt i read the letters he sent out to each of hawke or whomevers loved ones. Imagine reading a note telling the hof who loved Alistair that he was dead. The scene with varric wasnt sad, because he didnt even really seem sad. The characters in inquisition are lacking real character flaws. I wanted a romance where cullen would cheat on you if u told him to take lyrium, one where dorian takes out his staff and threatens mother giselle if she keeps bothering me. Now there were certainly some touching follower scenes, dorian and his dad for instance. But a majority of scenes just feel like they were thrown for no real reason. Cassandra writing a book about the fade, dorian about the inquisitor and him being related, josephines entire dilemma etc. The worst part is, hardly any of these scenes change based on your previous encounter. I remember saying to Alistair that duncan got what was coming to him, and he just about lost it. I also had the option to apologize in the next scene. The inquisitor is too perfect, really. Anyway just my thoughts, apologies for the scattered ideas lol. That's why i dont write dialogue

[TheRevanchist]

Well, since I didn't know where we landed, I assumed it was not far from Skyhold and that the noise of the falling debris awoke them...

 

Still, you recruit 9 persons who swear they'll help you defeat Corypheus, and when the moment of truth comes, well... "We can't fight him 8 vs 1, poor guy will get butchered (even more)"  is not an epic conclusion for a party of adventurers. Or it means the enemy is not actually a real threat.

 

 

What did DAI do better than DAO?

 

No, the reason for them being left out of it is a Game play reason, not a story reason. This IS a video game, you have to accept that sacrifices must be made in the name of game balance. 

 

As for what DAI did better than DAO? imo plenty, but there's little point in going over those reasons because your already convinced DAO is a better game in every way possible, and people rarely change their mind on the internet.  

[TheRevanchist]

One thing i really did miss was the blood magic. It's such a cool and fascinating concept that i wish they would've delved more into. U could make the argument that the inquisitor was too noble or important to use blood magic, but i wouldve liked a follower or something to have it. Another thing inquisition was really missing was a reason to really care, specifically at the beginning. You're thrown into a jail cell elder scrolls style with a green light flashing on your hand, but all u know about your character up to that point is the small backstory that you read beforehand. This is another place where origins excelled, the backstory. Numerous origins that made your character your own and gave u an idea of what kind of person u were. Also each backround tied into the main story one way or another. If u played through as a dwarf noble dont tell me you had no interest in going back to orzammar. Heck even the city elf backstory was somewhat interesting. But in inquisition we're just thrown into the game with no real prior knowledge to what is going on. There's a few scenes with companions where you talk about your past and family, but these scenes unsurprisingly fall short because you're just making it up as you go. u never actually got to meet your parents, or witness your own brother and friends betray you at the start. You dont see your friends get slaughtered while trying to avoid an abusive soon to be husband. Your character in inqusition has no character. The options for dialogue are as follows; pushover, sometimes a bit funny, and bordering the line of a meanie head. I wanted to be ruthless. When i heard cass say to me,"wherever you lead us" i assumed that meant i got to lead wherever i wanted. I didnt want fiona by Dorian, so why couldn't i move her away or execute her? Why was there no option to kick people out of skyhold besides the dumb scenes with followers. I wanted blackwall to get furious that i banished the wardens and challenge me to a duel, not be a sap and ask if he could stay. I wanted varric to shout at me to open another rift so he could go in and save hawke, not get a crappy repeated where's hawke line. Why couldnt i read the letters he sent out to each of hawke or whomevers loved ones. Imagine reading a note telling the hof who loved Alistair that he was dead. The scene with varric wasnt sad, because he didnt even really seem sad. The characters in inquisition are lacking real character flaws. I wanted a romance where cullen would cheat on you if u told him to take lyrium, one where dorian takes out his staff and threatens mother giselle if she keeps bothering me. Now there were certainly some touching follower scenes, dorian and his dad for instance. But a majority of scenes just feel like they were thrown for no real reason. Cassandra writing a book about the fade, dorian about the inquisitor and him being related, josephines entire dilemma etc. The worst part is, hardly any of these scenes change based on your previous encounter. I remember saying to Alistair that duncan got what was coming to him, and he just about lost it. I also had the option to apologize in the next scene. The inquisitor is too perfect, really. Anyway just my thoughts, apologies for the scattered ideas lol. That's why i dont write dialogue

 

The DAO companions had no "Scenes" at all, everything involving them is a static conversation where they stand there perfectly still just being talking heads in camp. The only time they have anything related to scenes is when you do their personal missions, even then they pretty much just stand there like Tree trunks, not even an animation loop, just the occasional arm and head movement. There are no scenes to BE affected by how to talk to them. Whereas if you have low approval with a Companion, they not only voice their disdain for you, they do something besides make an aggressive arm gesture. DAO companions are physically devoid of all character, they don't move like people. The only thing going for them is the conversations and the voice acting. Newer companions actually move around and behave like people. They can respond physically to things you tell him. We're all terribly sorry you're not allowed to RP as a total douche lord who tells everyone to go **** themselves and basically ruin their chances of winning by driving everyone away. I'm sorry but an attitude like that would make absolutely zero sense with the story presented. You can punch companions in the face if they hate you enough, but sorry, your not allowed to ****** in their breakfast. 

[Bhryaen]

Well, the OP is surprisingly (to me anyway) an argument for "being more like DAO" that I won't get behind- not because I'm diametrically opposed but because they're not at all the aspects of DAO that shine. And such a long OP to fail too. I couldn't care less that they didn't bring brothels and rape and demons with boobs and such into DAI. I'm not happy they're gone either- more indifferent: I never intentionally partook (OK, once I did the awful Pearl sex scene- meh- but only because I'm a content junkie). The only "dark" (sexual) omission that I miss is the mostly nudity upon stripping a character- and not because the body models were so hot (though DA2, mm mm), but because- really? When I take off my clothes I have clothes on? But again this doesn't even flicker in the "give a damn" zone for me.

 

And as for the "dark" (horror) aspects, DAI in no way skimps. Death is a bit overdone really, often begging the question of how many people are even left alive in the world for there to be so many dead. Just look at the JoH west hillsides regarding Scout Harding's friend who torched Hakkons (and who you can then recruit to the Inquisition to "keep up the good work")- or the scene in the Western Approach where you find a journal among skeletons describing an expedition's turn to cannibalism, or any number bodies mangled or partially eaten through one's travels, or the total darkness you have to venture into despite hearing hostiles about, or people being harvested into red lyrium... And the creature models are often repulsive too- those fear demons truly quite dreadful. Meanwhile in DAO the orphanage scene was laughable in its canned sinister "eeriness." (I seriously wondered if it was intended as a parody of horror films.) It's true that nothing in the DA series can compare with the horror of the Broodmother sequence, but there's no lack in DAI. Irrelevant criticism.

 

And as for "dark" (evil) choices, I just don't find myself empathizing with the OP's explicit wish for yet another clan of elves to slaughter. Really? Miss that, do you? The elf-hatred built into DA is one of the most disappointing aspects of the series. I mean, no one has to put elves up on an immaculate pedestal to portray them well, but constantly disgracing and murdering them... starts to beg the question of what the devs have against them. On other grounds, I only tainted the Urn of Sacred Ashes once (then reloaded), only made Alistair a drunk once (never had him executed), only failed to save Owen's daughter once (coincidentally during my archer playthrough), etc. There's no thrill for me to play "evil," and I've never quite grasped why people say there is one. Playing controversial, sure, even self-serving at times, but "evil" tends to just make me stop enjoying and empathizing with my own character. DA2 added a better element of playing a scene sarcastically or rudely that I enjoyed a lot more than if I could please just humiliate, cripple, or kill another elf. Pretty please?

 

The sex, horror, and depravity in DAO were aspects of the game that were nowhere near worthy of accolades from me. Their apparent sacrifice in DAI goes almost unnoticed by me. But yet I agree that they need to get back to DAO's strengths. By contrast I'd list:

 

1. The origins.

OK, so it's in the title- DA:Origins- that DAO had them. But as a game dynamic that was a tremendous feature with which to immerse the player directly into lore. It was barely added to the single origin of DA2 and only half-arsed into DAI with a single paragraph pre-CC. I would say that separate origins to play through is the strongest exclusively-DA feature that the devs have to work with in the series, but they've all but completely dropped it from DA development since DAO. There is no better way to introduce Thedosian world concepts than with a range of characters that are dyed-in-the-wool of the backstory. I like reading what the writers concoct in books and notes, but codexes just don't compare to living it.

2. The origins.

Wait, said that already.

2. The rich narrative.

Loghain- whatever one may think of the character- engendered some vehement discussion on the forums. As did the Anvil choice, the selection between Harrowmont and Bhelen, the saving of Connor, etc. These weren't entirely "dark" (evil) decisions, just difficult ones. The forums for DAO were always chock full of people truly struggling with the ethics involved (or just adding a somewhat more sophisticated trolling). By contrast you mostly get gameplay debates in DAI's forums, struggling over how DAI was made... this thread, for instance...

3. Wardens.

They seem to have been tucked into a closet like an oops or an embarrassment. They're a fantastic type of "unlikely hero" to work with that has a unique and elaborate backstory, but it's like the devs are constantly looking for ways to give Loghain's Warden-hatred some more grist for the mill. Yet we played a Warden in DAO, saved at least Ferelden as a Warden, made the whole griffon-riding image complete. It would be great if one of the origins in DA4 was a Warden as well with a unique storyline to offer. Make it one of the human origins and I'd eagerly play a DA human for once.

4. Combat animations.

The expressive DW dagger lashes and the riding a dragon's head are all I can think of- but those were my favorite and one of the highlights of my overly-extensive screenshot collection. DAI does well at mage and warrior animation otherwise, other than some overdone warrior effects that look like magic spells.

5. Cityscapes.

Orzammar and Denerim may have seemed ridiculously small compared to, say, Baldur's Gate or even Kirkwall, but as to providing a window into the game setting they were excellent- enough to fill the imagination. I don't mind head-cannoning the "actual" size of a city if events in that limited section of the city feel larger. But you still need to add space. Even little Orzammar had a number of sections and eventful walks to take, encounters to find. Val Royeaux by contrast was absurdly small and uneventful without comparing it to anything, and this despite the huge wilderness regions outside the city replete with hours of colorfully empty exploration.

6. Assassination attempts.

One great BG element that DAO reintroduced was running into people who had been contracted to kill you. They end up being a motley crew of characters just like your own group, but they think they can take you out. It's even the very way you meet Zevran. DAI had none of that other than predictable "ambushes" and gratuitous respawns of hostiles.

 

I could list a lot more, but you get the point... DAO was great for reasons different than smut, gore, and including options to be a scumbag- and emphasizing those aspects deemphasizes the genuine quality of others.

[Pallando]

No, the reason for them being left out of it is a Game play reason, not a story reason. This IS a video game, you have to accept that sacrifices must be made in the name of game balance. 

 

As for what DAI did better than DAO? imo plenty, but there's little point in going over those reasons because your already convinced DAO is a better game in every way possible, and people rarely change their mind on the internet.  

 

I got it that it was a "gameplay reason". But it feels all the more "artificial". It's what stopped my suspension of disbelief.

 

People rarely revise their opinion, but I wouldn't mind if you tried with me. After all, what's the point of coming here, if not to make me (or others) see what's superior in DAI. 

[diaspora2k5]

In DAO you played a Grey Warden, who watched their King die and the Order be betrayed as the Darkspawn ran rampant through Ferelden. You had to race against the clock to get the Mages, Elves and Dwarves to join you, as well as stop a Civil War from happening. You encounter all kinds of horrors and the closer you get to your goal, the more the Blight has spread and the Archdemon is ready to make its move. You are in a land torn by war and taint and only a few moments of happiness can be achieved before the fighting continues.

 

In DA2 you play a Ferelden refugee who is escaping Lothering as it falls, at the same time the HOF is off getting their first allies. You make it to Kirkwall, a place with the Veil so thin madness is surely to ensue. You watch as the City slowly becomes consumed by blood mages and a corrupt Knight-Commander, the Qunari try and to take over and your beloved friend blows up the one place of hope, causing a terrible war to start.

 

In DAI it's been almost 11 years since the 5th Blight and everyone was rebuilding and healing. Science is the new magic and art and culture are the new fads instead of brothels for pleasure. You are also now in Orlais, a place that has its own problems, but is more advanced and colorful than anything you'd find in Denerim or Redcliffe. You have seen what the war has left behind, though you did not live it, but the codex entries give you a horrifying idea of what occurred. You are now the Inquisitor. A person that people see as a light of hope. Faith. A person who works in the shadows as well as alongside the people, trying to restore order in a world recovering.

 

I don't see this as distancing, but evolving and now that we are heading to Tevinter, I doubt they can make it all happy masks and smiles, but as they are very much like Orlais according to Dorian, it won't be all bleak either.

Tevinter for its obsession with magic has advanced mathematics too no?

[Erstus]

I feel that Origins had superior atmosphere which is what really gave that game its charm for me. Oddly enough, I'm not quite sure what it is about the atmosphere of Origins that I feel is better.

 

My opinion, the soundtrack - DAI lacked varied ambient background music. Most of the time it was just empty silence and the thudding of my footsteps with small intervals of the same 10 second clips that played in EVERY zone. Origins had a varied soundtrack with different music pieces that played longer and more frequently. They were also varied depending on the area you were in. The most iconic theme being Orzammar, in my opinion.

 

The soundtrack can really make or break a game. I felt overall the soundtrack in DAI was disappointing. I am not bashing the quality of the pieces from Morris, just the lack of pieces from Morris.

 

Part of what made Mass Effect so incredible and memorable for me was its amazing soundtrack and how well each piece fit with its environment. Origins nailed this too.

[cJohnOne]

I just played Mass Effect and it breaks down to four digestible pieces.  I enjoyed that easy to play fast pace which I assume is more like Origins.

[ArianaGBSA]

Let me summarize this discussion for both parties: DAI is 100% different from DAO in everything so, yes, a lot of people will think one is better than the other because they are 100% different and people with strong an defined preferences will choose one or the other.

"But I like them both!" - Yeah, some people like Castlevania and Metal Gear too, completely different games. This means your are eclectic as many other people in the world.

And that's it. If you want strategic combat, deep stat system, cinematic story and lord of the rings epic battles DAO will feel better. If you spent your teens listening to Justin Bieber and watching the Kardashians you will like DAI better (sorry for the joke but I can't take people who prefer DAI seriously)

[The Baconer]

Let me summarize this discussion for both parties: DAI is 100% different from DAO in everything so, yes, a lot of people will think one is better than the other because they are 100% different and people with strong an defined preferences will choose one or the other.

"But I like them both!" - Yeah, some people like Castlevania and Metal Gear too, completely different games. This means your are eclectic as many other people in the world.

And that's it. If you want strategic combat, deep stat system, cinematic story and lord of the rings epic battles DAO will feel better. If you spent your teens listening to Justin Bieber and watching the Kardashians you will like DAI better (sorry for the joke but I can't take people who prefer DAI seriously)

 

[Abyss108]

I can't help but laugh every time someone says Origins had "strategic" combat. You can beat the entire game on nightmare just by chugging the infinite potions you are allowed to carry. 

[thats1evildude]

Worst yet, DA2's gameplay stripped out several features and traits from Origins such as less specializations; Skills are gone; Weaker writing especially in Act 3 as the story relies on heavily restricting player agency and forcing drama into the story for the sake of drama; introduction of class-restricted weapon styles and talents; no party equipment; an art style that made the game seem less realistic and gritty; A central conflict that devolves into a dark vs dark situation without an incentive to be invested; a streamlined inventory system; and need I explain everything wrong with what was done to the darkspawn?

 

The skill system stunk, and the darkspawn have been vastly improved in regards to the genlocks and the hurlock alphas.

 

And I don't mind class-restricted weapon styles.

 

Let's see...No Blood Magic specialization; No Brothels;

 

Well you might as well blame ME for that, since I lobbied to remove both.

 

You know what I notice, though? Nobody complaining about the PC being allowed to use blood magic anymore, or not being able to use blood magic however they want..

 

 

Dragon Age Inquisition does have disturbing stuff that's in your face. But most of the darker aspects are either absent or presented in a way which creates distance between the event and the player. For instance, the grey warden sacrifices aren't directly shown, but merely implied.

 

We see two Grey Wardens sacrificed. One is stabbed, the other has their throat slashed.

[Erstus]

I do enjoy the companion reactions in DAI - Especially Solas' negative reaction to me. Calling me out on leading others as sheep and and keeping them blissfully ignorant. That whole scene was just very well-written. I hope my responses and actions will continue to shape how my companions view me and respond to me.

[DuskWanderer]

If Inquisition was like Origins, you'd be whining that BioWARE shows no innovation. Origins was not all that great. 

[KaiserShep]

I feel that Origins had superior atmosphere which is what really gave that game its charm for me. Oddly enough, I'm not quite sure what it is about the atmosphere of Origins that I feel is better.

My opinion, the soundtrack - DAI lacked varied ambient background music. Most of the time it was just empty silence and the thudding of my footsteps with small intervals of the same 10 second clips that played in EVERY zone. Origins had a varied soundtrack with different music pieces that played longer and more frequently. They were also varied depending on the area you were in. The most iconic theme being Orzammar, in my opinion.

The soundtrack can really make or break a game. I felt overall the soundtrack in DAI was disappointing. I am not bashing the quality of the pieces from Morris, just the lack of pieces from Morris.

Part of what made Mass Effect so incredible and memorable for me was its amazing soundtrack and how well each piece fit with its environment. Origins nailed this too.

I feel that sometimes the ambient sound of DA:O can get a bit overbearing, especially if I spend a lot of time with the game. The camp music is actually very nice, but now I kind of hate it because it never stops playing. I'm super glad that Skyhold has no ambient music, just like I was relieved to have the Normandy music disappear in 2 onward. Origins had very good high notes at the big plot points, but very drab filler music throughout.

[TheRevanchist]

As I've said before, I love Origins, I really do. But alas I find myself no longer willing to play it. Every time I do I find myself forcing it. I keep finding excuses to walk away from the game for hours at a time, like right now for example. When I bought the game I couldn't put it down, I've beaten the game over 15 times. But always find myself getting more entertainment from DAI, even more out of DA2 at times, as unfinished as that game is. oddly enough I don't have this problem with ME1. I haven't played KOTOR and Jade Empire in ages eaither, but I actively try to play Origins and find I rapidly lose interest. I cannot pinpoint when this started occurring or why, but I suspect it's mainly to the simple fact that it's aging a bit poorly, imo. As I said above, characters are always very stiff, they don't move like people. The PC itself might also be contributing at this point. They are literally just a blank husk. They don't even make facial expressions to imply the intent of your response. Even KOTOR and Jade Empire did that for god sake! Then of course theres the single biggest reason of all. That god damned Fade Section!!!! I HATE, LOATHE, and DESPISE that section. It is literally pointless, irrelevant padding in the game. The narrative has to actively stop just to address this stupid situation. PC players, lucky for them, get to skip that nonsense with Mods. Us Console players have no such luck. Then of course there is the fact that if I decide on an US Ending for a Warden, I can't play Awakening with that Save File unless I want be annoyed beyond belief that my character is alive again for no reason.

 

The combat is so boring for me. All you do is just shuffle around, getting into position takes forever and Mages are way too overpowered compared to the other Classes. Really I could go on, but I'm already going to be crucified by the DAO fans in this thread for what I've said already.  

[KaiserShep]

Eh, I think the mage class in DA:O sucks eggs. I just don't find them entertaining in the least, which is particularly damning because you can unleash fiery tornados and huge lightning storms. I just can't bring myself to care. DA2's mage is easily my favorite. I got a kick out of the things I could do to people.

[Bombadyl]

So basically, in conclusion. Bioware never decided to "move away" from Origins. They simply realized that, due to their own design decisions of the time, there is very little they can actually work with that won't be cheap, ridiculous, hand-wavy or whatever else. I will always love Origins, it will always be a masterpiece of the video game industry. But it's time we move past this, it really is. Origins has not aged as well as it would have, had they known the Franchise would be a smash hit. They were limited by their technologies and their inability to see the future and realize the game would be a massive success. Being ignorant of that fact does change how you approach designs, it changes how you think and look at things. People have a tendency to look at the First of anything, Books, movies, game series, w/e and decide "The first one is always the best one." Sometimes this is very true, sometimes it is not. Sometimes the first one of something was created in a way where a sequel does not work without extensive alterations. This is a very common thing, look at Empire Strikes Back. If you know anything about IV and V you would know that IV was basically a entirely different premise, the characters underwent extensive rewrites and alterations for V. Many people consider V the greatest of the 6 movies. This really isn't much different. Origins is good, just as A New Hope is good. But A New Hope is a very different thing from Empire and Return, just as Origins is a very different thing from 2 and Inquisition. In both cases it was done for the sake of building Franchises, rather than a One Off. I am sure there will be many of you who dispute this, who insist I am wrong or whatever else, but that is how I see it. I will take the Franchise, over the One Off any day, no matter how amazing that One Off is. Thank you to everyone who reads this entire thing, and to those who Like it. That is all I have to say.  

 

I still hold DAO up as a masterpiece and a special place of reverence, as it was the game that drew me back into gaming after nearly a 20 year hiatus.  However, there is nothing here I can disagree with and while every developer seeks success, I'm not entirely sure they were expecting DA to take off as it did.  While it does leave a lot of open ends to run with, it may have left too many ends to address properly without a budget beyond the stars.

 

One of the reasons I've always enjoyed the fantasy and sci-fi genre was that it often attracted people who still actually read books, have depth to their imaginations and really immerse in the escapism that a good story, piece of music, or game can provide.  The other edge to this sword is that these are the same type of people who will find every minutia of inconsistency, so you better damn well be on your game when you make content.

 

 

Goddamn, this is most apt thing I've read about Bioware in a long time, bravo sir. It's a dark reflection on it's fanbase(many, not all, of course). People get offended by one thing or another ingame. They have to put certain characters with certain lifestyles and opinions to placate people who believe those groups are being prejudiced against or outright ignored because they are not represented in game. It is thinking like that which will lead to games that take no risks out of trying not to offend anyone and please everyone.

 

Is that a overdramatic thought? Possibly, but I could see that it could go that way very fast.

 

Well this is a game forum, doesn't matter what thought you have, someone will disagree.  The greatest libraries are the ones that have books capable of offending anyone, but that is my opinion.

 

I believe it was Anais Nin who once said, "We do not judge the world as it is, we judge the world as we are", and I've found there is much truth in this.  My personal experiences, games I've played, books I've read and music I've listened to texture my view of things, just as they do everyone else.  Someone who is young, hasn't traveled much or been to war or raised in an insular setting, something like blood magic might seem Ooooo Ahhhh evil, because their framework of the world is limited by lack of experiences.

 

While I view DAI and to a lesser extent, DAO, I see lollipops, bubble gum, rainbows, puppies and sunshine.  Sure they have a few dark moments where this person cuts this persons throat or you have to choose the fate between two characters, and if you weren't emotionally committed to the previous game, the choice didn't mean anything.   I still enjoy these games, they are a great escape into a pretty damn good story on winter nights when I'm snowed in, but far from any kind of darkness.

 

DAI was a great example of where darker themes could have been employed.  So the PC runs around raping, pillaging, pulling the wings off butterflies, fine, but no one is going to join him either, he would be seen as a brigand.  DAI we were supposed to be rallying forces, bringing order to chaos, but it ended up an influence meter back at the war table and in the end we ended up with a gazillion good influence, never meeting any these external places or using them in a final conflict resolution.  So it was kind of pointless.  I think it was an opportunity missed, good influence or bad influence, are you subjugating lands or are they following you because they see you as a heroic figure, and we didn't get this choice.

 

What the Revanchist was driving at with accepting a game for what it is, I am down with that and while I may like to see certain things, I don't get too bent when these games continue towards mass appeal instead of uniqueness.   I just got Witcher 3 installed this morning and within a few moments of the opening game, I was drinking whiskey with my companion in some dank, rough tavern, so perhaps this game may be more appealing for those grittier aspects that DAI lacked.  Guess I'll know the end of winter. 

[Almostfaceman]

Dragon Age Inquisition does have disturbing stuff that's in your face. But most of the darker aspects are either absent or presented in a way which creates distance between the event and the player. For instance, the grey warden sacrifices aren't directly shown, but merely implied. While in Origins and DA2, they take detailed care to show you what's happening or time's taken to show the immediate aftermath.

 

While I don't really agree with anything you said, this part kinda stood out for me. There are at least two instances where Wardens brutally murder one another, one in the Western Approach where you see the Wardens doing blood sacrifice to summon demons and two at Adamant where there is more blood sacrifice by the Warden Commander (she kills an older Warden) to help bring in the Fear Demon. Nothing was implied, it was just as gory as Origins. Not very gory, but definitely not implied, either. 

[Erstus]

I can easily run back through Origins, it's just that Fade level I absolutely dread.

Whenever DA4 gets an announcement I will probably replay through the whole series.

@Kaiser Shep - I disagree. I thought the ambient and background music was very atmospheric. I will agree that I don't care for music on loop but DAI was too quiet. It also lacked varied themes for different regions.

Perhaps more atmospheric sounds in the background would benefit the environment.