MEUTRIERE wrote...
While I don't think Awakening was worth US$40 (although I got it for only US$26, so it was worth it to me), I still thought it was a decent expansion. I know people complain about how short it is, and that the length shouldn't matter as long as the content is good, but I think making it longer would have fixed a lot of problems for me.
SPOILERS IN THE FOLLOWING. DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT THE GAME SPOILED FOR YOU. 
1.) First and foremost, the storyline. I think Bioware was headed in the right direction with the story and really had good intentions, but fell flat. It was fun to be able to rule your arling, deciding who to kill, etc., but it didn't really feel like your decisions had any impact one way or another. Also, when it comes to the Commander of the Grey decisions such as who to conscript and who to allow to do the joining, I didn't feel as powerful and authoritative as I had hoped. It seemed forced, like if I didn't conscript them then I'm just missing out on another companion and more dialogue. Finally, as many have said before me, the ending just pounced on you all of a sudden. It seemed as though there were hours of content between the three main quests and the Mother's lair that were taken out. There really was no building up to the final boss and precious little time making the Architect appear the antagonist, so the feeling of suspense was completely lost on me. I think Bioware may have set their sights a little high at releasing Awakening so early, and were rushed to finish it at the end. Overall, the story seemed like one of those timed writes you used to have to write in school, where you realize you have five minutes left and you're only on your third paragraph, so you scribble in a sentence-long conclusion to wrap it up.
2.) Characters. The characters seemed a bit two-dimensional and dull. I suppose it fits for the role though, because I really felt like my fellow Wardens were just that: co-workers who I spend a lot of time with, but don't really want to befriend. I liked the new dialogue system--I think it was an improvement that I no longer need to dig through decades of asking about someone's past in the Templars or the Wilds--but I would have liked more chances to talk to my companions. It's a stark contrast from DA:O, where you're talking to your companions for a good quarter of the time; I had maybe three conversations with Sigrun, two with Justice, and five with Nathaniel. I found it much harder to get their approval up than in DA:O--I never got the auto-100% glitch--especially considering I never got my gifts back after going through the Silverite Mines, for whatever reason. I believe the characters could have had potential, but the time restraints hurt that potential.
3.) Decisions, decisions, decisions! I wasn't happy with this. I've only played through Awakening once with my FHM Deòridh, who married Alistair and became Queen, but from what I can tell, your decisions from Origins don't really matter in Awakening. Nathaniel responded to my origin and there was a sweet interaction between Alistair and Deòridh in the beginning, but besides that, the game doesn't really "[react] at various points to your background, sometimes in
dramatic ways" like Bioware said it would. I saw no mention of my decisions at the Circle Tower, Redcliffe, Orzammar, or Brecilian Forest, but I'm hoping with subsequent playthroughs using different origins, etc. I will see at least a slight change. Also, most of your decisions in Awakening felt pointless and didn't really seem to affect the game.
4.) Finally, ending. This probably should have gone with 'storyline', but I think it deserves a category all its own. I was disappointed with the epilogue and it left me feeling unfulfilled. I was fine with all the character endings and was feeling satisfied until I reached my character's slide. I had a huge "Wait... what?" moment at the end there. I don't remember all the fine print, but basically what it said was that Deòridh returned to Denerim to be Queen with Alistair waiting, 'grinning ear-to-ear', but after a time, I believe it said, she left and disappeared. That was a really lousy ending, Bioware. It gave me no closure whatsoever and made no sense. It sounded like Bioware was trying to think of the easiest way to get rid of my character, and it sure leaves me feeling like this was the end of my hero's story. Of course, one could dispute it was leading into yet another adventure, though, because it also mentioned how "many said this wasn't the end of the Warden-Commander's story" (in so many words).
I, for one, hope they take this route and continue with the PC in a future game. Let her end her life in luxury in the lap of Denerim's throne or at least let have the decency to have her die heroically.
Overall, I think Awakening had plenty of potential, but fell flat. With more effort put into it and a longer story, I think it could have been a great expansion worthy of the DA title. I am happy I bought it because it supplied me with a few more hours of the game I love, but I wouldn't have spent US$40 for it. I've started my second playthrough as an Orlesian male human with hopes that people will react differently, and thus give the game more replay value. Then again, seeing as how I beat Awakening in a day, the game should only really carry me over to next week assuming I import all of my 'major' PCs.
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