11 réponses à ce sujet

[JamieCOTC]

I just finished the game and I really have mixed feelings about it. There are things I like, things that I love and things that … well, I’ll explain later.

Pros

The story:  It started off rather quickly, like a movie that had been chopped up for TV.  Once I got a few hours into the game, that feeling dissipated quite a bit. The story was tight and the action was fun.  The two major decisions at the end were hard, but I just went w/ what my Warden character would do, and I got a satisfying epilogue.

The graphics: The graphics are better this time, much better in some aspects.  I could see the texture in the clothing, the sheen on the armor in so much clarity its brilliant.  As an artist myself, I can really appreciate that.  Also the sets are better than in DA:O.  There's more detail and variety.  
 
The characters: Not as fleshed out as the DA:O characters, but very well done for the short time frame. As I was playing a mage, I sort of latched onto Anders a bit, though found myself liking Nathaniel more than I expected.  I also enjoyed seeing some of the old NPCs, like Wade. The cameos were a bit abrupt, however.

The Keep: I liked running the keep.  I wish there had been a lot more to it, but I felt as if my Warden was in charge and was having to deal with the political landscape.  Unlike Crossroad Keep in NWN2, where I felt everyone was telling me what to do, the decisions, good or bad were mine. 

The stuff: The weapons and upgrades were great. Playing a mage, it was a little too easy once I got up in level.  One staff in particular was incredible and it looked great too.  One of my peeves of DA:O is that the staves all look about the same.  While I only found one different staff, it was nice to have some variety. 

The monsters: The children were generally creepy and the darkspawn were a bit tougher, which was good.  The story w/ the darkspawn was interesting, though I wish it had been fleshed out a bit more.  From a combat viewpoint, I think I actually enjoyed Awakenings more than DA:O.  The monsters were quicker and smarter, in more ways than one.  Loved the werewolves, btw.

The Cons

The conversation system: While the new conversation system is interesting and does lend to some more in-depth discussions, I missed the old system.  I would like to see both systems combined in future games. While done well, the new system didn't offer enough for me to really get emotionally attached to the new characters. 

The length: Too short.  It’s not too short just in play time, but the story could have been fleshed out so much better.  I never truly understood why the Darkspawn were speaking.  I guess I missed something. The Architect was a bit disappointing too, especially since he had the “I’ve no idea why I am like this” speech.  Again, did I miss something?  I don’t know. I understand that this is an expansion, but the implications this story gives us could have been rich fodder for a full on game. 

No Leliana (or why my imported character’s decisions didn’t matter): I understand that if you play an Orlisian Warden, the game is a bit different; the natives are hostile, so to speak. While it was nice to be graced as the “hero,” w/ very few exceptions I didn’t feel like “my” Warden really mattered.  With the exception of one line in the epilogue, I can’t put my finger on anything that would have been different had I played a dead Warden and got the default story.  Also, why is the Mages tower still being controlled by the Chantry and the Templars when I asked King Alister to give them their freedom?  Again, did I miss something? As for Leliana, (or Zev), I can understand why they are not in the game, but they don't even get a mention?  That was very disapointing. 

The ending:  Stopping right before the ending, I would give this expansion a 7.5, maybe an 8. For an expansion, it delivers more Dragon Age and that’s what I wanted. The ending totally blows that to bits.  Not only is it the most absurdly abrupt ending I’ve ever encountered, I got the feeling that this was an “end” for my character, something I was not expecting for an expansion.  Contract this to ME3, where we know it will be the end of Commander Shepard’s story. Sure it will be sad, but that’s the plan and we all know it.  This feels more like a D&D game ending too soon because the DM had to find a job.    

I give the game a 6. 

EDITED for more input and expand on some points. 

Modifié par JamieCOTC, 19 mars 2010 - 05:24 .

[elearon1]

>>The characters: Not as fleshed out as the DA:O characters, but very well done for the short time frame.<<



Yeah, the character concepts were good, but you didn't really have enough time with them to get that attached ... honestly I'm not sure I'd care if any of them died ...



Part of that ties into the conversation system - or rather the lack of the more personal conversations and character delving you got to do in the first game ... part of that is, again, do to the time limit, but I hear part of it is due to a misunderstanding about what players want from conversation with their party members as well.



>>The Keep: I liked running the keep.<<



That was fun, and I found myself struggling over some of the decisions before I made them. I wanted to make the right decisions and rule well, even though my character wasn't thrilled being stuck in a position of authority ... if she had to do it, she was going to do her best. In a longer game more of this would have been enjoyable.



>>No Leliana (or why my imported character’s decisions didn’t matter):<<



Yeah, I missed Leliana and did feel as though most of my decisions from the last game were inconsequential. I did get to see Anora as queen and Loghain as a Warden, which was nice, but I wish there had been more.



I'm coming up to the ending very quickly now, so I won't be able to comment on that until after ... but overall I've enjoyed the game thus far.

[JamieCOTC]

The more I think about it, the more I feel Awakening is like a really good movie that is nearly destroyed by its ending.

[ejoslin]

The ending completely ruined it for me as well. There were things I liked before then, a lot I didn't. It was expensive.



My main concern is that the bar has been WAY lowered. DA:O was so good. DA:A did not cost that much less and... well. I get the feeling EA is going to be milking the DA name. And i get the feeling they're going to see how much people will pay for how little they can get away with.



Ah well. I still am not bored with DA:O yet!

[RPGmom28]

I'm going to play only DA:O from now on. Miss the old character/player interaction. The original game is a masterpiece. The expansion.... not so much. You're right. I don't care about the characters at all. Why should I? I never got to talk to them unless I clicked on the scenery.

[sylvanaerie]

I'm still trying to get through one full play and while I like some of the new companions (and have had a chance to get to know them as well as the new conversation thing allows) I still think they should have gone with the old system. Now its all gifts and a couple chats and thats it. Seems rushed and fake to be that close that fast.

[JamieCOTC]

Okay, I'm on my second playthrough now w/ my expectations lowered a bit. On a positive note, the graphics are better. I'm on PC, so I don't know how good the graphics are on a console. The sets are better too, more variety than in DA:O. Also, there is a thread about some letters that were cut out of the game. I wasn't expecting much in the way of a Leliana or Zev interaction anyway, but this would have been much better than what we got, which was next to nothing.So, again, very mixed feelings. 

Modifié par JamieCOTC, 19 mars 2010 - 04:51 .

[Venatio]

It was only a small portion of the Bioware office that committed to the effort. That Awakening exists at all is testament to the hard work of a few dedicated fans. Still, if this had been a fully backed Bioware project one would surely have expected better results, although there are some very nice spots as stands.

I give an 8 out of 10, maybe 7.5 if you count the difficulties with finding items that should be in the game and glitches associated with them.

Modifié par Venatio, 19 mars 2010 - 05:03 .

[JamieCOTC]

Venatio wrote...

It was only a small portion of the Bioware office that committed to the effort. That Awakening exists at all is testament to the hard work of a few dedicated fans. Still, if this had been a fully backed Bioware project one would surely have expected better results, although there are some very nice spots as stands.

I give an 8 out of 10, maybe 7.5 if you count the difficulties with finding items that should be in the game and glitches associated with them.

I didn't know that such a small team was allotted to this project.  Taking that into consideration, I can forgive a few things, however the "lost  letters" and the ending still leave me cold. 

[ejoslin]

Maybe they should have devoted a few more people to the project. Little details bothered me. Kneeling to Alistair for one. In Origins, you never see anyone kneeling to the regent -- not even at the post coronation speech. Meeting King Cailin, you can tell him off completely. So putting in things like kneeling to Alistair makes it seem like whomever was writing these things had little interest in keeping things cohesive with Origins.

[Ayanna Nyx]

I think Awakening was very good, just finished it. I was worried since I had seen some hate floating around, but no I thought it was excellent. Worth the money imo

[pharos_gryphon]

I enjoyed Awakenings. I liked the story, the characters seemed a good mix of clashing personalities, and they've obviously gotten much more adept at using their toolset to create some stunning areas.



That being said, the ending was extremely abrupt. Even if they'd just included a small cutscene, or a short video before going right to the epilogue it would of been better. One second I'm fighting the boss, then I stab it, walk away, and then all the sound stops and it starts giving the epilogue texts. I had been expecting at least another half hour of play time after that, or maybe at least a cut scene showing the situation at the place I chose not to go.



Also, while I understand time constraints and all that, the passed up opportunity of a Cousland/Howe romance or a Aeducan/Legion of the Dead romance, both of which would have been sweet irony, was disheartening. Which, while on the topic, there was next to no mention of your companions from Origins. Even if they'd just included a line or two. That your Love Interest and Dog were in Denerim, that you expected to only be gone a couple days and they stayed behind, etc, would have been fine. But.... nothing. Dog you could have plopped in the corner of the keep as a static NPC who just sits up and 'barks happily' when you walk near him. Didn't even have to be a party member. And, you have that assistant who handles personal messages for you. You couldn't have received a single, short message from your Origins love interest? These are simple enough things to add, not like they even need to script characters or party members for it. So, yeah, couple points left me disappointed.



Still, overall, I'd still count it as a success. It pulled me into the setting more, and made me want to know more about it, which in the end is the most important thing.