Bioware gives away free copies of Mass Effect 2 in order to help sell DA2!

[Mikeyfell]

Wouldn't Bioware's "Most loyal fans" already have Mass Effect 2?


I'm reminded of Yahtzee's The Darkness review

The only way I'd consider buying the game is if it came down to budget price, and they threw in another better game, and some cake, and Belgium.

 

[Canadish]

I love The Escapist, but I'm getting damn tired of every third thread on here being "OMG DA2!!!!" People need to move on.

And yes, I enjoy it, and I see where BioWare is taking the franchise, and approve of its direction. But I've never said DA2 was perfect, or that complaints against it entirely lack validity. But the constant bashing and latching onto anything BioWare says or does as signs of being desperate are ridiculous. I tend to see a lot of overreacting with no attempt to compromise, or offer the developer any validity of their choices.

Hm... reminds me a little of another game from this time last year... what was that again... oh yeah - replace Bioware with Square Enix and DA2 with FFXIII.

Yup, incessant bashing is the norm around these parts.

BTW, people still bash FFXIII to this day. I don't see bright things ahead for DA2 either.

We're comparing Bioware to Square Enix now.

That's something to be concerned about folks....

Not really. I thought FFXIII was okay, myself. Then again Squeenix fans are the hardest to please out of any fanbase I've come across. Bioware is becoming like them in that regard.

So, there's no chance it could be that the companies in question are taking a dip in quality? Rather then just blaming the fans for not having fun?

I find this old article particularly ironic;
http://www.destructoid.com/bioware-final-fantasy-xiii-not-an-rpg-173682.phtml

 

[cystemic]

and once again everyone is complaining... this time we don't like getting a free game with a decent game that's been flamed to death. dragon age 2 is not that bad, i mean considering the stuff that's out there, I think everyone's become a little spoiled and now that you get mass effect 2 for free there's really no reason for the hate to continue. if this helps bioware stay afloat, then i'm all for it. you really need money in the videogame industry, look what happened to tim schafer after nobody bought psychonauts (which was amazing!), so everyone who wants to buy it should do so. I've already got both.

 

[pixiejedi]

Who the fuck doesn't have Mass Effect 2 by now?

On a slightly more on-topic note, this is pretty sad. I knew that the butthurt old school RPG fans had spread their diseased reviews across the internet in an attempt to sabotage an otherwise decent game, but I didn't really think it would succeed. Apparently it is, and that's a shame.

You have to keep DA2 in perspective. It was made in 18 months, compared to DA:O which took what, 5 years? With that in mind, I think DA2 is a pretty damn impressive game. Another 6 months to add more environments and improve the story a bit and it could have been a great game.

I dont have ME2 yet, im waiting for the price to drop, witch should happen for a game before ME3 comes out.


DA2 isnt bad its just a massive waste of potential the same ME3 will be, Bioware hold your horses and stop releasing sequels so freaking fast. like DAO is still fresh the same with ME2.

Way to count those chickens before they've crawled out of the primordial ooze. We haven't seen ANYTHING other than a teaser trailer and your already this disheartened? That is no good.

Love that if Valve gives a damn good deal on something everyone says how awesome they are and how they support their fanbase but OOOOH NOOOOOO Bioware is a desperate EA refuse pile.

I'm pretty sure (and too lazy to test my theory) that all but just a couple of people said the same thing here. "DA 2 was ok, had some troubling issues but not terrible ones." I find it hilarious that people are so afraid of being a troll or a fanboy but suspect everyone else of the same. I love Bioware but I'm getting damn sick of this imaginary debate. We've all noticed the issues and some take more issue with it, now lets maturely redirect our attention to zombie apocalypses and games and music we think we are special for knowing about.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

I love The Escapist, but I'm getting damn tired of every third thread on here being "OMG DA2!!!!" People need to move on.

And yes, I enjoy it, and I see where BioWare is taking the franchise, and approve of its direction. But I've never said DA2 was perfect, or that complaints against it entirely lack validity. But the constant bashing and latching onto anything BioWare says or does as signs of being desperate are ridiculous. I tend to see a lot of overreacting with no attempt to compromise, or offer the developer any validity of their choices.

Hm... reminds me a little of another game from this time last year... what was that again... oh yeah - replace Bioware with Square Enix and DA2 with FFXIII.

Yup, incessant bashing is the norm around these parts.

BTW, people still bash FFXIII to this day. I don't see bright things ahead for DA2 either.

We're comparing Bioware to Square Enix now.

That's something to be concerned about folks....

Not really. I thought FFXIII was okay, myself. Then again Squeenix fans are the hardest to please out of any fanbase I've come across. Bioware is becoming like them in that regard.

So, there's no chance it could be that the companies in question are taking a dip in quality? Rather then just blaming the fans for not having fun?

I find this old article particularly ironic;
http://www.destructoid.com/bioware-final-fantasy-xiii-not-an-rpg-173682.phtml

Not necessarily, but I think the nostalgia googles:

Spoiler: Pretty big

play a big role in it. And I've already raged about Erikson's arrogance.

 

[Trolldor]

*snip*

It's incredibly arrogant to presume that someone's disapproval of a direction is simply because they're nostalgic.

 

[King of the Sandbox]

I'd rather not get Mass Effect with my Dragon Age. It's like getting a really, really, boring book about trains with your epic fantasy novel.

That's right, I said it.... Mass Effect 2 is boring. Dragon Age 2, however, has some of the best video game role playing (emphasis on the role part) I've experienced since Baldur's Gate.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

*snip*

It's incredibly arrogant to presume that someone's disapproval of a direction is simply because they're nostalgic.

I was talking more about Square. I've heard so much "Remake 7!" talk that I'm starting to hate 7. Bioware fans need to realize Baldur's Gate isn't coming back. I don't like DA2 that much either, but it is getting to be very annoying.

 

[CleverCover]

Wait...people don't own ME2 yet? I walked into a store and a whole stack was in the bargain section. It must be the ultimate edition version or something....

I can see the public opinion is as varied as it is in my household.

1/2 people loved DA:O. She enjoyed the active epic storytelling vibe the game gave off. the other felt it was ugly, boring, and the combat sucked.

1/2 people loved DA2. He loved how the game just felt like a lot more fun, easier to get into and less ugly. She felt the story was kind of missing and had no central plot. She still played it because she wanted her Wardens to be there in DA3.

People like different things to make their games awesome.

Now...New game to talk about!

So...how about that Portal 2?

 

[Canadish]

*snip*

It's incredibly arrogant to presume that someone's disapproval of a direction is simply because they're nostalgic.

I'm sure he wasn't trying to be rude
And that IS a funny picture

But yes, I'd just like to point out that Bioware never got this backlash for Origins or Mass Effect. There were some fans who didn't like them, but those were very small in number.

Look around now. It's a solid 50/50 split. And at least 70% admit there are major issues to sort for the next game.

 

[duchaked]

still...think we've given BioWare a hard enough time over the whole Dragon Age 2 fiascos. seriously!

until they actually turn evil, as opposed to a few sidesteps here and there, I feel like there are plenty of losers on there to rag on

 

[Joshica Huracane]

well damn, I coulda gotten a free copy of Mass Effect. If I played on PC... but still, thats nuts! I personally really enjoyed Dragon Age 2, and I've been meaning to play Mass Effect 2 for soooooo long.

 

[meryatathagres]

I don't really see why Bioware should be stuck making Baldurs Gate clones for all eternity. DA:O was hopefully the last goodbye to extremely aged, boring and badly implemented tactical real time rpg combat. Either go actionpacked with some co-ordination like DA2, or do a proper tactical combat like ToEE. I kinda like Bioware, even if their writers always were bit behind their BiS/Obsidian friends. But I've never liked Bioware's implementation of combat, not in BG, not in KotOR, not in NWN, not in DA:O. Mass Effect and DA2 have fixed that particular hangup for me.

 

[odd function]

I regard the game is bad, not so much for the very obvious lack of polish that you can see in everything from levels to dialogue. BioWare thought they had an interesting concept on how to deliver a different kind of game and then promptly failed to change their formula to fit the rags-to-riches-non-epic-in-a-single-city story. I think DA2 could have been a good game if BioWare had outsourced it to Bethesda or Rockstar, but then I probably wouldn't have bothered with it for another year or two.

 

[Sparrow]

Ooooor.... they're working on adding to the hype for ME3's release later this year by trying to get Dragon Age fans interested in another of BioWare's IPs....

DA2 has been selling reasonably well. People try to do a straight comparison between the sales of Origins and DA2 to say DA2 without taking into account that Origins was released right at the start of the holiday season (which spikes sales) while Dragon Age 2 came out as people were heading into tax season.

Seriously, can we stop the incessant and insipid "Omg look at how much DA2 sucks and how desperate BioWare must be!!!!11one!!!eleven!1" threads?

Get a life and let it go already.

And the White Knight rides in again. Seriously, why do you have to defend Bioware at every turn while insulting others?

Most of the time I'd disagree with the said poster, but he's got a point. Everyone is yammering on about this a far bit too much. The game isn't THAT bad either, people just expected more from a BioWare game.

 

[Starke]

What's worse, though? Creating threads to beat an already long dead horse, or to try and praise it for what people thought it did right?

Well, this is News. So its worth bringing up. Hell, some people might actually go buy it now they know about this deal. I would not recommend it...but...

Though, on the topic of dead horse beating, I'll happily kick this dead beast until Bioware show signs of going back to producing quality games.
Both Mass Effect 1,2 and DAO are in my Top 5 favorite games list, and as a customer, I want to encourage Bioware to head back in that direction.

Besides, I wouldn't know how to begin praising DA2. I really didn't think anything improved.
Well, maybe put Varric in future titles. I kinda liked him.

How about, one of the first big budget games to attempt realism (in the cinematic sense of the word)? One of the first Bioware games where you can consistently play an irreverent smartass? Or, that unlike it's predecessor, it doesn't outstay it's welcome, asking you to play (effectively) an entire 20 hour game IN the Deep Roads before letting you move on to play another ridiculously long game someplace equally annoying (like, say the fade)?

 

[Gigano]

So it's including an older game with the purchase of a new one? The thing Valve - not exactly the least reputable of companies - have done since the Orange Box (and are doing again with Portal 2)?

It's an ancient marketing move. It doesn't necessarily say anything about whether or not Dragon Age 2 is a commercial success (and even less about whether it's an artistic one). Though by all (other) accounts DA2 appear to me a run-of-the-mill action RPG with no particular novel game hooks or devastating game breakers, being maligned to an unfair degree because its predecessor was longer, different, and probably better.

 

[Podunk]

They're probably just trying to get the people who buy Dragon Age 2 interested in Mass Effect so when ME3 comes out it'll sell better.

 

[Sentox6]

Honestly, it doesn't feel like a Bioware game... your "choices" don't change anything

That sounds exactly like a BioWare game :|

For the record, I enjoyed DA2. The majority of the bashing is ridiculous, immature, and provides nothing constructive. I highlighted that complaint because it gets bandied around a lot, and carries the implication that BioWare's other games have drastically branching outcomes, when that is clearly not the case.