Dragon Age II Review
- Thread starter Greg Tito
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I can understand that. I think there is room in the genre for different narrative devices though. The open world, choose your own path type is the one I generally enjoy the most, but does tend to lead to pretty loose storytelling (more accurately, story cohesion; see ZP: Two Worlds II review). Does depend on playstyle though. I have trouble passing on quests I come across, usually to the detriment of following the main quest line (especially in light of some games that end when you beat the big bad ala pre-DLC Fallout 3). Imagining that as a fantasy novel, the hero walks into town, sees the thief with the MacGuffin in the inn, then proceeds to chat up the entire town to run their errands for pocket change before going after the thief.Swaki said:
Since DA2 is the story of the impact you've had on this town through your actions, rather than your Campbellian hunt for your nemesis, this structure seems more suitable. The day to day existance that can be approximated by an open world RPG would be too small a scale to measure your gradual influence on Kirkwall. By framing it this way, they can make it so that any action you take, main quest or side quest, can be seen through that lens.
Though you are definitely right that it creates a different kind of immersion than the sort usually found in Western RPGs. From what the review is saying, it seems Bioware surmounted that, but as with all things, YMMV.
Anyway, hope I didn't sound too douchey
Okay, so now I know, that the combat is better - good.
Now I know that dialogs are better - good.
Choices do matter? Great, that's a step forward after a disappointment on that department in ME2.
But I have one big question before I'll even consider buying DA II - Is the plot any good (spare the spoilers, of course)? I don't see much about that in the review, and very, very weak plot with the most predictable twists in the history of AAA RPG's was the main factor that made DA:O one of the biggest letdowns in my gaming history. I value a good story over anything else in a game, especially in RPG's, so this is really important question for me.
Now I know that dialogs are better - good.
Choices do matter? Great, that's a step forward after a disappointment on that department in ME2.
But I have one big question before I'll even consider buying DA II - Is the plot any good (spare the spoilers, of course)? I don't see much about that in the review, and very, very weak plot with the most predictable twists in the history of AAA RPG's was the main factor that made DA:O one of the biggest letdowns in my gaming history. I value a good story over anything else in a game, especially in RPG's, so this is really important question for me.
Kirkwall only? (Or just a few outlying areas?)
That makes it sound like something I would not want to play. I don't know about you all, but metropolitan regions of games are not my favorite thing. Give me open countryside and natural scenes!
I wound up stopping my playthrough of Divinity II at the beginning of the expansion for just this reason - I can't stand playing in cities for long periods.
So, sadly, I doubt I'll be getting this any time soon.
That makes it sound like something I would not want to play. I don't know about you all, but metropolitan regions of games are not my favorite thing. Give me open countryside and natural scenes!
I wound up stopping my playthrough of Divinity II at the beginning of the expansion for just this reason - I can't stand playing in cities for long periods.
So, sadly, I doubt I'll be getting this any time soon.
Not at all, i quite enjoy having a intelligent (or as intelligent as i can appear at 2.30 in the morning) discussion, the only "douchey" thing in that entire post was the use of "YMMV" which i had to look up, and unless dragon age 2 is also a car it doesn't make a lot of sense to me.Nicos Amblecrown said:-snip-Swaki said:
but as with all things, YMMV.
Anyway, hope I didn't sound too douchey
Go ahead and hate me as wellmanythings said:
bought it off steam so it's preloaded and ready to go ^_^
My pre-order ships tomorrow (or has already, I'm not sure), so I'm looking forwards to playing this finally!
Though, I'm waiting a little until I get my new graphics card (NVIDIA GeForce GTX570ti) so I can support DirectX 11 for the best experience out of the game as well. At least a week, but I'll have it nonetheless. *Shrug*
Though, I'm waiting a little until I get my new graphics card (NVIDIA GeForce GTX570ti) so I can support DirectX 11 for the best experience out of the game as well. At least a week, but I'll have it nonetheless. *Shrug*
My one burning question is this: Can I customize Hawks face, specifically his skin tone? If DA2 lets me play as a handsome man with brown skin I will throw my money at this game and all its DLC in a heartbeat.
For the most part, I don't disagree too heavily with you (I'm fine with what you take issue with, but you're not incorrect) but this part is untrue. The Dragon Age borrows the wheel, but there's no renegade or paragon, or any equivalents. It tends to put different 'stances' in the same slots whenever it can (to ease confusion and improve speed) but all each slot on the wheel is its own dialogue option. It isn't as uniform as Mass Effect is at all.Madkipz said:
Appearance is definitely customizable, and I'm pretty sure skin-tone is one option. What I want to know is if it customizes your family characters to match you...Azriel Nightshade said:
I won't be able to play my pre-order until Friday, which is annoying...mind you, I've got so much bonus stuff (about 16 out of the total available http://dragonage.bioware.com/da2/info/bonus_items//) I've probably break the game as soon as a start playing:
Agreed. Bioware gets some small but worthy racial diversity points here for not treating 'white' as default.Azriel Nightshade said:
Sadly, hair colour does not change, so my red-headed Hawke is going to be an odd one out, it would seem.
But, the question begs: Is Hawke's as epic a tale as Bioware has said? The Warden was an almighty warrior/omnipotent mage/devilish rogue who had their hand in killing three High Dragons, a Varterral, The Harvester, a ton of golems, drakes, ogres, broodmothers, and demons, is a friend of human, dwarf, and dalish, more or less is single-handedly responsible for bringing a new King/Queen to Ferelden and Orzammar, and damn near single-handedly rips apart the darkspawn blight, right up to and including slaying the Archdemon, one of the old gods. That's a lot to live up to, without even mentioning the ancillary stuff like the Dark Wolf, or Commander of the Grey.
Does Hawke, the Champion of Kirkwall, become more epic than all of that? Might edit this post after playing tomorrow.
Does Hawke, the Champion of Kirkwall, become more epic than all of that? Might edit this post after playing tomorrow.