Dragon Age II Review
- Thread starter Greg Tito
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It's honestly a double edged argument you make. I will completely agree with you on Bioware making interesting characters in there games. Mordin, Tali, etc. gave me a real sense of being in ME2. They didn't feel like plot devices (re: most other video game characters, and most Hollywood ones too honestly) they felt likepeople, with their own motives and desires. Even outwardly cliched ones were developed into something more (Jack). The main plot... more holes than swiss cheese at points.draythefingerless said:
DA:O had some interesting characters, and some bland ones. Overall character quality is lower. The setting though is interesting. Sure it is a generic fantasy trope fest. Diminishing elves, drunk dwarves, bland humans, blah blah blah. The main plot - kill the darkspawn, beat the big bad, save the world - also generic. Backstory is good, with a good amount of detail in the world. Hints of a deep history are nice touches.
What DA:O excelled at though was setting up the factions to be believable and unique. Things like the Anvil of the Void, there are two distinct sides that each have BELIEVABLE motives. The werewolves and elves, Harroment and Bhelen, and on. Their success was that they made two or more sides that I could see why they acted the way they do. It would have been easy to make the game have the factions be objectively 'good' or 'evil', but it painted shades of grey wonderfully. Few games succeed there, Bioware has risen to this recently, and I applaud it. I will gladly play through a lackluster main story if the game is sprinkled with little delightful tidbits that make me stop in my tracks and really think. Mordin's mission with the research, I sat and stared at my choices, and actually was challenged by the choice. Same with the Anvil of the Void.
The best works of fiction will challenge you to think about your own preconceived notions, and beliefs. They make you look at the world through a different lens. Asimov, Ender's Game, Planet of the Apes, Blade Runner, Minority Report, Lord of the Rings, and now Bioware they all have moments that transcend the story to communicate with the reader. Now we haven't hit the point yet (that I've seen) where a game is able to convey that tone cohesively throughout the entire game. For now we have little snippets, gems that come up from time to time. I have great hope that this is a trend that will grow, and someday soon we will have a game where the story as a whole will stand up and demand we take note. These glimpses of brilliance from Bioware make me believe that day could be soon.
Edit: I forgot my original point. Their style is double edged because characters have been great, and I appreciate the focus, c'mon guys is a better than generic main plot too much to ask. Character focus- good, character focus at expense of stupid main plot - less good.
You mentioned how the game gravitated you towards the "humorous" dialogue responses and wondered if that was a mechanic. Yes, it is. Each of your choices between the three major moods (diplomatic, humorous, direct) "stack" and determine your tone in the future. Stacks are cleared between major chapters in the game, but for the most part the game will use your decisions to determine Hawke's personality in general.Greg Tito said:
Christ, the internet really hates this game. Then again, they DID play a demo, and from that demo they all seem to have discovered it's a 10-hour long hack and slash dynasty warriors clone. Clearly.
Seriously though, what the hell is with you people questioning the sites integrity, just because they disagree with your views on a game? Fine, leave, the site would be a better place with people like you gone anyway.
Seriously though, what the hell is with you people questioning the sites integrity, just because they disagree with your views on a game? Fine, leave, the site would be a better place with people like you gone anyway.
This review just pisses on your foot and tells you it's raining.
One of the bestlooking games of this generation? I'm sitting there looking at it and it still looks like shit to me? Should I get my eyes checked because Origins looked a ton better, even unmodded.
Better, more tactical combat? The demo did nothing for me, it's just an easy tromp with unrealistic and immersion-breaking animations and gameplay. Why does a dragon need to help me when I clearly could have mopped up dozens of more darkspawn? At least Origins' gameplay and the emotions it wanted you to feel were largely the same. When DA2 is telling me I should be scared, showing me running, then the characters turn around and destroy the darkspawn with ease, I have to ask where the fear came from. Plus, the review gameplay footage screamed easy as well. I know it's fine for a reviewer to have it on easy-normal to just finish up with a game and slap a score on it, but I'm going to be going through the game on hard if I ever play it to get the right experience.
Moreover, just Kirkwall? That doesn't sound fun, sticking to one location?
More choices and immersive story? I don't know about you, but here's my thoughts on the "wheel":
-It's rubbish
-It doesn't reflect what you would say, thus breaking immersion. It feels like watching a bad puppet play if anything. RPG's will always be best without main character voice (or ideally, many voices instead of just one, which is usually the british or american accent), because everyone will have a different experience playing them. That's that ROLE PLAYING part of the game. Someone might be Australian or Russian. Is he going to sympathise with your American Shepard or relate to him? Fuck no. Furthermore, you shouldn't relate to the character, you should feel like you ARE the character. Having no voice gives you total freedom to project yourself in the role and fill the void that exists there.
-It's limiting: Why should everything fall under angel/suave/villain? Isn't that a step backwards? I'm not an idiot, I can tell what type of emotion my character will convey when he picks a dialogue option and it makes things more black/white if you don't shape your dialogue system around a few emotions. In DAO I just left Redcliffe to be attacked and killed Witherfang for Zathrian. If I had a wheel there I would have ended with some stupid "+10 renegade points" rubbish. If I can excuse my actions in the game with logical justifications, I should be able to pick that option without the game telling me what it thinks my options are in terms of emotions or morality.
-Plus, giving multiple fully developed options gives the feeling of an immersive world, while the wheel makes you feel like you're on a rollercoaster. Hint: Having a menu come up and take up half the screen is IMMERSION-BREAKING.
I also agree with the person who said this review is just a bulletpoint list of features. If reviewers are going to have such low standards for games that they're not looking for points to criticise, then I don't see the point of reviewers, because they're not criticizing, they're just explaining.
/For The Love Of The Game
One of the bestlooking games of this generation? I'm sitting there looking at it and it still looks like shit to me? Should I get my eyes checked because Origins looked a ton better, even unmodded.
Better, more tactical combat? The demo did nothing for me, it's just an easy tromp with unrealistic and immersion-breaking animations and gameplay. Why does a dragon need to help me when I clearly could have mopped up dozens of more darkspawn? At least Origins' gameplay and the emotions it wanted you to feel were largely the same. When DA2 is telling me I should be scared, showing me running, then the characters turn around and destroy the darkspawn with ease, I have to ask where the fear came from. Plus, the review gameplay footage screamed easy as well. I know it's fine for a reviewer to have it on easy-normal to just finish up with a game and slap a score on it, but I'm going to be going through the game on hard if I ever play it to get the right experience.
Moreover, just Kirkwall? That doesn't sound fun, sticking to one location?
More choices and immersive story? I don't know about you, but here's my thoughts on the "wheel":
-It's rubbish
-It doesn't reflect what you would say, thus breaking immersion. It feels like watching a bad puppet play if anything. RPG's will always be best without main character voice (or ideally, many voices instead of just one, which is usually the british or american accent), because everyone will have a different experience playing them. That's that ROLE PLAYING part of the game. Someone might be Australian or Russian. Is he going to sympathise with your American Shepard or relate to him? Fuck no. Furthermore, you shouldn't relate to the character, you should feel like you ARE the character. Having no voice gives you total freedom to project yourself in the role and fill the void that exists there.
-It's limiting: Why should everything fall under angel/suave/villain? Isn't that a step backwards? I'm not an idiot, I can tell what type of emotion my character will convey when he picks a dialogue option and it makes things more black/white if you don't shape your dialogue system around a few emotions. In DAO I just left Redcliffe to be attacked and killed Witherfang for Zathrian. If I had a wheel there I would have ended with some stupid "+10 renegade points" rubbish. If I can excuse my actions in the game with logical justifications, I should be able to pick that option without the game telling me what it thinks my options are in terms of emotions or morality.
-Plus, giving multiple fully developed options gives the feeling of an immersive world, while the wheel makes you feel like you're on a rollercoaster. Hint: Having a menu come up and take up half the screen is IMMERSION-BREAKING.
I also agree with the person who said this review is just a bulletpoint list of features. If reviewers are going to have such low standards for games that they're not looking for points to criticise, then I don't see the point of reviewers, because they're not criticizing, they're just explaining.
/For The Love Of The Game
Looks like good fun to me.
Is it just me or do you guys NEVER review multi-platform games on the ps3? Starting to wonder if you're trying to say something here.
I guess it's not like there's ever much of a difference. But still...
Is it just me or do you guys NEVER review multi-platform games on the ps3? Starting to wonder if you're trying to say something here.
I guess it's not like there's ever much of a difference. But still...
Sorry, who said it was? (Unless it was said in the video review.)esin said:
Edit again: Yeah, he said it in the video review. And yes, I concur with those claiming that it's not a defensible remark. DA2 is prettier than DA:0, but it's not amongst the best looking games of this generation.
You got it exactly. People can go for ages and ages about how DA2 is bad, and that really says something about the game.Astalano said:
Also about the dialogue wheel, you forgot it can be misleading.
Per Example
During the demo, when your sibling dies, one of the options is "She wont be alone" or something along those lines. The paragon option was a little cheesy and heroic, and the renegade option, as expected was LOL IM A DICK LETS MOVE ON.
I wanted to pick something comforting, something appopriate, rather than just getting the fuck out or making a speech on how she is a hero. The "She wont be alone" option seemed to be the most appropriate for this.
BUT IT WASNT
Instead Hawke (Speaking like he didnt give a fuck) just rolled his eyes, walked away and said "At least we know father will have some company"
THATS NOT WHAT I WANTED TO SAY
I'm sorry, but one of the best looking games of this generation? How you say that with a straight face... You also critize Origins for looking like a game from 2002. Removed from reality much?
I was going to write a reply but...
I don't need to, you nailed it man. This is exsactly what I wanted to say and a little more.Astalano said:
