Dragon Age: Inquisition - Your expectations

[TheBelgianGuy]

But yeah. I mean, it certainly wasn't a superb game. Still not sure about the "hate" as such. I don't think it was as bad of a video game that you should be wary about buying further products from the same developer. But different strokes, I guess. I, for one, don't like shellfish. Makes me feel sick.

I second this. Yeah I've played better games than DA2 or ME3, I also played a lot worse. They were maybe mediocre compared to other instalments from Bioware, but guess what: unlike what some people here seem to think, mediocre means average, not 'completely shit'. If the last 5 min of ME3 are really worth getting angry about, gee, you guys live a very sheltered life and only started playing videogames in the last 4 years or so.

This is my message to you all. Relax. 5 bad minutes in an otherwise fun game are not worth the bile, violent comments, hate, homophobic slurs, thinly veiled threats and derogatory comments towards people who did like the rest of the game. Stop making yourself angry - you'll live a longer and happier life.

Don't like the ending? K, it never happened. Use your imagination, like we had to before the rise of realistic 3d graphics and stuff. MY Shephard is riding on a unicorn in a galaxy far far away together with Liara and their 5 little blue children. It's that easy.

 

[Ishal]

At the end, the ghost of Duncan will appear and tell me that I can either drop a psychic bomb in the Fade which will immediately tranquilize all mages, turn into a demon which will transform all mages into abominations under my command, but if I've been a good boy/girl/indeterminate and played online multiplayer a lot and/or pre-purchased the game and day 1 DLC, I'll also have the option to become one with the Fade and end the mage/templar conflict once and for all.

Yes I just went there.

The colors of these endings will be purple, yellow, and orange, respectively.

OT: I expect a return to form somewhat, I expect them to attempt to try something interesting and include Morrigan in the story line but will inevitably screw it up. I expect Gaider will react venomously to the criticism he will get and the escapist will cover it and we'll all be here either defending him or snarkily mocking him, such is our way.

I don't think they'll learn from DAII mistakes.

 

[Smeatza]

I second this. Yeah I've played better games than DA2 or ME3, I also played a lot worse. They were maybe mediocre compared to other instalments from Bioware, but guess what: unlike what some people here seem to think, mediocre means average, not 'completely shit'. If the last 5 min of ME3 are really worth getting angry about, gee, you guys live a very sheltered life and only started playing videogames in the last 4 years or so.

I'll give an example in why I hate Dragon Age 2 so much.
I'd spent years looking for an RPG that was perfect for me, I hadn't played a video game that I got really immersed in since the original Deus Ex.
This was the second Bioware game I played and the first in the past 5 years. And it was perfect, it was exactly what I was looking for in an RPG, and like the Elder Scrolls, a perfect formula that only needed a little refining and a little more content for each installment.
After this I played Mass Effect 1 & 2 (as they were from the same developer) and while they were good games, they were disappointing in comparison to Dragon Age: Origins.

So when they changed so very very much for Dragon Age 2, when they abandoned the Dragon Age: Origins "formula," replaced it with the Mass Effect "formula," and only kept the universe, I felt betrayed. By the developer, and the decision-making that led to them homogenising their games and ignoring the very demand that led to Dragon Age: Origins being such a success.

I was happy to buy Dragon Age games and Mass Effect games. They didn't need to try and trick me into buying a Mass Effect game by disguising it as Dragon Age 2.

The fact that the "forumla" they're using for Dragon Age: Inquisition seems to be closer to the Mass Effect than anything else, drains my confidence in the game.

 

[Ishal]

I know one of the main points of the plot was nihilism, shown through retrospective storytelling, but boy that bit pissed me off.

Oh yeah, spoiler alert.

Really? Man, I must have been so angry with the rest of the game that didn't notice that. Shame, since I tend to enjoy nihilism presented in stories like that. Must have had to do with the chantry and qun I'm guessing.

 

[infinity_turtles]

I expect less backlash against the game due to less people caring(there will still be backlash though), talkative Bioware staff taking that as if they were always right and the messiahs of RPGs, and then them insulting the dissapointed fans that gave them another chance.

I also expect to hear more from a friend of mine who is really desperate for more RPGs with old-school sensibilities. He will be disappointed. I will then use his account to play the game to ensure I'm not financially supporting it but still able to criticize it based on first-hand experience.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I'm expecting yet another Bioware psychiatrist spree where you have to deal with family issues.

Not disagreeing with your statement there, but I have to ask. Did you dislike KotoR II for the same reason?

I don't really see what you mean with that. The only character really suffering from family issues in KOTOR 2 was Brianna, and she made up for it by making that part of her character tie into the hidden plot of KOTOR 2. I won't spoil it, but it's really damn clever, as long as you payed attention to what people told you.

The big difference between Obsidian characters and *most* Bioware characters (there are exceptions), is that Obsidian characters don't need to revolve entirely around the player's existence. It's hard to explain, but I feel like Obsidian characters act like themselves on their own accord, while Bioware characters will exist in a sort of stasis until you decide to interact with them.

Comparing the cast of the first KOTOR to the second, you can really see the difference. The party in KOTOR 2 interacted as much with each other as they did with the Exile, while most of the time in the first game, they would hide in their corner of the Ebon Hawk and never speak.

 

[Ishal]

I don't really see what you mean with that. The only character really suffering from family issues in KOTOR 2 was Brianna, and she made up for it by making that part of her character tie into the hidden plot of KOTOR 2. I won't spoil it, but it's really damn clever, as long as you payed attention to what people told you.

I was referring to the play as a psychiatrist part rather than the family issues part. I should have made that more clear, my fault. A central theme in that game was broken characters, you and your party were all broken and had issues.

Spoiler

Atton - killed that woman jedi who tried to save him and so he is screwed up because of that.
Bao Dur - finally realized the horrors that his machines caused in the war so felt like he carried a massive burden because of it and sought redemption by helping the restoration effort on Telos
Mira - Something about her parents, don't remember her too well.
Visas - Nihilus killing her planet and everyone she likely cared about

Brianna - I'm aware of the hidden plot with her. Kreia is actually Aran Kae (spelling?), her mother. I didn't realize it on my first playthrough since I didn't have high influence with Kreia and was a male character. Once I played the canon female exile and talked with the Disciple it clicked for me. Spectacular writing. And that really is the big thing with Obsidian and Avellone in particular that they do SO well. Those, what I would call, "gamey" moments like the early area of Peragus. Its the beginning of an RPG game, so naturally you will be weak and slowly leveling and getting powers. Well there just so happens to be a reason for that in the actual plot itself. Severed from the force and slowly feeling your way back to it with baby steps. Bioware does that too, but they don't take it as far as Obsidian does.

The big difference between Obsidian characters and *most* Bioware characters (there are exceptions), is that Obsidian characters don't need to revolve entirely around the player's existence. It's hard to explain, but I feel like Obsidian characters act like themselves on their own accord, while Bioware characters will exist in a sort of stasis until you decide to interact with them.

I know exactly what you mean. There are cutscenes where they interact with each other apart from you. Atton's dialogue with Kreia. HK and GoTo being passive aggressive dicks to each other. It was great. The closest thing Bioware really did to having that happen was the banter in DA:O while traveling out of combat and in the elevators in Mass Effect.

Comparing the cast of the first KOTOR to the second, you can really see the difference. The party in KOTOR 2 interacted as much with each other as they did with the Exile, while most of the time in the first game, they would hide in their corner of the Ebon Hawk and never speak.

Agreed. I've heard the argument that because of the whole twist and who you are in KOTOR... that is the reason why you are the center of everything, but I think that is a bit of a cop out.

 

[Caiphus]

I know one of the main points of the plot was nihilism, shown through retrospective storytelling, but boy that bit pissed me off.

Oh yeah, spoiler alert.

Really? Man, I must have been so angry with the rest of the game that didn't notice that. Shame, since I tend to enjoy nihilism presented in stories like that. Must have had to do with the chantry and qun I'm guessing.

Well the point was that in the current timeline the story has already happened. Varric is being questioned by the Chantry because of the events of DA2. So whatever you do, the main events simply cannot change. If you could somehow stop the mages and the templars fighting, then, well, Varric wouldn't be being questioned. Same about the Qunari.

So in the end, whatever you do, you can't change anything. Because you always need to head to this point where everything goes to shit. You playing the game is Varric telling the story to the Chantry, to explain to them how everything went wrong.

I'm usually a fan of interesting stuff like that too. I just hated the conflict between the Mages and the Templars, because it's been two games already and both sides are just a bit thick. So being forced to take part was just annoying.

EDIT:

This also brings up the problem of unreliable narrator. It's only really shown in the prologue, which is a shame, but Varric could be lying about your heroic deeds as Hawke. You wouldn't put it past him, knowing his character.

So yeah, I actually found those ideas kinda cool. But whatever.

 

[mavkiel]

I am expecting it to suck. Bioware games have been going downhill for awhile. So either they step up, and actually start rebuilding their reputation, or its another dragon age 2, mass effect 3.

Before anyone says mass effect 3, was great except for the ending, I call bullshit. A few of the quests were good yes, but all the side missions were not only pointless but done poorly. Dragon age 2, had a few moments of goodness, but the weird spawn system, rehashed environments and anime influenced characters, just killed the atmosphere.

 

[errantknight]

Deleted for weird double post

 

[errantknight]

I second this. Yeah I've played better games than DA2 or ME3, I also played a lot worse. They were maybe mediocre compared to other instalments from Bioware, but guess what: unlike what some people here seem to think, mediocre means average, not 'completely shit'. If the last 5 min of ME3 are really worth getting angry about, gee, you guys live a very sheltered life and only started playing videogames in the last 4 years or so.

I'll give an example in why I hate Dragon Age 2 so much.
I'd spent years looking for an RPG that was perfect for me, I hadn't played a video game that I got really immersed in since the original Deus Ex.
This was the second Bioware game I played and the first in the past 5 years. And it was perfect, it was exactly what I was looking for in an RPG, and like the Elder Scrolls, a perfect formula that only needed a little refining and a little more content for each installment.
After this I played Mass Effect 1 & 2 (as they were from the same developer) and while they were good games, they were disappointing in comparison to Dragon Age: Origins.

So when they changed so very very much for Dragon Age 2, when they abandoned the Dragon Age: Origins "formula," replaced it with the Mass Effect "formula," and only kept the universe, I felt betrayed. By the developer, and the decision-making that led to them homogenising their games and ignoring the very demand that led to Dragon Age: Origins being such a success.

I was happy to buy Dragon Age games and Mass Effect games. They didn't need to try and trick me into buying a Mass Effect game by disguising it as Dragon Age 2.

The fact that the "forumla" they're using for Dragon Age: Inquisition seems to be closer to the Mass Effect than anything else, drains my confidence in the game.

This is pretty much it, except that I didn't care for Mass Effect, particularly 2 and 3. I loved Origins more than any game I'd played before and anticipated more in that style. I figured they'd pretty much nailed a new paradigm, modernizing classic wrpg gameplay and adding more and better acting/conversation than I'd ever seen in a game before. I loved it that I could control when, where and how conversations took place. I loved it that the toolkit let me add to the game and even make new stories for it. I loved it that I could chose how I outfitted myself and my companions. When I saw the demo for DA2, I was shocked, but I thought I must be missing something somehow, or that it was so rushed it couldn't accurately reflect the game. It *couldn't possibly look that bad, play that badly, or be that overall awful. Wrong. I felt like they'd purposely thrown everything I loved about DA out the window, from strategic combat to character interaction. It *still* pisses me off.

I'm not hearing anything said about the new installment that makes me think they really get what made people angry. They aren't going to reuse location and are going to let us put found gear on our companions, but they're going to control what it looks like when it gets on them. They're brining back the dialogue wheel, which once again lessens the number of choices and divides them into a simplistic formula of good, bad and snarky. Once again, we'll be surprised by our own words which makes it pretty hard to feel like it's your character and not a bioware forced persona.

I don't trust them on combat at all as I actually dreaded combat in DA2, I hated it so much. The waves were beyond annoying and they cared so little about immersion that dogs dropped from rooftops and enemies spawned right in front of you. They cared so much about speed that they ruined wonderful effects like smite and removed any sense of realism from combat.

I'm not even going to get into what I thought of most of the companions or the tightly controlled and outside of character pov conversations with them. Thank God for Varric.

I expect less choice, less control, less story, less npc interaction and don't trust them at all. This isn't the Bioware that made Origins, or even the Bioware that made SWTOR. It's the Bioware that thought DA2 was a great idea, jetisoned the continuing stories in SWTOR, and will never make a toolkit again because they'd rather sell us that stuff as dlc (which they'll probably cancel anyway). They've fired or laid off pretty much everyone who would get why that was bad. I'm not even considering buying Inquisition until I've heard from a lot of people who aren't mass market reviewers, all of whom thought DA2 was just GREAT!

Ok, yeah. I'm still a little bitter, lol. Oh, and I really, really hope I'm wrong.

 

[Raikas]

Title says it all.

The third installment of Bioware's popular Dragion Age series will eventually be hitting the shelves. Now as this is the presumably last entry into this franchise,

Others have mentioned it, but it's been repeatedly stated by Bioware staffers that the DA games aren't a trilogy, so it's presumably not the last in the series.

But what is it you are all hoping to see in the third DA game?

I'm just hoping for a something with balanced combat and entertaining characters. Maybe I'm just easy to please, but that's my standard - it's a game, I want to be entertained - anything else is gravy.

Honestly Bioware has a pretty decent record in my mind. Sure, ME3 had a weak ending but I loved 99% of it, so I don't care. Similarly, DA2 was obviously rushed and felt unpolished, but I appreciated that they were trying something other than a standard hero-kills-dragon-saves-land fantasy story, so I enjoyed it too despite the imperfections.

 

[LetalisK]

Anywho, Morrigan's obviously going to be in it, and yes I'm curious as to what became of the child a few of my characters sired with her.

Think Rachni in Mass Effect 3.

So if I killed her that's probably going to be retconned?

 

[Raikas]

Anywho, Morrigan's obviously going to be in it, and yes I'm curious as to what became of the child a few of my characters sired with her.

Think Rachni in Mass Effect 3.

So if I killed her that's probably going to be retconned?

Isn't Morrigan essentially unkillable?

Spoiler

Yeah, you can stab her in Witch Hunt, but she falls through the mirror, so that's not exactly proof of death.

 

[Tsun Tzu]

So if I killed her that's probably going to be retconned?

Well, considering their stance on retcons thus far (Leliana anyone?), I wouldn't really put it past them at this point.

What I meant with the Rachni comparison was that, no matter what you decided, the Rachni showed up regardless. I think it'll probably be the same way with the kid. Just because you and Alistair didn't do it doesn't mean she couldn't have "found" another Warden for the job at some point between the end of DA and the beginning of DA 3.

It really depends on whether or not they make it a major plot point or if they decide to just forget about it, I guess.

 

[Jeyl]

With Mass Effect 3 giving players the ability to romance non-companion characters like Samantha Traynor, I'm hoping for a bit more variety in the romances. One instance I would like to see is the possibility of romancing one of the bad guys.

 

[Misterian]

I'm simply hoping that Inqusition at very least doesn't end the same way Mass Effect 3 did pre-extended cut.

To be fair though, I suspect that it would be very hard to pull off, given the setting.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

At the end, the ghost of Duncan will appear and tell me that I can either drop a psychic bomb in the Fade which will immediately tranquilize all mages, turn into a demon which will transform all mages into abominations under my command, but if I've been a good boy/girl/indeterminate and played online multiplayer a lot and/or pre-purchased the game and day 1 DLC, I'll also have the option to become one with the Fade and end the mage/templar conflict once and for all.

Yes I just went there.

The colors of these endings will be purple, yellow, and orange, respectively.

OT: I expect a return to form somewhat, I expect them to attempt to try something interesting and include Morrigan in the story line but will inevitably screw it up. I expect Gaider will react venomously to the criticism he will get and the escapist will cover it and we'll all be here either defending him or snarkily mocking him, such is our way.

I don't think they'll learn from DAII mistakes.

This seems to be the most sound prediction. I'll bring extra snark in case anyone forgot theirs in their car.

 

[Terminal Blue]

From what I've heard, I'm actually really psyched about it. But then, I actually liked DA2 and ME3 so I guess I have very little to lose in that regard. Personally, I'm really looking forward to seeing what they do with some of the other parts of Thedas (in particular, I'm glad Tevinter is finally going to feature as a setting) and the story actually sounds interesting in that (like DA2) it seems like more of a human drama story rather than a "orcspawn are attacking, kill they ass" story.

The one thing I'm really nervous about is Morrigan being in simply because I don't trust them to leave that stupid God-baby thing right the hell alone. Frankly, It's not something which will be possible to resolve to everyone's satisfaction due to the diversity of outcomes inherent in that scenario, and yet I know they're going to try and completely fuck it up in some vain attempt to appease stupid fanboys who expect constant affirmation and resolution to their unresolved feelings about a game from 4 years ago.

I may be prejudiced, however, as frankly I'm bemused as to why Morrigan is back in at all. Seriously guys, just write a new character. Call her "Evilina" and give her a skimpy outfit and make her approve every choice which is generically evil irrespective of personal motivation. There, now you don't need Morrigan.

Also, unless it's available on Steam I will not be buying it on release. Not because I suspect it will go down in price (because, you know, it's not on Steam) but simply to do my bit to hurt those crucial opening sale's figures. I'm sick of the DLC-ridden, overly protectionistic way EA markets games, and frankly there is no game I can't live without for a couple of months if it means I get to stick a middle finger to that.