Poll: Dragon Age 2 Demo Impressions

[Hader]

All I know, BioWare won't let us down on the storytelling.

Unless other aspects are horribly inconsistent...I don't think their reputation for telling a good story will help them here.

 

[Zaik]

After actually playing it, I was surprised to find it wasn't nearly as bad as the first one.

It still wasn't good enough to be buying it at release, but once the "Ultimate" version comes out with all or the most relevant DLC attached, I'll probably buy that at full price.

It's more or less the same thing as DA:O, just with what seems to be an extremely well detailed polish. There's not much that seems to be actually new, but things seem to work so much better than they did. Also tons of things *didn't* get removed for the sake of one feature like in ME2.

Edit: One thing I didn't like is that the dialogue got Mass Effect-ized. There doesn't seem to be anything keeping track of how red/blue you are to determine being able to talk people into crap, but adding symbols to explain what act you're doing on top of the
.........................................Nice
Information-----------------------------Indecisive
........................................Jerkface

system seemed a little silly. Also, some of the more obscure symbols don't seem to clearly represent anything at all. There were weird squiggles and arrows going in three directions for dialogue that seemed like it would fit under the nice-confused-ass pictures.

 

[Smooth Operator]

It went casual, all the strategy was cut out to make it easy to the one button pressing monkeys it seems.
I'm sure it will sell extremely well, but I prefer some depth with my games.

 

[DenofLions]

I'll just copy what I wrote on the steam forums:

Remember how DA:O was supposed to be a return to the glory days of PC RPG's?

Well if this demo is anything like the game, I take this as Bioware saying "I DIDN'T MEAN IT LOL".

This.

The demo is like Vindictus and Diablo 2 had a child with ADD. So much for being the spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate 2, more like the successor to the watered down ps2 hack and slash versions.

Console twitch-gamers win again. Not that there is anything wrong with liking twitcy games, but I'd like to see one RPG make it into this decade without being molested.

 

[Icarion (aka Stockholm)]

Because if I'm going to have to stare at a woman for the next 30-40 hours, then damn it she better have a nice rack, because Light knows there is a 99% chance I'll stop giving a damn about the words coming out of her mouth partway through the story, and will need something else to pay attention to.

Also, bigger is better, so.

Thanks for epitomizing the stereotypical console gamer. Ugh.

What?

1: I read a fuck-ton faster than 99% of people on this planet and in games can speak. Which means I've read, re-read 4 times and understood what characters are trying to say before they reach the first adjective. Having to listen to them say it is just annoying, unless I'm confused about the tone.

2: I'm usually four or five steps ahead of the story. I don't need to listen, because I can damn well already tell what is going to happen. I could probably give half the speeches given in games, given enough practice.

3: I have fairly good "useless/uninteresting banter" filter. If its not;

-Vital to the story
-Vital to the quest at hand
-Funny
-Otherwise peculiar or interesting

I ignore it.

And if I epitomize the average console gamer, what does that make the average PC gamer, considering they're the ones for whom the most popular/downloaded mods for games like Oblivion, DA, Fallout etc. are the ones that add ridiculous sexual elements to games.

I didn't say you were dumb, now did I? Maybe just focused on the wrong aspect of things. You can skip each line of dialogue by pressing escape, so that's not an issue. I'm just wondering what kind of person plays a video game for the boobies, rather than interacting with an actual person or simply watching porn.

I don't play for the breasts; but the version with the bigger breasts was more interesting to watch.

Besides, porn is boring, and most women in real life don't have breasts even worth mentioning.

Hey, lets not be unreasonable. Spend some time around really small breasted women, then go hang out with normal sized ones. Its a pretty cool effect.

OT:It was differet. The rogue was sweet, I completely fought the Ogre hit and run, like a rogue should. Mage wasnt bad but I couldnt stand playing as a warrior, as it was in Origins. So, the combat could go either way for me, although I do miss the option to zoom out. I played on the PC. The first area looked like it came straight out of the Alpha build, with its lack of backround. The second area was quite nice. And, by the looks of it, they finally got the beards right. I got so mad when the Dwarves beards would go through their chestplates. But not now, Hawke's beard is beautifully rendered, and 3-D, as opposed to the old ones, which were jsut flat pictures of a beard. Small point, but a good one.

 

[Thanatos34]

The graphics are shit.

That is honestly the first thing I thought of, and I couldn't STOP thinking of it the whole way through the demo.

The demo is supposed to make me want to buy the game. It didn't. At all. I probably still will, because, hell, it's Dragon Age, I have quite a bit of money and nothing else to spend it on at the moment, but still. Wtf is with the background scenery?

And why is there no option for DX10? It's either DX9 with medium graphics and low everything else, (see: shit), or DX11, for which you need to have Windows 7 or Vista. For those of us who prefer our XP, that means we're stuck with shitty graphics.

Maybe there's something I don't know about that DX10 can't handle and DX9 can. Kinda pissed because I upgraded my video card a while back specifically so that I could use DX10, and now it appears I have to have DX11.

And the voice acting for FemHawke is kinda... meh. MaleHawke is good, but I suppose replicating Hale's superb job voice acting FemShep was like asking for lightning to strike twice.

Edit: Went back and looked at the original Dragon Age- I think the graphics are actually better in DA:O.
I guess we know why the game is only 7 gigs now. They screwed the graphics department over.
As far as the original question, I like the new combat mechanic, but the dark, gritty feel of the first one is gone. Entirely. Even the

******SPOILER******death of your brother/sister depending on your arbitrary class choice was meh.******END SPOILER*******

Maybe they'll fix some of that in the real DA2, and maybe the graphics were just compressed for the demo. But again, the demo is supposed to make me WANT to buy the game. If I had never played DA:O, I would not be buying DA2 based on that demo.

 

[Light 086]

The Dragon Age 2 Demo has just been released on xbox 360 today and I?m disappointed. I loved DA:O. One of the bests features of DA:O was that I could micro-manage my party members special moves while each member performed basic attacks automatically.

My problem with the DA2 demo is that I have to constantly keep pressing the basic attack button. It makes the game feel like a hack n slash button basher rather than a deep and rich RPG. I can understand that by doing this bioware has opened up a wider audience, but I think that will alienate some of the fans of DA:O.

Anyway, I guess I will find out whether this can be changed in the options menu of the final product.

I'd like to know others opinions on the new mechanic. Do you think it will improve the overall experience? Or do you think that it is an unnecessary addition?

I prefer this combat rather than sending in my squad and have the time to read a few pages from my book, get a drink, make a snack... etc will the combat is raging on in the background.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

I just finished the steam demo and by far im impressed with the new system. i never liked the old system as it just made the combat much longer. sure i wouldnt mind if there were an option to choose which combat styles you want.

At the end at the day though i originally never though about getting it but now i may just do that because it looks and feels alot better... and just from the cutscene the with dwarven dude.. THE DORFS ARE AWESOME NAO! HELL YEAH!

Next: On the to do list : QQ on WoW forums to nerf mages -check
play the DA2 demo again -check
watch some anime -check
sit around eating jaffa cakes - in progress.

 

[StBishop]

Also, what's the deal with the diablo-esque class picker? They sure splurged on the background in that one; A SOLID BLACK FILL! You're blowing my mind Bioware, don't put them in a nicely rendered castle courtroom or anything, a quick old screen fill will be just as good.

I think this is only for the demo. There's also discrepancies between the male and female descriptions for rouge and mage on 360.

There's a comma in one gender but not the other for mage and the rouge has one saying when and the other saying whenever.

I think if this had been for the full game they'd have polished that out.

 

[StBishop]

I really wish they stuck with the Dwarf-addled version of Hawk-e's sister, rather than going to the sober, real version.

It was at least more interesting.

Also, I see major plot derailment if your Origins save has you offing Flemeth. She might be able to still do the beginning part, but "Sword-through-skull" generally has a negative impact on further help.

It's just after Lothering gets attacked. Like... the moment you travel to Redcliff or where ever you chose to go first she set off and then met these guys. I would assume that this demo (the bit at the start) happens before the Warden even makes it to their first destination.

 

[StBishop]

You can 'micro manage' your attacks in DA1 on the xbox?
Don't make me laugh.
You can't even pause the game properly or change the perspective to make sure you don't hit your own dude with that large AoE spell.
It was a mess.

You're probably mistaking it with kotor here.

There was an option to make the radial menu toggle rather than hold down.

This makes the game paused. Properly.

The AoE spells highlighted their targets a different colour depending on whether or not they were friendly or hostile. Unless you're colour blind with red and green (pretty uncommon, so if you are, I'm terribly sorry) this means you can make sure you won't hit your own "dudes".

Although the PC version did have advantages, it was possible to micro manage on the consoles.

 

[mornal]

I loved it myself. Could be that I played DA:O on xbox and the demo on PC, but combat felt much, much better. I also don't find what the big deal is about the conversation wheel. Sure you have more choices with DA:O, but in the end those however many choices you had boiled down to 2 or 3 directions you could take the conversation anyway. I'm just happy that they have the picture in the center to give you an idea of what you're about to say.

 

[StBishop]

It went casual, all the strategy was cut out to make it easy to the one button pressing monkeys it seems.
I'm sure it will sell extremely well, but I prefer some depth with my games.

Full game has option for auto attack and also has hard and nightmare modes... Also, there's fun to be had with the BRITTLE, DISORIENTED and STAGGERED effects.

Maybe give it a go when it goes on steam sale or when it drops in price?

 

[linwolf]

I loved the first DA but every change they have made in the second seems to have been made with the exact purpose of making me hate it. I am not so must disappointed, it's more that my worst fears have been confirmed. I had already set the game to probably not get it or at least wait until next year when the price have fallen. But with the demo out DA 2 have showed so many bad change that I will not get it.

Conversation wheel, the lack of a prober tactic view and the more action orientated combat are the real deal breaks for me. There are no reason for these changes other than to pander a different group than the ones who loved the first.
It's a shame because I am sure that I would have liked the story.

 

[wolfmanrulz]

The combat worked well, mainly throwing fireballs around. What really broke the game for me was that every 5 minutes a loading screen rocked up and completely broke the flow, hopefully gone in the full game. Other than that, all the classes felt distinct and still feels Dragon age-y. However one thing did intrigue me, the new image of flemeth, the witch of the wilds got a face lift and implants.

 

[Akiada]

Loved it personally, each class is a hell of a lot more fun to play now - and Mages don't look like total dorks when someone gets close (really weird in the Mage origin in DA:O - Hurr, a wolf is two feet away, let me waggle my waggle at it rather than hit it).

Unlike a number of people I really liked the new conversation system. It's voiced like ME, but doesn't pertain to some morality system (just shows how you act) and it's neat to see how it's not just one line of dialogue - choosing Saint, Snarker, or Asshole seems to influence your follow-up lines instead of just your initial response. For example if you snark at the "Where are we going?" conversation Hawke's automatic response to his/her mother's suggestion follows through on the same line of thought - Saint Hawke suggest it's not a good idea, Snarker quips that it wouldn't be their first choice, and Asshole asks why in a rather irritated tone, as if insulted by the idea. It's a bit of a small thing, but I like it - it makes choosing an option give more of a general tone to Hawk rather than a single line. If you try to talk down Hayder at the end of the demo Hawke will comment that he/she was trying to defuse the situation.

...all things considered, though I get the feeling I'm going to end up snarking my way through the game because it's impossible to resist the comedy option...

 

[squid5580]

I'd love to spew venomous hate about everything Bioware does wrong that everyone else ignores for some odd reason, but I think they're on to me, the download keeps breaking.

Gee i don't know. Maybe because everyone realizes games will never be perfect? Maybe everyone has grown to the point that everyone can appreciate the good bits and overlook minor flaws. Maybe it is cuz everyone knows that being a hater on a forum doesn't make you edgy or some crusader. Maybe everybody doesn't lead a sad existence and want to drag everyone down with them.

Bioware games do have problems. And we as paying customers can make a complaint about a product with issues. This can lead to improvement. If it does not improve, we stop buying and the company goes out of business. That's basic economics.
Telling someone off for making a complaint about a product, who did so in a very reasonable way, does not make you edgy or some crusader. You look silly. And have probably been watching too much Movie Bob, without actually understanding what he was talking about.

Anyway.
Yeah, Dragon Age 2, very stylish. A little hard to follow combat when it gets crazy. Very fun.
Some of the voice acting is stiff, found Hawke's voice was very good.
I'm worried about being stuck on a plot rail road like in Mass Effect 2, as well as the inventory being simplified. Demo didnt show us anything on that though.
Overall, it was fun and dumb.
Oh and because it needs to be said. The boobs are ridiculous. "DD's for all!" seems to have been the motto in the Bioware offices...

Oh so what you are saying is constructive criticism is fine? Why I would be inclined to agree with that. Too bad there is a big difference between that (which happens in almost every thread Bioware gets mentioned in) and spewing venomous hate because you think you are the only 1 with the intelligence high enough to recognize these flaws.

The demo is frickin awesome from the little I played (which was skipping all of the dialogue because I want to wait for it) I went with mage and wow the spell effects are awesome. Not a big fan of the level up system. In their attempt to simplify it they really made it harder and more confusing. And alot harder to navigate.

Are you guys stripping her down or something? I didn't see these DD alot of you speak of. But her armor for all 3 classes did look off. She sure has pretty eyes though.

 

[silasbufu]

I hope no button mashing will be involved in the final game. I'm biased because I have wrist and finger problems and if that's the case, I'll even consider not getting it.