Poll: Dragon Age 2 vs. The Witcher 2

[Volkov]

The Witcher 2 by far, not even comparable. It's significantly harder though, so it won't be very popular in the States, I think. But among the older crowd, and in Eastern Europe, it'll be a huge hit (also because they are more familiar with the books).

 

[Waaghpowa]

Although personally, what I've seen of DA2 did not impress me at all. It just looked so bland and boring...but then again most Bioware games save for Jade Empire give off that vibe and tend to be partially true when it comes to my experiences.

Holy shit, someone actually remembers Jade Empire?!

Indeed I do, it was probably my favorite Bioware game which isn't saying much. It had a vibrant and interesting setting with fun characters, decent gameplay, and probably one of their better stories. Save for the dumb top-down shooter sequences, it was a great game and I'd wholeheartedly welcome a second one.

Which wont happen, because it wasn't nearly as popular, which is a shame.

 

[nbamaniac]

Although personally, what I've seen of DA2 did not impress me at all. It just looked so bland and boring...but then again most Bioware games save for Jade Empire give off that vibe and tend to be partially true when it comes to my experiences.

Holy shit, someone actually remembers Jade Empire?!

But ofc. Who would forget that douche who raised you for 20 years then betr*SPOILER*......

 

[MisterShine]

I don't see why they're compared so often...

Simply put, they're the big 2 rpg releases this year so far, and after many considering DA2 to be a disappointment (to put things lightly), they elevated Witcher 2 to the Messiah that would come to save RPG's from the big-meany CoD crowd. The Witcher 2 definitely deserves a lot of praise for what it accomplished, but I think a little too much of that comes from bouncing off the trampoline that was DA2's failures.

I'm not surprised at people disliking TW2, but liking DA2? ...really?

Interesting and involving characters, visually satisfying combat, a far too long overdue departure from the cliche RPG stories of old, namely saving the princess/kingdom/world/mcguffin.

well said!! at last a smart and unbiased remark that explains everything (no fanboy stains ). *salute

Yeah, that's the Madman's schtick. He's a couple thousand posts of gaming wisdom. I secretly believe him to be the writer of Extra Credits here on the Escapist, disguised as one of us lowly internet denizens. Sort of like Bruce Wayne to Batman, only he doesn't beat up as many criminals.. but I have yet to prove it..

 

[Hawgh]

Both are great, but The Witcher 2 is greatest. I prefer the setting ever so slightly, the story perhaps a little less, the combat a bit more. In the end, the deciding factor for me is that The Witcher 2 doesn't have evoke the same feeling of developer laziness I got from the many samey dungeons in Dragon Age 2. Reusing art resources is quite alright, but they didn't even try to obfuscate it in, which hurt the game rather badly.

 

[Waaghpowa]

Most people who are hating on the combat in TW2 don't use Quen enough. Haha. At first I had problems with it, but after I started to use signs I got through fights without many problems.

honestly, I didn't use Quen often, barely touched it. Since I specialized in Swordsmanship, I had 3 bars of vigor, high vigor regen, riposte and simply dodged around enemies and knocking back some occasionally with Aard.

 

[nbamaniac]

Another point:

The NPC's are very convincing too. They each have their routines, not staring aimlessly and remaining stationary. Still, it's not like Oblivion or Fallout 3. The NPC's actually felt alive in TW2 compared to them (Bringing in the fact that i was impressed with Fallout 3's NPC's the first time I played it). Paying attentions to details like this can be very pleasing and really immersive.

Also, Rook + Swallow + Golden Oriole = Rambo

EDIT: I also thank this game for giving me an idea on how trebuchets and siege towers were manned.

 

[Waaghpowa]

Another point:

The NPC's are very convincing too. They each have their routines, not staring aimlessly and remaining stationary. Still, it's not like Oblivion or Fallout 3. The NPC's actually felt alive in TW2 compared to them (Bringing in the fact that i was impressed with Fallout 3's NPC's the first time I played it). Paying attentions to details like this can be very pleasing and really immersive.

Funny, because I thought that Oblivions NPC's were kinda bad, but then again, that was back before I made an significant upgrades to my PC and played the Xbox version....

Edit: Sparrow + Tawny owl + Rook + Swordsmanship = tank

 

[Trishbot]

I like both, but there is a CLEAR difference between them. As was mentioned before, one game has "soul" and the other one feels like a cash-in.

Heart and soul go a long way towards making a game. I dare say it's that unquantifiable, hard-to-obtain element that makes some games better than others even when its competition is superior in technology, graphics, budget, and even gameplay.

Shadow of the Colossus, for example, I feel has middling graphics and sloppy controls... but a LOT of heart and soul. Same for games such as Beyond Good & Evil, Psychonauts, Portal, Team Fortress 2, and so many others. There are better looking, sounding, and playing games, but the heart and soul is just so strong in these games.

The Witcher 2 feels like a labor of love in everything, from the way the game is made, presented, marketed, and supported. Dragon Age 2 is still a GOOD game, but it feels very stilted, lifeless, and by-the-books, game-by-the-numbers, or market-driven and focus-tested. It turned it into a formula, like a math equation for safe success, while The Witcher 2 evolves, defies some conventions, and follows the beat of its own drum, for better or worse. It endears me in how genuine and sincere it is more than Dragon Age 2 does.

Just my impression and opinions, of course. Some might prefer DA2 for the very reasons that I don't enjoy it, and vice versa for Witcher 2.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

I think we can all agree that the console version will surely hold your hand more as consoles generally aim for a larger audience.

I don't agree with that assumption. It's possible, certainly, but that doesn't mean it's a given. CD Projekt RED and it's sister-companies have already shown they're quite willing to march to the beat of their own drum when they feel the need.

Though I don't believe that CDPR would do too much as they're clearly doing their own thing, it could, or does, apply to other dev's, which is what I was trying to imply in the original post.

Most other devs have a publisher standing on their collective balls and making demands, though.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Also, Rook + Swallow + Golden Oriole = Rambo

Sparrow + Tawny owl + Rook + Swordsmanship = tank

Whirl > Rook

Rook only raises minimum melee damage, Whirl raises all melee damage.

 

[Waaghpowa]

I think we can all agree that the console version will surely hold your hand more as consoles generally aim for a larger audience.

I don't agree with that assumption. It's possible, certainly, but that doesn't mean it's a given. CD Projekt RED and it's sister-companies have already shown they're quite willing to march to the beat of their own drum when they feel the need.

Though I don't believe that CDPR would do too much as they're clearly doing their own thing, it could, or does, apply to other dev's, which is what I was trying to imply in the original post.

Most other devs have a publisher standing on their collective balls and making demands, though.

Fair enough, it's unfortunate really.


Also "Whirl > Rook

Rook only raises minimum melee damage, Whirl raises all melee damage." Whirl is oil, not potion.

 

[infohippie]

I haven't played The Witcher 2 yet, but from what I've heard... it's a bit on the immature side. People tell me it feels like it was written for 14-year-olds.

That depends entirely on the attitudes the player brings to the game. If you tend to go "Ooh! Boobies! Hahahaha! Oh, and he said a naughty word! Hahahaha!" then yes, TW2 will come across as immature to you. If you accept that nudity and swearing are simply a part of the adult world and you bring a more mature attitude to such things, then they will be simply a part of the rich tapestry that TW2 weaves. Not that there's much nudity compared to the first game, and what is there makes sense in the context of the story. There is quite a bit of swearing but, again, it makes sense in context. It doesn't feel gratuitous, at least not to me. If you live somewhere like Scotland, it's probably less swearing than you'd hear every day on the street.
TW2 also has much better gameplay than DA2, especially the combat. In DA2 all you really need to do is keep pressing the "hit things" button and maybe fire off a spell occasionally. In TW2, you need to keep mobile, keep track of the battlefield, and use every tool available - weapons, signs, bombs, traps, blocks, etc etc.
I would recommend TW2 over DA1 - I'd even recommend TW2 over DA1 TBH, it's just a better game all-round. And I like Bioware games.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

I think we can all agree that the console version will surely hold your hand more as consoles generally aim for a larger audience.

I don't agree with that assumption. It's possible, certainly, but that doesn't mean it's a given. CD Projekt RED and it's sister-companies have already shown they're quite willing to march to the beat of their own drum when they feel the need.

Though I don't believe that CDPR would do too much as they're clearly doing their own thing, it could, or does, apply to other dev's, which is what I was trying to imply in the original post.

Most other devs have a publisher standing on their collective balls and making demands, though.

Fair enough, it's unfortunate really.

It's not all the publishers' fault, though. The budgetary demands for most high profile games now is stupidly high, and when you invest that sort of money you want to prop up your chances of making a profit off that investment. The most common way of propping those chances up are to pander to wider audience appeal and go what's proven to be a good seller... Downside to that is Sequelitis and bland, samey games - The Maddenisation of Gaming.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

I think we can all agree that the console version will surely hold your hand more as consoles generally aim for a larger audience.

I don't agree with that assumption. It's possible, certainly, but that doesn't mean it's a given. CD Projekt RED and it's sister-companies have already shown they're quite willing to march to the beat of their own drum when they feel the need.

Though I don't believe that CDPR would do too much as they're clearly doing their own thing, it could, or does, apply to other dev's, which is what I was trying to imply in the original post.

Most other devs have a publisher standing on their collective balls and making demands, though.

Fair enough, it's unfortunate really.


Also "Whirl > Rook

Rook only raises minimum melee damage, Whirl raises all melee damage." Whirl is oil, not potion.

Me = brainfart.

 

[russkiimperial]

I've played both games. Haven't beaten the witcher 2 yet but have a lot of experience. It's definitely TW2, not even close. I thought Dragon Age II was good, but it's like watching a movie that you enjoy once but then never bother with it again. It's not terrible but it's very forgettable, as others have said. DAO was quite another story.

Add to that the fact that at most retailers the game cost $60 while the Witcher 2 cost $50 (with a LOT better packaging like the map, papercraft, soundtrack, making of DVD, letter with a coin) it just makes it a much better value.

Did anyone see the Extra Credits video about graphics versus aesthetics? I think the Witcher 2 wins that hands down too, not to mention a much better story line and character creation.

I think that CD Projeckt was able to do a lot more with fewer resources. Just my biased but reasonably informed opinion.

 

[kasperbbs]

I liked the Witcher 2 a lot more.
Choices you make there actually matter.
When you go to a new place it actually looks different!
You don't have to kill 50 - 70 bandits each time you walk to your next objective in the same damn town.
I only encountered 1 bug in witcher (got stuck in geodata), but dragon age 2 did something better, some guardian mob somehow became immortal during the last big fight and it broke my game, i couldn't advance and loading a previous save solved nothing.
It looks a lot better, graphics, attention to detail puts DA2 to shame.
Overall feel of that game was more to my liking, it was darker and felt more realistic(as realistic as a fantasy can get).

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

If you accept that nudity and swearing are simply a part of the adult world and you bring a more mature attitude to such things, then they will be simply a part of the rich tapestry that TW2 weaves. Not that there's much nudity compared to the first game, and what is there makes sense in the context of the story. There is quite a bit of swearing but, again, it makes sense in context. It doesn't feel gratuitous, at least not to me.

Very little of the nudity is mandatory and, as far as I know, none of the sex is. It's possible to play through the entire game and see little more than a few nipples... you know, if that's your thing. OTOH, you can also blow all of Geralt's cash on hookers if you think that's productive use of coin... just be thankful that Witchers are sterile and immune to disease.

If you live somewhere like Scotland, it's probably less swearing than you'd hear every day on the street.

You'd hear more swearing in my flat on the average day than in The Witcher 2... and I live by myself.