*SPOILERS* Dragon Age 2 Discussion

[Dragonborne88]

So yeah, I figure to counter all the negative hate flying around, I'd make a topic for the people who actually have played it and enjoy it. Someplace the Champions can gather and discuss the game. DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GET SPOILED!

Haven't quite beaten it yet, but I'm like halfway through the third act with the Knight-Commander and Orsino starting to get to each other. Loved the cameos from the characters from the first game. Alistair is a bit on the ugly side with the new models, but Leliana was MUCH improved, and had a sweet scene. Zevran was...Zevran. Got me a few good laughs at his section.

I'm actually impressed with how much actually transferred over with my DA:O save. Got a lot of little quests involving the different scenes in the first game. Had the last remaining Harrowmont asking for aid at one point, saw some Golems from Amangrak (sp?), obviously Bann Teagan, the mage from the Warden's Keep finished his research and I found a note meant for Weisshaup fortress.

Also, playing a Mage (Blood, of course!), and it sucked seeing my Brother get drafted into the Gray Wardens. I didn't take him at first, died because of the Dragon, and didn't save so I got dragged back to the beginning and decided to take him with. Apparently he joins the Templars if you don't take him, I would have liked that better, I think.

The Arishok was awesome, I love the Qunari. Share your stories and things you enjoyed!

 

[Inner Pickle]

All of it, from start to finish. I can't even understand the amount of bad press its getting. A few minor constructive criticisms, yes. But over all one of the better games I've played in a while.

 

[Ailia]

My only gripe with the story is that I'd get so distracted by side-quests that I'd forget where the main plot is going. Or I'd be glaring suspiciously at the aside-quests because they felt like thety'd come back to bite me in the ass....
Plot-wise, it's, well, Bioware. Straigth-forward, a few good twists, but nothing spectacular. The great writing and the way they approach the plot was what made me love it.
I'm on my second play-through now, and the other thing I loved about it was the choices. First time I was a F!Rogue who sided with the mages; now I'm a M!Mage siding with the Templars and it's great to see who differently everything is playing out.

 

[Shycte]

It's good I guess. The biggest problem I have with it is that you can't change shit, nothing you do affects anything. You can't even so no to quests. Also, the ending with Orsino is just plain bad. I'm defeating all the Templars... OMG, I NEED TO USE BLOODMAGIC TROLOLOLOL" Fuck you Orsino.

Other than that, I enjoyed it. I really liked Merrills character arc and her struggle.

 

[reg42]

It's either than the first game, it's not as good all around, the combat gets very repetetive after a while, some of the voice acting and dialogue sucks, Hawke isn't a particularly interesting character, and the game really starts to drag towards the end of act 2. Despite all this, I still had good fun with it.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

It's good I guess. The biggest problem I have with it is that you can't change shit, nothing you do affects anything. You can't even so no to quests. Also, the ending with Orsino is just plain bad. I'm defeating all the Templars... OMG, I NEED TO USE BLOODMAGIC TROLOLOLOL" Fuck you Orsino.

Other than that, I enjoyed it. I really liked Merrills character arc and her struggle.

Pretty much this. I loved Merrill's character arc and her adorableness. But for christ's sake, Orsino, why didn't you turn into a monster and attack the damn enemy. What he did made no sense and my decision to side with him superfluous. The third act was pretty badly written.

 

[Shycte]

It's good I guess. The biggest problem I have with it is that you can't change shit, nothing you do affects anything. You can't even so no to quests. Also, the ending with Orsino is just plain bad. I'm defeating all the Templars... OMG, I NEED TO USE BLOODMAGIC TROLOLOLOL" Fuck you Orsino.

Other than that, I enjoyed it. I really liked Merrills character arc and her struggle.

Pretty much this. I loved Merrill's character arc and her adorableness. But for christ's sake, Orsino, why didn't you turn into a monster and attack the damn enemy. What he did made no sense and my decision to side with him superfluous. The third act was pretty badly written.

It's was terribly written. The second act was really great. The third one just threw everything out the window.

The stupidest part is when the mages kidnapps someone "of your people". Hurr Durr we wunted you not to hunt us why u support medridith?

WELL I FUCKING DIDN'T BUT I'M SURE AS HELL GOING TO NOW

 

[Dragonborne88]

The mother arc was pretty depressing though.

I dunno though, I don't like Merill as much as I thought I would. I ended up liking Isabella way better by the end, because she seems to have changed. And it seems like the decisions actually change a bit of the story, which is unusual for a Bioware game. I'm kind of regretting letting Varric keep the stupid shard, I should have destroyed it, but I couldn't say no to the little guy. Hope he doesn't become Gollum or something.

Funniest part had to the be the time you storm Varric's brother's mansion the first time, especially with the "Talk" he has with his brother. "I've always been jealous, mother always loved you!"

 

[Falseprophet]

I'm having a great time--I think I'm nearing the close of Act 2.

I feel there is a brilliant fusion of storytelling, character development and mechanics in DA2 that just needs a bit more experimenting and polish to perfect. You almost never see the old "BioWare face", with characters looking off into space or feeling disconnected from their dialogue (though occasionally there's a "stutter" during conversations). The characters effectively emote through their gestures and body language--give the motion-capture team a prize!

Companions have far more interaction with Hawke and with each other, even during quest dialogue. You can tap companions to contribute to certain conversations (and not always verbally). Hawke's personality even changes based on your favoured conversation options and NPCs comment on this. All the talk of how they've dumbed down the RPG elements are complaining out a bunch of number-crunching that a lot of us never cared for anyway, while ignoring that this is one of the few RPGs where your actions serve to develop your character's personality.

These are welcome advances that could really help transform the medium into a platform for great interactive stories. I'm just worried this is being overlooked with all the negative backlash the game is getting, however justified some of it is.

 

[Dragonborne88]

All of it, from start to finish. I can't even understand the amount of bad press its getting. A few minor constructive criticisms, yes. But over all one of the better games I've played in a while.

And I agree with you. The only thing that noticeably bugs me is the re-used dungeons, which does in fact get pretty annoying, but other then that, most of the complaints I've heard I don't agree with at all. The game is, on Normal, a bit easier then the first game, but as I near the end, I'm having to pause way more often then I did with Dragon Age:Origins. The High Dragon in the mines I'm still trying to figure out the best way to kill, since it is beating me down pretty easily.

 

[Soveru]

The game was good until the 3rd act. Especially with Orsino and Thrask

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

It's good I guess. The biggest problem I have with it is that you can't change shit, nothing you do affects anything. You can't even so no to quests. Also, the ending with Orsino is just plain bad. I'm defeating all the Templars... OMG, I NEED TO USE BLOODMAGIC TROLOLOLOL" Fuck you Orsino.

Other than that, I enjoyed it. I really liked Merrills character arc and her struggle.

Pretty much this. I loved Merrill's character arc and her adorableness. But for christ's sake, Orsino, why didn't you turn into a monster and attack the damn enemy. What he did made no sense and my decision to side with him superfluous. The third act was pretty badly written.

It's was terribly written. The second act was really great. The third one just threw everything out the window.

The stupidest part is when the mages kidnapps someone "of your people". Hurr Durr we wunted you not to hunt us why u support medridith?

WELL I FUCKING DIDN'T BUT I'M SURE AS HELL GOING TO NOW

Seriously. The mages were trying to turn you away.
Me at the final confrontation: "We can resolve this--WHY DID THE CHANTRY JUST BLOW UP!?!"
Anders: "It is the only way."
Me: "The only way was killing the one reasonable person in this mess? (Grand Cleric Elthina)"
Facepalm.

 

[Dragonborne88]

I refused to help him enter the Chantry, I hope that means it's not going to blow up...as soon as I saw what ingredients he needed for his "potion", I got suspicious. Come on Anders, you aren't fooling anybody collecting a flammable ore, and manure deposits! As soon as we got back to his base, I told him I wasn't assisting him any further.

 

[Vetala]

the story was good...very good. i like how some of the side quests have a subtle connections to the main plot and how it interwoven nicely to the arc. one of my memorable moments was Leandra "last" scene and i have a tremendous amount of respect for the Arishok.

 

[Fidelias]

I had a lot of fun with it. My only gripe is that Kirkwall gets pretty boring about two-thirds of the way through the game. It would've been nice if they let you go somewhere else besides caves and warzones. But I still enjoyed it.