The Dragon Age cast

[Chancie]

So, fellow Dragon Age fans, I'm just curious:
Did you like the cast of characters in Origins or DA2 better?

It seems like a series where the fans are really divided in every possible way, and I'm just curious about what you all think. And why did you like them better?

I, personally, liked the cast from DA2 a lot more than Origins. In the second one, they were much more interesting and had fun personalities. For a few of them, I thought their background stories were more interesting, and they were just great characters.

Though, don't get me wrong, I still liked Origins characters, mainly Alistair, Morrigan, and Wynne. But I still just preferred the ones in Dragon Age 2.

Now, your turn.

 

[go-10]

Morigan, Leilana, and Alistar

Merrill, Tallis, Varric, and Isabela. This is one of the rare cases where 2 is better than 1

 

[Chancie]

Morigan, Leilana, and Alistar

Merrill, Tallis, Varric, and Isabela. This is one of the rare cases where 2 is better than 1

I'm actually a little surprised you didn't mention Anders or Fenris for the second one. It seems like any DA fan I've ever talked to absolutely adored at least one or the other.

 

[psicat]

I preferred the characters in Dragon Age 2 as well. They definitely had more personality and where more well rounded. Dragon Age: Origins was mostly filled with a cast of generic fantasy RPG character archetypes: a Paladin/Templar type, a Sorceress, a Healer, a Bard, an Assassin, a Berserker, etc. Pretty much the only unique companion character, and my favorite in that game, was Shale.

 

[Kahunaburger]

I've heard the DA2 cast referred to as a "harem of psychologically broken dipshits." I disagree with this only insofar as Varric and Aveline are alright. DA:O, being a game with okay writing, actually has some good characters. I think Zevran and Liliana are basically collections of stereotypes vs. actual characters, Morrigan's writers can't decide if she's an actual person or the Token Evil Teammate, and it's unclear if Sten has a personality or just a culture. But other than that the characters there are pretty good.

 

[DustyDrB]

Origins had Alistair and Shale. Dragon Age 2 had Varric and Aveline. I call it a wash.

Edit: Wait, Origins also has Wynne. So it actually wins. Yeah...Wynne wins.

 

[darth.pixie]

Shale and Sten were my favourite characters in DAO. In retrospect, it's probably because Sten didn't talk much and Shale was an HK rip-off, but still.

DA2 cast were more into whining about their own opinions while simultaneously shoving them in your face. There was not a single character from that game that I didn't want dead at some point and that actually includes Varric. They all have some sort of 'gimmick' that Bioware gave them that, like an often repeated joke, just gets lame and annoying, even more so since they were annoying in the first place.

At least DAO characters weren't so flat and the game had better writing.

 

[Valanthe]

Ugh.

Sorry, but "fun personalities" does not mean the same thing as "well written characters." Fun personalities are what you look for when interviewing applicants for a holiday rep job in a kid's campsite. Fun personalities are what you look for when going on a first date with someone and seeing if you get along.

You cannot judge the quality of a game's writing based simply on how 'fun' the characters are. There are any number of RPGs where the characters are all pretty messed up, miserable individuals, yet the depth of writing shits all over Dragon Age. KOTOR II is one example: you control a spaceship full of cantankerous bastards who all hate each other, and it's one of the best written casts of any videogame. Kreia is probably the single greatest NPC of any game ever, and I don't think she has a single humorous line.

Good writing is more than "it made me laugh while reading/watching/playing". Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis is one of the greatest short stories of the 20th Century, and it's a fucking miserable book. The main character turns into an insect, is abused by his family, then dies. Or Requiem For A Dream: a tour-de-force of cinema making that also happens to be about the lives of four characters as they're completely and utterly undone by drug addictions. We shouldn't be praising characters simply for how funny/snarky they are, but for what depths they reveal about themselves, and what themes and ideas are used to propel them as narrative devices.

You've definitely hit the nail on the head here, though the question being asked is a rather subjective one, your point still stands. While fun is a admirable trait for a character, it should by no means be the only measurement one uses.

However to get back on topic, I personally preferred the characters from 2 more as the whole plot of 2 revolves around a cast of characters who are believably thrust into the extraordinary predicaments they find themselves in, and those events shape them. Isabella is a good example of this. Now yes it is just the tried and true "scoundrel finding her heart of gold" plotline, but it's well used because it works. She joins up with you because the agreement benefits her, but through you she finds something worth fighting for. Come to think of it, she's a female Han Solo.

 

[skywolfblue]

Like: Alistair, Morrigan, and Wynne
Hate: Sten

vs.

Like: Varric, Merril
Hate: Fenris, Anders


I'd put it at a tie. While DA1 had less in the "hate" category, DA2 had better companion missions and a whole lot more fun banter. Hawke's comments during Avaline's quest are one of my favorite parts of the whole game. "Maker she's bad at this"

I, personally, liked the cast from DA2 a lot more than Origins. In the second one, they were much more interesting and had fun personalities.

Ugh.

Sorry, but "fun personalities" does not mean the same thing as "well written characters." Fun personalities are what you look for when interviewing applicants for a holiday rep job in a kid's campsite. Fun personalities are what you look for when going on a first date with someone and seeing if you get along.

You cannot judge the quality of a game's writing based simply on how 'fun' the characters are. There are any number of RPGs where the characters are all pretty messed up, miserable individuals, yet the depth of writing shits all over Dragon Age. KOTOR II is one example: you control a spaceship full of cantankerous bastards who all hate each other, and it's one of the best written casts of any videogame. Kreia is probably the single greatest NPC of any game ever, and I don't think she has a single humorous line.

Good writing is more than "it made me laugh while reading/watching/playing". Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis is one of the greatest short stories of the 20th Century, and it's a fucking miserable book. The main character turns into an insect, is abused by his family, then dies. Or Requiem For A Dream: a tour-de-force of cinema making that also happens to be about the lives of four characters as they're completely and utterly undone by drug addictions. We shouldn't be praising characters simply for how funny/snarky they are, but for what depths they reveal about themselves, and what themes and ideas are used to propel them as narrative devices.

Subjectively, if a person isn't able to relate to them, then all that writing went to waste. If the player can't sympathize with them in some way, then all the complex ideas in the world aren't going to make that character appear "great" to the player.

So to that end, I'd rather have characters that were fun, then characters that were deep and boring.

 

[ZeroMachine]

Like: Alistair, Morrigan, and Wynne
Hate: Sten

vs.

Like: Varric, Merril
Hate: Fenris, Anders


I'd put it at a tie. While DA1 had less in the "hate" category, DA2 had better companion missions and a whole lot more fun banter. Hawke's comments during Avaline's quest are one of my favorite parts of the whole game. "Maker she's bad at this"

I, personally, liked the cast from DA2 a lot more than Origins. In the second one, they were much more interesting and had fun personalities.

Ugh.

Sorry, but "fun personalities" does not mean the same thing as "well written characters." Fun personalities are what you look for when interviewing applicants for a holiday rep job in a kid's campsite. Fun personalities are what you look for when going on a first date with someone and seeing if you get along.

You cannot judge the quality of a game's writing based simply on how 'fun' the characters are. There are any number of RPGs where the characters are all pretty messed up, miserable individuals, yet the depth of writing shits all over Dragon Age. KOTOR II is one example: you control a spaceship full of cantankerous bastards who all hate each other, and it's one of the best written casts of any videogame. Kreia is probably the single greatest NPC of any game ever, and I don't think she has a single humorous line.

Good writing is more than "it made me laugh while reading/watching/playing". Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis is one of the greatest short stories of the 20th Century, and it's a fucking miserable book. The main character turns into an insect, is abused by his family, then dies. Or Requiem For A Dream: a tour-de-force of cinema making that also happens to be about the lives of four characters as they're completely and utterly undone by drug addictions. We shouldn't be praising characters simply for how funny/snarky they are, but for what depths they reveal about themselves, and what themes and ideas are used to propel them as narrative devices.

Subjectively, if a person isn't able to relate to them, then all that writing went to waste. If the player can't sympathize with them in some way, then all the complex ideas in the world aren't going to make that character appear "great" to the player.

So to that end, I'd rather have characters that were fun, then characters that were deep and boring.

Although I'm not completely on board with jeffers, I have to say, I don't like your logic either.

I can't relate the Alistair at all. Can't relate to Kreia. Can't relate to Morrigan, HK-47, Shale, Leliana, Sten, Varric, Anders, and many other characters, some from non-RPG games, tv shows, and movies.

But I love each and every one of those characters and feel as if I know them. Even if I can't relate with their deeper views, I still understand them and love them.

In fact, I've never spoken to anyone directly where they said they didn't like a character because they "couldn't relate to them".

Anyways, more on topic, I'd have to say DA:O wins in my book. Alistair is my bro. Morrigan is interesting as all hell. Leliana is adorable. Sten is badass. Shale is the fantasy version of HK-47. Wynne is like a mother figure to me. Oghren is my drinking buddy. And Zevran is like that weird guy that I hated at first but now I think he's hilarious and I love chillin' with him, in moderation.

I can't say that I like every character from DA2. Fenris and Isabela bore me to tears, and Merril pisses me off because of how much of a hypocrite she is.

This is, of course, if we don't include Awakenings... in that case, the only characters from that who I really liked were Anders and Nathaniel. And Ogrhen, obviously.

 

[pipsiscool]

Even though DA:O still might be my favorite game ever, DA2's Characters were better IMO. I love Merril with every fiber of my being and Varric is absolutely hilarious. The only one I didn't love was Fenris and I still thought he cool.

 

[Zhukov]

Lesse now...

Alistair, Morrigan, Sten, Leliana, Varric, Merrill, Avaline, Isabella.

Huh.

Y'know, I'm happy with both lots. They were a good bunch.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I'd say Origins had far better characters. Because they actually grow as characters. Hardening Alistair and Leliana actually affects their personality somewhat, and they feel different as characters.

Dragon Age 2's characters feel static. They are exactly the same as they were three years ago. I find it hard to believe that, in seven years, Merrill is still the same, braindead antisocial moron as she was in her first year in Kirkwall. She doesn't grow at all, she stays the same.

 

[Whitewillow]

DAO. I got bored so very, very frequently with Fenris and Isabela, and Anders? I liked him in Awakening but got very tired of his whining. Especially because the character didn't say anything new. Ever. The storylines for the companions were more interesting in DA2 though.

 

[FateOrFatality]

I honestly despised every character in DA2 exceot for Varric. Especially Anders. Seriously, fuck that guy.

Origins, on the other hand had some pretty good characters. Morrigan was pretty cool. Alistair and Zevran were funny. The others were generally amicable.

Oh, and I hated that one dude in DA2 who looked like he was from a JRPG a lot too. What the hell was Bioware thinking there?

 

[ShadowsofHope]

DA:O

Like: Alistair (my noble male is always in bro's-forever mode with him), Morrigan, Sten (once you get to know him, he's quite the complex character), Leliana (barring the whole religious fanaticism thing, her hair and her voice are fucking sexy together), Shale (sarcasm and dry dwarven wit in the body of a golem), Zevran (seriously, this guy is just the right style of comic relief for the setting and general mood of the plot if you get along with him) and Wynne (once she stops talking to you like you are 12 years old).

Hate: Not really a companion, but Loghain. And obligatory considering I usually play noble male.. Arl Howe.

DA2

Like: Isabela, Varric (how can anyone not like this dwarf, boggles my mind), Aveline, Bethany.

Hate: Anders, Merill, Fenris, Sebastian.

Notice any patterns at all, yet?

 

[AntiChri5]

I greatly prefer DA 2's cast.

 

[PS3Aussie]

I'd say Origins had far better characters. Because they actually grow as characters. Hardening Alistair and Leliana actually affects their personality somewhat, and they feel different as characters.

Dragon Age 2's characters feel static. They are exactly the same as they were three years ago. I find it hard to believe that, in seven years, Merrill is still the same, braindead antisocial moron as she was in her first year in Kirkwall. She doesn't grow at all, she stays the same.

I actually never thought of that, apparently I'm stupid, but yes you are right, she doesn't seem to acclimatise at all to her new home even over the course of years... Its a little worrying now that I think about it.. sounds more like she has some kind of legitimate mental/social problem as opposed to being "quirky"