Why I hate Dragon Age, from a fan. *PC*

[Spindleweed]

Dragon Age is a very good roleplaying game. As a player of Baldur's Gate (did bioware put in an apostrophe?) I can see the heredity; the micromanagement and storytelling come through good and strong. But I don't want to talk about that. I want to talk about my issues with DA.

Dragon Age scares me. Not in a *boo* way, not in a creepy way (bar the run up to the broodmother fight, that was quite intense), but due to the hefty investment (125 hrs. first run on normal) of time in a playthrough. Every interaction can have consequences and they can potentially gimp your group and your story.

And then we have the difficulty curve. Even on the second play, it can kick your arse something fierce. I often felt I was one party member short, or that I had missed something in the manual ; but in this one case I decided that the game deserved more than my passing attention, and soldiered on.

Finally, the potentially closed paths at endgame. The relationships between the characters are quite real: you can't play as a lunatic psychopath and expect to get the girl (or boy). The relationships between the companions were so compelling I had great difficulty choosing conversation options because I was genuinely scared about losing a friend in the party. Even non party members had me hanging.

Final (petty) gripe, Mass Effect voiced the main character. I really missed that, I felt a great lack of punch from losing the main character voice acting. I also understand why bioware couldn't, with about 15 character origins and eight(maybe?) character archetypes, the main character voices would have cost them a ludicrous sum.

So, that's me done.

TLR I love Dragon Age but the scope for choice scares. Also it is hard.

Ps first topic, please go softly

 

[Cherry Cola]

you can't play as a lunatic psychopath and expect to get the girl

I take it you weren't after Morrigan then?

And yeah, Dragon Age was really hard. But it was incredibly rewarding. Loved it for that.

 

[TheNamlessGuy]

DELETED

 

[Irridium]

It is hard.

I found myself on more than one occasion lowering the difficulty to easy to get past a large group of enemies.

Granted that was because I was stupid and didn't have a mage in my party...
But still!

I loved how all the battles could be fought in many ways.
I love RTS and strategy games, so I loved the top down battle view.

 

[Jaranja]

you can't play as a lunatic psychopath and expect to get the girl

I take it you weren't after Morrigan then?

And yeah, Dragon Age was really hard. But it was incredibly rewarding. Loved it for that.

Right again, Hub. It's also between normal difficulty and too hard. It's challenging. The puzzles are also great when you figure them out, especially the Yusaris one in the tower.

 

[Cherry Cola]

you can't play as a lunatic psychopath and expect to get the girl

I take it you weren't after Morrigan then?

And yeah, Dragon Age was really hard. But it was incredibly rewarding. Loved it for that.

Right again, Hub. It's also between normal difficulty and too hard. It's challenging. The puzzles are also great when you figure them out, especially the Yusaris one in the tower.

Probably one of the most rewarding games 2009.

Especially when defeating the Dragons.

 

[Amnestic]

Dragon Age scares me. Not in a *boo* way, not in a creepy way (bar the run up to the broodmother fight, that was quite intense), but due to the hefty investment (125 hrs. first run on normal) of time in a playthrough. Every interaction can have consequences and they can potentially gimp your group and your story.

That's good, isn't it?

I mean, decisions should have consequences. What you say should matter and if you choose to side with the werewolves, don't expect the Elves to be a-okay with it.

Besides, there's always the Quick Save/Quick Load buttons.

And then we have the difficulty curve. Even on the second play, it can kick your arse something fierce. I often felt I was one party member short, or that I had missed something in the manual ; but in this one case I decided that the game deserved more than my passing attention, and soldiered on.

There's always Easy mode. It's nice to have a challenge.

Finally, the potentially closed paths at endgame. The relationships between the characters are quite real: you can't play as a lunatic psychopath and expect to get the girl (or boy). The relationships between the companions were so compelling I had great difficulty choosing conversation options because I was genuinely scared about losing a friend in the party. Even non party members had me hanging.

You're hanging out with a lass who believes, above all, that the strong should survive and a bisexual assassin who enjoys killing, having sex and treasure.

Not to mention Shale who regards all others as squishy things. Or Barkspawn who is endlessly loyal to you.

Again, consequences=good. You should care about what you say.

Final (petty) gripe, Mass Effect voiced the main character. I really missed that, I felt a great lack of punch from losing the main character voice acting. I also understand why bioware couldn't, with about 15 character origins and eight(maybe?) character archetypes, the main character voices would have cost them a ludicrous sum.

Well as you said at the start, as a Baldur's Gate player you can see where it came from. You had battlecries/yells in BG and you do in Dragon Age but neither are really 'voiced'.

It was a little disappointing that they didn't have a primary voice actor, yeah, but it wasn't such a big deal. I just imagined all the male characters were voiced by Sean Connery and the females were voiced by the lass who did Tali in Mass Effect.

 

[Spindleweed]

Because I was roleplaying my dwarf beserker to the nines, Morrigan offered me her alternative to the archdemon conundrum. I HAD TO KICK MORRIGAN OUT OF MY BED. That hurt, and I died saving Fereldan. Whether that is win or lose, you call it.

 

[Jaranja]

you can't play as a lunatic psychopath and expect to get the girl

I take it you weren't after Morrigan then?

And yeah, Dragon Age was really hard. But it was incredibly rewarding. Loved it for that.

Right again, Hub. It's also between normal difficulty and too hard. It's challenging. The puzzles are also great when you figure them out, especially the Yusaris one in the tower.

Probably one of the most rewarding games 2009.

Especially when defeating the Dragons.

Oooh, don't spoil it for me. I have yet to beat either (there's 2, right?) of them. I was going to on my first character (a mage) but I found it so boring that I made a second character.

Gotta love Dwarf Warriors in Blood Dragon Armour.

 

[Cherry Cola]

you can't play as a lunatic psychopath and expect to get the girl

I take it you weren't after Morrigan then?

And yeah, Dragon Age was really hard. But it was incredibly rewarding. Loved it for that.

Right again, Hub. It's also between normal difficulty and too hard. It's challenging. The puzzles are also great when you figure them out, especially the Yusaris one in the tower.

Probably one of the most rewarding games 2009.

Especially when defeating the Dragons.

Oooh, don't spoil it for me. I have yet to beat either (there's 2, right?) of them. I was going to on my first character (a mage) but I found it so boring that I made a second character.

Gotta love Dwarf Warriors in Blood Dragon Armour.

3.

I have a "special" strategy that guarantees victory against the High Dragon, so if you get stuck on that one, just let me know.

 

[Spindleweed]

I missed something from my original post. These reasons are why I love this game. I actually have to check myself before playing, so I can do my character justice. I can't play DA on a casual level. It's story is so strong it means a lot of the time I can't play it. it's a wierd conundrum

 

[Jaranja]

you can't play as a lunatic psychopath and expect to get the girl

Because the girls are not into lunatic psychopaths? You adjust to the way your girl wants you to be. That or don't have one.

 

[Jaranja]

you can't play as a lunatic psychopath and expect to get the girl

I take it you weren't after Morrigan then?

And yeah, Dragon Age was really hard. But it was incredibly rewarding. Loved it for that.

Right again, Hub. It's also between normal difficulty and too hard. It's challenging. The puzzles are also great when you figure them out, especially the Yusaris one in the tower.

Probably one of the most rewarding games 2009.

Especially when defeating the Dragons.

Oooh, don't spoil it for me. I have yet to beat either (there's 2, right?) of them. I was going to on my first character (a mage) but I found it so boring that I made a second character.

Gotta love Dwarf Warriors in Blood Dragon Armour.

3.

I have a "special" strategy that guarantees victory against the High Dragon, so if you get stuck on that one, just let me know.

Which ones are there? Oh god, I can only remember the Haven dragon.

 

[Galad]

125 hrs? You must have went off to disco or something in between somewhere. Several times. Or you're simply unused to Bioware's style and are over thinking things. For hours. I never checked my hours for the first run but they can't have been more than half that.

Wittiness aside, the choice, if present is binary throughout the game for the most part. You either side with one side in the conflict or side with the other. Whichever side you choose, you'll progress with the storyline. Now, I've heard there may be a third option somewhere, but I haven't been able to make it work. I'd suggest hanging around on their official forums, there have been threads from people sharing their various experiences with the games, and I'm sure you'd find answers to what puzzles or disappoints you

 

[Cherry Cola]

you can't play as a lunatic psychopath and expect to get the girl

I take it you weren't after Morrigan then?

And yeah, Dragon Age was really hard. But it was incredibly rewarding. Loved it for that.

Right again, Hub. It's also between normal difficulty and too hard. It's challenging. The puzzles are also great when you figure them out, especially the Yusaris one in the tower.

Probably one of the most rewarding games 2009.

Especially when defeating the Dragons.

Oooh, don't spoil it for me. I have yet to beat either (there's 2, right?) of them. I was going to on my first character (a mage) but I found it so boring that I made a second character.

Gotta love Dwarf Warriors in Blood Dragon Armour.

3.

I have a "special" strategy that guarantees victory against the High Dragon, so if you get stuck on that one, just let me know.

Which ones are there? Oh god, I can only remember the Haven dragon.

There's High Dragon, the Darkspawn leader, and then a really spoilerific Dragon that I won't tell you about, because it's a surprise.

 

[Jaranja]

you can't play as a lunatic psychopath and expect to get the girl

I take it you weren't after Morrigan then?

And yeah, Dragon Age was really hard. But it was incredibly rewarding. Loved it for that.

Right again, Hub. It's also between normal difficulty and too hard. It's challenging. The puzzles are also great when you figure them out, especially the Yusaris one in the tower.

Probably one of the most rewarding games 2009.

Especially when defeating the Dragons.

Oooh, don't spoil it for me. I have yet to beat either (there's 2, right?) of them. I was going to on my first character (a mage) but I found it so boring that I made a second character.

Gotta love Dwarf Warriors in Blood Dragon Armour.

3.

I have a "special" strategy that guarantees victory against the High Dragon, so if you get stuck on that one, just let me know.

Which ones are there? Oh god, I can only remember the Haven dragon.

There's High Dragon, the Darkspawn leader, and then a really spoilerific Dragon that I won't tell you about, because it's a surprise.

I didn't count the Archdemon and I've played through the game once. I remember there being 2 other than the Archdemon. Is the aforementioned 'spoilerific' dragon part of the main plot or do I need to go somewhere specific?

 

[e2density]

It is hard. I quit after 45 minutes and it was too boring for me to want to play it again.

 

[Spindleweed]

shame. Its not a bad game, and the story is five kinds of awesome. I do love lore, though.