Dragon Age 2

[Namdrater]

So I've almost got to 30 hours of gameplay and think I can give a better opinion on the game now. It is beyond disappointing having to play the same remodelled/recycled dungeons over and over. There is nothing interesting about exploration and the quests aren't exciting because it feels like I'm just playing the same quest over and over with no care for what the outcome is. I was so amped to get to the Deep Roads, but that didn't last nearly as long as I'd hoped and it's back to the boring back and forth city quests.

The combat is really fun and can still be extremely tactical and challenging at times which is what I loved about the first one. The story so far has been okay, I like being able to drive the game with my decisions, but so far there doesn't seem to be any particular direction for the overall story.

The game's really made me want to play Origins again - I was craving Origins before the 2nd one came out but held back so I could play the 2nd one, but they're completely different and there's only one winner for me.

 

[RFUS]

So I've almost got to 30 hours of gameplay and think I can give a better opinion on the game now. It is beyond disappointing having to play the same remodelled/recycled dungeons over and over. There is nothing interesting about exploration and the quests aren't exciting because it feels like I'm just playing the same quest over and over with no care for what the outcome is. I was so amped to get to the Deep Roads, but that didn't last nearly as long as I'd hoped and it's back to the boring back and forth city quests.

The combat is really fun and can still be extremely tactical and challenging at times which is what I loved about the first one. The story so far has been okay, I like being able to drive the game with my decisions, but so far there doesn't seem to be any particular direction for the overall story.

The game's really made me want to play Origins again - I was craving Origins before the 2nd one came out but held back so I could play the 2nd one, but they're completely different and there's only one winner for me.

The deep roads were fun but it was incredibly short, I agree.

I disagree about the decisions, though. I've made loads of decisions and really felt the impact, both in terms of getting different side missions/outcomes and in terms of character development/death.

Basically though this game is about as divisive as a game can be. The PC, WRPG hardcore crowd will be more displeased than pleased. The more action-oriented, console crowd will be more pleased than displeased. I suppose I fall into the latter category, and this is right behind Mass Effect 2 for me in terms of Bioware's best. And this is probably my second favourite console RPG too, also behind ME2. I'm hooked. But I can see the other side of the coin.

Bioware have made a bold move, focusing less on the fans they've had for years, and more on attracting new, console gamers. I guess we'll see if it pays off.

 

[heatmeiser]

I always meant to try the first one, just never got round to it. Might get it gypsy style on the cheap now.

Same goes for Mass Effect 2. Never got round to it.

I need to geek it up more.

 

[Namdrater]

The deep roads were fun but it was incredibly short, I agree.

I disagree about the decisions, though. I've made loads of decisions and really felt the impact, both in terms of getting different side missions/outcomes and in terms of character development/death.

Basically though this game is about as divisive as a game can be. The PC, WRPG hardcore crowd will be more displeased than pleased. The more action-oriented, console crowd will be more pleased than displeased. I suppose I fall into the latter category, and this is right behind Mass Effect 2 for me in terms of Bioware's best. And this is probably my second favourite console RPG too, also behind ME2. I'm hooked. But I can see the other side of the coin.

Bioware have made a bold move, focusing less on the fans they've had for years, and more on attracting new, console gamers. I guess we'll see if it pays off.

It's got no depth and it's half as exciting as Origins, they should have made this game under a different title and kept Dragon Age as the type of game that Origins was.

Every new quest I just feel "Here we go again, which dungeon out of the 3 generic ones will it be this time?", even the areas out of the city - keep going back to find them littered with new enemies for the new quest I'm doing there. The way those quests come about and the story behind them is always good and interesting, the game's got a good user-driven story. There's nothing exciting about the gameplay experience though. The old game had the awesome combat, but it was coupled with epic journeys into unknown dungeons and places. I'm more excited to start another Origins character than to finish this.

It's a good game, but an absolute disgrace to what the first one was, a stamp on the face of what fantasy RPG's have been about and makes me think how the gaming industry is now catering for masses without caring about the quality of the products they release - just make a popular title, market the hell out of it and release the uninnovative, lazy piece of garbage. The same way I felt Black Ops went.

Rant over.

 

[RFUS]

It's got no depth and it's half as exciting as Origins, they should have made this game under a different title and kept Dragon Age as the type of game that Origins was.

Every new quest I just feel "Here we go again, which dungeon out of the 3 generic ones will it be this time?", even the areas out of the city - keep going back to find them littered with new enemies for the new quest I'm doing there. The way those quests come about and the story behind them is always good and interesting, the game's got a good user-driven story. There's nothing exciting about the gameplay experience though. The old game had the awesome combat, but it was coupled with epic journeys into unknown dungeons and places. I'm more excited to start another Origins character than to finish this.

It's a good game, but an absolute disgrace to what the first one was, a stamp on the face of what fantasy RPG's have been about and makes me think how the gaming industry is now catering for masses without caring about the quality of the products they release - just make a popular title, market the hell out of it and release the uninnovative, lazy piece of garbage. The same way I felt Black Ops went.

Rant over.

That's a fair -- if slightly exaggerated -- post.

Although comparing it to Black ops did make me want to barf. In terms of mass-market catering and churning out the same stuff, this isn't 1/10th as bad as the CoD franchise.

I always meant to try the first one, just never got round to it. Might get it gypsy style on the cheap now.

Same goes for Mass Effect 2. Never got round to it.

I need to geek it up more.

Mass Effect 2 is -- imo -- the best game I've ever played. Get it, lid.

 

[Extratime]

On it's own DA2 is a 7/10. When compared to it's predecessor it's a woeful 5/10. Game was made different to be more console friendly. PC got a port with DA2. DAO was a PC port to console. So far I have been sticking with it, but cannot decide on a class. Keep switching between the 3 to try to determine which I like best.

I have the game for the PC, and only playerd DAO on PC. I think this is a major downgrade and cheap sequeal. Bioware dropped the ball on this one.

 

[tsubaki]

Overall its worse than Origins, albeit some of the characters are better and have better lines (Merrill is better than any of the Origins ones, IMHO).

 

[TX Bill]

Dragon's Age: Origins was fantastic in my view so I'll be getting this one also. Mass Effect 2 was super as well.

 

[RFUS]

I'm well into Dragon Age 2 now (25 hours) and I'm standing firm in my opinion. I can see the other side, but nevertheless, this is an improvement on the first in every major way. I can't stop playing it, which is the ultimate barometer of a games's quality, for me.

The characters really stand out at this point though. There's so much depth in them, and so many decisions that affect their opinions and their fate. The Bioware writers are really a cut above the rest.

 

[Namdrater]

I finished this game this morning. I thought the final act was by far the best and most fun to play. The game overall was a really awesome experience. I think it could have been a lot better by not restricting it to within one city coupled with so many recycled dungeons. The ability to change companions armor should never have been removed either. I thought a lot of the side quests especially in the first two acts were boring and repetitive. I also had no interest in my items until the final act when shops actually sold good items.

The strategy required to beat some of the bosses was really good and I'm glad they kept that feel from Origins, but the combat vs. normal opponents was always the same and never really as challenging as in Origins (And I've only played Origins on normal difficulty and I played this on hard difficulty). The decision-making and character feel was also brilliant, probably the two things that were better than in Origins. The combat was always fun, but it could've been better without the randomly appearing opponents. Overall it was a very good game, a lot different to Origins. I think the final act saved me from thinking it was a massive letdown.

 

[RFUS]

I finished this game this morning. I thought the final act was by far the best and most fun to play. The game overall was a really awesome experience. I think it could have been a lot better by not restricting it to within one city coupled with so many recycled dungeons. The ability to change companions armor should never have been removed either. I thought a lot of the side quests especially in the first two acts were boring and repetitive. I also had no interest in my items until the final act when shops actually sold good items.

The strategy required to beat some of the bosses was really good and I'm glad they kept that feel from Origins, but the combat vs. normal opponents was always the same and never really as challenging as in Origins (And I've only played Origins on normal difficulty and I played this on hard difficulty). The decision-making and character feel was also brilliant, probably the two things that were better than in Origins. The combat was always fun, but it could've been better without the randomly appearing opponents. Overall it was a very good game, a lot different to Origins. I think the final act saved me from thinking it was a massive letdown.

I'm about half of the way through Act 3 (including all side quests) and I think you're pretty much spot on.

The glaring, stupid and unforgivable bad points are the removal of companion armour and the recycling of environments (mainly caves). However, the significance of these faux pas pales in comparison to the strength of the game's good points. Namely the boss fights (Act 3 has some great side quests, including the one for fighting the high dragon and the demon hybris), the characters and character development and the quantity and quality of the dialogue options.

Honestly, I've not had this much fun with a game for a long time. I've enjoyed it so much I've gone an ordered the mega edition of the original (with all dlc; 6 or so packs and then the massive Awakening expansion). The last game that made me go and play the original again was Mass Effect 2, so Bioware really have a knack for getting me hooked on their games!

Honestly, the problems are there and they're undeniable. They will affect different gamers to different extents though. For me, I don't mind a bit of monotony in the scenery when the combat's so much fun, and the incentives of loot and levelling are there, in full strength. Others might be more bothered, but I would say to all those morons giving it a 0 on Metacritic, to whack up the difficulty to a more tactically-challenging level and then to actually play through the game in its entirety.

 

[Namdrater]

I totally agree with you. I think the game had the opportunity to be a lot better, so in that respect it's disappointing. Fighting the high dragon took me almost an hour, but it was absolutely brilliant. I just loaded up DA:O again this afternoon and the games are worlds apart. Obviously a lot of people, myself included, were expecting that Baldurs Gate style RPG, which requires a lot more time to think about how you're going to build your character and roaming into unknown areas - like Origins.

However, if this game was released before Origins, most people would say it is nothing short of excellent.

 

[RFUS]

Finally finished the game today, 30 hours in.

Wow! The ending is great -- loads of twists and turns, and challenging, massive boss fights. All in all, I loved this game. I really did. I preferred it to the original, and I cannot wait for the next Dragon Age.

Anyway, I think I'm going to get the dlc and then install my ultimate edition of the original so I can start that again (as well as the 7 or so pieces of dlc). I'll be playing Dragon Age all year! =S