DeletedUser
This went nowhere.
So I shall take responsibility and point you all towards Divinity II.
Anyone tried this?
So I shall take responsibility and point you all towards Divinity II.
Anyone tried this?
Dn5's video game of the week - "Fallout: New Vegas" (2010)
DeletedUser
This went nowhere.
I'm taking charge of this thread.
Dragon Age: Origins is up for discussion.
Awakening and DLC's are on the table as well.
Why this game?
It has been suggested previously.
I am currently playing it again in anticipation of the sequel.
Thirdly: I luv that game!
I'm taking charge of this thread.
Dragon Age: Origins is up for discussion.
Awakening and DLC's are on the table as well.
Why this game?
It has been suggested previously.
I am currently playing it again in anticipation of the sequel.
Thirdly: I luv that game!
DeletedUser
I must concur with John on this one. it is a good choice. I myself just picked this one up this week. for those who don't know about this game it is an X-man: legends (you get to play up to 4 players at once) like game but with more of a free roaming/adventure ring to it and set in mid-evil times. it has sort of a "lord of the rings: the Third Age" feel to it but with X-man legends gameplay.
DeletedUser
Who gives a crap about X-men?
It's Dragon Age time!
It's Dragon Age time!
DeletedUser
Dragon Age is awesome. Loved it, played it multiple times, and changed my tactics overtime.
You can play as either a human, a dwarf, or an elf. You can choose to be a warrior, rouge, or mage (unless your a dwarf cause they can't use magic). Then you choose from an "origin". You can be the poor elf, who must free his cousin from the hands of a human noble who treats elven women like free "slaves" for his desires. You can be the dwarves noble, who gets stabbed in the back by a younger brother who wants power. Or you can be human mage, trapped in a glorious prison tower because the world sees magic as evil. There ARE more choices than this so don't worry.
The game is dark. Each "origin" is supposed to be dark. Most of the game is depressing. From the second you start the game the game will grab you by the shirt and pull you into it. It's large and expansive. The character creation is great. The story is great. Combat is great. Some bugs here and there, but overall, if your an RPG sorta person, you will love it. Whether your a good guy who likes to save the day, or the bad guy who does what he has to do to make ends meet, you will enjoy this game.
You can play as either a human, a dwarf, or an elf. You can choose to be a warrior, rouge, or mage (unless your a dwarf cause they can't use magic). Then you choose from an "origin". You can be the poor elf, who must free his cousin from the hands of a human noble who treats elven women like free "slaves" for his desires. You can be the dwarves noble, who gets stabbed in the back by a younger brother who wants power. Or you can be human mage, trapped in a glorious prison tower because the world sees magic as evil. There ARE more choices than this so don't worry.
The game is dark. Each "origin" is supposed to be dark. Most of the game is depressing. From the second you start the game the game will grab you by the shirt and pull you into it. It's large and expansive. The character creation is great. The story is great. Combat is great. Some bugs here and there, but overall, if your an RPG sorta person, you will love it. Whether your a good guy who likes to save the day, or the bad guy who does what he has to do to make ends meet, you will enjoy this game.
DeletedUser
What I ejoyed the most about the origins is how they set the mood.
My first origin was that of a dwarven noble, and quite early you are introduced to the brutality of the world.
You can order the death of men, subterfuge end betrayel are common enough.
It's a dark and brutal world, giving you the option to succumb to dark whims are rise above them pursuing virtueous behavior.
My first origin was that of a dwarven noble, and quite early you are introduced to the brutality of the world.
You can order the death of men, subterfuge end betrayel are common enough.
It's a dark and brutal world, giving you the option to succumb to dark whims are rise above them pursuing virtueous behavior.
DeletedUser8950
Hey guys, expect a DA2 review soon, also thanks for keeping the thread going.
DeletedUser
No need, DA2 sucks.
DeletedUser8950
I'll have to agree to disagree with you on that one
That said, I'm just shy of act 3, so no review till I finish.
DeletedUser
I'll have to agree to disagree with you on that one
That said, I'm just shy of act 3, so no review till I finish.
PS3, PC, or Xbox360?
The game plays the worst on the computer.
DeletedUser8950
360.
I have seen some bugs. 360 has no auto attack.
I'll post my general rating so far and my general impressions quickly.
4/5
So far I've definetly enjoyed DA2. A bit more than the original, however I can see why some people don't like the changes, and I don't like all. I dislike how the dialouge wheel has been dumbed down, now we don't have to put any thought into our options, but oh well. I feel the game has been too mass effect-itized. I love mass effect, probably my favourite game series of all time, but it is a different theme and a different style of RPG to Dragon age. I really like the new voiced character and second name, but I fail to see why they can't be a dwarf of elf? Oh well, I suppose it would make the family thing a lot harder.
Onto the family, I really liked it, but they didn't build on it enough. Another advantage of a VO was that you actually connected with your character and felt more emotional.
SPOILERS (the bubbles come up weird, sorry.)
[spoil]
When my mother was a frankenstein, if it had been DA: O, the character jut would've looked on blankly with dribble out the side of his mouth, and without hearing the emotion in his/her voice, you can't really get as attached.
I like the new squad generally, though Anders is a bit...weird, I prefered him in awakening. Fenris is cliche emo (Rah! Nobody has anything bad in their life but me! Every mage is evil, demon infested and makes sacrifices regularly, they should all die) but other then that, I like them, especially Varric Aveline and Merill. (although she is a bit Tali-esque)
[/spoil]
SPOILERS
As far as combat goes, although occasionaly it can descend to button mashing, I find it more enjoyable and still tactical. Some pretty nice animations, and I can actually get through the game without facedesking every combat.
I think the graphics are generally nicer, though the graphics could still use improvement.
The recycled areas are annoying, but they're a lot subtler then in ME1, and the areas are more original to begin with, but I still think it's lazy. Mass effect 2 had interesting side quests, because they all had unique areas.
I'll finish this later, but I don't see my rating dropping to below 3.5/5. It's a very good game, better then jade empire, but I'm not sure yet if it's better then the original. Both have different strengths and weaknesses. Neither are spiritual sucessors to Baldurs gate, so please, whatever Bioware says, be warned.
DeletedUser
Jade Empire pwns DA2 in some respects, anyways I can not understand how you judge this game so kindly! :O
Still, I guess it's partly due to playing on a console.
The combat system is really horribly implemented on the pc.
I'll write a longer commentary later.
Still, I guess it's partly due to playing on a console.
The combat system is really horribly implemented on the pc.
I'll write a longer commentary later.
DeletedUser8950
Well, Jade empire definetly has some better elements, such as more interesting enviroments, and imo a more immersive world.Jade Empire pwns DA2 in some respects, anyways I can not understand how you judge this game so kindly! :O
Still, I guess it's partly due to playing on a console.
The combat system is really horribly implemented on the pc.
I'll write a longer commentary later.
Even though I like the story so far, and it isn't nearly as cliche as origins, it's less...epic? It's just events, several which happen through chance, that lead to a grand conclusion (well, I hope it's grand:laugh
that I have yet to see.It definetly has bugs. I had to redo the whole high dragon fight because there was a glitch that wouldn't let me loot it's corpse...good thing, too, it had the champion's chestpiece. (I seriously hope nobody considers that spoilers, it was inevitable you'd fight a huge dragon in a game called Dragon age)
I really do like the game, but I won't lie and say I like all the changes, and to an old school RPG gamer, I can understand some of the dissaproval this game gets, but I feel anything below a 7 is harsh, but that is just my opinion.
More later.
DeletedUser
I shall wait to give my honest opinion until you are all done then.
I have plenty to say about the game, that's for sure.
I have plenty to say about the game, that's for sure.
DeletedUser8950
Alright, time for a new game of the week. Warning: long, bioware-fanboy authored review.
Console: Xbox 360, PS3 and PC
Players: Single player
Age rating: ESRB M, BBFC 18, PEGI 18, OFLC 15
My rating: Probably go with 18, but besides the violence there isn't much graphic content. The only reason I'd rate this game above a 15 are a few certain ctuscenes. (When a certain character late on in the game uses blood magic and there are gears of war-esque levels of blood:laugh. There is swearing equivalent you might see in a 12/ PG13 film, and sex of a similar level.
Metacritic average: About 85, though 4chan savaged it and the user reviews were under 4 last I checked.
My score: 7/10 (edited, I originally gave 8.5)
My Review: I'm divided as to whether the sequel is an improvement or not. Just like Mass effect 2 over mass effect 1, bioware took risks. Just like with mass effect 2, they cut out features instead of improving them (eg. mako) however on a much larger scale.
With Mass effect, it was always part shooter, and I think 90% of the time the changes in Mass effect 2 were a vast improvement, and the game is definetly better then the original. Dragon age was for hardcore RPG gamers, and whilst the first was tedious to me in some places, the second one was also with everything in the same dull city.
The party and other characters
I might be a giving the impression I dislike this game-that is compeltely untrue. This game has great characters, and great interaction. Mass effect 2 had some of the best character since KOTOR in my opinion (ME1's and DA:O's were all boring, except Wrex and Sten imo) however a huge flaw was the lack of interaction between the squadmates. This game has squadmates ending conversations as you go to talk to them. It's a small thing, but it adds a lot of atmosphere in your party, and also makes the game unbelievable. Depending on your actions, similarly to in baldurs gate, your party members will leave, and one certain character (DLC) will leave your party if you don't kill another at a certain point. Conflicts like these that always have losses make you think more then the suicide mission in ME2. Whilst great, it wasn't dificult to save your whole team, where as losses are less avoidable here.
I won't go deep into my favourite characters, but the only ones I didn't like were Anders, who nothing like his awakening counterpart-he even a different voice actor! Whilst I was pro-mage, he used awful metaphors to justify his extremeviews. Fenris wasn't as bad as I expected, but I disliked his appearance and his views on mages were a bit annoying. Varric, my favourite character, summed him up best. "A broody elf." (or something along those lines)
I'm slightly annoyed at how every character is bisexual (except one DLC character) however I can see why bioware did this. Most people I know are either gay or straight, so I think it would be more realistic for the characters to be oriented like this. I'm pleased to see bioware have options for homosexual gamers, however it is the other end of the spectrum from ME2 that had no homosexual options. Overall whilst slightly unbelievable, I can see people being annoyed if they couldn't romance X character who they liked but Y who they disliked, so I think it was probably the best option bioware had. It's definetly great to see Bioware isn't catering for the male straight gamer, though.
Romances are a key point to Bioware games, however I feel there is toomuch focus on them now. The only romance I really felt was good was Merrill's, at least in my view. Bioware need to focus more on the game then these romances imo. ME2 also proves this.
Outside the party, Flemeth is very...intriguing. Sandal makes a triumphant return (enchantment!) and The Arishok is very well done. I won't spoil the game by explaining why, but I really enjoyed his participation in the plotline.
The story
Several people seem to dislike the story, and I can understand why. I, however, enjoyewd it, albeit the underwhelming ending. The story is less epic then origins, however it is also more realistic and less cliche. The events seem random and unliked at first, which to some extent they are, but there is a link, and the game was always the journey of the protagonist, not some other plot.
The family element of the game is great, but unfortunately is very limited past the middle of the game. It adds a much more emotional factor, and is very well done in my opinion, but as I said it is eliminated too quickly, and downplayed too much. Your brother and sister also (sadly) end up as little more then early ways to balance your party.
The second act to the game is very good, however the third and final feels rushed and pushes you into key events too fast. Maybe that is why I didn't enjoy the ending.
I'd say overall origins has a better storyline, but it's sequels story is also of a good quality too.
Changes to the game
The combat is more hack and slash esque, though is still RPG based and stat-driven. I find it much more engaging then DA:O's combat, and it still retains some tactics, however it can descend to button mashing on occasion (though as you get used to it, very rarely). Some of the abilities are over the top, but generally this is an improvement.
The dialouge wheel is flawed and great at the same time. It makes conversations more cinematic, and definetly more easy for the casual gamer, however this game was always for hardcore RPG fans. The addition of symbols to say what each dialouge does is also insulting. I can understand that they might want to make the dialouge wheel easier to follow as it is sometimes confusing (mass effect 1: Shepard asks something like "Is that all my payment?" and then ends up sleeping with a prositute
) however I still feel this cheapens how you choose your options. I still made my decisions generally based on text, but sometimes I reloaded after the option wasn't how I expected, which I should've realised given the symbol. Overall, this is a negative change.
The addition of dialouge is great, as is the addition of a second name. Being called by name and not only hearing, but seeing your character's expression as he responds to an event makes you more attatched to your character. Improvement.
I know this game isn't origins, however I still see no real reason why you can't choose an origin. Your families appearance is dependant on your custom face, so their race could be dependant on yours. People say it's unbelievable for an elf to rise to power, but it's also unbelievable for an apostate to not only rise to power, but constantly use magic infront of templars with not trouble expect 1 or 2 lines from Merdeith. Negative.
The removal of dual wielding, archery etc. warriors is a good move, as it makes rouge feel more unique and vice versa. Improvement.
The new ability trees are definetly still those of an RPG, however they are too simplified imo, and certain abilities are nigh-useless. Negative.
General complaints
General praise
Conclusion
Dragon age 2 is not without it's flaws, but it is still a good game, just like every bioware title (except that one NWN expansion pack) and is worth at least two playthroughs. If you enjoyed origins, you will probably have complaints, however you should still enjoy it. Seeing as Bioware is dead set on making their sequels easy to follow and understand without playing the original (and it's confirmed they're doing the same with Mass effect 3! Who skips to the last chapter without playing/watching any previous titles in the series?) if you haven't played the original, you can still easily enjoy this game.
I've heard the game was developed in just a year. If this is true, it shows in how the story fizzles out and feels incomplete.
In response to the fanboy outcry, this game didn't sell as well as bioware expected, and fanboys are turning bashing the game into their reason to live, but polls like this from the forums the bashing takes place on prove you should form your own opinion. Whether you end up liking it or not, don't refuse to play this game based on people like this.
Console: Xbox 360, PS3 and PC
Players: Single player
Age rating: ESRB M, BBFC 18, PEGI 18, OFLC 15
My rating: Probably go with 18, but besides the violence there isn't much graphic content. The only reason I'd rate this game above a 15 are a few certain ctuscenes. (When a certain character late on in the game uses blood magic and there are gears of war-esque levels of blood:laugh
. There is swearing equivalent you might see in a 12/ PG13 film, and sex of a similar level.Metacritic average: About 85, though 4chan savaged it and the user reviews were under 4 last I checked.
My score: 7/10 (edited, I originally gave 8.5)
My Review: I'm divided as to whether the sequel is an improvement or not. Just like Mass effect 2 over mass effect 1, bioware took risks. Just like with mass effect 2, they cut out features instead of improving them (eg. mako) however on a much larger scale.
With Mass effect, it was always part shooter, and I think 90% of the time the changes in Mass effect 2 were a vast improvement, and the game is definetly better then the original. Dragon age was for hardcore RPG gamers, and whilst the first was tedious to me in some places, the second one was also with everything in the same dull city.
The party and other characters
I might be a giving the impression I dislike this game-that is compeltely untrue. This game has great characters, and great interaction. Mass effect 2 had some of the best character since KOTOR in my opinion (ME1's and DA:O's were all boring, except Wrex and Sten imo) however a huge flaw was the lack of interaction between the squadmates. This game has squadmates ending conversations as you go to talk to them. It's a small thing, but it adds a lot of atmosphere in your party, and also makes the game unbelievable. Depending on your actions, similarly to in baldurs gate, your party members will leave, and one certain character (DLC) will leave your party if you don't kill another at a certain point. Conflicts like these that always have losses make you think more then the suicide mission in ME2. Whilst great, it wasn't dificult to save your whole team, where as losses are less avoidable here.
I won't go deep into my favourite characters, but the only ones I didn't like were Anders, who nothing like his awakening counterpart-he even a different voice actor! Whilst I was pro-mage, he used awful metaphors to justify his extremeviews. Fenris wasn't as bad as I expected, but I disliked his appearance and his views on mages were a bit annoying. Varric, my favourite character, summed him up best. "A broody elf." (or something along those lines)
I'm slightly annoyed at how every character is bisexual (except one DLC character) however I can see why bioware did this. Most people I know are either gay or straight, so I think it would be more realistic for the characters to be oriented like this. I'm pleased to see bioware have options for homosexual gamers, however it is the other end of the spectrum from ME2 that had no homosexual options. Overall whilst slightly unbelievable, I can see people being annoyed if they couldn't romance X character who they liked but Y who they disliked, so I think it was probably the best option bioware had. It's definetly great to see Bioware isn't catering for the male straight gamer, though.
Romances are a key point to Bioware games, however I feel there is toomuch focus on them now. The only romance I really felt was good was Merrill's, at least in my view. Bioware need to focus more on the game then these romances imo. ME2 also proves this.
Outside the party, Flemeth is very...intriguing. Sandal makes a triumphant return (enchantment!) and The Arishok is very well done. I won't spoil the game by explaining why, but I really enjoyed his participation in the plotline.
The story
Several people seem to dislike the story, and I can understand why. I, however, enjoyewd it, albeit the underwhelming ending. The story is less epic then origins, however it is also more realistic and less cliche. The events seem random and unliked at first, which to some extent they are, but there is a link, and the game was always the journey of the protagonist, not some other plot.
The family element of the game is great, but unfortunately is very limited past the middle of the game. It adds a much more emotional factor, and is very well done in my opinion, but as I said it is eliminated too quickly, and downplayed too much. Your brother and sister also (sadly) end up as little more then early ways to balance your party.
The second act to the game is very good, however the third and final feels rushed and pushes you into key events too fast. Maybe that is why I didn't enjoy the ending.
I'd say overall origins has a better storyline, but it's sequels story is also of a good quality too.
Changes to the game
The combat is more hack and slash esque, though is still RPG based and stat-driven. I find it much more engaging then DA:O's combat, and it still retains some tactics, however it can descend to button mashing on occasion (though as you get used to it, very rarely). Some of the abilities are over the top, but generally this is an improvement.
The dialouge wheel is flawed and great at the same time. It makes conversations more cinematic, and definetly more easy for the casual gamer, however this game was always for hardcore RPG fans. The addition of symbols to say what each dialouge does is also insulting. I can understand that they might want to make the dialouge wheel easier to follow as it is sometimes confusing (mass effect 1: Shepard asks something like "Is that all my payment?" and then ends up sleeping with a prositute
) however I still feel this cheapens how you choose your options. I still made my decisions generally based on text, but sometimes I reloaded after the option wasn't how I expected, which I should've realised given the symbol. Overall, this is a negative change.The addition of dialouge is great, as is the addition of a second name. Being called by name and not only hearing, but seeing your character's expression as he responds to an event makes you more attatched to your character. Improvement.
I know this game isn't origins, however I still see no real reason why you can't choose an origin. Your families appearance is dependant on your custom face, so their race could be dependant on yours. People say it's unbelievable for an elf to rise to power, but it's also unbelievable for an apostate to not only rise to power, but constantly use magic infront of templars with not trouble expect 1 or 2 lines from Merdeith. Negative.
The removal of dual wielding, archery etc. warriors is a good move, as it makes rouge feel more unique and vice versa. Improvement.
The new ability trees are definetly still those of an RPG, however they are too simplified imo, and certain abilities are nigh-useless. Negative.
General complaints
- Using magic infront of templars and no reprisals
- BUGS! I got key conversations at the wrong time, taking away from my development with certain characters. There are also some graphicals glitches.
- NO SER POUNCE ALOT.
- Mages still wear robes-this is a fantasy trope I want to see die. Only thing my mage ever was garbed in was free adept robes, (looks like normal clothes) mercenary strapping, an outfit identical to the starting one I looted off a Qunari and the champion armor.
- No bowstrings. Why?!
- Zevran looks weird, but I suppose his whole race was redesigned. Alistair's strange appearance is annoying, though.
- No Qunari squadmate! What makes me even more annoyed was they cut a Qunari mage party member out. He's instead a side quest you can accept.
- No female Qunari. There's concept art of the races which shows one, though.
- Reused areas. This really annoyed me. It wasn't as shamelessly bad as in ME1, however considering the game took place in a city and the free marches, I would expect them to compensate for this with more unique areas. Sadly not
- The soundtrack. It wasn't bad, and the arishok's theme is good, but generally it isn't up with the standard of other bioware games. Probably because Jack Wall wasn't invovled. Even though Jack Wall was never really involved with the DA soundtrack, Inon Zur just isn't as good. Still, origins was better then DA2 in this regard.
- Being a good entry point. PLAY THE FIRST GAME.
General praise
- Champion armor! (small thing, sure, but it's nice!)
- Elves look less like humans with pointy ears and more like a unique race, though I wish they were a little less thin.
- Aveline's "hive of scum and villainy" line.
- The interesting new info on Qunari.
- The import feature needed more consequences, but it was good.
- Generally much more emotional and engaing then origins
Conclusion
Dragon age 2 is not without it's flaws, but it is still a good game, just like every bioware title (except that one NWN expansion pack) and is worth at least two playthroughs. If you enjoyed origins, you will probably have complaints, however you should still enjoy it. Seeing as Bioware is dead set on making their sequels easy to follow and understand without playing the original (and it's confirmed they're doing the same with Mass effect 3! Who skips to the last chapter without playing/watching any previous titles in the series?
) if you haven't played the original, you can still easily enjoy this game. I've heard the game was developed in just a year. If this is true, it shows in how the story fizzles out and feels incomplete.
In response to the fanboy outcry, this game didn't sell as well as bioware expected, and fanboys are turning bashing the game into their reason to live, but polls like this from the forums the bashing takes place on prove you should form your own opinion. Whether you end up liking it or not, don't refuse to play this game based on people like this.
Last edited by a moderator:
DeletedUser
Ah, I guess it's time for my commentary on your review
I agree on some parts of it, but strongly disagree on others and I'd go as far as say you are downright wrong in certain regards. Anyways, here goes.
First off let me start by saying that the controls feels awkward, first clear sign of console porting to the PC, which is a HUGE sin with DA.
DA:O was a game for the fans, DA2 is a slap in the face in that regard. Everything has been simplified, or streamlined as an advertiser would put it. More on that later.
THe metacritic score 4chan has bombarded is too low, but Darknoons 85% is way too high.
Well in some regards it is an improvement, in others it is not. In most regards it is rubbish.
What made ME2 fly instead of crash and burn is the amount of work put into it.
It wasn't rushed, and it felt right. Hell, the only complaint I had with ME2 was the boring resource hunting for upgrades, everything else was night perfect. But this isn't about ME2.
The game shouldn't have been released in its current state, it wasn't nearly done.
And the day 0 DLC, what the hell is that?! Rushed release of an incomplete game with DLC's to milk the concept from day 1. Bravo!
Moving on;
The party and other characters
Some of the characters in this game are pretty good, but I can't help but to feel they also are somewhat rushed, some more than others.
Bottom line is that I like most of the npc's, in the party, but I'm not sure if I like or dislike the idea of them having home bases where I have to seek them out. Feels like a time-sink. (I disagree on ME1 and DA:O being all boring chars)
Sure characters may be good, but I wuld like to be able to have a longer conversation with a party member without HAVING to go to their base.
It just feels unnatural to to be forced to go to location X or Y to have a chat.
Darknoon praises the interaction between squaddies, and in that reagrd I do agree, I also love how you can use companions in conversations on certain occasions.
As for chars leaving, they would do that in DA:O as well, hell, you'd be forced to kill certain members at certain points if you acted in a fashion they did not approve of.
I never felt like I were at a risk to losing party members in DA2, didn't really feel that in DA:O either, but I have had playthroughs in DA:O where I have had to kill members to play the role I chose. In DA2 I only lost an NPC I never used. Who would need an archer when you got Varric? NOt only is Sebastian unecessary, he's also a DLC! Day 0 DLC! Greed much Bioware/EA? Not a single other member was lost, and this one merely left. Seems like the staging ground for another DLC to me, or perhaps an interrsting plot twist in DA3.
Hell, a lot of the time DA2 feels like a filler episode in the DA franchise.
ME1 forced me to chose who lived and died in one instance.
ME2 had me losing squad members left and right in my first attempt at the suicide mission.
A relead and re-try fixed that, but hell, it was quite dramatic to see them fall.
My only gripe with Anders is that he is the only true healer in the game and you are forced to bring him along, but I guess that is necessary judging by the plot.
Anders is one of the few good ones though, the only character to put you in a moral dilemma a kin to those you see in DA:O.
Fenris was the worst one, a shameless attempt to recreate Sephiroth in the DA universe.
I just left him in his headquarters to mope. Neither wanted nor needed him in my group.
I won't go into the romances as deeply as Dn5, but he does have a point with everyone being bisexual, it's both good and bad imo, but it's not all that interresting.
It's all about making the game simpler, all part of removing necesary complexity that divides the great games from the mediocre games.
I agree on Flemeth though, and Sandal, and The ARishok.
Flemeth sets the stage for future DA games, and that is good.
Sandal has some very interresting dialogue in this game. Omens of things to come I reckon.
...and the Arishok, very good, probably one of the best parts of the game.
I did like how every character had unique skill trees, this made them feel a lot less generic, and the rival versus friend concept is interresting and I guess we'll see more of that in future Bioware games.
Don't think I got much to add on characters now, so let's move on to...
The story
It feels a lot less epic at times, and it feels like it lacks focus. Stuff sometimes feel so random. WHilst at other times it is just right, building up going forward etc.
I disagree with it not being cliche though, from rags to riches in a new land.
Sounds familiar? Some elements are good though, but it isn't the best thing since sliced bread.
and with the way the game ends, need I say more?
The good parts are really good though, and for one whom has played DA:O it feels all the grander. I don't know how to elaborate this without giving spoilers so I shall not.
The family element was poorly done. It was a great idea, and it could have been awesome,
but it suffers greartly due to the game being rushed. Some parts of it works well
as it is now, but it could have been so much better.
I agree that the 2nd act is the best, 3rd has some good stuff, but it too suffers from being rushed. First act suffers the most from the game being rushed though.
I'm surprised Dn5 didn't comment on the way the story is told.
I like how you play a story being told by Varric, and the way they use this actively.
Like in the start when the seeker busts Varric for lying in the story, hilarious.
I feel like they didn't use this tool enough. Had they dared to be awesome they could have exploited the potential in such a way of telling the story.
It's one more example of how the game could have been so much more had they either had better time or been less lazy. In all probability it is due to greed that the game suffers the most.
Changes to the game
Combat is horrible on the PC. It is choppy, and plagued by having to pause to target an enemy everyt time you kill one. Console preferance, slap in the face to computer germers. 'nuff said.
Needless to say this kills immersion. It is impossible for me to enjoy a fight where I need to pause every second, adjust the camera, then target a new enemy. DA:O wins that one.
The "waves" of enemies makes me want to puke. It totally kills the tactical element.
I mean, occasinally having enemies pour upon you in waves can be a great storytelling tool, and an awesome way to make an encounter interresting. This however is not the case when EVERY encounter has the same number of waves.
The waves have enemies spawn from the ground or drop from the ceiling or whatever obliterating the value of positioning on the field of battle. What good is the high ground and a chokepoint if enemies jump out of the ground behind your most squishy people as soon as the foes in the chokepoint are hammered to the anvil or obliterated in a kill-zone?
Boss fights are boring as well. Remings me of playing wow without the boss going into phases and without the joy of human cooperation. Spot the pattern and wear down the boss.Boring.
This too could have been great, but they messed it up.
Skills, as has been pointed out seems over the top at times, and I agree, but this is about the feel where the hero conquers the hordes, thus it works. What does annoy me is the animations when fighting. No friggin' way could anyone swing a 2handed weapon as quick as they do in the game. So many animations are just way to animeish for me.
I do approve of the mages being less static thoughl. A bit more dynamic style fits them,
but for a alter game I would like for this to be customisable and/or stat based.
Cross class combos are interresting but feels kinda sloppy considering the way combat plays.
Moving on to dialogue.
I did like the text based in DA:O, but I also like the wheel as we wknow it from ME2.
The symbols helps me act as intended, and that is a good thing as the text itself can be misleading. This might simplify things somewhat, but it is a change that works,
and it does allow the devs to reduce the amount of possible dialogue and thus have a voice-acted protagonist. WHich imo is not necessary, but I am old-school.
(presumably) It's a design choice, and it's all good by me. Hawke did escape Lothering, and that was a small human town. I would however like to see an origin in terms of more who you were before the Blight and fleeing. Physically having to flee the town itself coul dhave been a great cinematic or introduction in the game as well, mixing in some moral choices on your way.
And it is an important one. They shamelessly recycly reas.
They don't even TRY to hide it. In dungeons you go through the same areas all the time.
THey merely fill a door with concrete to wall off a part of the dungeon and they even keep the SAME mini-map that applies to the WHOLE dungeon, no matter how small a part of the dungeon is used at that particular time. This happens so often it's not even funny.
How hard is it to just change the dungeon layout a tiny bit? How hard is it to remove parts of the mini-map that does not apply?
This is just plain lazy, ar idiotic. No-one should rush anything that bad.
Yet another element that KILLS immersion. Combine it with the horrible combat and the itemization(OMG!)...
I haven't even started on the items yet.
Whilst I do like the idea of generic items, I do not enjoy most oif the items in the game being generic. How hard is it to add prefixes or suffixes to items?
Diablo 1 did it for crying out loud! I don't want 10 "rings" that can't be distinguished from eachother, nor belts, or swords, or whatever. So unecessary.
I also miss the descriptions on items, and the stats. Hell weapon and armour stats have been simplified in a horrible way. Meh. I'm getting depressed thinking of this much stink.
Import fnction was a disappointment, I thought it'd impact me in more ways than it did.
Emotional and engaging? Hardly. Could have been though. The potential is there.
The game not only feels smaller and less diverse than DA:O, it is. It took me 20 hours less to finish DA2, and I was wasting a lot of time with sinks and traveling back and forth.
The game is smaller both in time it takes to explore and content. It lacks the rich details that
made DA:O impressive and suffers from the plenty shortcuts taken during production.
It lacks the dilemmas of DA:O, but I do appreciate how you get letters based on your choices and how certain quests pop up later on based on what you did earlier.
The many elements that seperately kills immersion combined make it all the worse.
There is so much potential. So many good ideas, so much that just needs a bit more work an polish. It could have been a contender! Instead it is confined to mediocrity.
6/10.
I agree on some parts of it, but strongly disagree on others and I'd go as far as say you are downright wrong in certain regards. Anyways, here goes.
First off let me start by saying that the controls feels awkward, first clear sign of console porting to the PC, which is a HUGE sin with DA.
DA:O was a game for the fans, DA2 is a slap in the face in that regard. Everything has been simplified, or streamlined as an advertiser would put it. More on that later.
THe metacritic score 4chan has bombarded is too low, but Darknoons 85% is way too high.
Well in some regards it is an improvement, in others it is not. In most regards it is rubbish.
What made ME2 fly instead of crash and burn is the amount of work put into it.
It wasn't rushed, and it felt right. Hell, the only complaint I had with ME2 was the boring resource hunting for upgrades, everything else was night perfect. But this isn't about ME2.
The game shouldn't have been released in its current state, it wasn't nearly done.
And the day 0 DLC, what the hell is that?! Rushed release of an incomplete game with DLC's to milk the concept from day 1. Bravo!
Moving on;
The party and other characters
Some of the characters in this game are pretty good, but I can't help but to feel they also are somewhat rushed, some more than others.
Bottom line is that I like most of the npc's, in the party, but I'm not sure if I like or dislike the idea of them having home bases where I have to seek them out. Feels like a time-sink. (I disagree on ME1 and DA:O being all boring chars
)Sure characters may be good, but I wuld like to be able to have a longer conversation with a party member without HAVING to go to their base.
It just feels unnatural to to be forced to go to location X or Y to have a chat.
Darknoon praises the interaction between squaddies, and in that reagrd I do agree, I also love how you can use companions in conversations on certain occasions.
As for chars leaving, they would do that in DA:O as well, hell, you'd be forced to kill certain members at certain points if you acted in a fashion they did not approve of.
I never felt like I were at a risk to losing party members in DA2, didn't really feel that in DA:O either, but I have had playthroughs in DA:O where I have had to kill members to play the role I chose. In DA2 I only lost an NPC I never used. Who would need an archer when you got Varric? NOt only is Sebastian unecessary, he's also a DLC! Day 0 DLC! Greed much Bioware/EA? Not a single other member was lost, and this one merely left. Seems like the staging ground for another DLC to me, or perhaps an interrsting plot twist in DA3.
Hell, a lot of the time DA2 feels like a filler episode in the DA franchise.
ME1 forced me to chose who lived and died in one instance.
ME2 had me losing squad members left and right in my first attempt at the suicide mission.
A relead and re-try fixed that, but hell, it was quite dramatic to see them fall.
If you don't upgrade your ship fully people will die on the way TO the battle
I don't really care if someone else voiced him, can't say I thought abut that at all.
My only gripe with Anders is that he is the only true healer in the game and you are forced to bring him along, but I guess that is necessary judging by the plot.
Anders is one of the few good ones though, the only character to put you in a moral dilemma a kin to those you see in DA:O.
Fenris was the worst one, a shameless attempt to recreate Sephiroth in the DA universe.
I just left him in his headquarters to mope. Neither wanted nor needed him in my group.
I won't go into the romances as deeply as Dn5, but he does have a point with everyone being bisexual, it's both good and bad imo, but it's not all that interresting.
It's all about making the game simpler, all part of removing necesary complexity that divides the great games from the mediocre games.
I don't see how they focus too much on romance tbh, other than perhaps giving you the option to romance just about every char in DA2. ME2 was fine.
I agree on Flemeth though, and Sandal, and The ARishok.
Flemeth sets the stage for future DA games, and that is good.
Sandal has some very interresting dialogue in this game. Omens of things to come I reckon.
...and the Arishok, very good, probably one of the best parts of the game.
I did like how every character had unique skill trees, this made them feel a lot less generic, and the rival versus friend concept is interresting and I guess we'll see more of that in future Bioware games.
Don't think I got much to add on characters now, so let's move on to...
The story
It feels a lot less epic at times, and it feels like it lacks focus. Stuff sometimes feel so random. WHilst at other times it is just right, building up going forward etc.
I disagree with it not being cliche though, from rags to riches in a new land.
Sounds familiar?
Some elements are good though, but it isn't the best thing since sliced bread. That line there, that I disagree with. This is about a grand scene, about Thedas in crisis,
and with the way the game ends, need I say more?
The good parts are really good though, and for one whom has played DA:O it feels all the grander. I don't know how to elaborate this without giving spoilers so I shall not.
The family element was poorly done. It was a great idea, and it could have been awesome,
but it suffers greartly due to the game being rushed. Some parts of it works well
as it is now, but it could have been so much better.
I agree that the 2nd act is the best, 3rd has some good stuff, but it too suffers from being rushed. First act suffers the most from the game being rushed though.
I'm surprised Dn5 didn't comment on the way the story is told.
I like how you play a story being told by Varric, and the way they use this actively.
Like in the start when the seeker busts Varric for lying in the story, hilarious.
I feel like they didn't use this tool enough. Had they dared to be awesome they could have exploited the potential in such a way of telling the story.
It's one more example of how the game could have been so much more had they either had better time or been less lazy. In all probability it is due to greed that the game suffers the most.
Changes to the game
First things first.
Combat is horrible on the PC. It is choppy, and plagued by having to pause to target an enemy everyt time you kill one. Console preferance, slap in the face to computer germers. 'nuff said.
Needless to say this kills immersion. It is impossible for me to enjoy a fight where I need to pause every second, adjust the camera, then target a new enemy. DA:O wins that one.
The "waves" of enemies makes me want to puke. It totally kills the tactical element.
I mean, occasinally having enemies pour upon you in waves can be a great storytelling tool, and an awesome way to make an encounter interresting. This however is not the case when EVERY encounter has the same number of waves.
The waves have enemies spawn from the ground or drop from the ceiling or whatever obliterating the value of positioning on the field of battle. What good is the high ground and a chokepoint if enemies jump out of the ground behind your most squishy people as soon as the foes in the chokepoint are hammered to the anvil or obliterated in a kill-zone?
Boss fights are boring as well. Remings me of playing wow without the boss going into phases and without the joy of human cooperation. Spot the pattern and wear down the boss.Boring.
This too could have been great, but they messed it up.
Skills, as has been pointed out seems over the top at times, and I agree, but this is about the feel where the hero conquers the hordes, thus it works. What does annoy me is the animations when fighting. No friggin' way could anyone swing a 2handed weapon as quick as they do in the game. So many animations are just way to animeish for me.
I do approve of the mages being less static thoughl. A bit more dynamic style fits them,
but for a alter game I would like for this to be customisable and/or stat based.
Cross class combos are interresting but feels kinda sloppy considering the way combat plays.
Moving on to dialogue.
I did like the text based in DA:O, but I also like the wheel as we wknow it from ME2.
The symbols helps me act as intended, and that is a good thing as the text itself can be misleading. This might simplify things somewhat, but it is a change that works,
and it does allow the devs to reduce the amount of possible dialogue and thus have a voice-acted protagonist. WHich imo is not necessary, but I am old-school.
The same reason Shepherd isn't gay. The Hawke family are human and have a rich history.
(presumably) It's a design choice, and it's all good by me. Hawke did escape Lothering, and that was a small human town. I would however like to see an origin in terms of more who you were before the Blight and fleeing. Physically having to flee the town itself coul dhave been a great cinematic or introduction in the game as well, mixing in some moral choices on your way.
That was the only real complaint you had
And it is an important one. They shamelessly recycly reas.
They don't even TRY to hide it. In dungeons you go through the same areas all the time.
THey merely fill a door with concrete to wall off a part of the dungeon and they even keep the SAME mini-map that applies to the WHOLE dungeon, no matter how small a part of the dungeon is used at that particular time. This happens so often it's not even funny.
How hard is it to just change the dungeon layout a tiny bit? How hard is it to remove parts of the mini-map that does not apply?
This is just plain lazy, ar idiotic. No-one should rush anything that bad.
Yet another element that KILLS immersion. Combine it with the horrible combat and the itemization(OMG!)...
I haven't even started on the items yet.
Whilst I do like the idea of generic items, I do not enjoy most oif the items in the game being generic. How hard is it to add prefixes or suffixes to items?
Diablo 1 did it for crying out loud! I don't want 10 "rings" that can't be distinguished from eachother, nor belts, or swords, or whatever. So unecessary.
I also miss the descriptions on items, and the stats. Hell weapon and armour stats have been simplified in a horrible way. Meh. I'm getting depressed thinking of this much stink.
New info on the QUnari? Mind elaborating to me in a PM?
Import fnction was a disappointment, I thought it'd impact me in more ways than it did.
Emotional and engaging? Hardly. Could have been though. The potential is there.
The game not only feels smaller and less diverse than DA:O, it is. It took me 20 hours less to finish DA2, and I was wasting a lot of time with sinks and traveling back and forth.
The game is smaller both in time it takes to explore and content. It lacks the rich details that
made DA:O impressive and suffers from the plenty shortcuts taken during production.
It lacks the dilemmas of DA:O, but I do appreciate how you get letters based on your choices and how certain quests pop up later on based on what you did earlier.
The many elements that seperately kills immersion combined make it all the worse.
There is so much potential. So many good ideas, so much that just needs a bit more work an polish. It could have been a contender! Instead it is confined to mediocrity.
6/10.
Last edited by a moderator:
DeletedUser8950
A great post, however I do not have the time to reply atm, expect something tommorow.
(I'd +1 you, but apparently I need to spread rep)
(I'd +1 you, but apparently I need to spread rep)
DeletedUser
I shall be looking forward to your reply buddy
DeletedUser8950
All right, time for a three in one?
Part a) Replies to DA2 posts
Part b) Review of the final ME2 dlc, Arrival. I might throw in a review for the much superior lair of the shadow broker, too.
Part c) New GOTW. Might not get to add this today.
Now, onto my short arrival review.
Original game: Mass effect 2
DLC name: Arrival
Length: 1-2hours depending on playstyle and how many times you die and/or retry the wave fight.
I'm sure you all now my views on ME2 already, but if not, here is the original post.
Now, onto the DLC itself.
The DLC itself (inspiring title, yes?)
The DLC can be played any time in the game, just like LoTSB (lair of the shadow broker), however, also just like LoTSB, it really is meant to be played after the main plot is finished. The plot is good for those cerberus haters who want to return to the alliance, as you get a mission from Hackett himself-who you get to see in person. He has a well-rendered face, much better then most of the others.
I'm rambling, he sends you on a mission to rescue an aqquitance of his who is investigating a reaper threat. You have to rescue them from a batarian prison camp, however it is possible to do so without even firing a shot, granting an achievement. Upon finding her, she divilgues information on, you guessed, the reaper arrival.
I won't go into too much more depth, but there is a fight with waves of enemies, similar to that of a FPS or TPS I suppose. It's tedious, but grants an achievement. Whether you surive all waves or not, you proceed fowards.
That's it for the plot. I was saddened by there only being two choices, but no matter what you do either way with the first choice there is the same outcome, and with the second choice there is the same outcome, albeit an extra line of dialouge. On a game that prides itself with choices, I was very dissapointed.
You also go in solo, no squadmates. Combine that with 2 NPC's throughout the whole DLC, and it isn't a character-driven DLC.
Conclusion
No real choice and few dialouges, however any hardcore ME2 fan should get some enjoyment. A good appearance from Admiral Hackett, some decent music, a good enviroment, a nifty stealth sequence as well as setting the scene to how ME3 will start. It's no lair of the shadow broker in terms of quality, but it's acceptable. I'm still a little dissapointed, but I don't feel robbed. Worth the price, but only to an ME fan.
6.5/10
Sorry if the review is asuninspiring as the DLC itself...it's not bad enough for me write a long rant on why I hate it or good enough for me to write a long speech on why I love it.
Part a) Replies to DA2 posts
Part b) Review of the final ME2 dlc, Arrival. I might throw in a review for the much superior lair of the shadow broker, too.
Part c) New GOTW. Might not get to add this today.
Ah, I guess it's time for my commentary on your review
I agree on some parts of it, but strongly disagree on others and I'd go as far as say you are downright wrong in certain regards. Anyways, here goes.
First off let me start by saying that the controls feels awkward, first clear sign of console porting to the PC, which is a HUGE sin with DA.
DA:O was a game for the fans, DA2 is a slap in the face in that regard. Everything has been simplified, or streamlined as an advertiser would put it. More on that later.
THe metacritic score 4chan has bombarded is too low, but Darknoons 85% is way too high.
Well in some regards it is an improvement, in others it is not. In most regards it is rubbish.
What made ME2 fly instead of crash and burn is the amount of work put into it.
It wasn't rushed, and it felt right. Hell, the only complaint I had with ME2 was the boring resource hunting for upgrades, everything else was night perfect. But this isn't about ME2.
The game shouldn't have been released in its current state, it wasn't nearly done.
And the day 0 DLC, what the hell is that?! Rushed release of an incomplete game with DLC's to milk the concept from day 1. Bravo!
Moving on;
The party and other characters
Some of the characters in this game are pretty good, but I can't help but to feel they also are somewhat rushed, some more than others.
Bottom line is that I like most of the npc's, in the party, but I'm not sure if I like or dislike the idea of them having home bases where I have to seek them out. Feels like a time-sink. (I disagree on ME1 and DA:O being all boring chars
Sure characters may be good, but I wuld like to be able to have a longer conversation with a party member without HAVING to go to their base.
It just feels unnatural to to be forced to go to location X or Y to have a chat.
Darknoon praises the interaction between squaddies, and in that reagrd I do agree, I also love how you can use companions in conversations on certain occasions.
As for chars leaving, they would do that in DA:O as well, hell, you'd be forced to kill certain members at certain points if you acted in a fashion they did not approve of.
I never felt like I were at a risk to losing party members in DA2, didn't really feel that in DA:O either, but I have had playthroughs in DA:O where I have had to kill members to play the role I chose. In DA2 I only lost an NPC I never used. Who would need an archer when you got Varric? NOt only is Sebastian unecessary, he's also a DLC! Day 0 DLC! Greed much Bioware/EA? Not a single other member was lost, and this one merely left. Seems like the staging ground for another DLC to me, or perhaps an interrsting plot twist in DA3.
Hell, a lot of the time DA2 feels like a filler episode in the DA franchise.
ME1 forced me to chose who lived and died in one instance.
ME2 had me losing squad members left and right in my first attempt at the suicide mission.
A relead and re-try fixed that, but hell, it was quite dramatic to see them fall.
If you don't upgrade your ship fully people will die on the way TO the battle
I don't really care if someone else voiced him, can't say I thought abut that at all.
My only gripe with Anders is that he is the only true healer in the game and you are forced to bring him along, but I guess that is necessary judging by the plot.
Anders is one of the few good ones though, the only character to put you in a moral dilemma a kin to those you see in DA:O.
Fenris was the worst one, a shameless attempt to recreate Sephiroth in the DA universe.
I just left him in his headquarters to mope. Neither wanted nor needed him in my group.
I won't go into the romances as deeply as Dn5, but he does have a point with everyone being bisexual, it's both good and bad imo, but it's not all that interresting.
It's all about making the game simpler, all part of removing necesary complexity that divides the great games from the mediocre games.
I don't see how they focus too much on romance tbh, other than perhaps giving you the option to romance just about every char in DA2. ME2 was fine.
I agree on Flemeth though, and Sandal, and The ARishok.
Flemeth sets the stage for future DA games, and that is good.
Sandal has some very interresting dialogue in this game. Omens of things to come I reckon.
...and the Arishok, very good, probably one of the best parts of the game.
I did like how every character had unique skill trees, this made them feel a lot less generic, and the rival versus friend concept is interresting and I guess we'll see more of that in future Bioware games.
Don't think I got much to add on characters now, so let's move on to...
The story
It feels a lot less epic at times, and it feels like it lacks focus. Stuff sometimes feel so random. WHilst at other times it is just right, building up going forward etc.
I disagree with it not being cliche though, from rags to riches in a new land.
Sounds familiar?
That line there, that I disagree with. This is about a grand scene, about Thedas in crisis,
and with the way the game ends, need I say more?
The good parts are really good though, and for one whom has played DA:O it feels all the grander. I don't know how to elaborate this without giving spoilers so I shall not.
The family element was poorly done. It was a great idea, and it could have been awesome,
but it suffers greartly due to the game being rushed. Some parts of it works well
as it is now, but it could have been so much better.
I agree that the 2nd act is the best, 3rd has some good stuff, but it too suffers from being rushed. First act suffers the most from the game being rushed though.
I'm surprised Dn5 didn't comment on the way the story is told.
I like how you play a story being told by Varric, and the way they use this actively.
Like in the start when the seeker busts Varric for lying in the story, hilarious.
I feel like they didn't use this tool enough. Had they dared to be awesome they could have exploited the potential in such a way of telling the story.
It's one more example of how the game could have been so much more had they either had better time or been less lazy. In all probability it is due to greed that the game suffers the most.
Changes to the game
First things first.
Combat is horrible on the PC. It is choppy, and plagued by having to pause to target an enemy everyt time you kill one. Console preferance, slap in the face to computer germers. 'nuff said.
Needless to say this kills immersion. It is impossible for me to enjoy a fight where I need to pause every second, adjust the camera, then target a new enemy. DA:O wins that one.
The "waves" of enemies makes me want to puke. It totally kills the tactical element.
I mean, occasinally having enemies pour upon you in waves can be a great storytelling tool, and an awesome way to make an encounter interresting. This however is not the case when EVERY encounter has the same number of waves.
I played both games on 360, so I can't comment on the PC version. I agree on the waves, it isn't tactical, and it is also ridiculous when waves of enemies literally fall from the ceiling. (coughisabelasrecruitmentcough)
The waves have enemies spawn from the ground or drop from the ceiling or whatever obliterating the value of positioning on the field of battle. What good is the high ground and a chokepoint if enemies jump out of the ground behind your most squishy people as soon as the foes in the chokepoint are hammered to the anvil or obliterated in a kill-zone?
Boss fights are boring as well. Remings me of playing wow without the boss going into phases and without the joy of human cooperation. Spot the pattern and wear down the boss.Boring.
This too could have been great, but they messed it up.
Yeah, generally the bosses are more tank then dangerous. Only boss I find challenging is Rock Wraith. I even beat high dragon the first time. Also, just like ME1 and ME2, the final boss is way less challenging then other bosses earlier on in the game.
Skills, as has been pointed out seems over the top at times, and I agree, but this is about the feel where the hero conquers the hordes, thus it works. What does annoy me is the animations when fighting. No friggin' way could anyone swing a 2handed weapon as quick as they do in the game. So many animations are just way to animeish for me.
I do approve of the mages being less static thoughl. A bit more dynamic style fits them,
but for a alter game I would like for this to be customisable and/or stat based.
The rouge suffers the worst imo, but the warrior does have some silly animations, mainly the 2hander.
I agree the mage animations are interesting.
Cross class combos are interresting but feels kinda sloppy considering the way combat plays.
I actually thought the cross class combos worked well. Shoot me.
Moving on to dialogue.
I did like the text based in DA:O, but I also like the wheel as we wknow it from ME2.
The symbols helps me act as intended, and that is a good thing as the text itself can be misleading. This might simplify things somewhat, but it is a change that works,
and it does allow the devs to reduce the amount of possible dialogue and thus have a voice-acted protagonist. WHich imo is not necessary, but I am old-school.
Well, I definetly like the more cinematic feel, but it is too simplified in my opinion as there is no real thought put into "right" or "wrong" as the picture tells you the answer. It even says whether your joking or not! Honestly bioware, give me some intelligence, I know that if I say I want to be a dragon, I'm probably not being serious.
The same reason Shepherd isn't gay. The Hawke family are human and have a rich history.
(presumably) It's a design choice, and it's all good by me. Hawke did escape Lothering, and that was a small human town. I would however like to see an origin in terms of more who you were before the Blight and fleeing. Physically having to flee the town itself coul dhave been a great cinematic or introduction in the game as well, mixing in some moral choices on your way.
There is no reason Shepard shouldn't be gay though, infact female Shepard can be lesbian. I know it wasn't a second origins in the way of choosing an origin, but it would've been good. I also would like to see a proper fleeing lothering DLC and a year 1 (slave) dlc. They would also both allow you to become much more attatched to your siblings.
That was the only real complaint you had
And it is an important one. They shamelessly recycly reas.
They don't even TRY to hide it. In dungeons you go through the same areas all the time.
THey merely fill a door with concrete to wall off a part of the dungeon and they even keep the SAME mini-map that applies to the WHOLE dungeon, no matter how small a part of the dungeon is used at that particular time. This happens so often it's not even funny.
How hard is it to just change the dungeon layout a tiny bit? How hard is it to remove parts of the mini-map that does not apply?
This is just plain lazy, ar idiotic. No-one should rush anything that bad.
Yet another element that KILLS immersion. Combine it with the horrible combat and the itemization(OMG!)...
I haven't even started on the items yet.
Whilst I do like the idea of generic items, I do not enjoy most oif the items in the game being generic. How hard is it to add prefixes or suffixes to items?
Diablo 1 did it for crying out loud! I don't want 10 "rings" that can't be distinguished from eachother, nor belts, or swords, or whatever. So unecessary.
I also miss the descriptions on items, and the stats. Hell weapon and armour stats have been simplified in a horrible way. Meh. I'm getting depressed thinking of this much stink.
Yes, I agree here, however some sets have codex entries, but still.
New info on the QUnari? Mind elaborating to me in a PM?
Import fnction was a disappointment, I thought it'd impact me in more ways than it did.
Emotional and engaging? Hardly. Could have been though. The potential is there.
I found the deaths of wesley and the either death of your sibling or induction of them into the wardens quite moving. The death of Hawke's mother was very well done in my opinion. The death of Ketojan also...maybe not upset me, but annoyed me.
The game not only feels smaller and less diverse than DA:O, it is. It took me 20 hours less to finish DA2, and I was wasting a lot of time with sinks and traveling back and forth.
The game is smaller both in time it takes to explore and content. It lacks the rich details that
made DA:O impressive and suffers from the plenty shortcuts taken during production.
No questions that it feels smaller, especially because of the reused maps, but this is simply because it was rushed out the door. I can't blame bioware too much for this. I would suggest to add replayability, take Anders with you everywhere, especially Varric's quest and to the deep roads. There are more oppurtunites where having him with you has an effect, but those are the most significant two I found.
It lacks the dilemmas of DA:O, but I do appreciate how you get letters based on your choices and how certain quests pop up later on based on what you did earlier.
The many elements that seperately kills immersion combined make it all the worse.
There is so much potential. So many good ideas, so much that just needs a bit more work an polish. It could have been a contender! Instead it is confined to mediocrity.
I agree it could've been much better, but I still think it is good, maybe even very good game worthy of my rating, oh if only bioware had improved and simply not cut and replaced.
A final note-I agree with that article you sent me in that exploration is butchered, but more importantly, the pointless stats. Literally, all a rouge needs is dexterity and cunning, a mage willpower and magic, and a warrior strenght and constituion, so why even display all the stats for each class upon level up? The only decision made is whether to put in the damage increasing or the health/critical/mana increasing stat.
6/10.
Now, onto my short arrival review.
Original game: Mass effect 2
DLC name: Arrival
Length: 1-2hours depending on playstyle and how many times you die and/or retry the wave fight.
I'm sure you all now my views on ME2 already, but if not, here is the original post.
Now, onto the DLC itself.
The DLC itself (inspiring title, yes?)
The DLC can be played any time in the game, just like LoTSB (lair of the shadow broker), however, also just like LoTSB, it really is meant to be played after the main plot is finished. The plot is good for those cerberus haters who want to return to the alliance, as you get a mission from Hackett himself-who you get to see in person. He has a well-rendered face, much better then most of the others.
I'm rambling, he sends you on a mission to rescue an aqquitance of his who is investigating a reaper threat. You have to rescue them from a batarian prison camp, however it is possible to do so without even firing a shot, granting an achievement. Upon finding her, she divilgues information on, you guessed, the reaper arrival.
I won't go into too much more depth, but there is a fight with waves of enemies, similar to that of a FPS or TPS I suppose. It's tedious, but grants an achievement. Whether you surive all waves or not, you proceed fowards.
That's it for the plot. I was saddened by there only being two choices, but no matter what you do either way with the first choice there is the same outcome, and with the second choice there is the same outcome, albeit an extra line of dialouge. On a game that prides itself with choices, I was very dissapointed.
You also go in solo, no squadmates. Combine that with 2 NPC's throughout the whole DLC, and it isn't a character-driven DLC.
Conclusion
No real choice and few dialouges, however any hardcore ME2 fan should get some enjoyment. A good appearance from Admiral Hackett, some decent music, a good enviroment, a nifty stealth sequence as well as setting the scene to how ME3 will start. It's no lair of the shadow broker in terms of quality, but it's acceptable. I'm still a little dissapointed, but I don't feel robbed. Worth the price, but only to an ME fan.
6.5/10
Sorry if the review is asuninspiring as the DLC itself...it's not bad enough for me write a long rant on why I hate it or good enough for me to write a long speech on why I love it.
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DeletedUser8950
Now, onto the superior:
Original game: Mass effect 2
DLC Name: Lair of the shadow broker
Length: At least 1hour and a half, probably more like 2, maybe more hours if you play through at a good pace.
I'll sink straight into it: Lair of Shadow Broker is probably the best DLC I have ever played, which is amazing comparing it to to other crap DLC Bioware has churned out for a buck like Witch Hunt. Outside of an expansion pack, you will get no better value for money. Even if you adamantly hate Liara (how could you? :'( ) you should be able to ignore that simply as this DLC is so brilliant.
I'm having a nerdgasm, so I'll actually get into the details.
The plot and general details
The DLC can take place as soon as you can access Illium, however it is intended to and makes more sense if played after the suicide mission. You recieve an email for the illusive man (which actually still makes sense if you
) saying how he has recieved intel about the shadow broker. If you played the game and spoke to Liara on Illium, she will reveal the role the Shadow Broker had in events prior to the game. There is also a comic book series (haven't read, but read the online synopsis. The link on Amazon has a look inside) which ties into this dlc, however isn't necessary, and isn't really worth the money imo from what I've seen and heard.
Anyway, the plot! Shepard takes this information to Liara, who reveals it's information on the system the Shadow Broker's base could be in, as well as the location of her captured friend, Feron (one of only 3 Drell in the entire galaxy, apparently). If you spoke to her earlier in the game, you'll know who he is, but if not, she explains to you. She goes to her house to think about it, and you agree to call by later.
Once you arrive, the apartment is filled with police, and Liara is nowhere to be soon. Here you meet another Spectre, Tela Vasir, who is also looking for Liara. I can't get too much into the plot without spoiling it, but I will say that there is a final confrontation with the Shadow Broker. Unlike some of the ME2 DLC and the ME1 DLC, this DLC actually does tie into to the main plot, and will have an impact on the Mass effect 3.
Also expect a new vehicle mode which is a short but fun hover-car chase scene. After completing the DLC, there is another reward which is dificult to say without spoiling. Let's just say there is a wealth of information (relative to the player, and no it's not codex entries), trivia and humour available once you finish, avaiable in different forms.
Interaction with Liara and continuation of romance
Obviously, as this DLC is centred on Liara primarily, interaction with her is key, and is done brilliantly. There are several humorous dialouges between the two, and lots of oppurtunity to talk with her, including an option "catch-up" at the end of the DLC. The DLC in some ways forces you to have a friendly relationship with Liara, but it is for the best considering the quality of the dialouge.
For those that romanced her, there is definetly an impact here, including whether or not you cheated on her. That final catch up at the end is...different, lets say, if you romanced her. On the note, there is a lot of dialouge in this DLC that is different depending on your decisions. Just another small bit of quality. To conclude this part, there is great content in the DLC for any captain Kirk wannabees who romanced her.
Either way, Liara joins as a temporary squadmate, and she's pretty powerful, too. She also adds a new bonus ability which will give biotic players an easier time.
The atmosphere and locations
The locations and atmosphere of said locations is part of what turns this DLC from merely good to great. From a blown up building, Liara's raided flat, to the detailed and amazing Shadow broker base (Screenshot if you don't believe me, you could consider it a spoiler though) each atmosphere is unique and appropriate, in stark contrast to the dull reused areas of ME1 and DA2 (even had the nerve to reuse areas in the ME1 dlc!) greatly adding to the DLC.
[New GOTW here soon.]
Detail and references to ME1
There are so many minute details, it's great. Little references for fans that aren't needed but add to the quality, such as jokes about faults with the 1st mass effect are present (won't spoil any). As I said earlier, depending on previous decisions there is a lot of different dialouge, which is also good.
Gameplay
The DLC plays well, with interesting and challenging enemies, as well as two bosses, one of which is easily the best boss so far in mass effect in terms of dificulty and how (relatively) beliable it is. As I said, there is a new vehicile sequence, which plays well.
There is also a wave fight, like in arrival, expect this is actually fun, as it is interrupted by humorous dialogue between your Shepard and Liara. Your other squadmate actually says a line! I know only 1, but it's better then nothing (see other ME1 and ME2 DLC) and have lines referenced to them.
Onto the RPG elements. There is, unlike arrival, some choices, which have differing impacts, although I won't spoil them, however there is no major choice at the end, but unlike in Arrival, there was never a great oppurtunity for such a choice.
Conclusion
Incase you can't tell, I love this DLC. It takes the best parts of ME1 and ME2 and combines the two together. A interesting and relevant adventure, compelling characters, great locations and a wealth of fun is available.
If you played ME2 and don't have this DLC, BUY IT. NOW
10/10 (that's a first!)
Edit: Lots of edits to the original post back on page 1. Check it out.
[GOTW here soon]
Original game: Mass effect 2
DLC Name: Lair of the shadow broker
Length: At least 1hour and a half, probably more like 2, maybe more hours if you play through at a good pace.
I'll sink straight into it: Lair of Shadow Broker is probably the best DLC I have ever played, which is amazing comparing it to to other crap DLC Bioware has churned out for a buck like Witch Hunt. Outside of an expansion pack, you will get no better value for money. Even if you adamantly hate Liara (how could you? :'( ) you should be able to ignore that simply as this DLC is so brilliant.
I'm having a nerdgasm, so I'll actually get into the details.
The plot and general details
The DLC can take place as soon as you can access Illium, however it is intended to and makes more sense if played after the suicide mission. You recieve an email for the illusive man (which actually still makes sense if you
cut ties with cerberus
Anyway, the plot! Shepard takes this information to Liara, who reveals it's information on the system the Shadow Broker's base could be in, as well as the location of her captured friend, Feron (one of only 3 Drell in the entire galaxy, apparently). If you spoke to her earlier in the game, you'll know who he is, but if not, she explains to you. She goes to her house to think about it, and you agree to call by later.
Once you arrive, the apartment is filled with police, and Liara is nowhere to be soon. Here you meet another Spectre, Tela Vasir, who is also looking for Liara. I can't get too much into the plot without spoiling it, but I will say that there is a final confrontation with the Shadow Broker. Unlike some of the ME2 DLC and the ME1 DLC, this DLC actually does tie into to the main plot, and will have an impact on the Mass effect 3.
Also expect a new vehicle mode which is a short but fun hover-car chase scene. After completing the DLC, there is another reward which is dificult to say without spoiling. Let's just say there is a wealth of information (relative to the player, and no it's not codex entries), trivia and humour available once you finish, avaiable in different forms.
Interaction with Liara and continuation of romance
Obviously, as this DLC is centred on Liara primarily, interaction with her is key, and is done brilliantly. There are several humorous dialouges between the two, and lots of oppurtunity to talk with her, including an option "catch-up" at the end of the DLC. The DLC in some ways forces you to have a friendly relationship with Liara, but it is for the best considering the quality of the dialouge.
For those that romanced her, there is definetly an impact here, including whether or not you cheated on her. That final catch up at the end is...different, lets say, if you romanced her. On the note, there is a lot of dialouge in this DLC that is different depending on your decisions. Just another small bit of quality. To conclude this part, there is great content in the DLC for any captain Kirk wannabees who romanced her.
Either way, Liara joins as a temporary squadmate, and she's pretty powerful, too. She also adds a new bonus ability which will give biotic players an easier time.
The atmosphere and locations
The locations and atmosphere of said locations is part of what turns this DLC from merely good to great. From a blown up building, Liara's raided flat, to the detailed and amazing Shadow broker base (Screenshot if you don't believe me, you could consider it a spoiler though) each atmosphere is unique and appropriate, in stark contrast to the dull reused areas of ME1 and DA2 (even had the nerve to reuse areas in the ME1 dlc!) greatly adding to the DLC.
[New GOTW here soon.]
Detail and references to ME1
There are so many minute details, it's great. Little references for fans that aren't needed but add to the quality, such as jokes about faults with the 1st mass effect are present (won't spoil any). As I said earlier, depending on previous decisions there is a lot of different dialouge, which is also good.
Gameplay
The DLC plays well, with interesting and challenging enemies, as well as two bosses, one of which is easily the best boss so far in mass effect in terms of dificulty and how (relatively) beliable it is. As I said, there is a new vehicile sequence, which plays well.
There is also a wave fight, like in arrival, expect this is actually fun, as it is interrupted by humorous dialogue between your Shepard and Liara. Your other squadmate actually says a line! I know only 1, but it's better then nothing (see other ME1 and ME2 DLC) and have lines referenced to them.
Onto the RPG elements. There is, unlike arrival, some choices, which have differing impacts, although I won't spoil them, however there is no major choice at the end, but unlike in Arrival, there was never a great oppurtunity for such a choice.
Conclusion
Incase you can't tell, I love this DLC. It takes the best parts of ME1 and ME2 and combines the two together. A interesting and relevant adventure, compelling characters, great locations and a wealth of fun is available.
If you played ME2 and don't have this DLC, BUY IT. NOW
10/10 (that's a first!)
Edit: Lots of edits to the original post back on page 1. Check it out.
[GOTW here soon]
Last edited by a moderator: