Dragon Age 2

Dragon Age 2 sucks. Now that I have your attention, discuss.

cool opinion holk

Well, maybe I oversimplified. It doesn't suck, but it shouldn't be called Dragon Age 2. Its nothing like the first one.

mass effect 1 vs mass effect 2 argument go

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it's in the same universe. maybe it shouldn't be a numbered title but frankly i didn't think it was that different from the demo.

Of course its not different from the demo. That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that its very different from the first game. The first major difference is the lack of character customization. The origins were the big selling point, and now there is nothing of the sort. The subset to this is the lack of equipment options. There are a few armor sets, but it is much more shallow than in before. The combat is nearly automatic, which isn't to say that the first game was very active. Added to the fact that you only need to pause the action occasionally, and usually for healing, makes the combat boring and nearly an afterthought. This is almost exactly opposite to the first game, where every battle could be a strategic and enjoyable occurrence. None of these things would be horrible individually, but taken altogether makes for a fairly boring experience. Also, sticking the Dragon Age title on this game really feels more like a cheap marketing ploy than any other sequel ever has. It really does feel like they wanted to make a new game, but were afraid that it wouldn't sell, so they pidgeonholed it into the DA universe. I'm not opposed to new things at all, but a sequel should improve upon the things the first game did well, and retool things that were lacking. I'm still playing it though, so my opinion could change when I get farther into it. I've been playing for about 12 hours now, and I'm really disappointed so far.

Also, I'm going to split here, because its way off topic, and I think there could be some good discussion about this game.

I think for the most part that it is a much better improvement over the first game, to be honest. I'm not saying you specifically, but I am fucking tired of hearing people whine how it's not the first one. Do all these people want the same fucking thing over and over again? Oh wait...

Plus, people have to remember that the development time for DA2 is much shorter when compared to the time DA:O had to be developed.

There are things I liked more in the first game, yes, but I just so happen to prefer this new Dragon Age game.

What difficulty setting are you on, Holk?

Edit: And besides, personal opinions flaunting is what a lot of topics discussing DA2 are, so it really shouldn't matter to me.

Normal difficulty. The same way I play every other game.

Pertaining to your "wanting the same game" comments, I'd have to disagree with you on the generalization that you made. Its not like its asking a lot for a sequel to be similar to its predecessor. Of course I don't want a huge expansion, and if you'd read what I said above, you'd see that. But I'm not complaining that a game is bad because its not like some other completely unrelated game. Its a sequel. The specifics are the things that matter when creating a sequel. A few changes may not make a huge difference, but when you get into changing many things that made the original so great, then it starts to become a completely different game. I'm also aware, (and I've said this of many other sequels,) that the original is still there, and I can always play that. The reason I'm disappointed is just that, though. I was extremely into the first one, and I was very excited for the second.

I wanted to avoid the sub-argument that Bioware's games are getting more and more simplified, but I have a feeling that it won't be long before that comes up. Therefore, I'll just do it now. I'll also come out and say that I don't like Mass Effect. I've tried to play through the first one a few times, but I always get to the Citadel, play a bit more, and then get bored. I don't want this to turn into a Mass Effect discussion, like Strike said before, but I say this to provide insight into my waning interest in Bioware games.

Edit for your edit: Differing opinions don't mean that it doesn't warrant discussion. Just because you like something that I don't, or vice-versa, doesn't mean I don't like you or something. That would be ridiculous.

With the personal opinions thing, I was trying to get across that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, so I shouldn't be upset because I know that at least I enjoy the game. If others do not, oh well.

The majority of people I've heard complaining over DA2 was exactly because it was not the same exact game. Personally, it still feels like a Dragon Age game to me, but when it switches to the narrative I feel disconnected from the story and game. That's probably one of the main reasons why it doesn't feel the same to most people.

As for that sub argument, I'm not even going to bother with that. To me, that argument is silly and pointless. I play games for the story and various other factors, not how hard it is or if it's simple.

Try jacking up the difficulty Holk, at least to see if what I heard is true. I heard that on Hard and up should require more strategy than the first game, but I have yet to try that out.

I don't buy into that difficulty argument. That garbage has been going on since Halo 3, and its absurd. Just because enemies take more hits, doesn't make a game more tactical or anything. I think you misunderstood what I meant by "simplified". I don't mean this regarding the actual difficulty of the games, I mean that a lot of the customization and tactical aspects are being removed. There is no denying this, it is happening. Not just in Bioware games, but in most games altogether. God of War is basically a one button masher, and Halo is basically an exercise in shoot-and-retreat. For those games, it makes sense. Both are one note, but they hit that one note so well that it doesn't matter. They're still fun for a while. Don't get me wrong, all games have a formula, and with enough play that formula can be discerned. Its called the "core gameplay loop", and there's no avoiding that. Examples of great gameplay loops are Super Mario Galaxy and Half-Life 2. They both vary the type of gameplay so much, that as soon as you begin to tire of something, you're moved onto the next thing. These are rare examples, though, because most developers don't put as much thought into the process. For the first Dragon Age, the core gameplay loop was taken almost directly from the Baldur's Gate games. It was a moderately wide loop that it didn't get old until near the end of the game. With Dragon Age 2, they've narrowed that loop into something only a bit wider than a hack/slash game. I like those games on occasion, but I didn't expect DA2 to be one.

And I think you misunderstood with what I meant by trying harder difficulties. I was just simply suggesting it because from what I've heard, it requires people to use more tactics. Hell, even on normal there were a few times were I died at the same spot multiple times and it was frustrating to hear people call it too easy. I wasn't trying to show misunderstandings of what you meant.

Of course, if everyone used the same argument that it was too easy because it was simplified, I wouldn't be so fucking frustrated. All I hear is very few lines of "Omg this combat is so easy lololol".

Yeah, they took a lot of things out, but I personally the combat. I thought the first game's combat was the most boring thing ever. As I said before, just opinions on what one does and does not like.

Edit:

Also, the main difference between the two games story wise is that Origins spanned across an entire realm, had different races and origins to choose from... While DA2 spans 10 years over a centralized area with one 1 race, two sexes, and 3 classes. Clearly these two have different types of "impact'. I feel that with DA:O, it's an epic, while in DA:2 it's a series of novels dealing with one area that isn't quite an epic.

While I would normally agree with you that higher difficulties don't add tactical elements to the game, I think you're wrong with this one. The problem with DA2 on Normal isn't a lack of tactical options (all of the same tactical options from DA:O are still there); it's just that you never need to use them since you can just control your own character and there's never any threat of death. If you ramp up the difficulty, then you are forced to use all the tactical elements in the game in order not to die. I'm playing on Nightmare now and I pretty much have to plan out how to use my abilities every battle or I die.

The lack of customization and equipment is admittedly pretty lame, however. I think the new crafting system is better though, but it's not a very important element.

I'm not very far yet in any case, but I enjoy it as much as the first one.

That was a bad choice by Bioware, then. They should've just made that the normal difficulty. I'm going to bump it up to Nightmare to see if it makes a difference, but like I said earlier, there's not one specific thing that is disappointing. Its the sum of the parts.

I tend to start every game on max difficulty, and I enjoy it that way. I'd rather not be on a rollercoaster ride through a story unless it's really fucking pretty and engaging.

That being said, I haven't played DA2, and couldn't really finish Origins because it was lamentably bad paced in my opinion. I'm in the process of getting DA2 though.

see holk
Difficulty probably is the issue, you're expecting the hard setting level of difficulty because DA:O's normal difficulty was really hard. I am not going to argue this it is a fact. I have never had more party wipes in an RPG on normal.

DA 2 they just retooled the difficulties. if it's too easy that it's boring set it higher.

as far as the way it plays, I'm pretty sure that's only been the pc gamers yelling about how it's not like pc da1 and frankly idgaf.

do you see the origins tag on the end of the title? because I don't, so why should it have origins exactly? because the first game did? pretty lame reason and lack of origins allows for a better more focused story, I STILL don't find DA:O's story very interesting and am struggling to give a damn so much sometimes while playing it, I bought it release day and didn't finish it because i was bored with the story, something i hadn't done with a bioware game since KotOR 2.

and as for the halo crack, the ai's tactics change on higher difficulties maybe not in 1 or 2 (haven't played a lot of legendary on those). I love how people who barely play it totally think they just take more damage, yes they do but they do change they way they manuver quite a bit.

No they don't. They just live long enough that you actually see them maneuver more. It would be stupid for a developer to not put the best AI in every difficulty. Raising difficulty levels doesn't make the "AI" "smarter" or anything. That is a fact. Difficulty is subjective. You don't have to get snippy about it, I wasn't making a crack about Halo. Just stating facts. That whole "Legendary is the way its meant to be played" mindset is stupid. Normal is the way a game is meant to be played. That's why its called normal.

On another note, I raised the difficulty in DA2, and while it did make me have to pause and delegate a bit more actions, I'm not quite convinced yet. I still need more time with it.

I do have to admit I do miss being able to be an elf, but oh well.

My main issue with the game isn't that I can't pick my origins its that it has so many glitches in it, that I can't tell they beta-tested. Also I wish I could give gear to my partners instead of just weapons, and accessories. Overall though I do enjoy it. ...

The only bug I encountered was being unable to save on a single core processor. Since my main computer has been fixed, I've encountered no errors whatsoever.

I have to agree that the party equipment restrictions is very annoying. However, I am more annoyed by the fact that you are royally fucked most of the time if you side with mages by most of the damn party members you get. If your Hawke is mage, it's really difficult to please your whiny bitch of a brother, Carver.

I've got it for the xbox 360 which probably wasn't the wisest choice but gamestop had it and everything.

So far enemies are glitched for me, they spawn and are like stuck there in their spawn forms (encounter with spiders mostly), and like my dog doesn't follow me like he should when I summon him neither did Merril in the beginning.

And yeah, I'm glad to have Bethany over Carver. Just because of him I don't really want to play mage.

If it ever comes to it and Carver tries to screw me over, he'll take his just rewards for being such an emo.

On another note, this topic here... I can't tell if I'm amused or shocked at what has occurred. It seems that somebody got banned for saying "Have you sold your soul to the EA devil?". Not only is he banned from the EA forums [Which would be normal, still a bit extreme however], he is banned from activating his copy of Dragon Age 2 and all DLC.

http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/141/index/6459941/

That's totally fucked up. First amendment rights being violated daily by EA.

I wouldn't say it sucks, it's just.. disappointing. Origins, in my opinion, is a 100 times better than DA2. Dragon Age 2, like many other game sequels was screwed over by its developers forgetting about its core followers and trying to broaden its grasp on players. Dragon Age 2 seems rushed, therefore underdeveloped, exploration is virtually non existent and combat is rather simplistic. To someone who successfully completed Origins, they'd have to at least play on Hard mode just to feel the least bit satisfied. It is visually beautiful in terms of combat, but it lost its dark fantasy tone that Origins had, it was brightened and the game was simplified. The game is still something I will indeed finish and will most likely playthrough it a second time, but only because I'm a fan; right now I'm just hoping that Bioware (who happens to have some of the strongest followers of any dev company) will remember those followers when Dragon Age 3 rolls around.

Well here's someone who only read the first post.

I wouldn't say this game is worse than Dragon Age: Origins, it just feels different. The fact that they added in more enemies that were weaker actually made me feel like I was a powerful mage raping scores of enemies while my Warden was a behemoth who would smash people with his giant hammer every 5 seconds. I really do enjoy the change of pace. Also for the story, like it or not, the only plausible way to continue it would be from a completely new character's viewpoint. For anyone who's played Awakening and Witch Hunt, the game makes itself much more apparent as a sequel. Taking off from what Morrigan's warning about Flemeth at the end of WH and your saving (or destruction) of Amaranthine, and ruling as Commander of the Grey until your death in Awakening the story transitions very well. Not to mention some character's story's are a sequel in their own way, such as Anders and Justice.

My only gripe is how slow this god damned story is picking up. (In that regard, it's the perfect sequel to Dragon Age)

Also I apologize is this post is unreadable, it's the morning after Spring Break started

Personally, -just in my opinion- DA2 is better than DAO. Bite me fanboys, but the characterization is impressive, and much better done than in Origins. Really, you couldn't customize your character, because you couldn't customize your character. It would completely take away ninety percent of the plot in the game if you could be someone else than a refugee from Lothering. You had enough, really - you could develop your character's personality, one thing you couldn't do in Origins. There, you just made choices on what to say.

I don't think it was brightened, either. On the contrary, it seemed much more dark fantasy to me now - forget Origins's silly implications there were good or evil choices. (Such as Bhelen/Harrowmont. If it was realistic, Harrowmont would turn out to be a corrupt ruler, not just an overall loser.) While many would say the mages are the "good" choice, what if Fenris is right, for example? What if the moment mages were free, they'd become magisters?

And the plot was actually impressive. The many deaths in the game resounded wonderfully across my mind - they were dramatic, and sad, and well-written.

So you like the atmosphere and the story? Read a book/watch a movie.