Dragon Age 2

[entrerix]

well, there are different kinds of fun, it's very subjective (not to mention I personally didn't find ME2 fun in any way). games are evaluated based on other things, too. and those other things have more weight than simple fun

 

 

the way i see it, a piece of entertainment can do two things, 1) be fun, 2) be stimulating (educationally, intellectually, artistically etc).

 

so far there are maybe ten games ever made that i would call truly stimulating, so for me, the vast vast majority of the time, games are based on fun.

 

books and movies have gotten to the point where there are as many stimulating works as there are fun ones. Most of the time I prefer those which are more stimulating than fun.

 

also: we should not forget, most of the time, in order to be fun, a work must have SOME level of stimulation, or you would not really be able to derive any satisfaction from it at all.

 

 

also: your statement that "fun" shouldn't be the decisive factor between two games is just being silly. I appreciate when a product is so masterful and ahead of its time and blah blah blah, which is why BG/2 are classic rpgs. but if baldurs gate/2 was released for the first time today, it would probably be my second favorite game by bioware. not my first.

[Maria Caliban]

"fun" shouldn't be the decisive factor, it doesn't make one game better then the other

Fun might not be the only factor but it's still an important one. Even games made to educate attempt to be fun.

 

It might be that you consider fun to refer only to frivolous qualities while I don't. Perhaps intellectually and emotionally engaging might be a better term.

 

games are evaluated based on other things, too. and those other things have more weight than simple fun

I'd suggest those other things are valuable because they make the game more fun.

 

A lack of bugs is good because bugs, crashes, and other oddities take you out of the experience of the game. They can be frustrating. Art and sound quality enhance the tone and lead to a more immersive experience. The fog in the Silent Hill games obscure vision and increases the player's feelings of vulnerability. But being scared is fun. Encounter design tests the skills of a player in a number of ways and beating a challenge leads to a sense of accomplishment, both of which are fun.

 

I have trouble imagining someone sinking 20-60 hours into a game if they're not enjoying themselves.

Edited March 13, 2011 by Maria Caliban

[RPGmasterBoo]

I've been skimming over reviews and am thoroughly satisfied that the game is at best at DA level, which means it sucks and thus isn't worth my time.

 

Also I'm enjoying the strained attempts of reviewers to squeeze out every positive thing about the game* and Bioware in the face of sloppy work like extensive reuse of assets, which signifies a definite drop in quality (and probably extensive EA meddling).

 

*A grade of 84 on Metacritic for an AAA game is a dismal failure considering the Witcher got the same with no advertising behemoths and million dollar ads behind it. Indeed, in this day and age if you can't buy your way to 90+ by advertising alone you must have a seriously flawed product.

 

I'm not even going to comment on the curiously dismal user score.

 

Actually I am. Out of 1300 people 800+ say the game sucks. Apparently most are disappointed DA fans saying the game is console type garbage.

 

Note at Bioware: You can't say that you are "improving" a game by removing everything that made the original a success.

 

They took a huge step backwards from DA: O, and dumbed down this game in almost every way imaginable, and the sub-par graphics are inexcusable for a company of Bioware or EAs prestige and budget. They removed any tactical aspects that the original game had and replaced them with mind numbing button mashing as you get flooded by seemingly endless waves of enemies.

 

After purchasing Dragon Age 2 and playing it for some 8 hours, I've come here to warn the people against buying this game. First of all, it is completely unbelievable that a triple A title that had millions upon millions of dollars of production budget has graphics that looks like it's from 2001. I'm playing with the high resolution texture pack that needs to be downloaded and installed separately, and DX11 on my AMD 6970 and yet Morrowind has prettier graphics. The game was also designed with 12 year old children in mind by giving laughable and ridiculous amounts of gore and sex innuendos with party members that it's on the verge of being a parody of itself.

 

etc +800

 

 

Delightful.

 

 

HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH, who the hell wrote this:

Edited March 13, 2011 by RPGmasterBoo

[Nightshape]

Note at Bioware: You can't say that you are "improving" a game by removing everything that made the original a success.

 

They took a huge step backwards from DA: O, and dumbed down this game in almost every way imaginable, and the sub-par graphics are inexcusable for a company of Bioware or EAs prestige and budget. They removed any tactical aspects that the original game had and replaced them with mind numbing button mashing as you get flooded by seemingly endless waves of enemies.

 

After purchasing Dragon Age 2 and playing it for some 8 hours, I've come here to warn the people against buying this game. First of all, it is completely unbelievable that a triple A title that had millions upon millions of dollars of production budget has graphics that looks like it's from 2001. I'm playing with the high resolution texture pack that needs to be downloaded and installed separately, and DX11 on my AMD 6970 and yet Morrowind has prettier graphics. The game was also designed with 12 year old children in mind by giving laughable and ridiculous amounts of gore and sex innuendos with party members that it's on the verge of being a parody of itself.

 

Do you realise that those quotes are absolutely stupid?

[Morgoth]

Played the whole afternoon today. I can see why people hate the game, but personally I think it's better than Origins. Game also looks better than the predecessor, don't know why people say the graphics sucks. The only thing I don't like graphically are the elves.

[Monte Carlo]

In the UK we have a saying for a game like this: 'Marmite'

 

Marmite is a beefy yeast extract spread that tends to polarize opinion - people either love it or hate it, there's nothing inbetween.

 

Am wondering if this is Bio's first marmite game!

[RPGmasterBoo]

Note at Bioware: You can't say that you are "improving" a game by removing everything that made the original a success.

 

They took a huge step backwards from DA: O, and dumbed down this game in almost every way imaginable, and the sub-par graphics are inexcusable for a company of Bioware or EAs prestige and budget. They removed any tactical aspects that the original game had and replaced them with mind numbing button mashing as you get flooded by seemingly endless waves of enemies.

 

After purchasing Dragon Age 2 and playing it for some 8 hours, I've come here to warn the people against buying this game. First of all, it is completely unbelievable that a triple A title that had millions upon millions of dollars of production budget has graphics that looks like it's from 2001. I'm playing with the high resolution texture pack that needs to be downloaded and installed separately, and DX11 on my AMD 6970 and yet Morrowind has prettier graphics. The game was also designed with 12 year old children in mind by giving laughable and ridiculous amounts of gore and sex innuendos with party members that it's on the verge of being a parody of itself.

 

Do you realise that those quotes are absolutely stupid?

 

There are too many to count, some borderline illiterate others a wall of text. But they're uniform enough and numerous enough for it to be obvious that the game has many serious flaws.

 

The point was that the responses are beyond the usual small camps of fanboys and haters with satisfied drones in between. Rougly 2/3 are negative responses, which for a Bioware game is overwhelming negativity.

[entrerix]

Played the whole afternoon today. I can see why people hate the game, but personally I think it's better than Origins. Game also looks better than the predecessor, don't know why people say the graphics sucks. The only thing I don't like graphically are the elves.

 

 

it seems like most of the people here who are playing the game have similar thoughts, the majority of the complainers (on this forum) have not played the game.

 

i wouldnt say for sure that its better than DAO, but its about on par, and the combat is definitely more fun, and equally tactical on the higher difficulties.

[Morgoth]

Yeah, I don't get why people say combat is dumbed down - it isn't. You just got as much options, plus it's more fun now.

 

I'm not saying it's Bio's best fantasy work, but at least I see attempts to make it more interesting than Origins. Origins was just so generic, while Kirkwall gives me a bit of an eastern flair. At least I see some potential in the franchise now, if Bio can carry this further they might as well reach the BG splendor again.

[Monte Carlo]

At least I see some potential in the franchise now, if Bio can carry this further they might as well reach the BG splendor again.

 

Elaborate or wash your mouth out!

[Nightshape]

There are too many to count, some borderline illiterate others a wall of text. But they're uniform enough and numerous enough for it to be obvious that the game has many serious flaws.

 

The point was that the responses are beyond the usual small camps of fanboys and haters with satisfied drones in between. Rougly 2/3 are negative responses, which for a Bioware game is overwhelming negativity.

 

The comments about "graphics" are unfounded. Saying morrowind looked better, I mean its just stupid.

 

People will be negative about any game.

[Bokishi]

Played the whole afternoon today. I can see why people hate the game, but personally I think it's better than Origins. Game also looks better than the predecessor, don't know why people say the graphics sucks. The only thing I don't like graphically are the elves.

 

 

it seems like most of the people here who are playing the game have similar thoughts, the majority of the complainers (on this forum) have not played the game.

 

Yeah I pretty much lost interest in the first DA about 2 hrs in, but this one I already put 10 hours into!

[Slowtrain]

In the UK we have a saying for a game like this: 'Marmite'

 

Marmite is a beefy yeast extract spread that tends to polarize opinion - people either love it or hate it, there's nothing inbetween.

 

Am wondering if this is Bio's first marmite game!

 

 

Come on, Monte, just buy the game!

 

You know you want to...

[pmp10]

Yeah, I don't get why people say combat is dumbed down - it isn't. You just got as much options, plus it's more fun now.

How does the game cover the loss of free weapon selection then?

[Orogun01]

Played the whole afternoon today. I can see why people hate the game, but personally I think it's better than Origins. Game also looks better than the predecessor, don't know why people say the graphics sucks. The only thing I don't like graphically are the elves.

Look at the textures of the populated NPCs and do a few close ups to a few enemies.

 

I went and installed the game from one of my buddies disc and so far i'm not completely disappointed. It's a BW game through and through, that potential for greatness that could change the industry executed through the mentality of a 12 years boy.

The departure from Ferelden it's quite refreshing, being on a city and plenty of foreshadowing future conflicts( too much if you ask me) in this regard being in the middle of it and see it develop makes the world seem more reactive. There are those great moments where you can see C&C playing out perfectly and just draws you in. The Dialog wheel still facing problems with it's transitions, I've only seen very little of the supposed reaction that voice would have depending on the choices that you have "stacked".

Plenty of fanservice, apparently the only two people safe from Hawke's libido are Varric and his/her family (and that's only until the mods start to come out).

 

The character models are very high end as are the backgrounds (as they should be since it's obvious they spent a lot resources in them) The camera is horrible, it's either so close the character that you can't see what's going one or not far enough to get a full picture of the battlefield. The cloned environment are a tedium to traverse, specially after the 50 sidequests in Kirkwall. Warriors and Rogues trees were well done, don't like the dumbed down mages.

So far it's like any other BW game, mayhap a little less fun.

[Monte Carlo]

In the UK we have a saying for a game like this: 'Marmite'

 

Marmite is a beefy yeast extract spread that tends to polarize opinion - people either love it or hate it, there's nothing inbetween.

 

Am wondering if this is Bio's first marmite game!

 

 

Come on, Monte, just buy the game!

 

You know you want to...

 

No.

[sorophx]

the way i see it, a piece of entertainment can do two things, 1) be fun, 2) be stimulating (educationally, intellectually, artistically etc).

that's pretty much it

[Gromnir]

okie dokie. have been kinda avoiding this thread since the game release, nevertheless we did manage to play the game for 'bout 45 minutes and we got some feedback from a hardcore crpg fan o' ours who purchased the signature edition and got day 1.

 

impressions:

 

1) a,a,a,a,a,a,a,a will not = win... 'least not on hard or nightmare. we felt challenged by the combat, even if we thought the camera were pure suck. Gromnir has been comparing da2 to me, but is probable more fair to compare to je. the super-leaping combat moves is reminding us o' je more than other bio games. nevertheless, there is a significant tactical component to da2 combats.

 

2) nightmare = stoopid. is not challenging so much as ridiculous. there is seeming unavoidable stun effects and enemies that can instakill virtual everything save for sword and board tanks... and 2h warriors under the effect o' stonesomethingorother.

 

3) is still some terrible dialogues, but is not as bad as it were seeming in the demo. 'course we only got 45-minutes, so is not as if we got much o' a feel for story. our friend stopped at the end o' act 1 (with no intent o' continuing) and he were strangely ambivalent 'bout the story elements. he hated the emo elf warrior jnpc, but he thought varric were fun. as for the plot itself, end o' chapter 1 didn't seems to convince our acquaintance that da2 were progressing well or bad.

 

4) some o' the abilities don't seem to have much value save that they is a necessary requirement for some other ability. no improvement from da:o in that regard.

 

5) during the short time we played, we experienced a couple bugs related to access o' menus.

 

6) have seen compared to bg2, but is actual more similar to bg1... once you reach bg city. back 'n forth doing relative simple quests with loads o' combat. is no bg2 unseeing eye or thieves guild questage in kirkwall, but there is loads o' little quests occurring in identical seeming buildings and locations.

 

7) ...

 

POSSIBLE SPOILER

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our friend quit at the end o' chapter 1... and he were fuming mad 'bout it too. he were moderate enjoying the game and were irritated that he felt the need to abandon da2. we asked what were the cause o' his consternation, so he showed us. the Boss battle at then end o' chapter 1 were... odd. is tough for Gromnir to describe as we not have much game experience beyond crpgs and strategy games, but the boss battle reminded us o' console fighting games we played in the early 90's... and arcade games played in the 80's. to win the battle it seemed as if you not only needed the right party composition, but more than tactical consideration, you had to be very good at timing the movement o' your party so that you coulds escape the boss Mega Attacks that were telegraphed. were big columns in the boss battle room that served no purpose save to give the player something to use as cover. our friend noted that he played the battle on hard more than a dozen times before he beat the boss... figured out the correct patterns and positions to be utilizing. felt cheated. he quit.

 

end spoiler

 

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dunno. the game were buggy and performance lagged in specific locations in spite o' more than recommended system requirements. still, other than the boss battle, the game looked enjoyable enough, if not particularly deep or compelling.

 

side note... during the short time we played, anders hit on the male protagonist and we got 15 rivalry points for choosing the mild rebuff option for his advances. apparently anders is written by a 13 year-old girl.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[RPGmasterBoo]

Good thing to see the romances are there. Nothing like mandatory optional content.

 

I guess Bioware games will have romances even when they fall to Might and Magic IX level.

[Niten_Ryu]

Offical boards have been fun lately, now that several US gamers have finished or sometimes quit Dragon Age 2. It's that same pattern from various MMOG boards - First fanbois defend the game against everything, then they play it, ?, then K

[Tigranes]

Good thing to see the romances are there. Nothing like mandatory optional content.

 

Um, they're not.

[RPGmasterBoo]

Good thing to see the romances are there. Nothing like mandatory optional content.

 

Um, they're not.

 

Not what?

[Tigranes]

mandatory.

[RPGmasterBoo]

mandatory.

 

Seen a post NWN, BW game without one?

[Jaesun]

Disgruntled ex-fanbois never change. Next up is a long spiral towards RPGCodex boards and then you know you're truely gone. Stay strong ex-fanbois and gurls, it's not that bad, you always have your memories of the "best game ever"

Edited March 14, 2011 by Jaesun