Dragon Age: Inquisition

[Leferd]

Yeah, the metacritic user reviews are polarizing to say the least. :D

 

This one is... different. He gave the game a 10 naturally. The comedy value is off the charts:

 

In my opinion, this is the best RPG in the modern gaming world. Excellent work, Bioware. Under the glorious enlightenment and guidance from EA, a game publisher with precise long-term vision in future game development, Bioware finally manages to make a RPG suitable for everyone, but not just a game accessible only to a minority of hardcore RPG players.

 

DA: Origins is an old-school and medicore game only appealing to a tiny market niche. DA II breaks the medicority, and introduces the popular mass effect decision tree and button-mashing mechanics, which attracts tons of Call Of Duty (COD) and action gamers around the world, contributing to its great success. However, it still suffers from a linear and small game world, and repetitive dungeons.

 

DA: Inquisition evolves from its predecessors by combining the best elements of 2 popular RPGs in modern era. It adopts the sandbox open world, lightweight RPG perspective and enormous fetch quest system from the highly praised Elder Scroll Skyrim, as well as the popular decision tree mechanism and the combat elements from another Bioware's master piece, Mass Effects 3.

 

By having a cohesive reasonance of 2 best elements from 2 outstanding RPGs, and adding tons of creative elements, this game simply becomes one larger than the sum of all parts. You have a large world to explore, tons of item collection and FedEx quests to play with, and the best button mashing mechanics to finish off your opponents. Skyrim and this game is great because they both remove the annoying character stat building mechanism. Stat is now only granted from equipment, how amazing and creative, isn't it? In addition, this game adopts the perfect RPG gaming style of Skyrim, i.e. explore first, just forget the plot, which removes player's frustration to recall memory about the main quest and story line. This is just like a great and sincere invitation to all COD fans and action gamers, as well as any potential causal gamers. It caters for the taste of all gamers around the world via greatly enhancing its accessibility. It is a master of everything rather than a jerk of all trade. This is a game for everyone!

 

You may worry about that the return of the old-school tactical view from the mediocre DA:Origins may ruin your fantastic game play experience. Don't worry about that, it is just implemented for those hardcore players for their happiness in pausing the game all the time, breaking the pace of combat. This game can be handled easily by controlling your own character only under an action game style. The tactics setting of companion is simplified to an user friendly level for further accessibility. In contrast to DA: Origins, you can’t set up some complicated tactics for your companions, but this is unnecessary anyway. Friendly fire is disabled by default, so just forget your companions, and let them either fight or fall. You can handle fights easily by charging upfront and having high reflex in right timing of attack, dodge and button mashing. You can enjoy a fluid flow of combat all the time!

 

Overall, by removing the complexity and annoyance from old-school RPG, adding the best elements from 2 most famous modern RPGs, and introducing an exciting button mashing combat mechanics to the game, this game has reached the highest height of RPGs that none in the world could ever reach. This is a milestone of RPG development, and should be referred to in future development of RPGs. Today is an important day that marks the beginning of revolution in RPG history! A new era of RPG has come! From now on, we can step forwards and forget about all classic RPGs in the old-school days. Everyone, express your praise and gratitude towards our beloved developers, and join us to have fun in this master piece of art now!

 

In case if there are expansions or sequels for this gift from god, which are highly probable considering how successful this game is, we really hope that first-person shooting mode, QTEs and the mechanism of climbing tower to reveal map can be implemented. This will further induces passion from every gamers, because these elements are universally regarded by every gamer as the best features that have ever existed in shooter and action games!

 

By the way, I am looking forwards to see at least 1000 DLCs for this game, because its scope is so huge, and with so much potential to further expand on. Don't keep us waiting, our wallets are ready! We hope that our beloved developers will listen to our suggestion and request, and release the DLCs and expansions ASAP for us. ;)Collapse

 

Well, this seals the deal for me then.

[Keyrock]

I'm sorry, but posting a "review" of a game you haven't played is wrong.  Always.  As far as I'm concerned, it's flat out lying.  All the people doing this on metacritic (or wherever) to "send a message", as well as people purposely inflating or deflating their scores to 10/10 or 0/10, to "balance out" the "erroneous" scores others gave, are not helping to solve any problem, THEY ARE THE PROBLEM.

Edited November 18, 2014 by Keyrock

[Gorgon]

'Complexity and annoyance from old school RPG'. 

 

'Two outstanding modern RPGs (Skyrim and ME3)'

 

Mkay.

[Gorth]

I think I'm going to sit on the fence for this one for a least 2-3 months. Too much DRM, too little PC Support and apparently all of Biowares weaknesses and none of their strengths present in the game in its current state. Maybe it's something like NWN2 where the expansions are better than the original campaign...

[Tale]

Just out of curiosity, is there any sort of lore explanation given as to why mages can't heal anymore, or do they just ignore it? I might be able to forgive it if there's a lore reason (like, say, all the Fade craziness is causing magic to misbehave, so it's not safe to cast healing, and basically every mage is a D&D-style wild mage now), but if it's just for gameplay reasons with no explanation, that's not really acceptable as far as I'm concerned.

Most magical healing was only ever a game mechanic, with the overwhelming majority of in-setting healing being done with poultices and herbs. You didn't see mages treating wounded soldiers or anything.

 

Spirit Healers were real healers, though, but a very rare fluke that had no formal codification. Wynne didn't seem to have ever heard of it before.

[kgambit]

I'm sorry, but posting a "review" of a game you haven't played is wrong.  Always.  As far as I'm concerned, it's flat out lying.  All the people doing this on metacritic (or wherever) to "send a message", as well as people purposely inflating or deflating their scores to 10/10 or 0/10, to "balance out" the "erroneous" scores others gave, are not helping to solve any problem, THEY ARE THE PROBLEM.

 

^this

 

I wonder how many of the folks who haven't played a game and posted a "user review" of it are also grousing about ethics in game journalism?

[Malcador]

I thought he reviewed it without buying it. Which is surprisingly easy in many ways.

[Sarex]

Wait can't you review a game by watching streams and videos? I don't see what the issue is, you don't have to own a game to know that it's good or crap.

Edited November 18, 2014 by Sarex

[prodigydancer]

Just an answer everyone at once to save time: a review is just an opinion. I have my opinion on DAI now and it's final unless we'll see some pretty big changes which I believe isn't going to happen.

 

With this said I suggest that we agree to disagree on the matter.

Edited November 18, 2014 by prodigydancer

[Tale]

Wait can't you review a game by watching streams and videos? I don't see what the issue is, you don't have to own a game to know that it's good or crap.

I'd say sure you can, but just don't pretend you actually know what the controls and gameplay are like.

 

You don't have to own a game, sure, but that's a whole other matter. You should at least play a game before making a definitive assertion. Making a judgement call on if it's worth risking is what we all do before we buy a game, but it's silly to make recommendations to others with only such limited experience.

[Sarex]

I'd say sure you can, but just don't pretend you actually know what the controls and gameplay are like.

 

You don't have to own a game, sure, but that's a whole other matter. You should at least play a game before making a definitive assertion. Making a judgement call on if it's worth risking is what we all do before we buy a game, but it's silly to make recommendations to others with only such limited experience.

 

Yeah I guess that's fair.

[kgambit]

Wait can't you review a game by watching streams and videos? I don't see what the issue is, you don't have to own a game to know that it's good or crap.

 

There's a big difference between saying "I won't buy this game because of what I saw on streams / videos / previews etc." and passing off that "opinion" as a "review" based on actually playing the game.  The former is fair game; the latter is simply lying.

 

Reread PD's "opinion".  It reads as though he has actually played the game (e.g. game stutter).  The entire text reads as though he has actually played the game and by his own admission he has not. 

 

Now do you get it?

 

Ninja'd by Tale. 

Edited November 18, 2014 by kgambit

[Keyrock]

Wait can't you review a game by watching streams and videos? I don't see what the issue is, you don't have to own a game to know that it's good or crap.

You can formulate a "this doesn't look good to me" opinion from watching a video, but, to me, a review is more than that.  A review suggests hands-on experience with the product.  A review suggests to me that the person physically tried the product, hopefully extensively, and is giving you their honest assessment based on actual experience. 

 

Edit:  I'll make one exception.  You can probably properly review a David Cage "game" from watching a video, since there isn't much in the way of actual gameplay anyway. 

Edited November 18, 2014 by Keyrock

[ShadySands]

I'm not very familiar with Skyrim or Oblivion but it does remind me a bit of FarCry 3 with all the capturing of locations and random activities. A lot of the activities are just finding things like shards and telescope-like things (the name escapes me at the moment) which prompts a fill in the constellation mini game. Also, some treasure map stuff and collect x of y or close all the breaches. Some of the platforming puzzles are a little wonky since you don't have very fine control over your characters movement but there isn't much of it. The few maps that I've been to outside of Val Royeaux have all been fairly large but even VR was bigger than I expected when I heard it was just the marketplace.

 

My main gripes so far are that I spend so much time running from place to place and that the camera is still much too close for my tastes. The mounts help a bit with the running but you lose the banter which to me has been enjoyable so far.

 

That said, I'm having fun with it even with all the content padding. The bottom line is that it isn't the game that I want Bioware to make but it's good for what it is

Edited November 18, 2014 by ShadySands

[archangel979]

There's a big difference between saying "I won't buy this game because of what I saw on streams / videos / previews etc." and passing off that "opinion" as a "review" based on actually playing the game.  The former is fair game; the latter is simply lying.

 

Reread PD's "opinion".  It reads as though he has actually played the game (e.g. game stutter).  The entire text reads as though he has actually played the game and by his own admission he has not. 

 

Now do you get it?

 

Ninja'd by Tale. 

Well you can see this stutter on live streams. I watched two professional streamers yesterday and both had this stutter on good machines.

[kgambit]

 

Well you can see this stutter on live streams. I watched two professional streamers yesterday and both had this stutter on good machines.

 

 

 

 

You're missing the point.   The stutter comment was simply to point out that PD didn't have first hand experience with it (or some of the other issues he has with the game) because he didn't play the game.    Simple enough.

 

You might be right that there is an actual problem with stutter - but I simply won't take PD's word for it, or any of the rest of his critique for that matter, since he hasn't played the game himself and hasn't experienced that problem first hand.  For all I know, the stutter problems he claimed exists might be from playing the game on an under spec system.   How the heck do I know?   I sure can't ask him what system he played the game on because, oh wait he didn't play it.  Seriously, wouldn't you want input from someone who has actually played the game instead of second hand information? 

 

PD is entitled to his "opinion" about DA:I but passing that off as an actual review is BS.   How much simpler can I make it?  

 

FWIW I am holding off on buying DA:I until the price drops (if I buy it at all).  But I will do so after I read some honest critiques of the game based on actual in game experience.  PD's "review" doesn't qualify.  

 

PS:  Can you provide links to videos of those streams please?  Not that I doubt you - I'm actually curious as to what real issues might exist.

Edited November 18, 2014 by kgambit

[archangel979]

Cohhcarnage and Lirik are two streamers I watched. I cba to find specific videos of their streams, you can google it if you want.

 

BTW, there is also nothing stopping those giving 10 from doing so without playing the game.

 

I would say, best thing is to watch a live stream and decide by yourself. I watched it for few hours (mostly starting areas) and decided I don't care about the game. I would not even pirate it if I could.

[kgambit]

Cohhcarnage and Lirik are two streamers I watched. I cba to find specific videos of their streams, you can google it if you want.

 

BTW, there is also nothing stopping those giving 10 from doing so without playing the game.

 

I would say, best thing is to watch a live stream and decide by yourself. I watched it for few hours (mostly starting areas) and decided I don't care about the game. I would not even pirate it if I could.

 

Thanks for the info on the streamers. 

 

Yes, you're right.  The folks giving 10s without playing the game aren't any better.  Neither action justifies the other imo.

 

PS:  Found Cohhcarnage's stream on Twitch.  I saw one instance of stutter related to a character path finding problem.  Didn't see any combat stutter although there might have been some frame rate drops once or twice.   Party banter is really good.  HUGE game world and LOTS of exploration to do.  I think I see where the Fed Ex / collection quest comments are coming from.   Still watching.    His twitch stream is probably going to be running for a few days. 

 

http://www.twitch.tv/cohhcarnage

Edited November 18, 2014 by kgambit

[Drowsy Emperor]

It doesn't matter, the user score balances itself out in time when the system has enough numbers to get a good average.

 

I see more than a few legitimate criticisms among the low user scores, but it will take a week at least until enough people complete the game for the user score to be really telling, one way or the other

[Fighter]

So does anyone trust the actual gaming sites' review scores anymore? The game is getting solid scores and yet that seems almost meaningless.

Edited November 18, 2014 by Fighter

[Labadal]

My copy got delayed. I know this even before the European release date is here. i guess I can focus on other games. I'll be happy if I get my copy before the end of the month.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

So do the specializations make a big difference in how a class plays?

[Gromnir]

So does anyone trust the actual gaming sites; review scores anymore? The game is getting solid scores and yet that seems almost meaningless.

am gonna suggest that looking for some kinda truth about game quality from gaming sites has always been a waste of effort. similarly, we find it difficult to gauge the qualities of movies or restaurants or cars or computer based on the weight of reviews.  advice: find a reviewer whose tastes match yours.  example: we did not always agree with desslock reasonings, but we found that his reviews at pc gamer were a good predictor o' Gromnir enjoyment o' a game. nowadays, since we never buys a game on day one 'less it is a kickstarter, we wait +6 months and then get feedback from individual gamers with whom we is simpatico. 

 

HA! Good Fun!

[ShadySands]

So do the specializations make a big difference in how a class plays?

Yep

[Tale]

My copy got delayed. I know this even before the European release date is here. i guess I can focus on other games. I'll be happy if I get my copy before the end of the month.

Mind will be arriving sometime between the 20th and 25th. Which works for me because I'm not even getting a PS4 until Black Friday.