Dragon Age: Inquisition

[archangel979]

 

Indeed pause is in, as is tactical view. Imagine a game, where you can...

-roam around rather freely, if not to the extent in the Elder Scrolls games

-where the size of the maps and their great number is overwhelming, and just as varied as in Kingdoms of Amalur (you'll need steeds, goddamn it!)

-where the tempo and balance between combat and RPG-ing, if you will, is cleverly varied. You can have 1h just exploring and talking, and then 1h fighting

-where the music, the sound FX, and the graphics are top notch (and the character creation is extremely detailed)

-where the colours are vibrant, but not all the way cartoonish, like in D3 or D:OS, but rather more Bioshock, with some spooky elements and bloody gore to it all

-where you have great writing and loads of varied and interesting VOed NPCs (like the Mystery Box ware), involving companions, and gazillion of choices

-where hidden stuff, places and items abound (a reminder - you can jump! Use those frog-legs!)

-where you very soon get a strategic mission perspective on both Ferelden and Orlais in the War Room, using your influence and your agents IAoVH2-style

-where you get a stronghold that put all other strongholds to shame, including that in NWN2

-where any need for manic collection of ingredients will get madly stimulated, and you'll have an easy and fun crafting system to beat (I usually hate crafting)

-where itemization and item comparisons are bordering on ARPGs like D3 (the amount of stuff, though, is not that crazy)

-where Hard and Nightmare actually is pretty strategic as far as combat goes

-where you don't have any awful QTE combat, like in Amalur

-where scouting ahead and sneaking is in, but not always overpowered, like in Skyrim

-where you easily can run into enemies that will pulverize you

-where you actually care about your character and those companions in your party (all fully VOed)

-and, where you have romances for those so inclined!

 

I'm not exactly an EA fan, as previous posts of mine can prove, but having installed Origin and bought DA:I is nothing I regret in the slightest. It's entertaining, addictive and a darn good CRPG!    

 

I haven't played MMOs (well, I tried LotR Online just for Ziets' sake), so I can't tell if it is similar to any of them. But who cares? Obviously, there is some handholding, the controls and camera in the PC version takes a bit of time to get used to (nothing my gaming mouse can't handle) and some stuff is simplified and not very intricate. It's still a great game.

 

In my opinion, it's already the best DA game so far. I really liked DA:O in many ways, but combat was pretty awful, and I got sick of Darkspawns, Darkspawns, Darkspawns everywhere and its faction quest predictability.

 

 

This is the type of feedback I appreciate, its made by someone who has actually played the game and is done in way that is reasonable and objective

 

 

By the way Indira have you experienced any Romance arcs? I know this is relatively unchartered RPG territory for you so I'm keen to see what you think?

 

There is nothing objective about this. People that enjoy things are always going to be praising over the top and people that hate things are always going to be bashing over the top. At best you can believe people that you know enjoy same kind of things as you do.

[IndiraLightfoot]

True. Whatever my list was, it was simply my impressions of the game.

[BruceVC]

 

 

Indeed pause is in, as is tactical view. Imagine a game, where you can...

-roam around rather freely, if not to the extent in the Elder Scrolls games

-where the size of the maps and their great number is overwhelming, and just as varied as in Kingdoms of Amalur (you'll need steeds, goddamn it!)

-where the tempo and balance between combat and RPG-ing, if you will, is cleverly varied. You can have 1h just exploring and talking, and then 1h fighting

-where the music, the sound FX, and the graphics are top notch (and the character creation is extremely detailed)

-where the colours are vibrant, but not all the way cartoonish, like in D3 or D:OS, but rather more Bioshock, with some spooky elements and bloody gore to it all

-where you have great writing and loads of varied and interesting VOed NPCs (like the Mystery Box ware), involving companions, and gazillion of choices

-where hidden stuff, places and items abound (a reminder - you can jump! Use those frog-legs!)

-where you very soon get a strategic mission perspective on both Ferelden and Orlais in the War Room, using your influence and your agents IAoVH2-style

-where you get a stronghold that put all other strongholds to shame, including that in NWN2

-where any need for manic collection of ingredients will get madly stimulated, and you'll have an easy and fun crafting system to beat (I usually hate crafting)

-where itemization and item comparisons are bordering on ARPGs like D3 (the amount of stuff, though, is not that crazy)

-where Hard and Nightmare actually is pretty strategic as far as combat goes

-where you don't have any awful QTE combat, like in Amalur

-where scouting ahead and sneaking is in, but not always overpowered, like in Skyrim

-where you easily can run into enemies that will pulverize you

-where you actually care about your character and those companions in your party (all fully VOed)

-and, where you have romances for those so inclined!

 

I'm not exactly an EA fan, as previous posts of mine can prove, but having installed Origin and bought DA:I is nothing I regret in the slightest. It's entertaining, addictive and a darn good CRPG!    

 

I haven't played MMOs (well, I tried LotR Online just for Ziets' sake), so I can't tell if it is similar to any of them. But who cares? Obviously, there is some handholding, the controls and camera in the PC version takes a bit of time to get used to (nothing my gaming mouse can't handle) and some stuff is simplified and not very intricate. It's still a great game.

 

In my opinion, it's already the best DA game so far. I really liked DA:O in many ways, but combat was pretty awful, and I got sick of Darkspawns, Darkspawns, Darkspawns everywhere and its faction quest predictability.

 

 

This is the type of feedback I appreciate, its made by someone who has actually played the game and is done in way that is reasonable and objective

 

 

By the way Indira have you experienced any Romance arcs? I know this is relatively unchartered RPG territory for you so I'm keen to see what you think?

 

There is nothing objective about this. People that enjoy things are always going to be praising over the top and people that hate things are always going to be bashing over the top. At best you can believe people that you know enjoy same kind of things as you do.

 

 

I disagree because there is also criticism about what is not ideal, so its not all "praising over the top"

 

You can also be objective and say something is very good.

[Amentep]

 

I'm early in the game, but enjoying it so far. 

Blaspheme!

 

Probably, it seems popular to hate.

 

 

 

I'm early in the game, but enjoying it so far.

Don't forget to leave the Hinterlands...

 

 

Yeah, it seems pretty obvious you're not supposed to do the early sections chronologically.  That said, uncovering blank areas on a map was fun to me in BG1 so I probably overstayed in the HInterlands (was still fun... )

 

I've started a second game to test a few things (and I'm a horrible restarter).

EDIT: I'm still early in the game (because of restarting and wandering the hinterlands) but I love the big line of sights; on the storm coast saw a dragon fighting a large giant creature on the opposite beach and I just watched it for awhile.

Edited November 25, 2014 by Amentep

[Guard Dog]

I've started a second game to test a few things (and I'm a horrible restarter).

 

  Don't worry, you are in good company on that note. I don't think I've ever had a PC I didn't hate 3/4 of the way through any game. Or a game I didn't wish I had played differently 3/4 of the way through.

Edited November 25, 2014 by Guard Dog

[MrBrown]

I played to when you go to Skyhold for the first time to see how the game works, then restarted on Nightmare. I'm currently on level 10, have mostly done Hinterlands and now working on Storm Coast. I plan to take it slow, otherwise I might get stuck in the story quests.

[Enoch]

You can also be objective and say something is very good.

 

The better argument isn't that Indira is "objective," it's that his/her impressions are based on actual experience with the game, unlike those of certain other folks posting in this thread.  (For example, me.) 

 

All opinions are subjective in one way or another, but that doesn't mean that all of them should be accorded the same weight. 

Edited November 25, 2014 by Enoch

[BruceVC]

http://www.pcgamer.com/sex-and-bioware/

 

Here is a good read about the relevance and importance of Romance in Bioware games

 

I'll post this in the Romance thread as well

[Gorgon]

I would probably get it on sale, but in Danish Origin everything is always 500 kr (about 90 $). Obviously deliberate not to have a PC version be cheaper than a console version of the same. 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

 

I've started a second game to test a few things (and I'm a horrible restarter).

 

  Don't worry, you are in good company on that note. I don't think I've ever had a PC I didn't hate 3/4 of the way through any game. Or a game I didn't wish I had played differently 3/4 of the way through.

Whenever I play New Vegas, I always feel that I should have built guns because All-American is cool as hell or energy weapons for gauss. When I get to mid-level I always start wishing I would've done the other and sometimes I stop because I keep thinking about it.

 

As an aside, a gauss marksman carbine would be awesome.

[Fighter]

I would probably get it on sale, but in Danish Origin everything is always 500 kr (about 90 $). Obviously deliberate not to have a PC version be cheaper than a console version of the same. 

 

I always buy CD-keys online. I've saved buckets of cash this way. You can find DAI fro about 35 euros right now, whereas it's 59,95 on Origin. In a few months it'll be less than 20, which is when I will probably get it.

Edited November 25, 2014 by Fighter

[Amentep]

 

I've started a second game to test a few things (and I'm a horrible restarter).

 

  Don't worry, you are in good company on that note. I don't think I've ever had a PC I didn't hate 3/4 of the way through any game. Or a game I didn't wish I had played differently 3/4 of the way through.

 

 

Weirdly I usually restart a lot early in the game but am okay if I commit to it.

 

Although I did restart Dragon Age: Origins right at the final fight (not realizing I was at the end of the game or I probably wouldn't have done that - durrr).

[Enoch]

Although I did restart Dragon Age: Origins right at the final fight (not realizing I was at the end of the game or I probably wouldn't have done that - durrr).

 

How could one possibly not realize that they were at/near the end of DA:O??! 

 

It's been a while since I played it, but isn't it communicated very clearly that the other plot threads have been wrapped up and that it's time to go kill the Archdemon? 

[Amentep]

 

Although I did restart Dragon Age: Origins right at the final fight (not realizing I was at the end of the game or I probably wouldn't have done that - durrr).

 

How could one possibly not realize that they were at/near the end of DA:O??! 

 

It's been a while since I played it, but isn't it communicated very clearly that the other plot threads have been wrapped up and that it's time to go kill the Archdemon? 

 

 

It wasn't the final fight, it was  the "going to Denerim for the landsmeet" bit so not the end end, but like right at the end.  So I misspoke.  I restarted right after getting to Denerim so still had the Alienage and a few other quests to do.

Edited November 25, 2014 by Amentep

[Naurgalen]

My first impressions:

 

+ Amazing Graphics ,Art & Landscapes

+ Amazing Music & Sounds FX (+ the tavern songs, that are the (very) improved version of Skyrim bards in taverns)

+ Nice roleplay: Having used the Keep feature + being Dalish opened in the 5 first hours a lot of "unique" dialogues. If this continues it certainly is one of the games with more considerations in dialogue about your race / what you did in previous games.

+ Jumping / Elevations are not just for the looks or "being more MMRPG": You can use them in strategic positioning, some skills take them in consideration and they are even used in some battles as a mechanic.

+ Strategic Camera / Mode is needed for harder difficulty modes + friendly fire, normal is easy, probably made to play in a hack& slash gameplay from third person and giving orders with hotkeys at real time. (So you can play the game in 2 completely different ways)

+ Interesting crafting

 

= Story so far is decent, in the levels of BG but with FAR more roleplaying options. (but less than P:T)

= Animation quality is varied, sometimes amazing sometimes not.

 

- The game was made for consoles, and the UI suffers for it. Still, its not terrible, except for...

- 1) The strategic camera sucks at the moment... yes it can somehow be used in open terrain but in dungeons its a mess because it is limited by the ceiling (fortunately there seems to be little indoor fights) Hopefully they fix it and let you zoom out more.

- 2) Nvidia players as myself might seem some problems, I had 2 crashes to desktop from graphic drivers problems. The good news in a couple of days Nvidia is patching these issues.

 

 

Subjective things:

 

- I don't like fetch quests even if they are secondary or tertiary, I know Devs can use them to fill the world with hundreds of things to do, but I'm a man that prefers quality vs quantity, and always feel that the time would be better used in main / more complex quests. That is why "open-world rpgs" appeal me less than the classics. Still I know that they have some advantages 2.

- I haven't met all the companions, but I like the ones I had :D

 

 

Overall it seems like a good solid game, 7-8. 9 if the story improves drastically. We will see.

[Amentep]

+ Jumping / Elevations are not just for the looks or "being more MMRPG": You can use them in strategic positioning, some skills take them in consideration and they are even used in some battles as a mechanic.

 

I really liked this when I was test playing an archer.   But positioning and elevations also helpped as a mage - being able to get up on a high enough perch that the enemy had trouble getting to me saved my glass cannon from being a broken cannon a couple of times!

[Volourn]

"Like i said, any games that requires my own reflex are games with RPG elements, not a real RPG, Diablo is such. The character survival is depend on my own effort, meaning how fast i click or pushing the button, not the character own attributes."

 

EXcept  stats do matter in DA3. It's why some enemies are basically impossible to beat at low level no matter how skilled you are at jumping around or fighting. You keep making stuff up and embaraassing yourself.

 

DA3 isn't perfect and there are things to be criticized but you keep harping on the wrong things. That's not a surprise though since you haven't even played it. L0L

[MrBrown]

Crap, I forgot DA2 had this thing with elemental immunities on Nightmare. Looks like DA:I has them too; now I really regret making up a party with two mages. :/

[Humanoid]

 

I would probably get it on sale, but in Danish Origin everything is always 500 kr (about 90 $). Obviously deliberate not to have a PC version be cheaper than a console version of the same.

 

I always buy CD-keys online. I've saved buckets of cash this way. You can find DAI fro about 35 euros right now, whereas it's 59,95 on Origin. In a few months it'll be less than 20, which is when I will probably get it.

 

People have been buying it from the UPlay Ukraine store for the equivalent of $25USD.

[Qistina]

"Like i said, any games that requires my own reflex are games with RPG elements, not a real RPG, Diablo is such. The character survival is depend on my own effort, meaning how fast i click or pushing the button, not the character own attributes."

 

EXcept  stats do matter in DA3. It's why some enemies are basically impossible to beat at low level no matter how skilled you are at jumping around or fighting. You keep making stuff up and embaraassing yourself.

 

DA3 isn't perfect and there are things to be criticized but you keep harping on the wrong things. That's not a surprise though since you haven't even played it. L0L

 

Yeah right, where's the stats? You just automatically increase stats at level up, and the game is made for item dependant, to make players seeking loots to get better equipment

 

This game now have been well known bad, no matter how one want depend it, this game is bad overall. If they ever fix the issue, the game is still bad...everything is wrong in this game

[Volourn]

"Yeah right, where's the stats? You just automatically increase stats at level up,"

 

Why be so ignorant?  It's easy to tell you don't play the game.

 

"and the game is made for item dependant, "

 

yeah, because DA wasn't. or FO. Or PST. Or BG2. Or pick whatever RPG ever.

 

 

"to make players seeking loots to get better equipment"

 

You mean likem basically every (a)rpg ever? O.M.G.

 

 

 

"This game now have been well known bad, no matter how one want depend it, this game is bad overall. If they ever fix the issue, the game is still bad...everything is wrong in this game"

 

Known by who? Those who haven't played it? Their opinion is meaningless - espicially those who who don't even know what they don't knows. 'Stats incrase when you level up' GHAHAHAHAHA!

 

btw, If levels are meaningless try to fight enemies higher elevels than you.   Much harder (if not impossible w/o cheese) than those within level range... just like any other RPG.

 

It's also sad that the Codex can actually made legit criticism of the game while here on the Obsidian baords all the heavy naysayers are pure ignorant. The Codex actually makes decent points. Not sad , though. Codex posters tend to be a lot more rpg literate than Obsidian posters.

[Qistina]

 

Known by who? Those who haven't played it? Their opinion is meaningless - espicially those who who don't even know what they don't knows. 'Stats incrase when you level up' GHAHAHAHAHA!

 

btw, If levels are meaningless try to fight enemies higher elevels than you.   Much harder (if not impossible w/o cheese) than those within level range... just like any other RPG.

 

 

So stats don't increase when level up? What kind of a game is that? That suck

 

I watch videos, i don't need to play it to know the game is bad, it is like i don't need to jump from 13th floor to know it is a bad idea.

 

Maybe i will play it eventually, i just wait for Captain Jack Sparrow....

 

Stats don't increase...no wonder...

 

 

Anyway, at The Bioware Forum, DA:i section, the forumers there are not like what being expected for an overhyped game, just around 500 or so who active vews on posts, only 10-20 who reply on most posts, the mods are silent...lol

Edited November 26, 2014 by Qistina

[Volourn]

"So stats don't increase when level up? What kind of a game is that? That suck"

 

Stats don't increase in BG2 when level up. That sucks.

 

 

P.S. I personally hate the fact you can't increase stats on level up but your logic yet again shows how sad your opinion is.

 

Games aren't movies. They're meant to be played. I always get bored watching gameplay videos. I have never watched a let's play video from start to end.  Games are meant to be played not watch.

[Qistina]

"So stats don't increase when level up? What kind of a game is that? That suck"

 

Stats don't increase in BG2 when level up. That sucks.

 

 

P.S. I personally hate the fact you can't increase stats on level up but your logic yet again shows how sad your opinion is.

 

Games aren't movies. They're meant to be played. I always get bored watching gameplay videos. I have never watched a let's play video from start to end.  Games are meant to be played not watch.

 

 

What is there to play if there is no stats?

 

Even Skyrim have stats, although it being simplified, at least the perks are okay...and at least i can hide and shoot Frost Trolls at lower level...

 

I watched the videos, both from fans and the ones who pissed off with the game. i want to know before i decide. I was actually buying a game based on it's cover, and game company logo, turn out to be bad and not of my taste before. Since then i will watch game plays and reviews, both pro and contra before actually buying a game.

 

oh, i don't play BG and Neverwinter Nights...the first Bioware game i play is KotOR

Edited November 26, 2014 by Qistina

[BruceVC]

 

"So stats don't increase when level up? What kind of a game is that? That suck"

 

Stats don't increase in BG2 when level up. That sucks.

 

 

P.S. I personally hate the fact you can't increase stats on level up but your logic yet again shows how sad your opinion is.

 

Games aren't movies. They're meant to be played. I always get bored watching gameplay videos. I have never watched a let's play video from start to end.  Games are meant to be played not watch.

 

 

What is there to play if there is no stats?

 

Even Skyrim have stats, although it being simplified, at least the perks are okay...and at least i can hide and shoot Frost Trolls at lower level...

 

I watched the videos, both from fans and the ones who pissed off with the game. i want to know before i decide. I was actually buying a game based on it's cover, and game company logo, turn out to be bad and not of my taste before. Since then i will watch game plays and reviews, both pro and contra before actually buying a game.

 

oh, i don't play BG and Neverwinter Nights...the first Bioware game i play is KotOR

 

 

If Volo buys you a copy of DA:I to convince you its a good game would you play it then ?