Half-way through the game and I gotta say: DA2 is pretty awesome. Having to customize each companions armor isn't that important, especially since you still have to manage weapon and accessories. It has the bonus that my party doesn't look like it had a bad run-in with a vengeful costume shop. I stopped caring about graphics sometime in the PS2 so that is that. The maps can get a litle redundant but that is just... meh, who cares. The dialogue may give you a illusion of choice but it's a really good one, with your character actually speaking, and his overall attitude changing if you pick enough answers of the same type (my rogue oozes sarcarsm). The thing that really mattersm or should really matter, on an RPG is the story. And that is, once again, as it is what I expected from Bioware, superb, magnific, awesome, and a bunch of other nifty adjectives. Not Biowares best (ME2, if you're interested) but still a solid and fun game.
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Still getting into it. Disappointed that my rogue can't pick up anthing but knives, and I can't fight with a fighter one handed. *sigh* I do like that the wizard's not an 'I win' button anymore.
Oh, and Carver's a jerk.
I do think the animation is a lot smoother, and the fights more fluid. Playing with friendly fire on looks to be dangerous with Bianca to say the least.
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I think there are two kinds of fan reviews : the rabid foaming at the mouth ones, and the ones that have a structured argument and explain what they like / dislike.
Besides, the professional reviewers in my country have not been kind to DA2. Most everybody agree that it is way inferior to the original even if they take pains to write things in a soft enough fashion as not to offend EA.
Sufficiently so, that I only purchased the soundtrack, and even then, I feel shortchanged.
I'm playing it, but not very impressed.Elder Scrolls V is dated for this December i read :-(Has Skyrim been pushed back from its target November 11th release date?
I could be wrong of course..could have written December instead of November, then the time to edit the post expired
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Still getting into it. Disappointed that my rogue can't pick up anthing but knives, and I can't fight with a fighter one handed. *sigh* I do like that the wizard's not an 'I win' button anymore.
Oh, and Carver's a jerk.
I do think the animation is a lot smoother, and the fights more fluid. Playing with friendly fire on looks to be dangerous with Bianca to say the least.
The PC rogue can actually use bows as well, but if Archery is not your strong suit, then knives are all you get. NPC Rogues are limited to either the short blades or bows.
And yes, Carver can be a jerk. But keep in mind that he's had to live in your character's shadow all of his life. That's why his skin is so pale.
(Sorry, couldn't resist the Luigi reference there....)
Finished the game twice on the PS3 (using the short blades-style rogue and the sword-and-board warrior). I'm on my third play through as the mage. Mages still have an easier time of it than the other classes. I've found that the warrior is actually the hardest one to play through with. If you're not paying close attention to how the warrior is set up it can go all wrong for you real quick.
Loved the first DA. Love the second one just as much, but for different reasons. Can't wait for DLC to be released for DA 2.
Ok, re-read this entire thread again before posting.
I was one of those who bought into the negative reviews of this game, and having just finished a playthrough (mage), I have to say to those still sitting on the fence...this is a great game.
Actually, better to say it becomes a great game. For most of the 1st Act (3 total), I was thinking, this is fun but maybe subpar for a Bioware game. But as time progresses in-game, and you start to see how prior decisions play out, and you interact more w/ your party members, and the overall plot starts to flesh out...I really think this game shines.
I don't think it's flawless by any means. While I don't truly care about my companions' personal armor being customizable, like some do, the combat is a bit repetitive, and the recycled environments and dungeons gets a little old. But I play RPG's for the story, and specifically Bioware RPG's, for the characters, the dialogue, and nowadays, the voice acting. All of these things are superb in this game.
Another thing I liked about this was that, unlike the good/evil dichotomy in DA: Origins, this game was all about shades of grey. I agonized over certain decisions, especially late in the game. But the conflict in Act 3 also did a great job of following up on an obvious tension between factions in the 1st game. Sounds like the lid's been blown off, and I'm curious how much that will have to do w/ the 3rd game.
Speaking of which, while I have no insider information, a few strong hints (Bodahn & Sandal's future location) pretty much give away where that game will take place...
Having Isabella & Aveline frequently in your party gives some of the best dialogue and sniping I've ever heard in a game. Similar to Morrigan & Alistair from the 1st game. As for Isabella, wow, her salty talk was something else. No wonder this is a "M" for Mature game.
Debating a 2nd playthrough now as a fighter.
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I think that to me I fully acknowledge that this would be something I would consider a really great game from any other company, much of the negative views are based on the fact that people expect such a higher standard from Bioware.
The dialogue and overall story was great, though there was certainly a level of railroading that I would have preferred to avoid. However, the absurdly heavy re-use of art assets(when I read reviews I was thinking it was blown out of proportion and it was something where you went back to the same location a few years later and the map hadn't changed, not that you would go into a mansion then walk down the street to another mansion and it was the exact same layout except with different doors blocked. Even so far as having the hallways you can't get to, but you could in the other version still on the map), a few big 'forget what we said about these people before, this is canon now' type of things and just the general simplification really put me off.
I'm ok with simplifying things in a lot of ways, I enjoyed the new crafting system and the new way skill trees were presented. Even making combat more of a flowing thing than the more traditional style of DA:O wasn't something I took as big negative, so many of those sort of things just stacked on top of each other that it stopped being a simplification and more of a dumbing down for wider market share. I tend to lay that blame more on EA than Bioware, especially with some of the shareholder statements they have said about Mass Effect 3, but it still lead to a pretty heavy hit when it comes to expectations vs what was received.
A very good and enjoyable game, I think most of the scathing reviews you see are based on 'very good' not being up to what you normally get from Bioware.
You summed it up very well Tarlane. The only thing that bothered me per se was the re-use of the environments w/ slight variations. My guess was they did this cutting of corners b/c of a short production time schedule. Not that this makes it palatable, but perhaps understandable. But I certainly hope they don't repeat that for DA 3.
Now replaying as a fighter w/ different choices and dialogue.
One minor nitpick I left out of my earlier review: it's almost not worth it to get Cunning up to 40 for the Master chests. There was only 1 in Act 2, and it held junk. Not that many in Act 3 either. I think if you're going to reward players who pumped Cunning that high instead of Dexterity, there should have been more Master chests; or at least, better rewards in those few that existed.
Spoiler-free recommendation: when you go into the Fade, take Isabella w/ you, and get a hilarious line of dialogue when you encounter the Desire Demon. Unless you're unaware of popular music (from about 10-15 years ago), you'll get the joke ;-)
In Game Informer's review, they indicated that you could really see the difference in the amalgamation of console and PC systems, in particular the loss of pausing combat by hitting the space bar to give individual tactical decisions was removed for PC. Is this true, and how does it effect gameplay?
I will say the reported loss of this mechanic has prevented me from purchasing this already. And put it in the I'll buy it eventually catagory.
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I play the PC version MeanDM and pausing was perfectly viable for splitting tactics among your party. Combat is designed to be much more free flowing and 'actiony' and the AI of your group seems to be better than in the original(you still pick cause and effect type of abilities, but it was made much easier to set up combos and such since each of the classes can create a status effect on an enemy that one of the other classes can work off), but anytime you wish you can still pause the game and set up any party members next action.
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You summed it up very well Tarlane. The only thing that bothered me per se was the re-use of the environments w/ slight variations. My guess was they did this cutting of corners b/c of a short production time schedule. Not that this makes it palatable, but perhaps understandable. But I certainly hope they don't repeat that for DA 3.
Now replaying as a fighter w/ different choices and dialogue.
One minor nitpick I left out of my earlier review: it's almost not worth it to get Cunning up to 40 for the Master chests. There was only 1 in Act 2, and it held junk. Not that many in Act 3 either. I think if you're going to reward players who pumped Cunning that high instead of Dexterity, there should have been more Master chests; or at least, better rewards in those few that existed.
Spoiler-free recommendation: when you go into the Fade, take Isabella w/ you, and get a hilarious line of dialogue when you encounter the Desire Demon. Unless you're unaware of popular music (from about 10-15 years ago), you'll get the joke ;-)
Cunning also boosts critical damage, so there is some reason to boost Cunning anyway.
I play the PC version MeanDM and pausing was perfectly viable for splitting tactics among your party. Combat is designed to be much more free flowing and 'actiony' and the AI of your group seems to be better than in the original(you still pick cause and effect type of abilities, but it was made much easier to set up combos and such since each of the classes can create a status effect on an enemy that one of the other classes can work off), but anytime you wish you can still pause the game and set up any party members next action.
Cool! Thank you so much! Increasing the AI of the party is a good thing... I had enjoyed the pause, issue order, unpause, rinse repeat, 'cause it reminded me so much of Balder's Gate, plus I like strategy RPGs. Based on what you said, I'll definately pick it up.
Just finished it and even though I have a lot of things I would have changed, I found that I liked Dragon Age 2. What I'd like to know is...
Spoiler:
Just finished it and even though I have a lot of things I would have changed, I found that I liked Dragon Age 2. What I'd like to know is...
Spoiler: ** spoiler omitted **
I will say that this is one of the most robust game engines I've played on. Being about to alt-tab out and browse without crashing is a hell of a plus for me. I'm not a fan of the NPCs for the most part, but with Legacy being as good as it was I think I'll keep grabbing the DLCs.
Just finished it and even though I have a lot of things I would have changed, I found that I liked Dragon Age 2. What I'd like to know is...
Spoiler: ** spoiler omitted **
I will say that this is one of the most robust game engines I've played on. Being about to alt-tab out and browse without crashing is a hell of a plus for me. I'm not a fan of the NPCs for the most part, but with Legacy being as good as it was I think I'll keep grabbing the DLCs.
** spoiler omitted **