OT: Dragon Age: Origins

[Danimal]

There is an expansion planned for March that is after the story of the first game. You can use your character or start a new guy.



SPOILER BELOW
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..

.
..
.
.
.
.
.
I'm guessing it's that way because it is possible for your character to die at the end of DA in some of the endings. I decided to give Morrigan my seed so I didn't die but one of my friends did not and he did die, but in his ending she was still seen going West and pregnant so hge was a tad mad.

[Macca00]

SPOILARRRRRR


















Danimal,

I got the same ending as you. Nice to know we think alike. Plus she's hawt...er...for a videogame character..

I really hope there's some continuity between games because I love the way it ends.

[Danimal]

No that anyone asked but here is my mini-review having just finished this expansion pack.

Is it worth $30? Well I got $30 worth of enjoyment out of it, but I would say honestly for most it won't be. I would say if you liked Dragon Age you owe it to yourself to play this expansion, just look for it on sale or something. I imported my character over which wasn't an issue, it was nice to see actions in the main game played somewhat of a role in this expansion pack.

I say i did 60% of the side quests and the game took around 15 hours of time. I would say if you ignore the side quest, and there are many side quest you could knock off the main story in half that time. The story itself is very good, it was actually a real treat for me having read the Dragon Age Novels, especially the second one as characters from that play a huge part in this game. It is not required, but it bring much of the lore altogether. I could say after reading the book and playing this x-pack that I know what the next game due out in 2011 will be about. Anyway I don't want to give away the main plot but I found it more interesting then the main origins game.

The environments are much nicer this time out, twisting and turning. Varying levels, nice atmosphere through out. The battles are much bigger, you'll encounter some monsters that are just freaking huge, the battles are nice and challenging. However with my guy, Oghren and 2 mages i plowed through almost every battle. In fact the only battle i had to restart was the final one. Some of the side quests are really good and some are ridiculous.

I kid you not, one side quest was read a note and then donate 30 silvers into a cup next to the note. One of them was particularly buggy and often times the NPC's didn't light up with that "hey dumb ass finish quest here" icon.

There were nice surprises in the game which I won't ruin. They stream lined the party camp interface and conversations to make them more important. They added lots of new crafting, in fact 3 side quests i didn't finish require rune crafting and will net you some good items I would guess when completed.

All in all very enjoyable, and like i said if you liked DA then you'll like this. My main gripe with this series going forward is going to be the world in general.

I've had my fill of dark spawn, even with the dozen or so new types they managed to throw in this x-pack. I appreciate the time spent crafting such a rich world I am just beginning to get bored with it. Arl's and land, back stabbing, revolts, power plays sure it may be accurate to the frame of reference but sooner or later I will grow tired of putting down the next dark spawn threat. I think that is why i like the more traditional fantasy setting more, much more variety in monsters and where you can go with the story. Take the dark spawn out of DA and what have you got, basically a medevial rpg.

Anyway not much talk about this one but it is a nice play through and I will probably replay this with a new charcter before doing the Origins game.

Course Bioware has some big announcement on Monday about something/

[Macca00]

Dan,

Thanks for the impressions! I have it still in the shrink-wrap as I've been unable to play videogames much this month but will be checking it out soon. Glad to hear that some of the decisions you made carry over to the next game, I'm sure it's not as in-depth as Mass Effect but at least some continuity is nice.

[Slumberland]

Much like my experiences with KOTOR 2 and the first Mass Effect, I walked away from Origins for months, then popped it back in and got obsessed. I just defeated the Broodmother in the Deep Roads with the dwarves last on my list for enlistment in the cause. I vascillate constantly between "this is awesome" and "how freaking long is this game". I'd love to play through again with another class but jeez-o-pete some of these areas take forever. I feel like some asocial recluse at times.

[Danimal]

Once you have everyone enlisted it's not long to the end. I played the expansion pack as well and that was good (and short).

They apparently have another DLC out where you can play a dark spawn, but I'm not getting that one. I've kind of had my fill of the DS, honestly if that is the main evil for DA2 I may sit it out.

[Slumberland]

Yeah, I've heard that the play-as-a-darkspawn DLC was very skippable.

Good to hear that Awakenings is on the shorter side. I eat this stuff up, but I want like 20 hours of it, not 50... at least at this point in my life.

[Danimal]

Good to hear that Awakenings is on the shorter side.

If you've read the 2 novels, or at least the second one. Awakenings will give you a lot more enjoyment.

[Slumberland]

You mean Stolen Throne? I can always audiobook these while at work, might be fun.

[Danimal]

You mean Stolen Throne? I can always audiobook these while at work, might be fun.

I don't recall which one was which, both are on my Nook. I just know I wish I read the first one before playing Dragon Age, it gave a lot of insight into Loghain.

I did read both before Awakenings and well I won't ruin it. Just know there is a lot of tie ins to the book.

[Brando70]

I bought DA last year and started playing it, but just didn't have the time to dig into such a deep game. I decided to dig it out again and start a new game with an Elf mage, and I am starting to get sucked in big time.

One question -- I have another mage in my party who has the flame wall spell that shoots a cone of fire like a flamethrower. The problem is, I'm playing on Hard with friendly fire, and Pyroboy ALWAYS gets his allies in the field of fire. Is there a way to tweak the tactics so he won't target allies? I will likely drop him when I can for a Rogue, but right now I need him for this quest.

[tjung0831]

I'm a little late to the party on this one but wow...what a fantastic game. I haven't been able to put it down even with COD Black Ops in the house. Oh and the graphics aren't that bad. The gameplay is so good, I haven't found any faults with it just yet.

[RobVarak]

Nerdpocalypse!

Felicia Day is starring in a web series based on DA! LOL

http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/ ... 5_ST_N.htm

[Danimal]

Nerdpocalypse!

Felicia Day is starring in a web series based on DA! LOL

http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/ ... 5_ST_N.htm

Ever notice that these people who bridge the gamer / web / stardom are never guys or unattractive females? Just sayin...

[RobVarak]

In Felicia Day's case, I am not going to object in the least.

[Danimal]

I prefer Lisa Foiles

http://twitter.com/LisaFoiles

[GameSeven]

I prefer Lisa Foiles

http://twitter.com/LisaFoiles

Thank you for this

[RobVarak]

I don't know. Hard to argue with this:




But then, I've never favored blondes.

[Macca00]

Is she going to be Zevran? If so that would help me feel less awkward about some things I did in my DA playthrough.....

[Danimal]

Ok then

[RobVarak]

This is so juvenile. Also the highlight of my week.

[GameSeven]

I don't know. Hard to argue with this:

[pic snipped]

But then, I've never favored blondes.

Indeed, but I was at least tenuously familiar with her. Danimal's counter was an unknown to me and I dug a couple of her top 5 vids. A love of gaming and a sense of humor are nice assets.

[TCrouch]

I actually ran all the way back through Dragon Age this past week in preparation for DA2. Did the DLC content (that $40 bundle with the original game and all expansions and DLC can't be beat) and am still impressed at how good this game was.

That being said, I downloaded the Dragon Age 2 demo this morning and gave it a whirl at lunch.

My opinion: way...way...WAY...different. I have no idea whether that's good or bad yet.

I like the art style. Much has been made of how different it is, and it certainly is. It's almost like watching a "Toy Story" type of cartoon animation and then suddenly looking at "The Clone Wars". Exaggerated characters and models, etc. I guess if somebody is looking at info on DA2, then they already know this. So my point is I thought I'd hate it, and it's not bad. Way better than DA1 on consoles, but the PC version looked sick. I'll have to see DA2 on PC to really compare.

The conversations are a huge step forward with the Mass Effect-style wheel. Of course, I still think ME2 is my favorite game of all time, so there's that bias there. But having the character discuss things from a basic response instead of reading exact text and your character being a mute really ups the immersion. I dig the conversations in the demo more than any of the one-sided audio in DA1.

But the combat...whoa. I have no idea what to think. I can have some fun with it, but it feels almost exactly like a Dynasty Warriors type of game, for better or worse. 6 to 10 guys around, you just run up and mash the A button until they die. Doesn't seem to be any block button, so you're just pounding on that button until your abilities on the X/Y/B buttons reset and you do a spin-o-rama attack or fireball or whatever, depending on the class. The mage was infinitely more fun than the warrior in the first segment, since it gives you that "ultimate badass" flashback combat where you have all abilities and crap. Raining down meteors on guys was more fun than spinning in a circle or jump-hitting guys to death.

But all in all, it's more like your typical action RPG (heavy on the action) combat. People who liked planning everything out in DA1 will probably really dislike it, honestly. My wife took one look at it and went "uh...you'll like this more, but I won't be able to play it.". This coming from a woman who played the first one all the way to the end (a rarity for her).

So if you're a tactical combat fan, they can say all they want about how it can do "action RPG or tactical combat...your choice!". But what they mean is pausing a frantic button-mashing fight long enough to give out orders. You're still going to be mashing the hell out of that A button--and that's going to rub a lot of people the wrong way.

[Danimal]

The PC demo isn't a button masher in any way. It's basically left click on target to attack, use quick bar for special abilities and pause whenver you want. Honestly reminds me of a MMO.

I love what I saw in the demo, the look and graphics are better, the new dialogue and I love the new interface for tactics. I was luke warm on this one but after the PC demo I'm sold.

[TCrouch]

So on the PC demo you just click and they start attacking? I'll have to check out the PC demo now. I ran through the 360 demo on all classes last night and they all felt sort of mash-ish. I liked the rogue the most I think. But I was still mashing A to shoot guys from afar.