Support NeoGAF

[Bubble]

Still a bit pissed that Dragon Age gets to continue while Mass Effect is put on ice. The Dragon Age franchise has had one good game (Origins), one OK game (DA2) and one bad game (Inquisition), while Mass Effect has 4 good games. And the Dragon Age series is getting worse for each released sequel.

The next Dragon Age has a lot of work cut out for it. I think that the main story will be interesting, but there needs to be a major overhaul in regards to protagonist, combat, open-world design and side-quests. Make it more like Origins & DA2, and less like Inquisition, and this franchise will be on the right track.

 

[Lyng]

I played it, NeoGAF couldve saved me money if it was more vocal. Inquisition tops the list of dogshit games this gen. Never going to listen to any recommendation from people that think it was good.

I'm looking forward to Anthem, but I'll avoid BioWare c-tier franchises like Dragon Age. Would prefer if they tried to resurrect Jade, but no thanks to DA

Dragon Age: Origins was a fantastic A-tier rpg. Anthem looks bland af.

 

[Garnox]

I love Jade Empire just as much as the next fella, but I feel DA is on a good role. I liked Inquisition and look forward to the next entry. Wish I could say the same about my beloved Mass Effect T-T

 

[Lanrutcon]

Man, DA is getting another shot. That's incredible given...you know...the last 2 games.

They should stop trying to be ME and go the PoE/DA:O route. Maybe play D:OS a few times.

 

[Lady Gaia]

Man, DA is getting another shot. That's incredible given...you know...the last 2 games.

DA:I sold really well and garnered great reviews. EA doesn't and shouldn't care about a vocal minority who can't stand that it was successful. They know there's Witcher/Skyrim money to be made and will keep chasing it.

 

[AlStrong]

Twist: The Jade Empire exists within Dragon Age universe.

 

[BrassDragon]

Problem with EA/BioWare is that they keep chasing other franchises - their corporate drive is to have their own Destiny / Skyrim / Witcher / World of Warcraft / Whatever and they try to force their properties to fit formulas made popular by other developers.

There's nothing like Jade Empire and Mass Effect out there... but instead of doubling down on unique features, we get more of the me-too attitude.

 

[Sou Da]

Man, DA is getting another shot. That's incredible given...you know...the last 2 games.

They should stop trying to be ME and go the PoE/DA:O route. Maybe play D:OS a few times.

No matter how times you guys conflate voiced dialogue with "trying to be ME" it'll never be true.

 

[UpDownLeftRight]

I'm actually surprised are getting another DA. Honestly thought the last two were absolute trash and the only good one was soooo long ago now.

 

[Corsick]

Problem with EA/BioWare is that they keep chasing other franchises - their corporate drive is to have their own Destiny / Skyrim / Witcher / World of Warcraft / Whatever and they try to force their properties to fit formulas made popular by other developers.

There's nothing like Jade Empire and Mass Effect out there... but instead of doubling down on unique features, we get more of the me-too attitude.

They're reactive instead of proactive. It's a huge tell that they don't really have any visionaries to chart their own course behind. The creativity and quality of their games has been on a steady decline unfortunately.

 

[Kalentan]

Man, DA is getting another shot. That's incredible given...you know...the last 2 games.

They should stop trying to be ME and go the PoE/DA:O route. Maybe play D:OS a few times.

Yeah. Damn, I recall DA:I selling horribly and getting terrible reviews...

Oh wait.

 

[adj_noun]

This was kinda hinted at by Andromeda as well.

Woah, I completely missed that one.

I don't see the hint?

Dawnstar = character in Jade Empire

Empirically = hint at Empire

Nephrite is jade

The rest of it is a very brief story of what the deal is with JE2.

 

[MartyStu]

Yeah. Damn, I recall DA:I selling horribly and getting terrible reviews...

Oh wait.

You are right, he should not conflate the actual quality of the game with its initial critical and popular reception.

 

[Frozenprince]

Jade Empire had some cool concepts but BOY was it rough story wise.

 

[Metroidvania]

Hm....Jade Empire 2 would need a metric fuckton of tweaking to balance things and make them more interesting then the 'fast-block-heavy' system that always just ended up being the enemies blocking forever until you went into golem form - it'd also need a much more nuanced version of the open palm/closed fist system that wasn't just 'Good/evil but totes not'.

That being said, I'd still be on board if they managed to take care of the above.

Still somewhat curious on just who the new MC is going to be for the next DA - if the Inquisitor's around, even if their power is somewhat blunted, that'd be a weird feeling to focus on someone new. As for DA:I's problems, Bioware is generally at the least 'okay' at taking feedback, so I'd hope the MMO-ish issues with quests and the empty map get addressed.

 

[Frozenprince]

A AAA martial arts based RPG based on Chinese mysticism would be cool. No doubt.

But it would also proooobably not sell too well.

 

[adj_noun]

But it would also proooobably not sell too well.

Everything I like probably wouldn't sell too well.

*stalks off muttering*

 

[Frozenprince]

Everything I like probably wouldn't sell too well.

*stalks off muttering*

You are talking to a man who loves him some Yakuza and niche as shit JRPG's.

Familiar pain.

 

[Renekton]

A AAA martial arts based RPG based on Chinese mysticism would be cool. No doubt.

But it would also proooobably not sell too well.

Makes mad bank for MMOs though

Blade and Soul
Mists of Pandaria
Age of Wushu

 

[Lady Gaia]

You are right, he should not conflate the actual quality of the game with its initial critical and popular reception.

There is no objective “actual quality” of any game that isn’t so broken as to be unplayable. In the context of the original statement this reply chain goes back to, the poster was asserting that they were surprised a sequel was being made consider the preceding game. The fact that Inquisition was well reviwed, reportedly sold well, and was celebrated by any number of outlets and polls including NeoGAF’s annual polling as being the RPG of the year? That’s pretty solid concrete evidence that a publisher is likely to consider over and above what the two of you think of the game.

I happen to find competitive shooters mind-numbingly uninteresting, but I’m not the least bit surprised people keep making them given how well received they’ve been.

 

[IAmAnAgnostic]

I played and enjoyed DA:I to an extent.. but man do I not feel like playing another game like it any time soon. Too big and too repetitive for its own good.

How about not as gigantic worlds but more meaningful things to do?

 

[SolicitorPirate]

I for one am shocked that BioWare is making a sequel to the game that had the strongest launch in studio history and won basically every fucking award in 2014

 

[SprachBrooks]

Problem with EA/BioWare is that they keep chasing other franchises - their corporate drive is to have their own Destiny / Skyrim / Witcher / World of Warcraft / Whatever and they try to force their properties to fit formulas made popular by other developers.

There's nothing like Jade Empire and Mass Effect out there... but instead of doubling down on unique features, we get more of the me-too attitude.

Probably something to do with their current CEO.

 

[RiccochetJ]

I'd be up for them visiting Jade Empire again. The first one wasn't very good though so they'd have to do some work. I was one of the people that got bamboozled by the IGN score.

 

[KyanMehwulfe]

Expected but still great to hear them talking a bit about it now.

The Inquisitor, The Divine, & The Dread Wolf.

That trinity of political intrigue, especially if your Inquisitor romanced the Divine and then pledged to stay as a full peacekeeping force serving her authority, was set-up pretty well by Trespasser.

 

[m_dorian]

They have the artists and the technology. Modern Bioware lacks daring, coherent direction and flair. They need their artists to design their games and not EA accountants.

They have set up a very interesting villain. Now, they really need to learn their lessons from MEA and try to do as half as good as The Witcher 3 did, in terms of writing.
If they do this, i am sure they ll deliver a superb Dragon Age game.

 

[Some Nobody]

Inquisition was boring, empty, featured fairly linear narrative structure compared to what came before. And as evidenced by a lto of threads here and reviews elsewhere, was NOT loved by a many others.

Yeah, but none of those people are me. So their opinion is irrelevant. cRPGs came back in a huge way this gen, go play those.

I thought Dragon age series though great in the first game, had a lack luster story, and great strat combat.

I felt nothing for DA:I, and really with games like The witcher series among Elder scrolls I feel we don't need another Western fantasy RPG. Would rather they put all their efforts into Jade Empire, new Knights of the Old republic, or something new entirely not tied to online like Anthem.

Dragon Age past the first game has been inconsistent.

Just my 2 cent's.

The Witcher series is dead as a doornail. Yeah it sold well but if I beat it (like I have) and wanted more (like I do), guess what? It's not in the works. Two years from now there won't be a TW4 coming out.

Similarly, Elder Scrolls (and the trash art design it had in Skyrim) is on the shelf until BGS finishes not one, but TWO other major titles.

DA is the only AAA fantasy RPG franchise in existence right now.

To be clear, Jade Empire 2 sounds lovely, but it's already dead and can sit on the shelf until PS5 time IMO.

 

[RPGam3r]

DA:I sold really well and garnered great reviews. EA doesn't and shouldn't care about a vocal minority who can't stand that it was successful. They know there's Witcher/Skyrim money to be made and will keep chasing it.

Exactly what I wanted to add!

 

[SolicitorPirate]

Inquisition was boring, empty, featured fairly linear narrative structure compared to what came before. And as evidenced by a lto of threads here and reviews elsewhere, was NOT loved by a many others.

I don't think this is a terribly compelling line of argument. Between sales, reviews and awards, every quantifiable metric we have points to DAI being very well received. By contrast you're trying to argue we should give equal weighting to threads on internet forums.

 

[Alexander DeLarge]

I just asked a bunch of friends if they'd want a Jade Empire sequel from modern Bioware. Their responses were variations of "fuck/hell/lmao no".

 

[Tal]

I wonder if we'll get another Dragon Age Origins/Mass Effect 2 deal where Anthem and DA4 launch within a few months of each other. DAI will be four years old in Holiday 2018, or three if you're counting from the end of the DLC, so it can't be too far behind Anthem.

 

[BrassDragon]

Probably something to do with their current CEO.

Well, Knights of the Old Republic was sacrificed on the altar of World of Warcraft under their founders and Inquisition was announced / name-dropping Skyrim before the doctors left in 2012

I'm pretty sure it's a culture issue, not a personality-driven thing.

Maybe we'll get a futuristic Jade Empire after Cyberpunk 2077 blows up.

 

[Renekton]

I just asked a bunch of friends if they'd want a Jade Empire sequel from modern Bioware. Their responses were variations of "fuck/hell/lmao no".

Your friends could be lion tamers or Fortune 500 CTOs for all I know 😗

 

[Some Nobody]

I wonder if we'll get another Dragon Age Origins/Mass Effect 2 deal where Anthem and DA4 launch within a few months of each other. DAI will be four years old in Holiday 2018, or three if you're counting from the end of the DLC, so it can't be too far behind Anthem.

I'm predicting 2019 at the earliest. DA:I has been out, ME:A has been out, and Anthem didn't put DA on hold, but BioWare likes to discuss a single project at a time, so I wouldn't expect to hear a word on DA until post-Anthem.

 

[THEaaron]

Still salty about DA2 and DA:I. Guess I am just not in the target audience anymore.

But good for those that had fun with DA2 and DA:I.

 

[Stiler]

Man DA:I gets way too much crap imo.

It was a far better game than DA2, not as good as origins though.

It suffered from some bloat/filler quests, but overall it was an enjoyable rpg with some great characters/writing.

Mass Effect deserved better imo, it's a huge mistake for them to put it on ice for having ONE out of four games be mediocre.

They threw it to a new developer and on top of that had them put it on a new engine, of course there's going to be issues.

Just need to get some better writers for the next ME and focus more on quality control. Pull in some people from the earlier games to help on it, like the writer who came back and is working on Anthem.

 

[Wulfram]

Problem with EA/BioWare is that they keep chasing other franchises - their corporate drive is to have their own Destiny / Skyrim / Witcher / World of Warcraft / Whatever and they try to force their properties to fit formulas made popular by other developers.

There's nothing like Jade Empire and Mass Effect out there... but instead of doubling down on unique features, we get more of the me-too attitude.

Because there are so many games like ME3, DAI and MEA out there nowadays. Oh, wait, no, there aren't any.

 

[Quasar]

They heard you! Now it's multiplayer MMO fetch quests

Now we're getting destiny wannabes.

 

[DemWalls]

They have set up a very interesting villain. Now, they really need to learn their lessons from MEA and try to do as half as good as The Witcher 3 did, in terms of writing.

Hiring Alexis is a first, commendable step, but I'm also afraid this will make the writing even more inconsistent. If he manages to keep the writing quality as good as Sunless Sea's, that is, but I trust him.

 

[Lux R7]

I'll be the lone person in here to defend Dragon Age. I thought Inquisition was great, and I'm hyped for where the next one will be going.

i mean, it wasn't a perfect game or as good as the first one, but i think it was way better than the second and i did enjoy my time with it.

 

[PFD]

Didn't the main story for Dragon Age end? How many stories is there left to tell?

Trespasser (DLC) set up DA 4 in a big way

 

[Keasar]

Eh, cool.

But after Inquisition it's hard to get excited about another. I still can't remember anything about the villain dude in DA:I, who I had to google "Dragon Age Inquisition villain" to find.

He was apparently introduced in a Dragon Age 2 DLC, which I never touched after having forced myself through the awful main game. Then he jaunted around, did some stuff, died in the end. Was he evil? Maybe. Did he do mean things? Sure. Why? No fucking clue. He was probably angry that his face looked like a regurgitated poprock or something. For me he seriously was just suddenly there, pissed off and did shit without me having no idea what. He did say something about having looked at "the throne of the gods and it was empty" which sounded like an awesome plot point but they never went anywhere with that in the game.

I think they really should stop telling the main story through DLC's. So that if you only play the main game, you're not out of the loop. DLC's at their best should be self-sustained stories. Could have helped a lot.

 

[Alpha Phoenix]

I'm predicting 2019 at the earliest. DA:I has been out, ME:A has been out, and Anthem didn't put DA on hold, but BioWare likes to discuss a single project at a time, so I wouldn't expect to hear a word on DA until post-Anthem.

Pretty much.

Also 2019 is the series' 10th anniversary.

 

[BrassDragon]

Because there are so many games like ME3, DAI and MEA out there nowadays. Oh, wait, no, there aren't any.

Not sure where the snark comes from - they just put Mass Effect on ice after a half-hearted reboot in favor of a Destiny clone and Dragon Age lives in the shadow of The Witcher and Elder Scrolls. Sure, it has party dynamics but not much else to set it apart of those giants.

That was the whole point... instead of playing to their strengths, like improving Mass Effect or an original twist on Jade Empire, the BioWare creative vision consistently pushes for territory already covered by more successful properties.

 

[DemWalls]

Eh, cool.

But after Inquisition it's hard to get excited about another. I still can't remember anything about the villain dude in DA:I, who I had to google "Dragon Age Inquisition villain" to find.

He was apparently introduced in a Dragon Age 2 DLC, which I never touched after having forced myself through the awful main game. Then he jaunted around, did some stuff, died in the end. Was he evil? Maybe. Did he do mean things? Sure. Why? No fucking clue. He was probably angry that his face looked like a regurgitated poprock or something. For me he seriously was just suddenly there, pissed off and did shit without me having no idea what. He did say something about having looked at "the throne of the gods and it was empty" which sounded like an awesome plot point but they never went anywhere with that in the game.

I think they really should stop telling the main story through DLC's. So that if you only play the main game, you're not out of the loop. DLC's at their best should be self-sustained stories. Could have helped a lot.

The worst thing about Coryphues is his appearance, absolutely ridiculous and not menacing in the slightest. An awful, banal design all around. Say what you will about the Wild Hunt, which are arguably not better villains than him, but at least they look cool as heck (the goons more so than the commanders in my opinion, especially after they changed Eredin's design, but that's another matter).

 

[BrassDragon]

Eh, cool.

But after Inquisition it's hard to get excited about another. I still can't remember anything about the villain dude in DA:I, who I had to google "Dragon Age Inquisition villain" to find.

He was apparently introduced in a Dragon Age 2 DLC, which I never touched after having forced myself through the awful main game. Then he jaunted around, did some stuff, died in the end. Was he evil? Maybe. Did he do mean things? Sure. Why? No fucking clue. He was probably angry that his face looked like a regurgitated poprock or something. For me he seriously was just suddenly there, pissed off and did shit without me having no idea what. He did say something about having looked at "the throne of the gods and it was empty" which sounded like an awesome plot point but they never went anywhere with that in the game.

I think they really should stop telling the main story through DLC's. So that if you only play the main game, you're not out of the loop. DLC's at their best should be self-sustained stories. Could have helped a lot.

I had the same experience and apparently, this trend continues - I've never played Trespasser so probably missed some world changing lore and the motivations of the 'real' villain.

Would be nice if this stuff is in the actual main storyline.

 

[Keasar]

The worst thing about Coryphues is his appearance, absolutely ridiculous and not menacing in the slightest. An awful, banal design all around. Say what you will about the Wild Hunt, which are arguably not better villains than him, but at least they look cool as heck (the goons more so than the commanders in my opinion, especially after they changed Eredin's design, but that's another matter).

Agreed. I think they tried way too hard to make him "look awesome and scary and shit!".

Could take a hint from CD Project Red in this regard and make them more about substance, like this guy:

One of the most terrifying people in a video game ever. And he looks like that. Stroke of bloody genius.

 

[Lanrutcon]

DA:I sold really well and garnered great reviews. EA doesn't and shouldn't care about a vocal minority who can't stand that it was successful. They know there's Witcher/Skyrim money to be made and will keep chasing it.

They can chase the Skyrim/Witcher money without making crap games. Whether it was successful or not is irrelevant to the "vocal minority" who played it: it's a mediocre game at the best of times.

No matter how times you guys conflate voiced dialogue with "trying to be ME" it'll never be true.

I have no idea what you're talking about, and I don't think anyone else has either.

 

[Renekton]

Not sure where the snark comes from - they just put Mass Effect on ice after a half-hearted reboot in favor of a Destiny clone and Dragon Age lives in the shadow of The Witcher and Elder Scrolls. Sure, it has party dynamics but not much else to set it apart of those giants.

That was the whole point... instead of playing to their strengths, like improving Mass Effect or an original twist on Jade Empire, the BioWare creative vision consistently pushes for territory already covered by more successful properties.

This is too reductive I think, since DA:I still plays very differently from TES5/TW3 and Anthem looks different from Destiny 1 in some aspects.

 

[emag]

I had the same experience and apparently, this trend continues - I've never played Trespasser so probably missed some world changing lore and the motivations of the 'real' villain.

Would be nice if this stuff is in the actual main storyline.

It was in the main game, too, in the post-credits scene and the lore that was scattered around the main game (particularly if you had Solas in your party to comment on the Elven ruins). The conversation at the end of the Trespasser DLC made everything explicit instead of subtle.