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[Complistic]

Dragon Age 2 is alright for me, but I can definitely see why WRPG fans despise it, especially on PC.

I can understand the disappointment over the dumbed-down graphics, combat, and UI in favor of the consoles. Even on top of that the variety of environments is also pretty bad. Thing is, those are none of the things that made me keep playing Origins.

So far (I’m towards the beginning of Act 2) I’m actually interested enough in the characters and story alone to keep playing. The premise - just the main character trying to make his way through life and a city's politics, and protect his family, is more interesting than "save the land from monsters".

If there is a good part of the game, you're currently playing it. Just keep going to understand everyone's problem with it.

 

[Gvaz]

Dragon Age 2 is alright for me, but I can definitely see why WRPG fans despise it, especially on PC.

I can understand the disappointment over the dumbed-down graphics, combat, and UI in favor of the consoles. Even on top of that the variety of environments is also pretty bad. Thing is, those are none of the things that made me keep playing Origins.

So far (I’m towards the beginning of Act 2) I’m actually interested enough in the characters and story alone to keep playing. The premise - just the main character trying to make his way through life and a city's politics, and protect his family, is more interesting than "save the land from monsters".

I played through DA2 because it was DA but it ruined everything for me.

As for DA:O, I played that for:

- combat
- ui/controls
- art style
- setting

I didn't give a flying fuck about most of the characters because they were mostly flat, and the story was nothing to write home about if you've read any fantasy books ever.

The characters were less flat in DA2, but nothing else in the game made up for the three steps back from DA:O. It's clear it was catered more to the consoles, and as a PC fan that was more insulting than anything really.

 

[painey]

beat it the other day, and thought it was good. I hated the waves of enemies, but preferred the button mashing combat over DA:O's horrible PC to console translated combat. I bought it new for $16 and sold it to amazon for $23, so i got 30 hours pleasure and got paid to do it. how can i complain?

 

[HadesGigas]

beat it the other day, and thought it was good. I hated the waves of enemies, but preferred the button mashing combat over DA:O's horrible PC to console translated combat. I bought it new for $16 and sold it to amazon for $23, so i got 30 hours pleasure and got paid to do it. how can i complain?

You'll have to rebuy it and get DLC if they ever release an actual ending for it.

 

[Gvaz]

This is pretty much my DA2 experience:



Also this w/r/t the game:

 

[RedSwirl]

Where the fuck is Spirit Healer? I'm in the middle of Act 3 and have just now realize that my entire party has only the basic healing spell and no way to revive fallen party members.

Did I miss the opportunity to give Anders the specialization and cause it to disappear or something? Is there a way to respec him (on PC)?

 

[Gvaz]

If you don't have a mage main char, anders is your "spirit healer"

It's stupid.

 

[RedSwirl]

If you don't have a mage main char, anders is your "spirit healer"

It's stupid.

But he doesn't have the specialization. I don't see it in in the abilities menu, even though there's pictures for it in the Wiki.

 

[water_wendi]

But he doesn't have the specialization. I don't see it in in the abilities menu, even though there's pictures for it in the Wiki.

i think they are saying that if you dont have a mage as a main character you dont get Spirit Healer specialization at all. Anders is all you get hence the "" around Spirit Healer.

 

[RedSwirl]

i think they are saying that if you dont have a mage as a main character you dont get Spirit Healer specialization at all. Anders is all you get hence the "" around Spirit Healer.

What.

The.

Fuck?

Is it just that character-specific ability he get's?

Any character revival items?

Or should I just install that mod that makes Anders a spirit healer and respect him?

 

[Gvaz]

anders has a basic heal and umm....an aura...and I think he has a revive

but from me fiddling around with all the mage specs (main pc was one) ander's tree is piss poor in comparison.

 

[InfiniDragon]

Yeah, I started playing this and even though I actually like the faster combat (too fast, actually), I can easily see why this is a bomba compared to Origins. The one character thing is another huge blow; I see why they did it, but I miss having a selectable origin story. To their credit, the way the game impliments your save files from Origins is great; finding out my little mage girl (I named her Melody) was Garrett and Bethany's cousin was really cool. Stuff like that was awesome. Merrill is about a zillion times better than she was in Origins, both looks wise and character wise. She's one of the only elves (well, the only one in my mind) that pulls off the stupid Na'vi look Bioware gave them in II.

Then, there's the bad stuff. Story seems weak, I actually prefer the "kill the Darkspawn, profit" to the zillion different side stories. Returning characters either got character sabotaged (read: Anders), made butt ugly (read: everyone from Origins that wasn't Flemeth, and especially Zevran) or both (again, except Merrill). In combat, the style factor is leagues better, but some classes got hit with the almighty nerf bat and took out things that made me go WTF. Duelist got mega nerfed, heals are all but nonexistent and mages got super omega what in the fuck nerfed...WHY IN THE HELL IS THERE NO ARCANE WARRIOR IN THIS. Ugh.

So yeah. Still playing it, but I can see why people are running away from Bioware like plague these days. One step forward, three steps back. XD

 

[brandonh83]

One quick question, I beat the game today and is there no new game plus or anything of the sort? Can I not back out of the last mission right before the final boss to finish other stuff?

btw I thought the game was pretty fantastic in spite of all the complaints although I fully understand them.

 

[AlphaDragoon]

There's like, one thing I like from Dragon Age 2 over Origins since starting to play it, and that the fact that your characters look like badasses in combat. Everything's fast and looks awesome.

Other than that...I like Hawke's default hair. And Merrill. But that's about it. Horrible looking Leliana (Dragon Age Redesigned version FTW) makes me cry.

 

[lastplayed]

There's like, one thing I like from Dragon Age 2 over Origins since starting to play it, and that the fact that your characters look like badasses in combat. Everything's fast and looks awesome.

My DA:O rogue with the momentum buff was pretty badass, she was like an elven chainsaw. Oh, and DA2 is missing the finishing moves. Stabbing a dagger in the chest and using the other one to slice the head off... you can't get more badass than that.

 

[U2NUMB]

I have an extra Online Pass code for the 360 so if anyone would like one PM me.

After giving up early on the game I just re bought it to give it another go.

 

[ReaperXL7]

Seems like the DLC is getting ripped apart by pretty much everyone, backlash for DA2 or is it really just not that good?

Personally, I was very disappointed with DA2 overall for alot of reasons. Shame that I'll have to wait until a 3rd game to see if they learn anything, but the moment we find out if their forcing a human exsistance on us, and continuing with the awful direction of DA 2 than it's likely I will just write the game off before it even has a release date.

What happened Bioware? why don't you like RPGs anymore?

 

[lastplayed]

I enjoyed LEgacy for what it was. There's a lot of choice dependent content in there, so it'd be worth a couple more playthroughs.

 

[Gvaz]

They want the COD fanbase. However the major thing they missed, is that RPGs are niche. You aren't going to get COD or Gears numbers unless you are literally making COD or Gears of War.

Mass Effect 3 looks like it will be even more TPS than RPG like the first game was, but fail to actually go "all the way" with the design. It'll probably have less clunky combat but the rpg mechanics will still be threadbare.

With DA2 it just makes me think that they have to stick to one thing. They can stick to making a good rpg, or they can stick to making something else. The design choices of DA2 really shows they were trying to pull in casual rpg fans while appealing to existing, more "hardcore" RPG fans they had carried and brought in with DA:O, but failed to properly appeal to either. The "hardcore" fans just got turned off, and the casual fans were like "well it's okay~"

 

[XANDER CAGE]

They also missed CoD polish. Say what you will about Call of Duty, but those games (Treyarch-y silliness aside sometimes) are a pretty tight ship. DA2 ain't.

 

[Gvaz]

Really for a Bioware game it just isn't up to even those standards.

I guess RPGs in general are just dying out. Shame.

 

[Stallion Free]

Seems like the DLC is getting ripped apart by pretty much everyone, backlash for DA2 or is it really just not that good?

I haven't seen anyone really say anything about it. I recently beat it though (I'm on my first playthrough) and I thought it was quite good by DA2 standards.

 

[Warnen]

Hope there is more DLC coming, Legacy was good, might even be better then the actual game (more baddies, new areas, no drop from the roof waves of guys). Story was good as well.



Missed the hidden boss, might play again and give it a try.

 

[ReaperXL7]

Really for a Bioware game it just isn't up to even those standards.

I guess RPGs in general are just dying out. Shame.

See i do not get that at all really because DA:O did well for itself last time i read, and then when you look at games like Witcher, Kingdoms of amalur, Demon's and Dark Souls, Risen 2 is looking good so far, obsidians games, hell even skyrim is still keeping most of it's important RPG aspects, it's obvious that many developers still care about the genre.

Sadly, then you have Bioware who were lauded as one of the Pillars of RPG development for along time seem to be giving up on it to chase a market that has never really cared about their games it's mind boggling to me as a fan.

I understand it's a business and they have to try new things and expand, but when your seemingly turning your back more and more on what made people love your games to begin with, all that does is force away your exsisting fanbase to chase a group that probably still won't really care. Lets be honest Mass Effect is not really a shooter that will compete with stuff like Uncharted or Gears, but now the RPG aspects continue to dwindle with each release, so where does that leave it?

 

[Demon Ice]

Is there a trick to beating the final boss?

Spoiler

Every time he does his rotating shoot fire out of the hands move it murders everyone in the party except for the main character :/

 

[Stallion Free]

Missed the hidden boss, might play again and give it a try.

Huh? Do tell (in spoilers).

 

[Complistic]

Is there a trick to beating the final boss?

Spoiler

Every time he does his rotating shoot fire out of the hands move it murders everyone in the party except for the main character :/

Keep running away from it duh.

 

[luxarific]

Huh? Do tell (in spoilers).

Think he might be referring to

Spoiler

Hybris

here. Not linking to the DA2 wiki since the link isn't hidden in spoiler text. Just google the name and it should come up. I thought this boss was the most challenging of the game - definitely more fun than the interminable High Dragon fight.

 

[Stallion Free]

Think he might be referring to

Spoiler

Hybris

here. Not linking to the DA2 wiki since the link isn't hidden in spoiler text. Just google the name and it should come up. I thought this boss was the most challenging of the game - definitely more fun than the interminable High Dragon fight.

Hmm, you fight that kind of enemy three times, is there another one that's hidden?

 

[Gvaz]

What's a

Spoiler

Hybris

? I think my mind blocked this out.

 

[Stallion Free]

What's a

Spoiler

Hybris

? I think my mind blocked this out.

According to the wiki he is a hidden boss in DA2, but he is also seen in the DLC Legacy (not the same one).

 

[RedSwirl]

So the game's ultimate armor is largely gained from completing the main quest - except for the Arms of the Champion, which are gained through a sidequest that I decided not to do.

Where's that mod that just gives you the armor straight away?

 

[Vamphuntr]

What's a

Spoiler

Hybris

? I think my mind blocked this out.

It's the boss you fight for collecting the 3 scrolls. It's basically the same 3D model as the boss you fight during

Spoiler

Merryl's final quest

.

 

[Warnen]

Huh? Do tell (in spoilers).

Spoiler

After you find the warm orb in the 1st part of the game (before you hit the statue that lets you go back to the mansion). Head back to the 1st arena and you will have a big boss fight that ends with a dragon. Video Link

 

[lastplayed]

Is there a trick to beating the final boss?

Spoiler

Every time he does his rotating shoot fire out of the hands move it murders everyone in the party except for the main character :/

I just ran up the stairs where the switches are, protected me every time.

 

[RedSwirl]

Okay, finished the game. Surprisingly, the storyline compared to most RPGs is actually quite good (decent at worst) - right up until the very end.

I liked the fact that throughout nearly the entirety of the game there really was no central antagonist - simply different sides disagreeing with each other, but it's like BioWare decided to create one (or two?) right at the end. Up until that point though, the story and characters were enough to keep me coming back to the game.

Nearly everything else though: tech, art, and gameplay, was pretty much a failure. The entire game could have been a visual novel running on the conversation system and probably would have been better.

 

[Arjen]

So, i finally got this for pretty cheap (18€) on 360 after deciding not to get it at launch.
And this game cofuses me, as a person that is.
I should hate it, because i don't get to choose my race, the skills are gone, i can't equip armor on my companions, i hardly find any good loot, i cant swich between weapon sets (seriously WTF??) and i'm running trough the same dungeons al the time.
But..i already put in 13 hours in 3 sittings, and can't wait to play some more. Why? i seriously don't get it. When i think about al the changes they made i get mad, but somehow i just keep playing for hours.

 

[subversus]

So, i finally got this for pretty cheap (18€) on 360 after deciding not to get it at launch.
And this game cofuses me, as a person that is.
I should hate it, because i don't get to choose my race, the skills are gone, i can't equip armor on my companions, i hardly find any good loot, i cant swich between weapon sets (seriously WTF??) and i'm running trough the same dungeons al the time.
But..i already put in 13 hours in 3 sittings, and can't wait to play some more. Why? i seriously don't get it. When i think about al the changes they made i get mad, but somehow i just keep playing for hours.

Happened to me but this will wear off soon.

 

[lastplayed]

So, i finally got this for pretty cheap (18€) on 360 after deciding not to get it at launch.
And this game cofuses me, as a person that is.
I should hate it, because i don't get to choose my race, the skills are gone, i can't equip armor on my companions, i hardly find any good loot, i cant swich between weapon sets (seriously WTF??) and i'm running trough the same dungeons al the time.
But..i already put in 13 hours in 3 sittings, and can't wait to play some more. Why? i seriously don't get it. When i think about al the changes they made i get mad, but somehow i just keep playing for hours.

Maybe the pacing? As much as I love DA:O, there were some parts that dragged on far too long. The Fade and Deep Roads for example.

 

[Gvaz]

It's the boss you fight for collecting the 3 scrolls. It's basically the same 3D model as the boss you fight during

Spoiler

Merryl's final quest

.

I'm pretty sure that's a Pride Demon

 

[Interfectum]

So, i finally got this for pretty cheap (18€) on 360 after deciding not to get it at launch.
And this game cofuses me, as a person that is.
I should hate it, because i don't get to choose my race, the skills are gone, i can't equip armor on my companions, i hardly find any good loot, i cant swich between weapon sets (seriously WTF??) and i'm running trough the same dungeons al the time.
But..i already put in 13 hours in 3 sittings, and can't wait to play some more. Why? i seriously don't get it. When i think about al the changes they made i get mad, but somehow i just keep playing for hours.

Are you on any pain medication? That might do it.

 

[SmellyHands]

So, i finally got this for pretty cheap (18€) on 360 after deciding not to get it at launch.
And this game cofuses me, as a person that is.
I should hate it, because i don't get to choose my race, the skills are gone, i can't equip armor on my companions, i hardly find any good loot, i cant swich between weapon sets (seriously WTF??) and i'm running trough the same dungeons al the time.
But..i already put in 13 hours in 3 sittings, and can't wait to play some more. Why? i seriously don't get it. When i think about al the changes they made i get mad, but somehow i just keep playing for hours.

This is pretty much my experience with the game. Although when I hit that last chapter, I was forcing myself to finish.

 

[Gvaz]

So, i finally got this for pretty cheap (18€) on 360 after deciding not to get it at launch.
And this game cofuses me, as a person that is.
I should hate it, because i don't get to choose my race, the skills are gone, i can't equip armor on my companions, i hardly find any good loot, i cant swich between weapon sets (seriously WTF??) and i'm running trough the same dungeons al the time.
But..i already put in 13 hours in 3 sittings, and can't wait to play some more. Why? i seriously don't get it. When i think about al the changes they made i get mad, but somehow i just keep playing for hours.

Because it's literally the only game that gives this kind of experience that isn't a billion years old.

The underlying design is sound, but the overall implementation is not.

 

[hateradio]

It's a chore. You do it because you have to, even though you may not want to. I have to finish it. It's so easy that I can just breeze through this and this and that and that and . . . It's over? OH GOD, OH GOD, WHAT'S HAPPENING? It's an oddly alluring game that's simply shallow.

 

[guest1321]

So I got dead space 2 and it comes with a code for Isaac Clarke armor for Dragon Age II. I don't play and I think it is specific to xbox 360. So if anyone wants it I would happy to give it someone who might actually use it!

EDIT: Enjoy Synless!

 

[Snuggles]

If I had to say one positive thing about this game so far, the custom characters look a lot better. My FemHawke looks far less ghoulish than my custom Shepards and I like that her eyes and face animate a bit in the cutscene, instead of her looking like a wax person.

Everything else? Ehh.....it's not painful to play but it's underwhelming for a Bioware game. I'm still early, though.

 

[Hasphat'sAnts]

I have been playing Dragon Age 2 the past couple of days.

Spoiler

Pretty close to 50 sovereigns so I can get the story moving.

I know the response to Legacy wasn't so hot, but is The Exiled Prince worth it in the way that Shale was for DA:O?

 

[Stallion Free]

I have been playing Dragon Age 2 the past couple of days.

Spoiler

Pretty close to 50 sovereigns so I can get the story moving.

I know the response to Legacy wasn't so hot, but is The Exiled Prince worth it in the way that Shale was for DA:O?

No, Sebastian is kind of a dick and his quests are pretty boring. I thought Legacy was actually quite good though, better than most of the main game.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

No, Sebastian is kind of a dick and his quests are pretty boring. I thought Legacy was actually quite good though, better than most of the main game.

If you download him but don't do his quest, he still shows up at the end like he knows you.

 

[Stallion Free]

If you download him but don't do his quest, he still shows up at the end like he knows you.

Lmao that is just sad.

Spoiler

I sided with Anders because Sebastian kept making these underhanded cunty remarks about mages the whole game and then would act like they didn't apply to me (a mage) because he like followed me and shit.