Dragon Age 2 ain't so simple.

[Trolldor]

Right, so I picked up Dragon Age 2 yesterday and played it for... a long time.


The game is stream-lined, not simplified. Combat is faster, not less tactical. Liberal use of the pause function to issue commands is necessary even at normal difficulty. Well, in some battles anyway. You can still get wiped out by the various 'boss' and 'elite' enemies if you don't pay attention and have a bad party set-up.
The world map is far more functional, indicators given where quests are available, no travel time between areas (yay) but, adversely, no random encounters (I... have mixed feelings about this.)
Conversation wheel is 'immersion breaking' in that you don't feel like you are Hawke so much as you're playing Hawke. It's Hawke's story and you're along with the ride.
Conversation wheel works. You get a symbol along with a brief line which actually matches the dialogue. Admittedly I'm still on my first play through so I haven't had much opportunity to see all three branches.
Also, gathering information, having certain party members with you, being a certain class, actions in previous quests and even having certain stats unlock different conversation options on top of the 'default three', so there actually is a bit of variety in what you can say based on a number of factors and your actions.
As for choice/consequence, I'm going to have to wait till my second playthrough to comment, but thus far there have been 'looming' consequences but none really stand out.

For context, I now have a home in high town so I'm past the prologue and "first chapter", now starting the second.


Dragon Age 2 is accessible, not simplified. It is streamlined, not dumbed down.
Anyone who says otherwise hasn't played it. Even if they think they've played it, they haven't.
I feared for the game with every change they mentioned, but it all works.
Oh, and if you're in it for the story, the characters are fucking brilliant, although Fem Hawke sounding a little like Leliana, and Mother Hawke sounding like Noble Origins Mother is a little.... disconcerting.
It is not a button masher unless you allow it to be.

For reference: PC version.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

I agree with you. The only things that make me angry are the race lock, dialogue wheel, and the plot doesn't feel...epic enough (I know it isn't supposed to, but still).

 

[Baneat]

Just the dialogue wheel was a serious step back, it's very dungeons and dragony, they should have the 9 point moral compass instead and no penalties for picking aretological and/or neutral morality

 

[Haydyn]

I didn't feel like I was too distant from playing Hawke. I overall love the new dialog wheel, expect that it is hard to see from across the room, so if I'm playing in bed it is hard to read. It is nice to see a positive review of the game for once.

 

[MetallicaRulez0]

I just finished the PC version and I thought it was pretty damn awesome. Not as good as either of the Mass Effect games, but I did enjoy it considerably more than I enjoyed the 360 version of Origins. I'm considering buying Origins off Steam just to have a fair comparison between them. I remember liking Origins a lot, but it was a very clunky game on 360.

The Main Plot in DA2 was... a little bit lame, though. I enjoyed it, but it really lacked punch compared to other BioWare titles.

 

[Zaik]

Quick question folks.

I'm genuinely curious.

How is:

1:Nice response.
2:Neutral response.
3:Jerk Response.
4:What?
5:I should go.

Any better than a dialogue wheel?

I mean, people say immersion this, game-breaking that, but it's the same thing except now I don't have to scroll down when some of the options were incredibly long rambling on options that looked a whole lot like this here sentence does, especially when you stretch it out with an additional bunch of words explaining what you already just said with an additional statement like this one without actually making it another sentence.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

See, I want to put the original poster in a room with another PC poster who hated the game and listen to you two talk. Very different opinions. No, wait. Bad idea. Someone will end up dead.

Glad to see that not everyone on the PC is screaming that it's been dumbed down for us console folk. I haven't had to use tactic yet, but then I never had to use tactics in Origins either. I simply set my characters up in the tactics screen, then played the game. That seems to be working in this version too. Can't comment on the plot yet, but I did just meet Merrill. I think I'm in love.

 

[StarCecil]

Quick question folks.

I'm genuinely curious.

How is:

1:Nice response.
2:Neutral response.
3:Jerk Response.
4:What?
5:I should go.

Any better than a dialogue wheel?

I mean, people say immersion this, game-breaking that, but it's the same thing except now I don't have to scroll down when some of the options were incredibly long rambling on options that looked a whole lot like this here sentence does, especially when you stretch it out with an additional bunch of words explaining what you already just said with an additional statement like this one without actually making it another sentence.

The immersion-breaking part of the dialogue wheel is that what's written barely matches what's said. You get to pick the gist of what it was you wanted to say, but then Hawke starts talking and doing gestures that I did not intend. With a silent protagonist like in DAO, you didn't have that problem. Not only was the whole of the statement right in front of you, but any intent, inflection, and attitude was purely up to the player and how they wanted to roleplay.

 

[gibboss28]

Quick question folks.

I'm genuinely curious.

How is:

1:Nice response.
2:Neutral response.
3:Jerk Response.
4:What?
5:I should go.

Any better than a dialogue wheel?

I mean, people say immersion this, game-breaking that, but it's the same thing except now I don't have to scroll down when some of the options were incredibly long rambling on options that looked a whole lot like this here sentence does, especially when you stretch it out with an additional bunch of words explaining what you already just said with an additional statement like this one without actually making it another sentence.

I prefer the old system because I liked being able to look at the options of what that character could say in the conversation in the full(ish) sentence it was, because I always looked at it from the perspective: well what would I say if I was this person and such and such had happened...and sure enough 9 times out of 10 the response I would have picked would be there.

With DA2 it has a summary of what the options are, but you still don't get to see precisely what he/she's going to say, if you get my meaning.

But I can see where you're coming from its all personal preference at the end of the day and to be honest it isn't that bad, just not what I'd want.

 

[Spencer Petersen]

My question is, is there any way to play this game that doesn't involve killing everything you meet? Bioware games offer only the illusion of choice, not any actual choices. If the combat and dialogue are still 2 completely different games, like in most other Bioware games I've played, then I cant be asked to care about the characters when they turn a complete 180 whenever we aren't making creepy eye contact and standing ramrod stiff.

What I mean is, is my main character a perfect person in every way no matter what I choose? Is my main character smart enough to know everything about the situation, even if I am a warrior who has invested nothing in the intelligence stat? Is my mage still capable of punching the shit out of people in dialogue when I'm the weakest person in the room? I'm so goddamn tired of the only factor in dialogue being your alignment, regardless of actual character traits, talents or characteristics. Bioware needs to supplement the voice acting with a system that actually provides some depth to the dialogue and scrap the current system of a glorified cutscene where you click buttons to advance.

 

[Trolldor]

Quick question folks.

I'm genuinely curious.

How is:

1:Nice response.
2:Neutral response.
3:Jerk Response.
4:What?
5:I should go.

Any better than a dialogue wheel?

I mean, people say immersion this, game-breaking that, but it's the same thing except now I don't have to scroll down when some of the options were incredibly long rambling on options that looked a whole lot like this here sentence does, especially when you stretch it out with an additional bunch of words explaining what you already just said with an additional statement like this one without actually making it another sentence.

A dialogue wheel is a generalised approach, but to point out why it's worse you have to look at the way the dialogue wheel works.

It polarises your responses.

DA2 took some steps to remedy this by having 'branch' options which allowed you to make a decision that wasn't bound to a 'response type', but this was still just as bad because 'traditional' Bioware dialogue often allowed you to choose the evil side reluctantly, or forcefully, or indifferently, or for profit.
Four responses for one decision which helps you choose and shape your character.
Dialogue wheel DOES NOT ALLOW.

I'm Glad DA2 didn't implement a morality mechanic like ME and 2, as that allowed them a little more freedom with the wheel, but the simple fact is you often only have three decisions approached in a single pre-determined fashion. It narrows 'your character', which is why its immersion breaking, because if I am supposed 'be Hawke' then Hawke's responses should match closely with how I want that character to form.

Also, started second play-through. Choice/Consequence impact to be assessed.

 

[Agayek]

I agree with you. The only things that make me angry are the race lock, dialogue wheel, and the plot doesn't feel...epic enough (I know it isn't supposed to, but still).

If you come into it with the right frame of mind, it all works together quite well actually. Basically, you can't approach DA2 with the same mindset as the original. If you go in expecting a far more personal story, then it works great.

The only problem I have with it is the ending.

Spoiler: Not really a spoiler, but better safe etc

There's absolutely no closure to it, which annoys the shit out of me. It's basically "oh you've killed the last boss, here's 45 seconds of dialogue about the aftermath, where we introduce half a dozen other new big events and not explain any of it."

I've included a brief list of the points that made no sense in the end of the game, read at your own risk.

Spoiler: Here's the real spoilers

1) Why the fuck did the Templars rebel against/leave the Chantry?
2) Why the fuck did a random group of sisters, apparently led by Leliana, leave the Chantry?
3) How the hell did two of the most powerful individual combatants in the world just disappear and why do aforementioned rebel sisters think the two disappearances are related?
4) What the flying fuck was the point of Varric telling his story?

 

[Trolldor]

Agayek:

1) They didn't, they were acting against one of the final bosses.
2) They didn't, or at least I saw no evidence they did.
3) Lead up to DLC or DA3 probably.
4) Sister wanted to know what happened with the Champion, Varric insisted on explaining everything.