Dragon Age II Review

[Slycne]

Buldur's Gate 1+2 is still the pinnicle of RPG's and the reviewer knows not what they speak of. Obviously they've never played D&D table top and is stuck in the console generation (it was an X-Box review afterall).

That must have been another Greg Tito that's in our Classic B/X D&D campaign last night, runs two 4th edition D&D lunch time campaigns, has written about tabletop games in our Check for Traps column and has written for WoTC.

You might not agree with his review, but there is a long standing love for tabletop games across almost all the staff here.

 

[Macrobstar]

Given that it's predecessor was far from "excellent", another glowing-with-the-hyperbole Escapist review to view with suspicion. This is becoming a trend that is leading me to try to find an unbiased site, if they exist.

Dragon Age is far, far from the "heir apparent to Baldur's Gate" they touted it to be. It now sounds like more of a fantasy clone of Mass Effect, with gameplay suffering at the expense of cutscenes and endless dialog trees that, thank you, no, does not impel me to play the game again and again just to hear a NPC say something different.

I suppose I'll know for sure if/when I find some level headed reviews -or even more certain, when I buy it at a discounted price (sometime) in the future when sales have died down.

sp basically you want to find a review that agrees with you? instead of people telling the truth that its a great game

 

[Macrobstar]

Oh but DA:O looks pretty! Jeeze what a selling point for an RPG.
.

umm one of the main criticisms of DA:O was its ppor graphics, the reason it got loads of good reviews is most likely because its just better than most RPG's

 

[Macrobstar]

Give me back Baldur's Gate and PlaneScape Torment, damnit.

They haven't gone anywhere, you go back and see that those games just aren't as good by todays standards and leave the newer BETTER games for us

 

[Michael Logan]

So I was thinking, is the dwarfs name Varric a refrence to the dwarf actor Warwick Davis?

Maybe Im just overthinking it.

 

[Macrobstar]

Just lost what little respect I had for the Escapist Reviews.

Well surely you knew how good people think it is and how popular it is, why would you expect him to think any differant?

 

[Baby Tea]

Give me back Baldur's Gate and PlaneScape Torment, damnit.

They haven't gone anywhere, you go back and see that those games just aren't as good by todays standards and leave the newer BETTER games for us

Well that's just false.
While I agree that modern games are great, no modern RPG has close to the depth, charm, or just plain awesomeness that the BG series has. And that's not nostalgia talking, I was playing BG not two days ago. It's just fantastic, balanced, crazy long, incredibly deep, and overwhelmingly memorable.

And I love my modern games.
Especially anything by Bioware.

The only thing the BG series might 'fail' at by today's standards is the graphics.
But I use the qualifier 'might', because, quite frankly, the graphics are fine in it.
Especially with the custom resolution MOD.

That all being said, I'm picking up DA2 tonight! Can't wait to play through it!
Loved DA1, and expect great story-telling in the sequel.

...But it's no Baldur's Gate.

 

[PopcornAvenger]

Given that it's predecessor was far from "excellent", another glowing-with-the-hyperbole Escapist review to view with suspicion. This is becoming a trend that is leading me to try to find an unbiased site, if they exist.

Dragon Age is far, far from the "heir apparent to Baldur's Gate" they touted it to be. It now sounds like more of a fantasy clone of Mass Effect, with gameplay suffering at the expense of cutscenes and endless dialog trees that, thank you, no, does not impel me to play the game again and again just to hear a NPC say something different.

I suppose I'll know for sure if/when I find some level headed reviews -or even more certain, when I buy it at a discounted price (sometime) in the future when sales have died down.

sp basically you want to find a review that agrees with you? instead of people telling the truth that its a great game

No, I don't have and can't have a definitive opinion of DA2 - I haven't played it. The only impressions I have is the demo, and descriptions of the game itself from Bioware and reviewers. From what I've seen and read that impression is not great, and Bioware is heading in a direction which is leading it to cut out or skimp on the elements of the game I find most enjoyable. Dragon Age 1 was a big disappointment, and the elements that even Bioware is touting about it's sequel don't address the first game's shortcomings.

On the whole you find a lot more reviews about any new game that are little more than PR jobs designed to sell the title; it's the honest, rubber-meets-the-road ones that are rarer, and, to me, a gamer, more valuable.

The problem with many people opinions is they feel the need to justify their purchase and defend the games as the greatest thing since sliced bread. Or they are in love with the title and unwilling to see it's problems (aka "fanbois"). I can't really listen to them or give their opinions much weight. It's from reviewers, who supposedly do this for a living, that I expect a little more professionalism and a frank critique of the game, its merits as well as it's shortcomings.

 

[Dustpan]

Oh but DA:O looks pretty! Jeeze what a selling point for an RPG.
.

umm one of the main criticisms of DA:O was its ppor graphics, the reason it got loads of good reviews is most likely because its just better than most RPG's

DO:O2 - Typo - Sorry.

 

[Carne]

Buldur's Gate 1+2 is still the pinnicle of RPG's and the reviewer knows not what they speak of. Obviously they've never played D&D table top and is stuck in the console generation (it was an X-Box review afterall).

Having played D&D 2 and 3.5 I really have to disagree with you. I don't think tabletop has ever been translated into a game well and I doubt it ever will. Baldur's Gate while a good game did have it's short comings and treating it like a masterpiece is pretty ridiculous.

Your opinion's in the minority. Baldur's Gate and Planescape:Torment are still considered by most to be the "top of the heap" as far as cRPG's go. Where those of us who loved those games (and Black Isle's offerings, like Icewind Dale) lament is the trend of Bioware towards more cutscenes and pretty graphics, and less gameplay mechanics, like extensive skill trees, classes, and a good inventory system.

Dragon Age (and probably it's sequel) is still far better than a lot of offerings out there. Maybe it's because, personally, I've come to expect a great deal out of Bioware, give their past performance and excellence. I do feel they're heading in a direction I don't like; give me gameplay over gloss.

As far as tabletop RPG versus cRPG, they're apples and oranges, and shouldn't be compared.

I while agree with you that Bioware making a more traditional RPG would be awesome. I think that people are mistaking changes in the genre to get their games getting dumbed down. Let's face it, the PC market for games isn't nearly as good as it used to be. Consoles are dominating the market in a lot of ways and developers need to adapt or die off, something we've seen quite a bit recently.

I think that rather than bashing this game to hell for it's features people should actually bring up it's shortcomings. I play Bioware games for the interactive narrative, the mechanics are secondary.

I personally I think your responses have at least been more reasonable. As for people defending their purchase, I think the inverse is also there. If you read this thread it's fairly obvious that a lot of the people complaining don't know what they are talking about.

 

[Dustpan]

You might not agree with his review, but there is a long standing love for tabletop games across almost all the staff here.

I know, which is what makes it so much more upsetting.

 

[xqtr]

They haven't gone anywhere, you go back and see that those games just aren't as good by todays standards and leave the newer BETTER games for us

I have been going back to P:T, and still I see that it's writing, story, dialogs, setting and atmosphere made it the work of art (BTW, google "planescape torment work of art"), unsurpassed by any RPG that came after it.

 

[PopcornAvenger]

I'd have to admit I'm biased in regard to the interactive narrative. The problem with cRPG's is their replayability, and that's a huge factor, for me, in whether I consider a game a worthwhile purchase. I just won't replay a game to see where a different dialog branch will lead me anymore, because in the end I know I'll arrive at the game's linear conclusion regardless.

It's the mechanics - the number of classes, skills/perks/feats, spell variety, loot variety, the inventory system, micromanagement, a good, exciting combat system - that directly affect it's replayability. For me. The graphics, story, and cutscenes are important, yes - on the first playthrough. After that, it's all about *gameplay*.

I played ME multiple times for the classes it offered. As for the dialog? On the replays I hit the return or escape button to fast-forward through it, because I'd already been there, done that.

Believe me, I *wanted* to love Dragon Age 1. I still greatly respect Bioware. In the end I just couldn't. From what I've read of DA2, they didn't address the problems and lack of content (again, mechanics & gameplay) of the first game.

It's my hope that my impression of DA2 is proven completely wrong (when I eventually buy it). From what I've read, and seen of the demo, however, I fear I won't be.

 

[Macrobstar]

They haven't gone anywhere, you go back and see that those games just aren't as good by todays standards and leave the newer BETTER games for us

I have been going back to P:T, and still I see that it's writing, story, dialogs, setting and atmosphere made it the work of art (BTW, google "planescape torment work of art"), unsurpassed by any RPG that came after it.

Wow, because it totally doesn't look like every other CRPG

 

[Thoric485]

Ha, that was really funny.

When do we get a real review?

 

[veloper]

The praise is a little over the top here.
No criticism at all?

 

[Azaraxzealot]

you WANT games to go back to the days of Ninja Gaiden and Battle Toads?

I didn't say anything about difficulty. I am not even being hyperbolic when I say I just kept pressing the R button (auto-attack) and I got half way through the demo. The only strategy was when my finger cramped up and I decided to switch hands.

Seriously, try it yourselves. It works.

im playing it on xbox. cant afford the parts to build the space-computer to run modern games

 

[shadowmagus]

And so the love of BioWare begins anew, like the Spring season all over again, and the snow will fall in a vain attempt to cover the beauty of Spring, but lo, the sun of truth, critical and consumer applause, will banish the snow from our sights again...just like with ME2

 

[Azaraxzealot]

Christ, the internet really hates this game. Then again, they DID play a demo, and from that demo they all seem to have discovered it's a 10-hour long hack and slash dynasty warriors clone. Clearly.

Seriously though, what the hell is with you people questioning the sites integrity, just because they disagree with your views on a game? Fine, leave, the site would be a better place with people like you gone anyway.

nobody likes to admit when they're wrong. ESPECIALLY the internet.
They don't disagree with the views, they disagree with the facts.

 

[xqtr]

Wow, because it totally doesn't look like every other CRPG

Look? LOOK? So your opinion about it's quality as an RPG is based on how the game looks? These are "today's standards" that you use to judge RPGs? Then I agree with you, by "today's standards" modern RPGs are THE BEST RPGs EVER MADE.