ooooooooooookay, spoilers spoilers spoilers.
As of this point, I am only about 13 hours or so in, so bear that in mind. I'm also playing without an strategy guide, and I'm on the console.
Okay, so...what can we say about dragon age 2 besides: "it's awesome"?
Dragon Age II is everything I wanted in dragon age 1, albiet with a few tweaks. THe game isn't without its faults but it isn't this horrid, rushed, terrible mess that so many people have been saying it is. (personally, I think it's the Skyrim fanboys bitching and moaning but that's just me)
The game has been redesigned entirely, with a focus on more useful skills as opposed to skills that sit in your spellbook unused because you just wanted the skill after this (something I routinely did in DA 1...though I did end up with 43 skills or so)
The game is more based around your party and your personal story, and of course: Kirkwall. A lot of people have pissed and moaned that it doesn't feel right to only have one area open to you, but i applaud bioware for trying something new with the game, and I entirely enjoy it. You go to kirkwall and the area there around. you're not out on this epic quest, yet the quests feel epic, and it has this real sense that something huge is coming along that Hawke isn't aware of.
Combat:
You've all seen combat so let me just put my 2 cents in on it. The new combat system isn't turn-based but real-time. Your characters run around and fight how they would in a battle. Things can get wild and hectic and that (to me) is the sign of a good fantasy game. Sword combat isn't supposed to be neat and tidy, it's wild chaos. Things are exploding, people are cutting and dying, it's a frenzied mess! I love it and it it very satisfying.
Characters:
Your characters aren't the usual bioware mashup of a cheerful male lead with a dark past, the big-breasted ***** and so on and so forth. You have a more unique cast of characters, all of them have depth, personalities and flaws. This makes them compelling and more interesting. They talk of course, amongst each other and they build relationships. It all adds to the world, making it feel polished and fully realized.
Music:
What can you say? The music is lord of the rings inspired. That was something that distracted me in the last game and distracts in this one, the Lord of the Rings soundtrack that plays in the background. The heavy brass, deep booming drums, the music is trying so hard o pay homage to it without being obvious that it IS obvious. This is my opinion and i"m not a professional reviewer, but I just found the music to be less than compelling at the worst of times, and just...meh at the best.
Storyline:
I cannot comment on this now, I'm not far in, but as I said: It feels like there is something huge coming. The storytelling is very interesting, told from Varric who as everyone at this point knows, exaggerates. You have segments where character's busts are over-sized and where Varric goes off on this wild killing spree like rambo with a crossbow. It makes it hard to know when he's bullshitting and when he's telling the truth. And of course, makes the entire narrative more compelling and interesting as a whole.
Over all:
There is a tonne to do in this game, it's not this half-assed piece of garbage game, it's NOT Dynasty Warriors: Dragon Age. It's Dragon Age 2, with an action genre swapped in supported quite heavily by RPG elements. Do NOT think that you can just mash 'a' and win. When bioware does RPG the RPG elements are central. Just because it's an action game doesn't mean that it's going to be simple by any means. The bosses are tough and unforgiving. The quests are grande and the entire game has this feeling that you're on the brink of something disastrous but you have no idea what it is or how to avoid it.
It's a great game. I recommend it for everyone who enjoys RPG's and fantasy games.
huh...in the end there weren't any spoilers. Yay for me! :3
As of this point, I am only about 13 hours or so in, so bear that in mind. I'm also playing without an strategy guide, and I'm on the console.
Okay, so...what can we say about dragon age 2 besides: "it's awesome"?
Dragon Age II is everything I wanted in dragon age 1, albiet with a few tweaks. THe game isn't without its faults but it isn't this horrid, rushed, terrible mess that so many people have been saying it is. (personally, I think it's the Skyrim fanboys bitching and moaning but that's just me)
The game has been redesigned entirely, with a focus on more useful skills as opposed to skills that sit in your spellbook unused because you just wanted the skill after this (something I routinely did in DA 1...though I did end up with 43 skills or so)
The game is more based around your party and your personal story, and of course: Kirkwall. A lot of people have pissed and moaned that it doesn't feel right to only have one area open to you, but i applaud bioware for trying something new with the game, and I entirely enjoy it. You go to kirkwall and the area there around. you're not out on this epic quest, yet the quests feel epic, and it has this real sense that something huge is coming along that Hawke isn't aware of.
Combat:
You've all seen combat so let me just put my 2 cents in on it. The new combat system isn't turn-based but real-time. Your characters run around and fight how they would in a battle. Things can get wild and hectic and that (to me) is the sign of a good fantasy game. Sword combat isn't supposed to be neat and tidy, it's wild chaos. Things are exploding, people are cutting and dying, it's a frenzied mess! I love it and it it very satisfying.
Characters:
Your characters aren't the usual bioware mashup of a cheerful male lead with a dark past, the big-breasted ***** and so on and so forth. You have a more unique cast of characters, all of them have depth, personalities and flaws. This makes them compelling and more interesting. They talk of course, amongst each other and they build relationships. It all adds to the world, making it feel polished and fully realized.
Music:
What can you say? The music is lord of the rings inspired. That was something that distracted me in the last game and distracts in this one, the Lord of the Rings soundtrack that plays in the background. The heavy brass, deep booming drums, the music is trying so hard o pay homage to it without being obvious that it IS obvious. This is my opinion and i"m not a professional reviewer, but I just found the music to be less than compelling at the worst of times, and just...meh at the best.
Storyline:
I cannot comment on this now, I'm not far in, but as I said: It feels like there is something huge coming. The storytelling is very interesting, told from Varric who as everyone at this point knows, exaggerates. You have segments where character's busts are over-sized and where Varric goes off on this wild killing spree like rambo with a crossbow. It makes it hard to know when he's bullshitting and when he's telling the truth. And of course, makes the entire narrative more compelling and interesting as a whole.
Over all:
There is a tonne to do in this game, it's not this half-assed piece of garbage game, it's NOT Dynasty Warriors: Dragon Age. It's Dragon Age 2, with an action genre swapped in supported quite heavily by RPG elements. Do NOT think that you can just mash 'a' and win. When bioware does RPG the RPG elements are central. Just because it's an action game doesn't mean that it's going to be simple by any means. The bosses are tough and unforgiving. The quests are grande and the entire game has this feeling that you're on the brink of something disastrous but you have no idea what it is or how to avoid it.
It's a great game. I recommend it for everyone who enjoys RPG's and fantasy games.
huh...in the end there weren't any spoilers. Yay for me! :3