*SPOILERS* Dragon Age 2 Discussion

[StriderShinryu]

Overall, I love the game. I can't say it's better or worse than DA:O though as they both have their own pros and cons but neither is perfect. I do agree that the game, particularly the re-use of art assets and the third act in general, feels a bit rushed.. but Bioware has already admitted that the game was rushed because of the demand they felt after how surprisingly well DA:O sold.

Isabella was great, and the romantic arc with her was actually really well done. Her dialogue with Aveline, both random in world chatter and in conversation scenes, was absolutely hilarious. Even her dialogue with Alistair in the meeting with him where they comment about how much different the other looks in a nice gentle breaking of the 4th wall was great (and I usually hate 4th wall breaking, especially in RPGs where immersion is such a key factor).

Actually, there isn't a character in DA2 that I didn't like and I wish I could have used all of them more often. This is in complete contradiction to my DA:O experience where I found some characters virtual throw aways (Dog, Sten) and some just generally annoying or unlikable (Oghren, Wynne, Loghain). I'm already planning ahead what I'll do in my second DA2 playthrough.. how to incorporate more characters while re-experiencing my favourite moments from play 1. People complain about how Bioware re-uses the same plot lines and characters over and over again, but when the writing and voice acting is this damn good I find myself not really caring.

Anywho, I keep reading about how you can save your sibling but I had my sister die from the taint in play 1. Do you just not bring them into the Deep Roads with you to keep them alive? That seems almost too easy.

Also, sounds like there's no way to save your mother, right?

 

[Vetala]

Anywho, I keep reading about how you can save your sibling but I had my sister die from the taint in play 1. Do you just not bring them into the Deep Roads with you to keep them alive? That seems almost too easy.

bring anders to the deep roads

Also, sounds like there's no way to save your mother, right?

nope

 

[StriderShinryu]

Anywho, I keep reading about how you can save your sibling but I had my sister die from the taint in play 1. Do you just not bring them into the Deep Roads with you to keep them alive? That seems almost too easy.

bring anders to the deep roads

Also, sounds like there's no way to save your mother, right?

nope

Thanks. Too bad about Mom though. What a way to go...

 

[DustyDrB]

I positively loved the game. At the end of the game, I was a level 24 Archer Shadow Assassin and had upped my Dexterity and cunning so much that I was getting auto-crits doing no less than 700 damage per attack (1500+ for my stronger attacks, and I don't even know how much for cross-class combo attacks).

I went with default Serah (Korrine) Hawke. I really enjoyed her voice actor. She pulled off the snarky responses very well. I sided with the mages, but kind of regretted that at the end (WTF ANDERS!!! I had a romance going with him and then he pulled that shit and then had to have an awkward conversation: "You remember that time when I said I love you no matter what and that I support you always? Yeah? Well...I didn't really expect you to test my limits on that...").

I didn't really enjoy the Origins cameos. They felt pretty forced. It was all "Oh, hi! I'm one of your old friends!" and then Hawke goes "Me? I don't know you. Who are you talking to?" and then Alistair/Lelianna/Zevran just wink at the camera. It was good seeing the characters again, though.

I'm defeating all the Templars... OMG, I NEED TO USE BLOODMAGIC TROLOLOLOL" Fuck you Orsino.

That bugged me as well. They spent the whole game showing us that there are truly good mages who want to be free but can resist the temptation to use forbidden magic, and then at the end of the game just had rampant Abominations and even the fair-minded Orsino succumbed. I understood that freeing the mages meant that some would abuse their freedom, but it seems like Bethany was the only level-headed one of the bunch. I felt like that when Grace showed up again and tried to kill me too.

Anywho, I keep reading about how you can save your sibling but I had my sister die from the taint in play 1. Do you just not bring them into the Deep Roads with you to keep them alive? That seems almost too easy.

bring anders to the deep roads

Also, sounds like there's no way to save your mother, right?

nope

Thanks. Too bad about Mom though. What a way to go...

Yeah, that was grisly.

 

[Kungfu_Teddybear]

I love the game but at the same time there is a lot of stuff in it that I have a problem with and while there has been improvements in certain area's it still isn't as good as the first game. One thing that annoys me the most is that all the cave, estate and underground caves/hideouts all have the same layout and atmosphere and you can't even fully explore all area's of these identical caves due to doors you can't interact with or some rubble blocking the path. I could overlook that if you were not being sent to a cave, estate or underground place for almost every side quest that exists. Like the Bone Pit quest you're sent to a mine in the Bone Pit to find out what's happened to the workers, you go there expecting it to look like what it's supposed to look like: A mine. But it doesn't, it looks like the cave you went in about 20 minutes ago for a different side quest.

I was also really disappointed with the ending. The way the story being told with Varric telling the story of Hawke's rise to power I thought after all that Cassandra would go find Hawke and it would continue from there in the present. But it doesn't it just... Ends. So now I have to wait for DLC or an expansion pack for it to actually end properly.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

The stupidest part is when the mages kidnapps someone "of your people". Hurr Durr we wunted you not to hunt us why u support medridith?

WELL I FUCKING DIDN'T BUT I'M SURE AS HELL GOING TO NOW

I agree. That bit was hilariously retarded.

lol so true

 

[D Moness]

I went with default Serah (Korrine) Hawke. I really enjoyed her voice actor. She pulled off the snarky responses very well. I sided with the mages, but kind of regretted that at the end (WTF ANDERS!!! I had a romance going with him and then he pulled that shit and then had to have an awkward conversation: "You remember that time when I said I love you no matter what and that I support you always? Yeah? Well...I didn't really expect you to test my limits on that...").

The default hawk looks really good (nice VA as well). I did the same sided with the mages and romance Anders. The first reaction when he blew up the chantry was "Fuck there goes my romance achievement". The second was being pissed about blowing up the only SANE person in the whole city.

I am now siding with the templar's (also trying to get a rival for that achievement) this goes against me own personality. The question really is would most of those mages take refuge into blood magic if they were less pressured.