Zero Punctuation: Dragon Age II
- Thread starter Yahtzee Croshaw
- Start date
Ah, but you're missing out on the Dragon Age that's actually good if you skip on the first one.emusega said:
has anyone thought how this will effect bioware's match up with mojang? I mean it seams a LOT of people are pissed or disappointed about DA2 and if there's enough of them.... who knows.
I think the criticism of repetitive environments is perfectly valid. It's also my number one problem with the game. I don't know if I would chalk it completely up to the company hoping to squeeze as much money from the franchise as possible, though. I've been fortunate to speak with the writers before, and the passion they have for this game and the story is evident. Whether that extends to upper management I can't say, but there is a soul to this game.
I also think the theme of the game is less oppression than an exploration of terrorism and whether or not it could ever be justified. Yahtzee used Nazi symbols in his review, suggesting a Holocaust allegory with the mages. You might read it that way, but I think the climax pushed it more towards current concerns over Islamic fundamentalists.
Furthermore, DA2 takes pains not to paint mages as helpless, oppressed victims. Quite often when we see mages throughout the game, they're possessed or working with demons or otherwise engaging in some not-so-wholesome acts. Meanwhile, we meet templars (the ostensible oppressors) who really are just trying to keep their charges safe. Yes, we meet characters who fit the stereotypes of both groups. But the conflict is far from black or white, which is the point.
Yahtzee and others have said the game lacks an overarching Big Bad. I agree, but that's also the point. DA2 isn't a game where you vanquish an ancient evil. It's a game where you try to survive, where you try to take care of your family. It's also a game where you fail sometimes. In fact, a case could be made for the Champion of Kirkwall himself being the Big Bad. One of the characters in the framing story certainly seems to view Hawke that way, especially initially.
The game diverges from the traditional story path of the RPG. As Yahtzee pointed out, it's less of an epic save-the-world rehash. Personally, I think that's a good thing. It's nice to see a game try something different. Here the narrative is more personal. It reminds me a bit of Red Dead Redemption in that great emphasis is placed on the main character's family. Hawke feels more three-dimensional than the Warden or even Commander Shepard. But I understand not everyone likes changes to the formula. I, on the other hand, hope BioWare continues this direction.
I also think the theme of the game is less oppression than an exploration of terrorism and whether or not it could ever be justified. Yahtzee used Nazi symbols in his review, suggesting a Holocaust allegory with the mages. You might read it that way, but I think the climax pushed it more towards current concerns over Islamic fundamentalists.
One of the principle characters of the games blows up the equivalent of a church in order to make his point about the oppression of the mages. For a terrorist action, the offending character is actually portrayed quite sympathetically, and much of the game is devoted to exploring the reasons why someone would do something like this.
Furthermore, DA2 takes pains not to paint mages as helpless, oppressed victims. Quite often when we see mages throughout the game, they're possessed or working with demons or otherwise engaging in some not-so-wholesome acts. Meanwhile, we meet templars (the ostensible oppressors) who really are just trying to keep their charges safe. Yes, we meet characters who fit the stereotypes of both groups. But the conflict is far from black or white, which is the point.
Yahtzee and others have said the game lacks an overarching Big Bad. I agree, but that's also the point. DA2 isn't a game where you vanquish an ancient evil. It's a game where you try to survive, where you try to take care of your family. It's also a game where you fail sometimes. In fact, a case could be made for the Champion of Kirkwall himself being the Big Bad. One of the characters in the framing story certainly seems to view Hawke that way, especially initially.
The game diverges from the traditional story path of the RPG. As Yahtzee pointed out, it's less of an epic save-the-world rehash. Personally, I think that's a good thing. It's nice to see a game try something different. Here the narrative is more personal. It reminds me a bit of Red Dead Redemption in that great emphasis is placed on the main character's family. Hawke feels more three-dimensional than the Warden or even Commander Shepard. But I understand not everyone likes changes to the formula. I, on the other hand, hope BioWare continues this direction.
In the internets: Epic = generic
Don't get me wrong. The game it's full of problem; recycling, ANOTHER WAVE?!, AI going completely banana after resurrection
But, why there's always be an ancient evil?
Don't get me wrong. The game it's full of problem; recycling, ANOTHER WAVE?!, AI going completely banana after resurrection
But, why there's always be an ancient evil?
I agree 100%.
This game sucked, what was it 6 different dungeons. Ya that doesn't get old. It's so true you spend more time loading than anything else.
I loved the first one.
We all know there will be a #3, and they can keep it.
What's funny is if you go onto the offical Dragon Age II web site, the Escapist is quoted.
The Escapist
Review Score: 5/5
"Dragon Age II is the rare sequel that improves upon its already excellent predecessor."
This game sucked, what was it 6 different dungeons. Ya that doesn't get old. It's so true you spend more time loading than anything else.
I loved the first one.
We all know there will be a #3, and they can keep it.
What's funny is if you go onto the offical Dragon Age II web site, the Escapist is quoted.
The Escapist
Review Score: 5/5
"Dragon Age II is the rare sequel that improves upon its already excellent predecessor."
Warning, this contains spoilers
I actually liked DA2 more than the original. Combat felt more fluid and while having multiple waves of enemies coming from the ether did hurt my suspension of disbelief it still made combat more manageable than in the original where most every battle resulted in one side ambushing the other in some way, shape or form. I did miss having my rogue lay traps, but again this was offset by having combat better balanced between the three classes in my opinion.
As for the writing I think that it's a step up from the original that pushes the narrative to a new level. In the original built a largely generic fantasy world, but it kept adding elements that made it feel unique. Mages all live in a tower, where they're watched by religious zealots who will cut them down if they think they step out of bounds. Dwarves live in caves and mine without using magic and they're empire is in the decline because of the GREAT EVIL, except for ones that live on the surface and face discrimination because of it. Elves are crazy weirdos who live in the woods, except for the ones who are slaves.
These are all tropes with a slight twist which establish the background of the world where you fought THE GREAT EVIL. Dragon Age 2 decides that rather than exploring the tropes, it was time to explore the world. The first chapter focused on the relation of the surface dwarves to the rest of the society. It also begins to explore the relationship between the Chantry and the Qunari and the Templars and the mages. The second chapter brings the Qunari to the foreground as it asks the player if they ought to be allowed to enforce their idea of justice in a foreign city ruled by the Chantry. All the while the mage question continues to boil as relations between the templars, chantry and mages continue to decline. The final chapter removes all external factors and focuses solely on human problems between the mages and the templars. This has been building for the entire game and many subquests even forced you to answer this question already on smaller scales as you must ultimately answer who should rule, and who should be ruled? Is the Imperium correct, is the Chantry correct or is there some other way?
So yes, I do think that it was very well written. While some minor elements did annoy me, the hands on characters for instance. Overall it was a worthy sequel and the fact that they used a story within a story as the setup for the game also helped solve some of my suspension of disbelief issues as all of your actions do not have to be thought to have taken place in strictly chronological order, meaning you didn't really decide to do a random quest before doing something important for shits and giggles the story teller just went off on a tangent.
I actually liked DA2 more than the original. Combat felt more fluid and while having multiple waves of enemies coming from the ether did hurt my suspension of disbelief it still made combat more manageable than in the original where most every battle resulted in one side ambushing the other in some way, shape or form. I did miss having my rogue lay traps, but again this was offset by having combat better balanced between the three classes in my opinion.
As for the writing I think that it's a step up from the original that pushes the narrative to a new level. In the original built a largely generic fantasy world, but it kept adding elements that made it feel unique. Mages all live in a tower, where they're watched by religious zealots who will cut them down if they think they step out of bounds. Dwarves live in caves and mine without using magic and they're empire is in the decline because of the GREAT EVIL, except for ones that live on the surface and face discrimination because of it. Elves are crazy weirdos who live in the woods, except for the ones who are slaves.
These are all tropes with a slight twist which establish the background of the world where you fought THE GREAT EVIL. Dragon Age 2 decides that rather than exploring the tropes, it was time to explore the world. The first chapter focused on the relation of the surface dwarves to the rest of the society. It also begins to explore the relationship between the Chantry and the Qunari and the Templars and the mages. The second chapter brings the Qunari to the foreground as it asks the player if they ought to be allowed to enforce their idea of justice in a foreign city ruled by the Chantry. All the while the mage question continues to boil as relations between the templars, chantry and mages continue to decline. The final chapter removes all external factors and focuses solely on human problems between the mages and the templars. This has been building for the entire game and many subquests even forced you to answer this question already on smaller scales as you must ultimately answer who should rule, and who should be ruled? Is the Imperium correct, is the Chantry correct or is there some other way?
So yes, I do think that it was very well written. While some minor elements did annoy me, the hands on characters for instance. Overall it was a worthy sequel and the fact that they used a story within a story as the setup for the game also helped solve some of my suspension of disbelief issues as all of your actions do not have to be thought to have taken place in strictly chronological order, meaning you didn't really decide to do a random quest before doing something important for shits and giggles the story teller just went off on a tangent.
I dont know what to say. On one hand the game looks fun. On the other hand it really does seem rushed in a lot of ways. But then again I've only seen about 20 minutes of gameplay, so what the hell do i know...
The first game was pretty bad and this sequel does nothing to help change my mind on the franchise.
OMG! Finally another accurate review of DA2 by my favourite hat-guy.
Yahtzee, everything you mentioned here is just SPOT ON!
Bought this game last week (regretted it, I knew I would), and last time I checked I was just starting Act 3 (i think it was act 3).
And now I don't even want to complete it, no interest nor enthusiasm whatsoever.
Thanks dude, now do Crysis 2
Yahtzee, everything you mentioned here is just SPOT ON!
Bought this game last week (regretted it, I knew I would), and last time I checked I was just starting Act 3 (i think it was act 3).
And now I don't even want to complete it, no interest nor enthusiasm whatsoever.
Thanks dude, now do Crysis 2